[SwimGirl]

This is a new thing to me - migraines that is! I am wondering if anyone else has been experiencing them as they have changed their diet? I just have recovered from a 2.5 day migraine - it was HORRIBLE!! I seem to be really prone to them as I've taken sugar out of my diet, as well as wheat (I know the wheat thing is an allergy of mine). I really don't want to experience that kind of pain again and am hoping for some wisdom!! Thanks

-Aimee

[bigdeb]

oh sweetie! - i had my first migraine at about age 13 (i'm 52 now) - i was in high school playing basketball and all of a sudden the basket disappeared .. i didn't know a thing about "auras" and all of that - but when my vision came back to normal the headache began and it was MISERABLE!

i've been to a few different dr's over the years - and i finally wound up at UCLA - where i got the BEST ADVICE .. my migraines were normally around my pre-menstrual - i was told to cut out all nitrates - found in things like ham, bacon and bologna and any kind of processed foods -READ LABELS - red wine, chocolate - and the big one for me - the one that when i cut it out about 90% of the headaches stopped was CITRUS .. for some reason i can't tolerate citrus -

now i have maybe 4-5 a year - but they're not bad ones .. i get the aura - but it goes away in a few minutes - and the headache is not there .. at least not too bad .. i do get what i call "the hangover" the next day - but entirely livable -

i hope some of that helps you kiddo - debbie v.

[Get n healthy]

My son gets these if he eats processed food, especially bologna and hot dogs.

But since you are changing to healthy, have you cut out caffiene, or cut it way down? My sister gets them if she stops caffiene cold turkey. Maybe it is some sort of sugar withdrawl, although, i have just heard of the caffiene one.

[barbygirl43]

So sorry to hear you got one. They suck. I developed them when I got PG with William. They were horrible. After having him they stuck around. I did some searching and figured it was the IUD causing them. The doctor told me it probably wasn't but I had it removed and within a month they were gone. They came back when I was PG with Nate but they weren't as severe. Now I get the monthly ones (with my TOM) and I just take some pain killers and try and rest when it hits.
I never associated them with my diet though.

[SwimGirl]

Thanks for all the replies! I definitely thought it was diet related - so something I eat is making me ill. I have some theories - they aren't attractive though. I already can't do sugar and wheat - now possibly dairy. Darnit eh! I tell yah, food allergies really suck!!

What kinds of pain killers do you guys take? I tried a couple different onces and threw them up.. I need something a little easy on the stomach and something that can be taken on a completely empty stomach. I have excedrine migraine, but that definitely needs some food with it!

-Aimee

[Angihas2]

I also have problems with processed foods, so I avoid them when I can. Caffiene withdrawal is a guarenteed migraine for me. Keep a food diary, is the simplest way to figure it out, though you sound like you've got a heads up with dairy. Good luck.

[lynn23c]

I get migraines all the time. Well, less frequently now that I have less stress in my life (a major trigger), but the TTOM ones are consistent.

I take a daily pill called Depakote (actually an anti-seziure med) that helps prevent them, and when one does come, they are waaay less intense, usually lasting a few hours (with a kind of hung-over feeling once the pain goes away).

For the actual pain, I've found that Advil Migraine works wonders for me. But i don't have any reactions to pain meds, so I don't know if this will upset your stomach or not. I guess it depends on your reaction to ibuprofen in general.

Also, when did you cut out the allergy foods? If it's recent (within a week or so), your body might still be adjusting.

I eat so few processed foods that I will get one if I eat something unfamiliar (or just something I haven't eaten in years, like frozen pizza), so yeah, definitely read food labels on the packaged foods you are eating. A more whole-foods diet generally helps, but you might have the sulfite reaction. Mine is usually MSG or extremely high sodium, so I'm always careful when I go out to a new Chinese place.

Have you talked with your doc? How frequently are you getting them? Keeping a food and health diary for a month or so will help you (hopefully) identify triggers.

Good luck!

[Jen]

I have had chronic migraines for years but they have been a lot worse since having my son. I get them when I am on my last week of birth control pills or the first week off. My dr has tried changing my bcp (thinking that it is hormone related) with no luck and right now I take 3 packages one right after another so I only have 4 periods a year (a definate benefit!) but it really didn't do anything, I seem to get them at the same time regardless (my body knows something I don't). Anyway I get them a lot less now since I changed my job situation and my stress level is extremely less. I've had those ones like you just had that lasted a couple of days. I'll take something, it'll go away and come back in 2 hours! I was at one point taking a prescription medication called Relpax, it is in the same family as Imitrex which I am sure you have seen commercials etc for. Generally though I can get by on taking 1Extra Strength Advil for Migraines and 2 Extra Strength Tylenol at the same time. This is okay by my doctor, I asked her about it. Sometimes I have taken Demerol on those occasions when it comes back within a couple of hours because I shouldn't take my advil/tylenol combo again within 4-6 hrs. There is another medication called Toradol that has worked for me, it is a prescription medication. Sometimes when my husband has had bad migraines he'll go to the dr's office and they have given him an injection of Toradol and it helps but it makes him sleepy.

Having said all that I wouldn't be surprised if it were food related with you if you are changing a lot of things in your diet. Caffeine is a definate culprit. People will drink colas or coffee to get rid of headaches but sometimes it just works to make the headache worse or you get so used to having the caffeine that you'll get a headache if you don't get enough. I am not much of a cola or coffee drinker so I can have the odd cup and it will help with headaches. I find Tim Hortons Ice Capps are really helpful for some reason!

[Zorak]

Triggers are different for everyone. Personally I don't have any food triggers, however allergens, low pressure systems, and strong smells are usually what cause my migraines.

My advice is to see a neurologist. From there you can hash out a plan to prevent and relieve future migraines. It took a lot of trial and error before I figured out a plan of attack that worked for me.