Migraine Sufferers - Please Read

If it is truly a diagnosed migraine, you shouldn't be able to get out of bed without a lot of prescription meds.


See a doctor. It doesn't sound like migraines.

Glad you've seen a doctor (or ten )...


I had them for decades. I would not have attempted exercise, since that just increased my pain. The mechanism is vasodilation, and exercise was out of the question for me ....I also gained a lot of weight from this issue and the prophylactic meds needed to stave off most attacks. I never took pain meds, as the drug prescribed for migraine is a Triptan, not a narcotic.

Anyway, enough about me....I have no idea what exercise you could do that wouldn't cause vasodilation. Good luck.
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I take Imitrex when I feel a migraine coming on. I could not exercise when I have a migraine, even though the Imitrex really helps me out. I also get very tired from the Imitrex.

I know migraines are caused by many diferent things. I take Maxalt for mine and most of the time I am able to function. I'm not experienced enough to answerr your question, but I wanted to share what has greatly reduced the frequencey of my migraines. I have eliminated all dark colored sodas. I had to prove this theory to myself several times before I gave up on drinking them.

I still get migraines but now I sometimes will skip a month without having one and it was two and three a week before.

Hope you find the primary cause of yours

Good luck.

I don't really know what to tell you for the exercise other than do what you can tolerate the best.

I did want to ask though, have you considered food allergies as a source of your migraines? My daughter was getting them several times a month (which wasn't surprising since her dad and I both get migraines now and then). She was having some other issues that we were trying to figure out so we did a few eliminations to see what would happen. First she went dairy free for several weeks. To her relief, going dairy free had no effect whatsoever, not even when she added it back in. Then she went gluten free and it was like someone gave her a magic pill or flipped a switch. I won't list all the improvements she had but I will say that she hasn't had a migraine since. This wasn't something we expected so it was a lovely bonus.

Our family is mostly gluten free now just because it's easier this way (though we're not as strict as she is outside the house). My husband and I haven't had a migraine since she went GF either.

I don't know what you and your doctors have explored but if you haven't looked into a food allergy you might want to consider it. I didn't have migraines nearly as often as it sounds like you do but if I did I think I would be desperate to end them! That just sounds awful! I hope you are able to find a way to get relief and hopefully exercise without pain.

i usually can't work out with a migraine ... either my head hurts or my body is too tired from the effects of the triptans

depending how the type and dosage of the medication, it could be rebound headaches. at least that was my issue before going on triptans

i can't do anything when i've got a migraine. i've tried to push thru it a few times and only made myself throw up. i would agree with just walking...a brisk pace walk that doesn't have your blood pumping too hard. plus the fresh air might help. i know it does for me...sometimes.

i also would suggest (as somebody already has) looking at your diet. start eliminating things.

i think the real solution here is to find the root of the migraine. what's causing you to have so many and reduce the intensity and frequency.

Medical doctors do not always look at the entire picture. when's the last time one of them asked you what you were eating??? i bet never.

since changing my eating habits and exercising on a regular basis mine are almost non existent. probably has a large part with the eliminated stress.

Hi! Your migraine situation is the exact same as mine... Along with the lack of options to fix it I walk everyday as much as possible, and save the higher impact, more aggravating things for days when my migraine problems aren't as bad.... I have diagnosed chronic migraine syndrome and it is essentially a 24/7 dull ache that flares up and pounds. I just squeeze in what I can when I have the chance!

Since I've had them nearly 20 years, I've tried TONS of things: no caffeine (not even a drop) for 9 months, food allergies (a while ago, before "gluten free" was a common phrase), more sleep, less sleep, same sleep schedule 7 days/week, (I could go on and on).

However, the one thing I haven't tried is gluten-free. I've actually considered trying this (and now I'm more likely to do so, now that I've heard a migraine success story about it). It kind of intimidates me, because EVERYTHING i LOVE to eat has gluten. Do you remember how long it took into the gluten-free diet to see results?

Thanks!

Her migraines weren't daily occurrences so I couldn't give you a time frame on that but she did often have several a week and hasn't had even one since going GF. For some people they can see relief of symptoms within a week. For others it can take several weeks as their body needs more time to recover. I think the common thought on it is, the longer you've been eating foods that your body is having a reaction to, the longer you should expect it to take to recover. I've only heard of it taking several months at the longest though, not years or anything like that.

There are tons of informational websites that can help you get started, especially with what to look for in foods you might buy. Often there are things with gluten that you wouldn't expect and you can gluten yourself without realizing it. If you like to cook at all you can still enjoy foods you love. It just takes a little re-learning for some things but once you get it figured out it's no different than cooking with gluten. The one exception would be breads. There are some decent work arounds but I won't lie and tell you that bread will be the same. But if you feel better it will probably be worth it to you.

Here's a site to get you started but if you have questions you can feel free to PM me. There is also a gluten free group here on MFP that has a lot of knowledgeable people in it.

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/p/how-to-go-g-free.html

ETA: I have a gluten free quiche and a gluten free coffee cake cooling in the kitchen right now so it is possible to still eat yummy foods. I have GF cupcakes for my kids birthdays and unless I tell people they have no idea it's any different than usual. I REALLY hope you find some relief!