Migraines, Who else has them and how do you cope?

[Pumpkinpup]

Quote:
Wow, iron huh? I'll try anything!

LivinNewDreamInND, I will also look into the gravity thing. Never heard that one before. Thanks!!

twentynine, I tried the topomax to no avail. Was very dissappointing.

 

[SpringChickens]

I got them regularly (2-3x/week) until I got pregnant with my daughter five years ago. My triggers were cheese (BAD trigger), tomatoes, too much sugar or not eating. I would crawl into bed at first sign and never come out.

If your migraines are related to your cycle and the Depo helped, have you considered getting an IUD? The Mirena IUD makes a good proportion of women acyclic, which might help you out.

Good luck.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Quote:
raw onion was one of my triggers for years but I have become more tollerant of it as I got older. I find I can eat it again without effects.

 

[LivinNewDreamInND]

The iron thing has me very curious too. When I was a teenager I was slightly anemic, but no doctor ever made a connection to that and my migraines. It would also make sense as to why migraines would suddenly stop with pregnancy. Your body naturally stores more iron while you are pregnant, not to mention the absence of your t.o.m. so no blood loss. The IUD or Mirena is a good idea too. That may help with the hormone triggers and the iron issues if it makes you acyclic. I may just have to visit my doctor about this, as much as I hate too.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Iron loading will only work if you can figure out the source of the problem first, and eliminate it.
Going gluten free for 30 days, while iron loading, and then getting tested again is a good way to go.

 

[elabraleon]

TRY CHIROPRACTIC!!!! Getting headaches is a sign that there is something else wrong. A spinal misalignment can cause migraines, and having it corrected can cause them to cease altogether. No one has to suffer like this. You may not even need to take medication at all if you have your vertebrae aligned and allow the proper function of your body's central nervous system. wouldn't it be wonderful to be free from medications and from headaches?! Seriously, I encourage everyone to try chiropractic first. It works.

 

[cparian]

I have had migraine for 25 years now. Some with Auras that take out pieces of my vision. Passed down from my Dad's side of the family. Imitrex pills are my friend. I get the generic now & they work fine. My triggers are cold fronts, monthly cycle, & lack of sleep. I tried an IUD & the headaches persisted, not to mention it made "relations" a bit uncomfortable. Atkins did seem to give me some relief in the past. I did totally give up caffeine and only drink diet soda with splenda & that has seemed to help the frequency of the migraines. I hope you can find some relief soon.

 

[HLAC]

The thing about gluten is that I eat rarely eat any.

I will add that Aspartame (Nutra-sweet) triggered a headache almost instantly. I quit drinking soda because of it. Being dehydrated or not eating all day were also triggers.

Also for awhile I was having a dull throbbing headache when I woke in the morning. They'd go away shortly after I woke up. I thought it was simply my caffeine addiction... but I noticed I only got it at home and not when I was traveling. My 135 year old farmhouse is kind of crooked and the head of my bed was a touch lower than the foot of the bed. I put some blocks under the head of the bed and no more morning headaches.

 

[Laurajean]

I've suffered from chronic migraines since I was a teenager. I too have tried Imitrex and hated it. My miracle is Inderol (I get the generic form called propranolol). It's a beta blocker, and I don't know the science behind it but it works beautifully. I take it daily as a preventative. I've been taking it every day for the last 10 years, and went from two or three severe migraines a month to almost none, ever. I can't even remember the last migraine I've had. And it's cheap too, when you get the generic. I have no side effects from it. Can't recommend it highly enough!

 

[Laurajean]

PS: I had certain food triggers too, green grapes, peanuts, etc. Now I eat them all I want with no migraines because I take the propranolol daily.