Migraine Diet

mhollist

I am a migraine sufferer and am getting sick of having to take medicine! I've already eliminated foods that triggered my migraines but am still getting them every few weeks and they last for days. Has anyone tried a Migraine Diet (Low Tyramine Diet) and had success? I've heard really mixed things about it and was wondering. Thanks!

Hopeful4757

Besides red wine, etc. what are some other foods that trigger migraines?

jessmomof3

I haven't tried that diet, but I did cut out aspartame, splenda, and other artificial sweeteners (I use stevia now) and MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other glutamates and that has really helped me. I just try to eat as *clean* as possible, the food additives can be bad for migraine sufferers. My Mom is also a migraine sufferer and she has to watch the red wine and raw bananas for some reason? It seems to be a trigger for her.

Good luck, migraines are NOT fun. :grumble:

deedeehawaii

Foods are not a main trigger of migraines for me. Except if I have an alcohol drink when one is "maybe" going to come on, the drink will guarantee it comes on. One of my main triggers is a change in the weather (specifically, a change in barometric pressure). There is nothing I can do about those, except to pay close attention to early signs, and take my medicine before they come on full force.

My sympathy to you, almost nothing is worse than a bad migraine. Imagine your worst hangover, multiply it times 100, and then add a little man with a pick-axe inside of your head pounding away. Don't forget the nausia caused by lights and sounds, thus the need for a dark quiet room, and well, that would all be a party compared to a severe migraine.

Sorry I cannot add anything about a migraine diet, but I'll watch this thread to see what others have to suggest.

mhollist

I found this table online from the National Headache Foundation and it seems consistent with other reports I've read and things I've heard from doctors. Basically, its staying away from foods that have been aged or fermented such as types of cheeses, things pickled or smoked, types of alcohol and MSG. Check out the table, its pretty informative.

http://www.headaches.org/pdf/Diet.pdf

I've heard this "diet" recommended but never found anyone that did it consistently and stuck with it.

IKnowICan

Foods are not a main trigger of migraines for me. Except if I have an alcohol drink when one is "maybe" going to come on, the drink will guarantee it comes on. One of my main triggers is a change in the weather (specifically, a change in barometric pressure). There is nothing I can do about those, except to pay close attention to early signs, and take my medicine before they come on full force.

My sympathy to you, almost nothing is worse than a bad migraine. Imagine your worst hangover, multiply it times 100, and then add a little man with a pick-axe inside of your head pounding away. Don't forget the nausia caused by lights and sounds, thus the need for a dark quiet room, and well, that would all be a party compared to a severe migraine.

Sorry I cannot add anything about a migraine diet, but I'll watch this thread to see what others have to suggest.

You took the words right outta my mouth:flowerforyou: My Dr. told me caffeine makes it worse the next day. ...I told her I take an Excedrin for my Migraines that the Imatrex (sp?) makes me want to throw up. My son now has Migraines. Seems driving over a long period of time also brings them on. Are these also associated with Allergies. My Son & I have bad allergies. When he doesn't eat on time he gets a migraine.

IKnowICan

OMG....that's just about everything I like to eat!:ohwell: Just Kill me now:noway: :noway: :noway:

deedeehawaii

My Dr. told me caffeine makes it worse the next day. ...I told her I take an Excedrin for my Migraines that the Imatrex (sp?) makes me want to throw up. My son now has Migraines. Seems driving over a long period of time also brings them on. Are these also associated with Allergies. My Son & I have bad allergies. When he doesn't eat on time he gets a migraine.

I avoid Imitrex, because it has some potentially serious side affects including, "Imitrex can cause rare but serious side effects on the heart, including heart attack or stroke." [Quote, see: http://www.drugs.com/imitrex.html ]. I use Midrin, but you need to be careful to not use any other products with Acetaminophen (Tylenol), because Midrin contains that drug and you do not want an overdose of acetaminophen. [See: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/midrin.html ] Many doctors are unfamiliar with Midrin, but it works well for many of my family members that use it. It is a Scheduled drug, so you'll need a doctor who is up to date on migraine medicines, or trusts you (the patient), to prescribe it because it its Scheduled drug status.

I, similar to your son, can sometimes get a migraine if I do not eat. That part is unpredictible for me, but I can tell that when it is going to happen (a slight headache starts first), so then I need to eat ASAP, and sometimes including caffine will help at that point.

I think that people get migraines for many different reasons, and once we are clued in to our own, we just need to recognize it and work with it. If you think driving bring them on, or allergies, you have to respect your suspicions and try to work around those situations. Good luck.

dbenson48

OMG....that's just about everything I like to eat!:ohwell: Just Kill me now:noway: :noway: :noway:

My doctor gave me Imitrex too I could not take it , It made me feel worst than the headache! I finally found a wonderful cure! I now Take Maxalt MLT 10mg Take one and in less than an hour the pain is completly gone and you can go on with your life! And pressure change from the weather is what causes mine too! They are killer ! This medicine is a life saver! If you have migraines you need to ask your doctor about it! Because I have tried everything and this stuff works great!

cmurphy04722

I know this thread is from over a month ago, but I'm hoping to pick it back up hehe.

I was diagnosed with migraines when I was 11 but don't remember NOT having them in childhood. I'm 23 now and have found a number of coping mechanisms, including food and drink avoidance. I have Maxalt tabs for the average ones (works 40% of the time) and Imitrex shots for the super bad ones (works 70% of the time). I get the visual aura, the vomiting, the hallucinations during fever, and the unstoppable ones land me in the hospital after my body goes into shock. In short, I get "the works."

My non-food triggers: weather changes (spring is the WORST!) and severe exhaustion (working out for more than 3 hours usually). I also have TMJ disorder and neck scoliosis so on painful neck/jaw days I am more likely to get a bad headache but not a migraine. I do not have allergies that I know of, other than some obscure ear drop prescription I had as a child for swimmer's ear.

I have found about 20% of red wines (probably the tannic ones) to give me migraines within 2 hours. The problem was finding and eliminating the trigger wines, so I finally wised up and have stopped red wine altogether. For some reason, pinot grigio (white) also gives me migraines, but no other white wine has been a problem for me.

Aged cheeses are a no-no for me. Gorgonzola cheese=migraine within half an hour, guaranteed. It wasn't until the 4th time in a year that I finally realized this. Dumb.



I have done "elimination diets" throughout my teens and early 20s, usually giving something up for 3-6 months to see if it had an impact on any migraine symptoms. That was how I discovered that MSG, red food dyes (all), artificial sugars (aspartame, sucralose, etc.), and animal protein all contribute to various symptoms for me.

Let me elaborate on animal protein. I had a neurologist suggest that I give up casein in my next elimination round, which is dairy protein. I barely ate meat (just chicken really) so I decided to just go all in and go vegan. For 3 months. That was over 4 years ago. I reverted to just vegetarian after the 3 months because I started college and it was just too hard to not eat cheese and eggs. About 6 months ago, I brought fish back into my diet, but just 1-2 times a week, usually 2xmonth.

But during the 3 months with no animal protein, I felt absolutely ****ing amazing. Pardon the language, but that was the first time in years that I felt GOOD! I am still positive that being vegetarian cut down on the stomach pains of migraine. After seeing a new neurologist this week, he asked me why I was still eating cheese if I felt so amazing sans dairy. I had no answer other than laziness and comfort food being such a weakness for me. So I did it-yesterday was my first "vegan" day again and today was a success as well.

Now, I'm not obsessing and avoiding bread or anything because it may have egg or dairy in it, but I am making a conscious effort to not add them to my diet. I know this isn't for everyone, but if anyone else is at the last straw of migraine trigger tracking, I urge you to try giving up casein-or animal protein in general. I still wear leather shoes and enjoy that my medications were tested on animals before humans so I am not the typical vegan....even vegan sounds like a rough word these days hehe. I am just someone who will do what it takes to lessen the pain.

That is all. :-)

questionablemethods

I haven't tried that diet, but I did cut out aspartame, splenda, and other artificial sweeteners (I use stevia now) and MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other glutamates and that has really helped me. I just try to eat as *clean* as possible, the food additives can be bad for migraine sufferers.

Ditto for me, basically. I was never able to identify a specific set of "trigger" foods but since I have cut back drastically on the processed foods, added sugars, fake sugars, and so on, I have found that I get a lot fewer regular headaches and migraines. I still get the occasional migraine, but those seem to come directly after I have totally over-exerted myself exercise-wise.

totallytasha

Mine come from a change in whatever diet I'm following. When I first started cutting out the bad foods, my body's reaction was to give me migraines from lack of sugar or caffeine. If I've been eating clean for a while and start eating junk food, I get a migraine then, too. It seems to also come if I don't eat every couple of hours, since I'm used to that now. Basically, mine are a result of changing things too abruptly. Reading this, I'm glad I don't get them as badly as some of you do. I get nauseous sometimes, but never actually throw up. And now that I recognize one coming on, I can take the medicine I use (an ibuprofen mixed with an Excedrin migraine and a Tylenol Extra Strength) and it will keep it from getting worse, even if it doesn't make it better. It is sooo liberating to know more about it and feel more in control!

Funnydream

Interesting thread.

One thing that has helped relieve my migraines is drinking hot milk and honey. Someone suggested it and I was totally sceptical, but it really seems to work for me. I thought it was worth mentioning here.

HealthyKt78

Mostly I'm posting just because I want to watch this thread. I am a migraine sufferer too but it's got A LOT better than it was when I was a kid. I remember screaming in the clinic at my elementary school and them having to shut all the lights off in the room until my mom got there. Not fun.

courtney_love2001

Avoiding foods with tyramine actually has a medical basis (aka medically proven). I would definitely try this if I were someone who suffered from migraines regularly! Our professor gave us a list of things like caffeine, artificial sugars, aged cheeses, alcohol, chocolate, soy, etc...

mhollist

I recently started drinking Ginger Tea because someone recommended it. I was completely skeptical mainly because I don't like to try new foods. I drink of cup of hot ginger tea (decaf) with a little honey whenever I start to feel a migraine coming on and it has helped! I also get really nauseous when I get migraines so it helps calm my stomach! I've tried a green ginger tea and a ginger peach tea and loved both flavors! I was also worried that if I started drinking it every day and skipped a day that it would trigger a migraine but that hasn't happened yet. Hopefully it can help someone else!

IrishChik

My doctor gave me a list of foods to avoid when I was diagnosed with migraines. I drink a glass of wine and oddly enough it is one of those things that does not trigger migraines.

SimonLondon

I suffered from Migraines from early childhood and in my teens I would get 2 or 3 month lasting 2 to 3 days. My life was hell and I got so depressed from it.

I tried a few things (finding trigger foods etc) but in the end my Doctor prescribed me on a course of beta blockers which had a side effect of reducing the attacks. There were a number of other side effects but compared to the amount of hell I was going through I went for it.

Since then (20 years ago) I have just 1 or 2 a year. I still suffer from headaches and sometimes I can feel a migraine being triggered from one of these headaches but I have a 15 minute window to get some migraine tablets in me and it stops the migraine from taking hold.

It was seriously life changing for me.

NOLA_Meg

I think the Mayo Clinic has a list of trigger foods and a lot of them have high fat content, even avocado can cause migraines. I would do some more searching on reputable sites about food triggers in case you have something in your diet that you hadn't thought about before. Also, light can make a difference as well. I feel that the flourescent lighting at works always makes my headaches worse and I know they are making specific lamps that mimic natural sunlight, but unfortunately haven't had chance to ask my mom where her friend found hers.

jaymeg22

I too suffer from migranes, my doctor prescribed topomax (sp) and i take it daily. and they are preventing them from coming! but is there anybody else out there who also takes this and is this drug affecting them in any way??? I have been taking this drug now for 7 years.

rells

I've found monitoring my own migraine bouts. I used to think in was coffee and choc, but then get proven wrong when I go for months with no migraines and have all sorts of foods including fresh coffee and chocolate. I usually find it is triggered by something white or bright that I have looked at . Plus I find my breathing is irregular and I feel trembly at the moment I start to get the eye flickers. Also I've usually have been under a bit of stress then when I relax & feel happier, thats when the migraine hits. Its like for one millisecond not enough oxygen gets to a particular blood vessel or part of my head and BOOM the system fails and the migraine is a result.
My very 1st migraine (shimmer/distorted lights in my vision, splitting headache and vomiting) was about 26 years ago. I tend to have 2 to 3 bouts of 3 a year. My last one was about 8 months ago, which is the longest I've ever gone with out one. I don't avoid foods because of possible migraines anymore. The last couple of years has been happier, settled ones (apart from being over weight),maybe that maybe related. Good luck all with the healthier weight and pain-free heads.

lvfunandfit

I wouldn't be able to give up almonds or walnuts. I find that when I get dehydrated or overly hungry I get a migraine. I also think chocolate is a trigger for me... but not good all natural stuff, the garbage chocolate like kit kats and things like that.

I never had a migraine before having my 2nd child. Since that pregnancy I get about 1 a month and it usually ends up being on the days that I run around like a crazy person and don't drink enough water. As much as I hate the migraine I also hate the migraine hangover. The day after is hell too (without the pain associated).

cmurphy04722

I too suffer from migranes, my doctor prescribed topomax (sp) and i take it daily. and they are preventing them from coming! but is there anybody else out there who also takes this and is this drug affecting them in any way??? I have been taking this drug now for 7 years.

I was put on topamax (topiramate) on 3 separate occasions and was thoroughly pissed off the last time. I was an honors student in college and topamax not only gave me severe extremity tingling--it also affected my memory and made me think I was absolutely going insane. If I was more then 20 minutes late in taking the meds, I would have "loud" racing thoughts and would be unable to concentrate until I could realize that I needed to take my topamax-and then within 10 minutes of taking it things would be normal. Not cool.

My memory was flaky, and my absence seizures went through the roof (sort of like spacing out, but much more serious hehe, it's like a seizure while you're sitting and looking at something and then all of a sudden you're like whoa, where did the last 5 minutes go? I was in a daze....and by daze I mean my brain shut off).

I fought the prescription being put on me the second time and the neurologist said he'd put me on a lower dosage to start off with. I was still having problems and weened myself off of it because the neurologist was kind of a ****. Then a different neurologist a year later said we should try it again but at the minimum dosage level. I tried it for about 6 days and then took myself off of it and found a new neurologist--one that couldn't believe I had ever been put on topamax in the first place.

I also have a friend who is bipolar and was put in topamax before and she also experienced crazy memory problems and had to be taken off of it. They prescribe it for everything these days and I think it's the worst I've ever been on.

AllisonMO

I have fluorescent lighs and bright light as triggers. Certain stores are problems for me when I am shopping, and I have had one come on while in church preaching, but the "good" thing is that I have the classic migraine aura of getting sig-zags in my eyesight, and if I take medication while I have the aura I am fine. Never had a problem till I was periomenopausal.

I applaud those who are finding relief through monitoring their food. Whatever helps, as migraines are real pains in the....head.

VictorianJade

This is strange- just as I was posting a thread about migraines in the chitchat forum, someone sent me a private message, with this thread in it.

My migraines have become debilitating. I have missed most of this month at work, because the pain is so bad. I have a hormone condition, but everything seems to trigger me- hormones, weather change, lack of sleep, allergies, sinusitis (I have only one functioning sinus), diet, etc etc etc.

Nothing has worked for the pain with any consistency. I've cut out triggers (red wine, cheese, chocolate), but that didn't help. The last year, my migraines have been worse and worse, sometimes lasting up to 30 days at a time, with only a few days respite between.

I'm nearing the end of my rope. It's a miracle that I'm still employed, and I'm so grateful for my boss's understanding.. my husband is getting frustrated at the impact these migraines (I also get cluster headaches, but the pain level is the same, most of the time) is having on our earnings. I feel frustrated and stressed over missing so much work, which makes the headaches and migraines even worse.

I get aura, nausea, hyperacusis (a hearing condition where you hear every little noise at painful levels), tinnitus in the right ear, dizziness, sometimes fever, exhaustion... I get moody because of the pain, light sensitivity. I have spent days laying on my bathroom floor, because it's the darkest room in the house, with sunglasses on and earplugs in, just trying to avoid bawling my eyes out.

arewethereyet

Just reading this is making me sick :sick:

My close friends will steer me away from flashing lights and perfume.

I did get some good ideas from you all, thank you..........like aged cheese :sad: I wonder tho.....

Barneystinson

Gluten, food additives, preservatives, and dyes do me in. Allergy season is also pretty hellish migraine-wise unless I'm taking antihisthamines.

I've had far fewer migraines since I zapped grains and processed foods from my diet. It's making me want fewer and fewer cheats to be honest. I had some B-day cake the other night and wound up with a sick stomach AND a headache. Blargh.

Strangely enough, red wine and dark chocolate give me very few problems, BUT I consume them only in small amounts.

patvids

Try restricting sodium levels. Obviously you should listen to your own doctor about which medicine and diet is best, but these are my experiences:

I've had migraines for years, and have not noticed the usual triggers (chocolate, wine) cause any problems. But when I was on a very low salt diet for several months, I noticed that my migraines had pretty much vanished. I didn't make the connection until I started eating foods with higher sodium levels. I don't know if this will work for everyone, but it sort of makes sense that salt causes water retention that might have a vasodilator effect.

I also take an older medication that works well for me. When I've tried switching to newer medicines, there were fewer side effects, but they also didn't work as effectively. So if one medication doesn't seem to be working, don't give up, see your doctor again.

NOLA_Meg

I too suffer from migranes, my doctor prescribed topomax (sp) and i take it daily. and they are preventing them from coming! but is there anybody else out there who also takes this and is this drug affecting them in any way??? I have been taking this drug now for 7 years.

I was put on topamax (topiramate) on 3 separate occasions and was thoroughly pissed off the last time. I was an honors student in college and topamax not only gave me severe extremity tingling--it also affected my memory and made me think I was absolutely going insane. If I was more then 20 minutes late in taking the meds, I would have "loud" racing thoughts and would be unable to concentrate until I could realize that I needed to take my topamax-and then within 10 minutes of taking it things would be normal. Not cool.

My memory was flaky, and my absence seizures went through the roof (sort of like spacing out, but much more serious hehe, it's like a seizure while you're sitting and looking at something and then all of a sudden you're like whoa, where did the last 5 minutes go? I was in a daze....and by daze I mean my brain shut off).

I fought the prescription being put on me the second time and the neurologist said he'd put me on a lower dosage to start off with. I was still having problems and weened myself off of it because the neurologist was kind of a ****. Then a different neurologist a year later said we should try it again but at the minimum dosage level. I tried it for about 6 days and then took myself off of it and found a new neurologist--one that couldn't believe I had ever been put on topamax in the first place.

I also have a friend who is bipolar and was put in topamax before and she also experienced crazy memory problems and had to be taken off of it. They prescribe it for everything these days and I think it's the worst I've ever been on.

"Topamax Dopamax." I was put on it for seizures and it stole my senior year of high school and freshman year of college. I could go all day about how it affected me. I couldn't remember my phone number or social security number, I always got the order wrong, I couldn't braid my hair especially when looking in a mirror because I couldn't understand why they were backwards, I slept ALL the time because I was exhausted. I fell asleep in the shower every day and was always late to school. I lost 80 pounds due to decreased appetite but was malnourished and anemic. I was always cold because the drug increases your internal temp while decreasing your ability to sweat, and therefore I had more seizures when my body was too hot like during my senior year of HS at a drama competition when I got to the dressing room and was hot because of the lights and costume and had a seizure and was unable to celebrate with my classmates after we won the competition...this could go on and on and on. I am not being dramatic. It was such a horrible experience and I can't believe I made it through my first year of college on it.
Since you've been on it for 7 years, it seems that you are one of few that get along with it. I'm glad for you. Also, you are probably on a lower dose than I was because I needed it to control seizures. If I were you though I would still check out the side effects especially the one on body temp so you can regulate your time in the heat and your water intake. Also, if you have a history of seizures, it interacts with cold medicine (pseudaphedrine) and can cause seizures. Learned that the hard way.

MsRitz

Nothing has worked for the pain with any consistency. I've cut out triggers (red wine, cheese, chocolate), but that didn't help. The last year, my migraines have been worse and worse, sometimes lasting up to 30 days at a time, with only a few days respite between.

I get aura, nausea, hyperacusis (a hearing condition where you hear every little noise at painful levels), tinnitus in the right ear, dizziness, sometimes fever, exhaustion... I get moody because of the pain, light sensitivity. I have spent days laying on my bathroom floor, because it's the darkest room in the house, with sunglasses on and earplugs in, just trying to avoid bawling my eyes out.

If your migraines are that severe, you need to talk to a doctor and make sure there's not an underlying condition causing them.

I went through the same thing you described 2 years ago. I've had migraines ever since middle school, but they didn't become debilitating until I reached my late 20s. A week after my 30th birthday I was admitted to the hospital with stroke like symptons (loss of vision, trouble speaking/understanding speach, random facial numbness, and intense pain). Fortuantely the MRI showed it wasn't a stroke or aneurysm.

I finally met with a neurologist after that. She said I was experiencing Basilar Migraines. In her opinion, the main trigger for me was birth control. I went off the pill and have been migraine free since. I still get stress headaches, but nowhere the level I had been for the past few years.

Not saying that's the fix for everyone, but a neurologist should be able to work with you to get some form of relief or find the source of the problem.

VictorianJade

Nothing has worked for the pain with any consistency. I've cut out triggers (red wine, cheese, chocolate), but that didn't help. The last year, my migraines have been worse and worse, sometimes lasting up to 30 days at a time, with only a few days respite between.

I get aura, nausea, hyperacusis (a hearing condition where you hear every little noise at painful levels), tinnitus in the right ear, dizziness, sometimes fever, exhaustion... I get moody because of the pain, light sensitivity. I have spent days laying on my bathroom floor, because it's the darkest room in the house, with sunglasses on and earplugs in, just trying to avoid bawling my eyes out.

If your migraines are that severe, you need to talk to a doctor and make sure there's not an underlying condition causing them.

I went through the same thing you described 2 years ago. I've had migraines ever since middle school, but they didn't become debilitating until I reached my late 20s. A week after my 30th birthday I was admitted to the hospital with stroke like symptons (loss of vision, trouble speaking/understanding speach, random facial numbness, and intense pain). Fortuantely the MRI showed it wasn't a stroke or aneurysm.

I finally met with a neurologist after that. She said I was experiencing Basilar Migraines. In her opinion, the main trigger for me was birth control. I went off the pill and have been migraine free since. I still get stress headaches, but nowhere the level I had been for the past few years.

Not saying that's the fix for everyone, but a neurologist should be able to work with you to get some form of relief or find the source of the problem.

I have seen a neurologist, and he was stymied. My tests, my MRI, everything showed I was fine, and yet, I'm in this excruciating pain.

Today, for example, the world looks fuzzy, because light is so bright, it's like it's glazing over everything. I know that the letters I'm typing are black, but they look like a light light gray to me. I know that the Post Reply button is vibrant green, but it looks muted... because the light is overwhelming.

This is one of those days that I don't think I'll make it through the day at work, and that makes me stress, and feel awful, because I'm bailing on my team... I hate these migraines.

and I'm not on birth control. I can't be, as six years ago, it almost killed me (I'm not exaggerating. I almost died because of Depo Provera). My body cannot process extra hormones well, due to a hormone condition.