Anyone else with migraines?

zaellany · March 2014

I've had them since I was 12, they've gotten a lot better over the years, but I still get them. Like today. It was full-on, aura, nausea, bad pain. I couldn't leave work, so I had to go sit in our storage room where it's really dark for an hour. I took my meds (Midrin and prescription ibuprofen) but only got partial relief until I got home and was able to go stay in a dark room for awhile. Fortunately I was able to find stuff to do at work that didn't involve being on the computer, because staring at the computer screen makes it ten times worse.

Here's the problem. I have a LOT of nausea with my migraines, that gets somewhat alleviated if I eat small amounts very frequently, like every 1/2 hour. My migraine specialist recommended that I read The Migraine Brain a few years ago, and the book (which I highly recommend) talks about the importance of keeping blood sugar stable, both to avoid triggering a migraine, and during a migraine, so low blood sugar doesn't make it worse. There are certain things I just can't eat when I'm in a migraine - anything crunchy or chewy kills me - so I ended up eating random soft stuff (oatmeal, cheese and some Noosa yogurt my coworker had), and I'm over my calorie limit for today. And having crazy head pain, nausea, and dizziness doesn't make it easy to exercise. So I can't offset the calorie overage by working out, like I normally do.

I guess I'm just frustrated and wondering if anyone else deals with this...I have had a great week and now seeing those red numbers on today's diary is a bummer. Anyone else have any tips for calorie counting with migraines? I get at least one a month, so I need to figure this out.

Beet_Girl · March 2014

Make sure you are drinking a lot of water. I am prone to migraines too and started having more issues when I started dieting. But drinking a lot of water fixed it for me. We actually get a lot of water from our food, so eating less can actually make you less hydrated than you are used to.

LTKeegan · March 2014

I got a migraine today too

I also get nausea and usually throw up, I just write it off as a bad day and move on. I highly doubt you ate toooo much overboard.

Feel better, treat your migraines, I know the pain you're in

Vune · March 2014

Migraines are the worst. I'm on propranolol daily because I was getting them every two weeks and they were interfering with my work as an actor (hello, spotlight). My nausea would be so bad I couldn't keep anything down. I'd nibble on crackers and sip ginger ale after 12 hours of nausea.

I haven't read the book you mentioned, but does it explain why eating seems to help you? Pinpointing that might help you stay on track better.

zaellany · March 2014

We actually get a lot of water from our food, so eating less can actually make you less hydrated than you are used to.

That's a really good point. The last couple days I probably have not been drinking as much water, or eating enough watery food (I usually eat cucumbers every day, but ran out early this week). I'll make sure I'm drinking more water.

zaellany · March 2014

I got a migraine today too

I also get nausea and usually throw up, I just write it off as a bad day and move on. I highly doubt you ate toooo much overboard.

Feel better, treat your migraines, I know the pain you're in

Sorry about yours

I don't always vomit but I do sometimes. You're right - I was only over about 100 calories but I still got frustrated. Mainly because I don't know what I could have done differently. Just getting through the day was a real struggle.

zaellany · March 2014

I haven't read the book you mentioned, but does it explain why eating seems to help you? Pinpointing that might help you stay on track better.

I highly recommend the book as it really did help me make lifestyle changes that helped the migraines. The book basically says that everyone's triggers are different, but in some people, blood sugar fluctuations and lower hydration can work with other triggers to cause migraines, and then as you don't eat/drink during the migraine, it just makes the problem worse. My migraine specialist told me an acronym to use to remember what are probably my main triggers: Hungry, Alcohol, Thirsty, Sleep, Screen time (HATSS). I quit drinking alcohol and I've gotten good at getting enough sleep; screen time is a problem because of how much I work, and the hungry/thirsty thing, sometimes I lose track of.

I_Will_End_You · March 2014

I got one today, too. It was mild, though, so I was able to at least get some time in on the elliptical. I find that steady state cardio helps relieve my migraines a bit.

I get botox for migraines because I was getting them 25+ days out of the month. (got my 3rd set of injections yesterday..ouch!) It's helped quite a bit. If you have more than 15 migraine days a month, I'd recommend looking into it. Also the supplement Migrelief has cut down my number of migraine days, too. It's kind of pricey (about $70 for a three month supply) but if it helps, it's worth every penny and more!

Nickih4619093 · March 2014

I recently saw something about curing migraines with salt. I Don't know the details, and its not something I've tried myself but I thought I'd mention it! I'll see if I can find the article..

Energetic19 · March 2014

I had a migraine as well today.... Believe mine are more triggered by Chinooks and weather change and of course I had to go plant myself in the worst possible place, just south of Calgary, Alberta! I have probably had migraines since my early thirties and in the past I find it very hard not to munch on the wrong things because usually I would always reach for greasy i.e. McDonalds, Wendy's Poutine, Chips, Chocolate as for me I would need to eat to subside the nauseous feeling but finally realizing that it makes me feel no better in the long run so now I try and grab snacks that are good for me and even though I might go over on my daily calories at least I am eating healthy. I am very fortunate that I have been prescribed a pill called Zomig which I can take and usually within a half hour to an hour I am feeling better and can usually work through them only rare that I am slammed with one where I have to go hide. They surely are not fun and days where I wish they would go away and currently for the month of March I am sure I have had about 8 so far.... what's getting in the my way is being able to get back to the gym right now so understand completely what you are saying... Every time I have hope of getting back I am hit with another migraine and if I start exercising it can go either way I can feel better or it will bring another one on. All I can suggest is baby steps and I need to listen to my own words...

helenrosec · March 2014

I got a migraine on Wednesday then another on Thursday night. I've had them since I was a teen, but very rarely maybe 2-3 a year, so I put mine down to dieting and maybe hormones.
I'm hoping when I reach my goal and start maintaining they'll stop.

jlynnm70 · March 2014

I get them, but mine are hormone based (I get either when I Ovulate or about TOM). I get nausea, light sensitivity, etc. as well. I can't attribute it to food, and I'm lucky if I can keep much down when I get one (sometimes not even the migraine meds)

All I can do is drink water (I also seem to need caffeine when I get them) so even though I have basically given up soda, I did work through a 2 liter over 2 days with the last one about a month ago. I totally understand the pain you are in and wish you the best.

Anyone else with migraines?

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