Ange72

Hi Iris Pleased you have found this link with Hormones. I cannot tolerate Oestrogen and my headaches are directly linked to fluctuating levels of hormones. I have been doing quite a lot of research on this recently particularly in the link between hormones and calcium channels (given Verapamil helps a number of people) and Vitamin D. My history: worse during perimenopause cycle lined up with menstruation and hormone fluctuations, every month, starting mid luteal phase and lasting two weeks from age 15 (now 53 and post meno) improvement during pregnancy improvement with progesterone or Depo‑Provera flares with oestrogen spikes What I have found so far: oestrogen increases intracellular calcium progesterone reduces neuronal excitability vitamin D stabilizes calcium regulation the hypothalamus is hormone sensitive TACs are disorders of trigeminal autonomic circuits these circuits are heavily influenced by calcium signalling When hormones fluctuate (perimenopause, cycles, postpartum), TACs often flare. When hormones stabilize (pregnancy, Depo‑Provera, post‑menopause with support), TACs often calm. Even though men don’t have the same oestrogen–progesterone cycles as women, the same biological theory still applies to males with hemicrania continua, cluster headache, or paroxysmal hemicrania. The inputs are different, but the mechanisms are the same. All trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs), including hemicrania continua, paroxysmal hemicrania and cluster headache involve: trigeminal hyperexcitability hypothalamic dysregulation Men don’t have progesterone cycles, but they do have hormones that affect neuronal excitability and calcium signalling. Testosterone has several effects that parallel progesterone's calming influence: supports GABAergic (calming) pathways reduces inflammation stabilizes calcium‑channel activity Low testosterone, which is extremely common after age 40, can make pain circuits more reactive. This is why some men with cluster headache or hemicrania continua improve dramatically with testosterone replacement. Men also produce oestrogen (via aromatization of testosterone). It’s lower than in women, but still biologically active. Oestradiol in men: modulates calcium channels influences hypothalamic function affects trigeminal sensitivity If testosterone is low, oestradiol can become relatively high, which may increase neuronal excitability. Vitamin D is a major regulator of: calcium movement neuronal firing inflammation hormone synthesis (including testosterone) Low vitamin D in men is strongly linked to: lower testosterone higher inflammation more reactive pain pathways worse TAC symptoms I still have a lot of research to do to confirm this theory, and I am finding it very interesting. My specialist (menopause) is also supporting trials I am doing on myself with various combinations of hormone replacement to find the right balance. She also has trialled me on H1 blockers and whilst these did not help with headaches, my allergy symptoms improved, always a bonus. I am about to start a trial of H2 blockers alongside 200mg daily of progesterone. Hope you remain pain free!

I initially thought the same, but I was wrong, very wrong with my attempt to supplement estrogen. As with you, soon after starting I was under attack. I added progesterone into the mix but no improvement. As I had mentioned in my previous post, zero attacks during pregnancy for me. I even once said I might just stay pregnant forever so that I don't have Headache but life didnt play out that way. During pregnancy there are 6 main hormones in play. Estrogen, progesterone and prolactin increase and stay at higher levels until birth, hcg increases then slowly decreases, oxytocin jumps in at the end, but relaxin jumps up then levels out and gradually reduces again until birth. Now relaxin relaxes blood vessels to increase blood flow. Relaxin also increases prior to menstation to start preparing the uterus for pregnancy. Relaxin kicks in about day 14 and peaks at day 21, then drops down quickly. Now interestingly, my HA cycle always started day 22-23 and lasted two weeks which coincidentally lines up with the increase and decrease in relaxin hormone.. might be onto something here

And that was a goodie.. Post attack eye attached

Hi, I've had PH for 38 years, I've lost count of how many times I've requested oxygen. It is always denied. Up until about 3 or so years ago, there were clear pain free periods between attacks and between cycles. Now I have constant pain, always around a 2-3 level between attacks with attacks several times a day (sporadic) anything from 6-10 level and now there is no cycles, it's all the time. Example today, 1am woken with level 6, took naproxen lasted 20 minutes, went back to sleep, woken again at 3am with a 7 lasted 20 minutes, woke at 5am with another 7, took naproxen lasted about 30 minutes then no point going back to sleep as alarm went off to get up for work at 5.30am. Got to work at 7am, 8am, level 8, off to hide in the bathroom, for 15 minutes, had tried to ride it out at my desk but couldn't. 11.30am another 8, 2pm, another 7, got home at 4.30pm, 5pm rolls around and hit with a 9, more naproxen, ice pack out, off to hide in my bedroom. All the while I have a lingering low level pain between attacks. Today is the worst I've been in a while. Going to hit the indomethicin tonight at bed time. Have had verapamil in the past, did nothing. Very difficult to get anything here in New Zealand. I was misdiagnosed with CH in my teens, was only a few years back of doing my own research that I heard about indo and managed to convince my doctor to let me try it, it worked and from there rediagnosed with PH. Episodic PH has become chronic HC I'd rather try natural solutions, all these medications just make me feel rubbish on top of headaches. I like to be able to function. I've had some success with keto in the past. I only started keto again on 1st January so I'm wondering if this rough patch is just my body working out what I'm doing to it and it will settle down after a course of indo I did have a bit of a carb binge over the Christmas period so that won't have helped. 7pm and another coming on now, off to get ice and go hide out.

No I don't need to wait but results shouldn't take too long hopefully. I've never been able to get hold of oxygen unfortunately. I only have indomethicin which I only use when headaches become unbearable as it is horrible stuff. The side effects are not pleasant. In my HC the attacks only usually last 20-30 minutes with the worst of the attack being about 10-15 minutes in the middle. For that I use my icepack, pressure on certain spots on my head and deep slow breathing to relax and just breath my way through it. I've tried various different methods of aborting over the years, but nothing really reacts quickly enough. Most attacks are through the night and I'm usually slow to respond. I try to just go back to sleep hoping it won't actually come to anything. Not usually how it works out though.

I have paraxsysmal hemicrania directly linked to hormones. Started age 15, two weeks in cycle, two weeks out. This continued until age 24 when I fell pregnant. I had zero attacks during pregnancy. Exactly 1 week after I had given birth, attacks started again, opposite side, moved from right to left. Attacks for about a year following the birth of my son became sporadic but the attacks were way more intense than I had previously experienced. I went on the depo injection, I found this stopped cycles until about a week before my next injection was due, then once I'd had my next injection the cycle would come to an end. Repeat this cycle until age 43 when GP told me I wasn't allowed depo any longer. Enter perimenopause and for the last 10 years, frequency has gradually increased to now chronic for the last 3 years or so, however attack intensity has reduced. Now post menopause and still constant but less intense attacks. I started on mht estrogen and progesterone November 2024. I had to stop after about 6 weeks as the headache intensity became severe again. Now just battling on. I have had some success with keto previously, not 100% but it definitely helped, I've just started back on keto again so we will see what happens. I have also just had my vitamin d tested, awaiting results, as I intend to start the vit d regimen to see what impact that has.