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Migraines and insomnia issues

by Rebecca
(VA)

For Wray- I am hoping you can provide some insight for me. I'm 36 years old and ever since the birth of my son almost 2 years ago I've had chronic migraines. They are more frequent with menstration but I get them pretty much all month off and on. I tend to always have some sort of headache if not a
Migraine. If its really bad I take imitrex and it does help. I rely on Advil most days otherwise. I started using progesterone cream this past cycle (tracked my ovulation and started it after that). I used 200 mg breaking it up 4 times a day. For the first time in years I had no migraine for 2 straight weeks and had a lot more energy. Amazing! However I started having another side effect- insomnia. I'd either wake and not be able to go back to sleep, or not fall asleep until very late. I was getting between 4-6 hours of sleep a night and was not able to nap at all. But still I felt better than usual and was pleased. Now, I went off of the cream for menstruation and I am sleeping great, but the migraines are back and I have very bad cramps (they feel like early labor). Any clue why i have one issue or the other depending on the progesterone usage?. Should I have used the cream continuously instead and can I still do that even though I've been off it a few days and am currently menstruating? Also any help on dosage for the insomnia? Am I still not taking enough for my particular issues or am I taking it at the wrong times? Sorry for all the questions! Thank you so much!

Comments for Migraines and insomnia issues

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Oct 31, 2012
 Migraines and insomnia issues
by: Wray

Hi Rebecca I wish progesterone therapy was simple! But I am happy the Migraines were helped. Progesterone is a potent anti-inflammatory. It's also good for sleep as it enhances GABA, see here, here and here. But it does seem it's stimulating oestrogen in this respect. Oestrogen is an excitatory hormone, it enhances the glutamate response. Glutamate is our most excitatory neurotransmitter, see here, here, here and here. This last paper suggests GABA is low in insomnia, I can only assume the progesterone, by stimulating oestrogen, is then increasing glutamate. It should pass, but you could try taking GABA for a bit, and see if that helps. We have more info about GABA on our page Natural Antidepressants. If you do try it, please let me know if it helps, so others can read it, or I can pass it on. Continued below
Oct 31, 2012
 Migraines and insomnia issues part 2
by: Wray

Hi Rebecca You mention your cramps are like early labour. All uterine cramps are caused by the same inflammatory cytokines that are produced in labour. There are quite a few too! This is rather a mouthful, but these are some of them here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here here, here and here. One of the roles of progesterone is to quieten the uterus, in other words it opposes these cytokines. I always suggest rubbing the cream all over the tummy, or where ever there is pain. Even during bleeding, it won't upset the cycle. I also suggest using progesterone daily, during bleeding too, for about 2-3 months if symptoms are bad. It's a toss up between insomnia or migraines and cramps! But if you try the GABA, maybe you could stick to your cycle and see how you get on. Please let me know what you decide. Take care Wray
Nov 01, 2012
 Migraines and insomnia
by: Rebecca

Thanks so much for the response. Do you think I should stick with the same dosage (200 mg)?
Nov 01, 2012
 Migraines and insomnia
by: Wray

Hi Rebecca If the 200mg/day was helping you with the migraines, I see no point in increasing it. Try the GABA for the insomnia, and if that doesn't help, then yes increase it by another 100mg/day and see if that does. I'm all in favour of using the lowest amount to do the job, as cost is always a factor. Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray

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