Jump to content

Introduction - Chronic Migraine suffer


Nickiechan

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone! My name is Nickie, and I have a wonderful husband and two little children. I'm a suffer from chronic migraines since I was 11 years old. Been on every preventative that you can image, attack drugs and even hard narcotics. After my husband and I suffered through 3 miscarriages before we had our son I told my husband that I would try everything in my power to stay off of anything hormonal or daily medication. However, I also work full time, and depleting my leave and becoming an 'unreliable employee' has me very depressed. My migraines make me depressed. They are life effecting and altering. I was reading online that Whole30 has help other with chronic migraines and I'm desperate for anything at this point. I also have around 35lbs I would like to lose of baby weight and all around eat healthier. I have been debating on going gluten free (with the same thoughts of helping with migraines) and did it for around a week and then went back, but I'm highly determined to make this work. I'm in the initial planning phase of this. I'm slowly cutting out my dairy... and so far day two of it and it is going well. I will be slowly cutting out wheat as well before my initial start date of Whole30 (June 1st). My husband is on board for 80%. As I said above I'm a full time working mother and time management is something I need to do. So I need quick and easy meals. I'm basically need to relearn how to cook. If I find a recipe that we love as a family we typically stick with it in our meal plan. I just need to make sure I set aside time to plan for this... I know i can be successful and I'm determine and I do have the support. I'm excited to start this new life change journey... and I hope it can help with my suffering! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi There!

 

Fellow migraine sufferer here.  Now I will ask you when do you get your migraines?  Are they related at all to your cycle?  Weather? The reason why I ask is because certain migraines are harder to puzzle around than others.

 

Because my migraines are hormonal (menstrual migraines) eliminating sugar is a huge factor for me.  So is keeping my starchy veggie intake on the higher side. So please do not be afraid of those starchy veggies.  Try to consume at least one a day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm actually off work today after a horrible migraine last night. I've found that since starting W30 my migraines are less often and shorter in duration but more severe. However I can put up with that since I am almost back to normal in 24 hours instead of 3 days. What Carlaccini says about starchy veg is really important, it does help. I wish you all the best with your W30 journey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My neurologist has told me they are hormonal migraines (cycle), however dark chocolates, aged cheeses and some red wines typically can trigger them as well. I get the aura affect with them, which is why they wouldn't put me on estrogen based birth control before we had children. I am reading about soy and how it effect with estrogen and I do feel that my soy intake might be way high! I'm desperate at this point and even a 24 intense migraines is better then my 3 day. I'm really glad and happy to hear that eating better with Whole 30 has helped you. I keep reading and I have local support by my Doula who's husband has been migraines free for 3 months on Whole 30/Paleo diet... I'm going to at least try and not cheat! I'm starting out slowly and slowly cutting diary out right now... and then I will work on wheat and then fully start Whole 30 on June 1st. I need to get my kitchen in order too... I'm just excited to start and I'm already starting to make better choices in my Yumbox (bento lunch box). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you say starchy veggies. Would this consider potatoes? White potatoes? My kids love home made french fries... (and so do I). I'm sorry if this is a newbie question. 

 

I read Whole30 site that said white potatoes are ok. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! I will follow this thread and maybe we can share successes and tips. I am a fellow headache and migraine sufferer. My migraines are hormonal and occur along with my period. This is good in that they are predicable but of course no migraine is good. I do have random ones that show up mid-month sometimes. Eliminating headaches is one of several reasons I committed to a Whole30, and then a slow reintroduction when the month is over.

 

I am 11 days in and I can say I am headache free. The mild headaches I get 1-2 times per week have not been happening. I did, however, get one migraine this week which bummed me out because otherwise I have been feeling FANTASTIC with this new way of eating.

 

Nickiechan, you may find that slowly changing your habits now will make your Whole30 a little easier for you. :)

The biggest things I have found in my success are: planning, prepping, and engaging in these forums every day.

 

Best to you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

I'm a former hormonal migraine sufferer, for years.  I had 3-4+ day migraines every month for 8 years.  Whole30 helped a lot in reducing their severity. I also complained about them to my chiropractor and he was able to do a couple adjustments and I have not had even the sniff of one in 4 months.  I am very careful to eat whole30-style 95% of the time because I don't know what it is that made them go away but I do NOT want them back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had migraines for years, mostly cycle-related, but occasionally at other times. They would last several days, and include days off work, impacting every aspect of my life and making it impossible to function. Since starting my first whole30 in January, I have not had a single headache of any kind! A co-worker of mine used to suffer from daily headaches, and weekly migraines; she did a whole30 and eliminated her headaches completely as well. Food is powerful, that's all!

Best of luck to you! I really do hope you have the same experience I have had. I don't even think about headaches anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

When you say starchy veggies. Would this consider potatoes? White potatoes? My kids love home made french fries... (and so do I). I'm sorry if this is a newbie question. 

 

I read Whole30 site that said white potatoes are ok. 

 

White potatoes are okay and are a starchy vegetable. However, depending on how you make the fries, they may not be. This is what the Can I Have list says about fries:

 

French Fries: Not if they’re commercially prepared or deep-fried

Ordering fries with your (no bun, no cheese) burger and green salad really misses the point of the Whole30. Fries are the epitome of “food with no brakes,” and anything deep-fried in vegetable oil is be default unhealthy. Make your own potatoes at home using coconut oil, duck fat, or ghee, and baking or roasting them in the oven instead of deep-frying them; or order them baked or mashed (no cheese, sour cream, or butter!) if dining out.

 

 

Other starchy veggies to try during your Whole30 include sweet potatoes, any of the winter squashes like butternut, acorn, spaghetti, or kabocha squash, and root vegetables like turnips, rutabagas and beets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Nickie. Your story sounds similar to mine, although I've only had my migraines since my twins were born nearly 7 years ago. The women in my family all have hormonal migraines and they don't have much sympathy for me as they all had them since puberty:). I can sympathise, trying to work and manage small children is so difficult with migraines. My neurologist diagnosed mine as hormonal too, and advised they are difficult to manage. The preventatives haven't worked, and the attack drugs don't seem to work for me either, they just make me feel sick - although I haven't tried them all. My GP is a fabulous lady who thinks outside of standard medicine and has prescribed natural hormone treatment as well as suggesting I adopt a paleo-like lifestyle to eliminate the sugars and processed foods. She would be pleased I have bought the whole 30 book, and like you, am planning and preparing so I can start in a couple of weeks. It has been hard to give up these things in the middle of migraines.

I am really looking forward to a lifestyle change and hopefully improvement in migraines, and some weight loss.

As some additional complementary tools for migraines, if its of interest to you, I recently went to see a specialist who works in the field of headache and migraine research and looks at the effect of non-drug therapies. The ones he suggested to me which I am trying are high doses of Vitamin B2 (2 x 200mg day), folate, and magnesium at bed time.

Looking forward to sharing the journey!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get migraines, too. Partially hormone-related and still trying to figure out what else. Barometric pressure does it. We moved to Vail, CO last year (~8,300 feet high). When I come down from altitude, I can get migraines.

 

FYI - low magnesium levels are also linked to migraines.

 

Hope we can all find a solution to these horrible headaches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I am on day 5 (however, 7 days as I had to restart. Accidentally threw corn into my meat mixture on day 3) and I have not had any headaches. My period did show up yesterday which shocked me. Typically I get a migraine the week before I'm expecting my period, no headache since April 30th!!! This is really amazing for me. I haven't even felt the hangover on day 3/4 that people talk about. I'm feeling great and enjoying the challenge. I'm still working on my binge eating and sticking to not 3 meals on the weekend! That is a habit that I need to break. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi All,

 

I had my period last week (between days 20-25 of W30). I was bummed to experience my normal migraine activity. I thought I had a good shot at having reduced migraines being so late into my program. But, I wanted to share that I have has zero daily headaches since day 2. I am accustomed to 1-2 per week. I am so happy about that! I start reintro this coming week and I'll be paying very close attention. I strongly suspect sugar is a main culprit.

 

How are others doing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Migraines are the worst! It's encouraging to hear some success stories. I'm hoping it will eventually help once my body is fully rid of toxins and sugars. I'm on day 21 and am on my 3rd migraine this week. They've been some of my worst. For me, the most difficult part is the blindness, numbness, tingling, loss of speech which makes caring for little ones impossible. My migraines this week also included nausea, dizziness and intense pain that lasted for about 24 hours. I'm pretty bummed out, but I'm still very hopeful. For others suffering from aura migraines, my naturopath suggested a flushing B vitamin (niacin) when you feel it coming on as well as magnesium in the morning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of the niacin you buy is "non flushing". Regular niacin once taken causes your skin to flush and heat up temporarily and draws blood flow away from the brain and location of migraine. It helps to counteract the aura in the beginning stages :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Late yesterday afternoon I started getting a headache. I slept this off, but I'm feeling of a headache today. I'm trying to not think about it and I took my magnesium supplement this morning. I used seasoning that has sunflower seed oil in it and I'm wondering if that is what is causing it. I suspect my issue is soy and hormonal imbalance, however I'm unsure. I'm on day 10 and haven't had a headache until today. I'm hoping that it is a simple headache and will pass. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...