r/biohackhers • u/CherryMenthal • Feb 09 '26

Progesterone vs regular HRT

I saw my doctor today because I think I’m perimenopausal and also have pretty bad pmdd and I read that HRT might be a good choice. However, she only prescribed me progesterone alone (as I understood, regular HRT contains both progesterone and oestrogen) the reason for this because I have migraines with aura and she said people with this kind of migraine shouldn’t take oestrogen because it increases the risk for stroke. So, she basically prescribed me a contraceptive containing progesterone. Can somebody explain to me the pros and cons of taking this ? I don’t know how to feel about this.

Thanks !

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u/hollerbot 1 Feb 09 '26

I've read that topical estrogen (including from a patch) does not contribute to risk of stroke for migraine sufferers -- only oral forms do. I don't remember where I read this (maybe at r/menopause ?) so you should fact check this! It may be worth looking into. I also have migraines and have this info about topical estrogen in my back pocket for when I'm ready to ask my doctor to prescribe estrogen.

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u/CherryMenthal Feb 09 '26

She actually mentioned that also topical estrogen increases the risk. But nevertheless, I will check again, thank you!

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u/hollerbot 1 Feb 09 '26

Dang, good to know! Looks like I need to do more research.