Eye Update - Continuing Saga

KnitOrMiss

Well, apparently, I'm now among the rarefied class of migraine sufferers. Currently presenting as "ocular migraines" with and without auras, but having intense headaches too. Current trigger appears to be MSG. Doc said there was a whole list of things/places to avoid available on the interwebs, but didn't have more advice.

(Traditional bouillon is now banned for life...I recall discussions of some types without MSG, but probably none available locally here in Smalltown USA....lol). Guess I get to enjoy my salt and water again. LOL

So have to avoid "known" sources of MSG, as well as anything with "natural flavors" listed. Continue tracking swelling (which is apparently indicative of my thyroid being all wacky again), monitoring blood pressure, adjusting medications and tracking foods here so as to better track triggers. This is likely why the Walden Farms stuff and generic liquid stevia drops gave me pretty severe headaches months back when I had them...

Fun times. And all migraine sufferers now have my sincerest sympathies. This mess is such a well, mess. There are no specific tests to help - it's all "elimination" or guesswork, and that just does not work for my inner nerd and data junkie. So...sigh...any suggestions and advice are welcomed.

Especially considering tonight's already prepared dinner has MSG... No way to avoid it, so if anyone knows of ways to neutralize/minimize the impact of exposure, I'll love you forever. No money to make extra meals, so I'll be making the REST of all my own seasonings (already about halfway there) now... SIGH....

Thanks in advance to all you awesome folks.

deksgrl

Hmm, well at least you know what it is now... The internetz came up with a few things when I searched "how to mitigate the effects of MSG":

http://www.msgmyth.com/discus/messages/247/255.html?1000418428

http://www.msgtruth.org/remedies.htm

KnitOrMiss

You're awesome. Thank you. Still feeling pretty overwhelmed....

Sunny_Bunny_

Hang in there girl. You'll figure it out. One day at a time.

phxteach

Glycine might help. It tastes rather sweet. I have about a 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon when I am having an allergic reaction. It helps the liver, I think. It is not likely to hurt and it is not extremely expensive. Also, I just checked Kitchen Basics chicken stock. No MSG or 'flavors' listed. It tastes just soooo much better than other stocks I've tried. It is a bit more expensive than Swanson, but there is NO comparison. Most grocery stores carry it.

phxteach

on second look, it does say chicken flavor, so maybe should double check w/ the company. sorry

ladipoet

OP, here's a link to a recipe for chicken bouillon powder that you can make at home from ingredients which do not contain MSG. Plus since it's a powder form, you won't have to worry about storing it in he refrigerator.

http://sherigraham.com/homemake-chicken-bouillon-powder

KnitOrMiss

ladipoet wrote: »

OP, here's a link to a recipe for chicken bouillon powder that you can make at home from ingredients which do not contain MSG. Plus since it's a powder form, you won't have to worry about storing it in he refrigerator.

http://sherigraham.com/homemake-chicken-bouillon-powder

Yeast is on the no-no list for the natural versions of MSG. I'm lucky in that I don't seem to be mega-sensitive, or only to certain forms of MSG. Should be interesting as an experiment. I've NO idea whatsoever how to work on eliminating MSG in all it's forms from my diet. It's so overwhelming, but it seems like it or some form of it is in everything!!!

I can't imagine giving up Parmesan cheese permanently. Or mushrooms, which I've only recently embraced... Dairy in general... No more vaccines, in general. I have to be concerned about gelatin in all forms, including pill capsules, too now.

I think my first thing will be getting rid of everything with MSG directly on the label, then the forms of it... It's just crazy how overwhelming this is. It's far more challenging than the concept of going low carb and gluten-free (mostly)... SIGH

Pretty soon I'll be able to eat like an egg, maybe, or something silly...

Lillith32

At least you can avoid your trigger. Mine is shark week. I get debilitating migraines at least once a month, like clockwork. Anyway, you have my sincerest sympathies. Also, the Rapunzel brand of bullion I am currently using seems to be MSG free. I get it at Whole Foods, but check out Thrive Market online.

slimzandra

Should be interesting as an experiment - Well, that's a positive outlook! Yea, it does come back down to experimentation - finding out what works and what doesn't. My world revolves around organic vegs, like spinach & kale. I found a farmer's market that is my new grocery store. Organic meat chicken and fish, lemon and pepper to taste. It might be boring for a while, but might help to neutralize what's going on, then you can build back in other seasonings slowly.

KnitOrMiss

Lillith32 wrote: »

At least you can avoid your trigger. Mine is shark week. I get debilitating migraines at least once a month, like clockwork. Anyway, you have my sincerest sympathies. Also, the Rapunzel brand of bullion I am currently using seems to be MSG free. I get it at Whole Foods, but check out Thrive Market online.

If your trigger is "shark week" that tells me yours are hormonal triggered... Have you tried hormone balancing with Inositol (B8) or Vitex? Just curious. Doc did mention that my testosterone was low, too... Didn't comment much on it aside from that.

GaleHawkins

@KnitOrMiss you may be the lucky one. Last week read MSG is the super highway to Cancerville. The same source talking about MSG cancer risk said the same about out of balance hormones so I would ask the doc for more details.

KarlaYP

I've never been able to find a correlation for my migraines. They tend to occur after times of physical exertion, but not always. I hope you find your trigger and are able to eliminate it without any problems!

Sabine_Stroehm

Ocular migraines. My nemesis. For me it seems to be female hormones, and changes in barometric pressure (before storms)
I've journaled. I've never been able to find anything else that can account for mine.

from 40-50, when I was peri-menopausal, I had 2-3 a month. Lately it's been less as I enter menopause.
I have a couple of friends with traditional migraines (I get those once every few years), and several had one yesterday (before a storm approached). I got an ocular one. I added some extra progesterone just as it started and it went away. Yay.

You have my sympathies.

KnitOrMiss

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Ocular migraines. My nemesis. For me it seems to be female hormones, and changes in barometric pressure (before storms)
I've journaled. I've never been able to find anything else that can account for mine.

from 40-50, when I was peri-menopausal, I had 2-3 a month. Lately it's been less as I enter menopause.
I have a couple of friends with traditional migraines (I get those once every few years), and several had one yesterday (before a storm approached). I got an ocular one. I added some extra progesterone just as it started and it went away. Yay.

You have my sympathies.

It's so strange, but my PCP happened to look at my most recent bloodwork and see that I was definitely NOT in menopause or peri-menopause, so that was interesting. She didn't comment on my progesterone levels, but a decade ago they were so ridiculously low that they didn't even measure on a blood or saliva test. Like literally nothing found - and that was WHILE supplementing. She did mention that my testosterone seemed low, but she didn't address anything as to how to change that...

I have such female difficulties with cycles and all that, I'm worried about messing with the status quo, but man, this stuff is still such a mess. I'd debate doing something that could help, but I wouldn't know where to start while still keeping me from pregnancy risks and all that... SIGH

Anyone have good resources for how to really understand your hormonal health?

lrosemoore1

I have menstrual migraines, and was having other migraines 2-3 times a month as well. I discovered a few months ago that rice and rice flour are wicked triggers Since weeding that out of my diet, I only have them once a month. My sis in law uses a progesterone cream a day or two before her expected "time" and hers have almost gone away. I haven't spoken to my dr. Yet. After the whopping one I had the last 3 days, I will set up an appt.