GF and Migraines

quink77

Anyone here go GF to help with headaches and/or migraines? I've heard it works wonders for some.
I have some questions ...
Do you have to cut out gluten completely? Or is it possible to be "low gluten"? (I don't even know if that's a real term...)
How long did it take to feel a difference?
Have the headaches been completely eliminated?

I've had daily headaches since I was in high school and migraines since my children were born. I've tried many diet/exercise/lifestyle changes but nothing has helped so far. I desperately do not want to turn to medication.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

rugbygirlca

I too have struggled with chronic daily headaches for over 25 years. I have seen neurologists, most of whom just prescribe different medications ( none of which worked for me). I was finally referred to the only headache clinic in Ontario to get proper answers.

This clinic favours lifestyle and diet changes over medication (when reasonable) to permanently fix the headaches. The suggestions that I was given were:
1. Lots of exercise (which I was already doing and had noticed a significant improvement)
2. Good amount of protein first thing in the morning
3. Gluten fee diet
4. Two restorative yoga or meditation classes per week
5. Quite high supplements of vitamin d, b complex and magnesium

So far, I am only a week into my gluten free trail. No noticeable improvement yet, but the neurologist told me that it would take at least a month. She also said that it was about a 30% success rate in those whose heritage lies in the British Isles (I'm english/Irish)

I was also told that, even though my headaches all feel different, they are most likely all tension headaches. Only lifestyle changes can fix that in the long term. I have started to try the restorative yoga and meditation, but it is hard for me as I am super Type A (which is probably why I get tension headaches!).

I can certainly keep you posted though, as I go on in my journey. So far, the only two things that have made a significant impact are lots of exercise (5 days a week - not a long time, but pretty high intensity) and going off all pain relievers unless absolutely necessary. The rebound headaches that I get from acetaminophen and ibuprofen are often worse than the original headache itself.

Good luck. I too, am hoping to avoid medications as most have very unpleasant side effects. A couple have been downright scary.

quink77

Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It sounds like we have tried many of the same things. The only thing on your list that I have not tried is the vitamins. I've done regular daily multivitamins but not high-dose specific vitamins. Maybe that'll be the next attempt.
Unfortunately, exercise does not seem to help my headaches in any way. Any amount of cardio results in a wicked throb. And sometimes the even position changes in yoga are too much for my poor little head. I've been working out daily (nothing crazy intense) since January. I love the results I'm seeing in other areas, but my head is not one of them.
Thanks again

pdworkman

It's made a huge difference for my dad. He's found a few other migraine triggers as well - he can't do corn or sorghum either. I am completely grain-free. My only migraines now are hormone related.

momof8munchkins

I used to have terrible migraines and sinus headaches before going gluten and dairy free.. they've stopped. whether that is due to removing just gluten or dairy or both I really don't know

prsanchez74

Before going gluten-free in December, i was getting 7-8 migraines monthly. They disapearred immediately upon going completely gluten-free, until just this week. However, the severity and duration of the migraine was significantly diminished. This also happened to a friend of mine wgo went gf two years ago -- she went months without a migraine, and now when she gets them they are not nearly as debilitating. Good luck.

quink77

How quickly did you notice the difference?
The diet change has made me quite grumpy, plus my headaches have been just as bad. I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle.

pdworkman

How long have you been on the diet? I had "withdrawal" symptoms for about a month after going off of gluten. The first two weeks were the most severe.

mamabear272

When I was first diagnosed, I bought the book Living Gluten Free for Dummies and found that a LOT of my issues were gluten related! That includes migraines. I haven't had one since I was diagnosed in June of last year.

SyntonicGarden

How quickly did you notice the difference?
The diet change has made me quite grumpy, plus my headaches have been just as bad. I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle.

How are you approaching it? What are you eating and what are you substituting for the gluten items? Could it be a sensitivity to something else that you might have increased like dairy, mushrooms, cheese, sugar, etc.?

mamabear272

How quickly did you notice the difference?
The diet change has made me quite grumpy, plus my headaches have been just as bad. I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle.

How are you approaching it? What are you eating and what are you substituting for the gluten items? Could it be a sensitivity to something else that you might have increased like dairy, mushrooms, cheese, sugar, etc.?

Also, I never had a problem with them but lots of celiacs have problems with nightshades. Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are classified as nightshade foods.

It takes at least a week to feel better. My tummy problems lessened after about a week but other symptoms such as headaches, dizzy spells, fogginess and depression/anxiety took a few weeks to completely go away.

solarpower4

One of the symptoms of my casein / dairy allergy is migraines.

I have been completely GF since 1999. I continued to have reactions for years, though it wasn't nearly as bad as before I was diagnosed and went GF. I thought it was cross-contamination until 2003, when I was finally diagnosed with casein allergy as well. Since being dairy / casein free, I only have headaches when I ingest dairy. Even a very small amount causes a reaction.

Stress and tension are blamed for so many things that, in fact, have an underlying physiological, environmental or nutritional cause. Good luck isolating and eliminating the cause(s) of your migraines!

angng

I get migraines, and when I "gluten" myself I definitely notice that migraines come along with it. However, going gf has not cured my migraines by any means. I've had a reduction in them, but I still get them a lot. It's hereditary and I have always gotten a LOT of migraines, so I'm happy with any reduction.

I've also noticed that red wine (any alcohol, really, but especially red wine), cinnamon, being around smoke, and (very unfortunately) tea can trigger my migraines. Most of the food items i mentioned contain tannins.

quink77

Woah ... tea?? That's one I've never seen listed as a trigger before. And it's something I drink DAILY! Crud. May have to look in to that one ...

peachNpunkin

I only get headaches and migrains when I have been contaminated.

peachNpunkin

How quickly did you notice the difference?
The diet change has made me quite grumpy, plus my headaches have been just as bad. I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle.

How are you approaching it? What are you eating and what are you substituting for the gluten items? Could it be a sensitivity to something else that you might have increased like dairy, mushrooms, cheese, sugar, etc.?

Also, I never had a problem with them but lots of celiacs have problems with nightshades. Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are classified as nightshade foods.

It takes at least a week to feel better. My tummy problems lessened after about a week but other symptoms such as headaches, dizzy spells, fogginess and depression/anxiety took a few weeks to completely go away.

It takes me a week to two weeks to feel better after having ingested gluten. As far as nightshades, I've never heard of them being classified as that, but the only think I don't eat on that list is tabasco sauce. I eat cayenne on everything. I love spicy food, and the hotter the better. You just have to make sure that if it is processed, you read the ingredients.

mamabear272

Yes, not everyone has problems with them. I don't have issues either. I have seen a lot of celiacs say that they have problems with the nightshades too. I'm glad I don't. I do feel bad for those who do though!

angng

Woah ... tea?? That's one I've never seen listed as a trigger before. And it's something I drink DAILY! Crud. May have to look in to that one ...

I don't seem to have an issue with green tea, so I've been sticking to that. I used to drink GALLONS of iced tea (and stopped because I put a ton of sugar in it). I had a glass randomly one day and it was like an instant migraine.

mamabear272

The tea could be the caffeine.

pdworkman

Celiacs are more likely to have all kinds of food allergies and intolerances, due to food molecules getting into the bloodstream from a damaged gut. Grains, nightshades, dairy, soy, corn, nuts, etc. are all common.

Yes, not everyone has problems with them. I don't have issues either. I have seen a lot of celiacs say that they have problems with the nightshades too. I'm glad I don't. I do feel bad for those who do though!

angng

The tea could be the caffeine.

You'd think, but I seem to get migraines when I *don't* have caffiene. I still drink caffienated green tea (and, unfortunately, soda though I'm trying to cut that out because there's no need for that).

mamabear272

There are a lot of things that induce migraines. Caffeine, dairy, smoking, stress, hormones, alcohol. You know, all fun stuff. LOL Well except for the stress and hormones. I got my first one when I was pregnant with my daughter.

pdworkman

I still get them with my cycle and chinooks, but the rest of my triggers seem to be under control. Gluten is a really big trigger in my family.

malkb27

I'd like to preface this by saying that I have not been diagnosed with anything and I certainly don't have Celiac Disease.

That being said, I've suffered from chronic headaches since forever. Even as a small child, I would go to my mom to complain about headaches and she would brush my hair. I started getting migraines when I was a teenager.

I decided to try removing the gluten from my diet to see if it would help my almost daily headaches (because nothing else has really worked) and I started noticing a difference after about two weeks. I've only been doing this for about 7 weeks, but I haven't had any migraines yet. My headaches are less frequent, less severe, and much more manageable. I feel that it's worth it. I never knew what it felt like to go days without a headache, so this is a new chapter in my life!

Definitely check ingredient labels on everything, though. Gluten can be pretty sneaky. >.<

P.S. I really miss bagels. Does anybody know a good GF option?

angng

I'd like to preface this by saying that I have not been diagnosed with anything and I certainly don't have Celiac Disease.

That being said, I've suffered from chronic headaches since forever. Even as a small child, I would go to my mom to complain about headaches and she would brush my hair. I started getting migraines when I was a teenager.

I decided to try removing the gluten from my diet to see if it would help my almost daily headaches (because nothing else has really worked) and I started noticing a difference after about two weeks. I've only been doing this for about 7 weeks, but I haven't had any migraines yet. My headaches are less frequent, less severe, and much more manageable. I feel that it's worth it. I never knew what it felt like to go days without a headache, so this is a new chapter in my life!

Definitely check ingredient labels on everything, though. Gluten can be pretty sneaky. >.<

P.S. I really miss bagels. Does anybody know a good GF option?

Congrats, that's great. I was really hoping cutting out gluten would cure my migraines. It's helped, but I still take approx. 18 imitrex injections per month (yes, my neuro got the insurance to approve all that).

The Udi's bagels don't really taste like bagels PER SE, but they're. . .doable with some good cream cheese. I'm going to try to make some homemade ones.