Hormones: All experiences

[Nutcluster]

Hey everyone

I’ve had a look through old posts and nothing really recent is coming up and not all experiences are in the same place so thought I would start a new thread to help us all figure out how hormones may impact CH. Whether you’re male/female/trans (saw that trans people have particular insights on this topic in old threads) what are your experience in this regard?

So, here’s what’s going on for me atm.

I’m female, early 40s and the last couple of years my CH have been less frequent. Usually I get them every year at around this time (I’m in the UK and it tends to link to daylight saving). Over the years (about 20) they have switched between the other clock change in about April but usually not more than one cycle per year.  During pregnancy I didn’t have them, but both pregnancies were Jan-Sept so not during Oct clock change. However, about 2 weeks after both pregnancies I got hit (as you can imagine, my sleep was bad during that cycle).

This last few years I’ve skipped a clock change and the headaches have shifted to the next one. So instead of going a year I’m going 18 months remission. It has now been 19 months since my last attack and I have only had a couple of possible shadows (those that usually indicate the start of a cycle but it hadn’t followed the pattern which is to be like that every day until the start of the bad ones). Hoping that they’re gone for good but thinking it may be linked to a drop in estrogen. 

I have also noticed other symptoms which could indicate a drop in Estrogen (oestrogen in case anyone is searching). My worst headache cycle was a year I got a contraceptive implant (which I had taken out because the correlation with intensity was so strong) so I’ve always thought hormones may influence the severity of the cycle. 
 

I am obviously very happy that the CH might be stopping but I may also need to address other symptoms that are starting to bother me. Naturally I am trying to avoid doing anything that will bring back CH. 

Can anyone else share any experiences at all which may be linked to hormones so we can have them all in one place for anyone looking? Whether you come across this thread today, or in 10 years from now add your thoughts so we can learn as much as possible about this condition! 

[Craigo]

Hi Nut cluster.

I’m clearly not female (I missed the social cues upon joining the forum regarding using a cat as my profile picture), I don’t have much to add regarding estrogen but I have always been intrigued with vitamin D biology during pregnancy and your post captured my interest so please excuse me if this is a little off topic but wanted to share. 

Cholecalciferol / vitamin D3 is converted via hydroxylation into the blood storage form calcifediol which is then further converted into its hormonal form, calcitriol, mostly (but not exclusively) by the kidneys. The blood level of calcitriol is maintained in a strict range to maintain calcium homeostasis and is regulated by parathyroid hormone. During pregnancy the levels of calcitriol, the hormonal form, increases by double or triple to levels you’d see in granulomatous disease or intoxication but without hypercalcemia. The body deliberately raises both calcitriol and binding proteins in order to support placental development, immuno-regulation and fetal skeletal growth. The levels then fall back into normal range 2-6 weeks postpartum. There is still much we don’t understand about this intriguing process.

It’s interesting that many female warriors report skipping cycles during pregnancy and to also consider why they return postpartum (and perhaps also why MS relapse may occur postpartum), and although tempting to speculate it may have something to do with the increase in calcitriol and its immuno-modulatory properties, probably an oversimplification - the body is just so complex.

Dr. Hollis & Dr. Wagner have a combined century or so of research looking at vitamin D and reproductive outcomes, this was a great talk from last year although can’t recall if they cover the specifics of the points above.