Role of hormones in causing Migraines?

I had menstrual migrianes, and had a hysterectomy. I now take progesterone. I was told by some that progesterone being low can cause migraines. Maybe, but, I wouldn't blame this one thing on migraines, if you have them a lot. You just have to keep trying different things. Hormones could be a cause. I use to get a pounding headache right before I started. It was so weird. This went on for about 2 years. Of course I got them anyway, but this was when I didn't get them as often. But sure enough, every month, my periods were on the same day almost exact, and that headache let me know it was coming.

Don't know if this helps, but good luck to you.

Denise

I also suffered from severe migraine, which through journaling I had l linked to the swing of hormones, and had a hysterectomy.  I am on low dose HRT--a patch which I change once a week.  I have had huge success with this--but any change in the patch (ie it comes off, or I don't change right on time) and a headache can develop--though not a migraine. Best of luck to you-- 

When I was younger I had headaches on the day of my period and end day.  As I got older, gradually the headaches became migraines and would start a week prior to my period.  I would notice one day mid month also that I had a migraine.  (changes or spikes in hormones?) This all happened with or without being on the pill. I discovered that my "trigger" was gluten in my diet (a protein found in wheat, barley, rye...a different one in oats). If I don't eat something made with gluten, then I no longer had a headache or a migraine. The trigger only caused a headache/migraine on one of those "menstrual cycle" days.  Since I could not determine exactly when those days would occur, I chose not to eat foods with gluten most of the month.  I also discovered later that I could prevent the trigger from causing the headache/migraine if I drank coffee (caffeine) just prior to or with with bread, bagel, bun, pizza, or cookie (items with containing gluten). A strong cup of coffee prevented the headache/migraine as long as I didn't eat alot of the food item (with gluten).  I should also note when a refined flour or refined oats was used in the baking process, the headache/migraine came on more slowly, often 4-6 hours after eating.  Eating whole wheat items or steel cut oats...it came on sooner, often within an hour.

Once I had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed, I still experienced the same situation, as I am now taking daily replacement estrogen.  I am unwilling to be without estrogen.  My brain still initiates a cycle of sorts, even though the body parts are no longer there.

I have also recently been using daily an antihistamine and that slows down the headache/migraine onset because it reduces inflammation in the body.  The caffeine trick still works to prevent this headache/migraine!  I can get a migraine from a different cause - other than gluten, altho these situations are infrequent...very bright lights, flu, vertebrae snap.