I could stick this in either section but to be 100% honest, Birth Control gets more hits.

Three years ago, in my sophomore year of college, I developed Aura Migraines. That's a fairly normal age to develop them. I have textboox aura migraines; 30 minute auras and then bam, intense half-headed pain on the opposite side of the aura. I had three migraines in one year. You need 4 to be officially diagnosed.

That summer I got on Ortho Tricyclen Lo. Because I was not officially diagnosed, I didn't know you're not supposed to be on estrogen birth control when you have aura migraines because of the extreme risk of stroke O.o

Well, I went on Ortho-lo for two years. I didn't have a single migraine the entire time. Not one. This summer, I got off and decided to start depo because I had a habit of forgetting pills. I stopped the pills June or July. In September I learned that estrogen caused a high risk of stroke, and was glad I was off it.

I had Depo injected October 12th. November 12th, spotting began. Yesterday, the 13th I had heavier spotting and stronger cramps.

Last night I woke up at 2 am... and I was in the full Aural stage of a migraine. Thank goodness I was able to just go back to bed, but I was surprised to have one.

So here's the thing. Progesterone is supposed to PREVENT migraines. Estrogen is supposed to cause them. Yet apparently, the exact opposite happened to me. Estrogen completely prevented my migraines for 2 entire years! I get on progesterone and a month later (during my period nonetheless) I get a migraine.

So what's up here? I don't want to go back on estrogen because of the risk of stroke. I've had 4 migraines now so the upside is that I can finally be diagnosed and get medicine for it so I can prevent the pain during the aura phase.

But the estrogen seemed to be very effective against migraines... Unless it's common place to have 3 in one year and then none for 2? I think the placement of the estrogen and progesterone is just too convenient to be coincidence.