Bio-Identical HRT for food and light triggered Migraine prevention?

Question: Bio-Identical HRT for food and light triggered Migraine prevention?

Answer:

Full Question:

I have been having migraines since May 2004. I have been to a few doctors and I am on medical leave from work. My question is: Do you think that Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy will be sufficient in treating my migraines? I am 99% certain that they are hormone related. All other testing has returned relatively normal. An MS blood test series came back positive, however the MRI was excellent. I am taking 200mg Provigil (for chronic fatigue), 40mg Prozac, & 25mg Zoloft (for depression), 500mg Depakote (to prevent migraines), Lo/Ovral Birth Control to regulate/discontinue monthly menstruation to once every three months, Progesterone Cream (wild yam root) to help reduce night sweats, hot flashes & migraines), estrogen patch upon spotting, magnesium, vitamin B 50, vitamin C, multivitamin, calcium, and of course your run of the mill migraine meds. I get a headache every day. I may have one or two days a month without a headache (no exaggeration). Now that I am on a medical leave I can lay down when I begin to get a headache and it does not turn into a full blown migraine. However, if I get stubborn and don't lay down when I need to my headache will definitely become a full blown migraine which can be helped with Imitrex shot, Maxalt tablets, and Axert. The optometrist checked my eyes, the RX for my glasses is fine. However, I have in the last three months had to have my glasses tinted gray so that normal light does not trigger migraines. I have my television and computer as dim as possible on the brightness control, and do not apply makeup 1)because my depression is bad enough that I really don't care to bother and 2) the bathroom light is too bright to stand in front of the mirror without my tinted glasses on. Many times I will take a shower with the bathroom light off, with only the light coming in from the hall way. Driving to work used to trigger migraines because of the headlights. Now I usually will begin to get a headache upon driving so I use my sun visor to block light. Generally I require an eight hour nights sleep. Now I need 10 - 12 hours, I get up and after four hours I better lay down if I don't want a full blown migraine. I know my triggers are red dye, MSG, nitrates (lunchmeats), lights, peanut butter, and chocolate. I do not use caffeine. Thanks for listening. Sincerely, Tami.

Answer:

Dear Tami;

Since you list your triggers as red dye, MSG, nitrates, lights, peanut butter, and chocolate, why would you turn to hormone therapy for Migraine prevention? Those triggers are unrelated to hormones, so to answer your question, no, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement therapy is unlikely to do anything to help prevent Migraines from those triggers. The good thing about those triggers is that they are more avoidable than triggers such as weather changes. With the exception of lights, dietary changes should help you a great deal.

Since you're experiencing daily Migraines, you would do well to seek the advice of an actual Migraine specialist in finding an effective preventive regimen. There's a link to our directory of recommended specialists below.

Good luck,
Teri Robert and John Claude Krusz

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