Soldato
I have only suffered from them when medication doesn’t suit me or not eaten for about 8 hours.
Migraines , who suffers from them here?
- Thread starter Neil79
- Start date
I've been getting a few recently. Although I know a lot of my triggers it seems like there are so many more to identify and avoid.
Some of the worst are the attacks that come on through the night. Woke up at 01:15 (after getting to bed at a good time). I was very hot but also noticed my mind was going overdrive - one song stuck on repeat and a line of thought repeating for example. Along with some physical indicators this tells me something isn't right and I'm likely having a migraine attack.
Unfortunately the medication I take makes me feel sick so really I'm given a choice of which symptoms I'd prefer - awful headache or bad nausea. While it takes its time slowly kicking in I get to "enjoy" both.
On the subject of triggers, has anyone here suffering from migraines linked them to any of these foods?
Pistachios
Chocolate
Sweets - jellies, gums, liquorice etc.
Crisps
Ice cream - Ben & Jerry's or Magnums
Alcohol - whisky, lager, craft beer and/or cider. Max two drinks
I reckon the pistachios are next on my ban list. I don't like eating too close to bed anyway as I get hot through the night so there's a possible double win.
Some of the worst are the attacks that come on through the night. Woke up at 01:15 (after getting to bed at a good time). I was very hot but also noticed my mind was going overdrive - one song stuck on repeat and a line of thought repeating for example. Along with some physical indicators this tells me something isn't right and I'm likely having a migraine attack.
Unfortunately the medication I take makes me feel sick so really I'm given a choice of which symptoms I'd prefer - awful headache or bad nausea. While it takes its time slowly kicking in I get to "enjoy" both.
On the subject of triggers, has anyone here suffering from migraines linked them to any of these foods?
Pistachios
Chocolate
Sweets - jellies, gums, liquorice etc.
Crisps
Ice cream - Ben & Jerry's or Magnums
Alcohol - whisky, lager, craft beer and/or cider. Max two drinks
I reckon the pistachios are next on my ban list. I don't like eating too close to bed anyway as I get hot through the night so there's a possible double win.
Dark chocolate triggers mine with about 90% reliability - fortunately I don't like dark chocolate anyhow - milk or white chocolate no problem whatsoever for me.
One I've discovered recently - which is repeatable
and for some reason triggers the worst ones is play The Division - if I've not played it in more than 1-2 months or so and jump straight into a long play session, especially on the hardest difficulty = guaranteed migraine within a few days, often 2 in a row within 24 hours which nothing else seems to trigger for me. If I ease back into it though I don't get migraines. Tried messing about with settings turning off stuff like chromatic aberration in case it was a visual effect but that doesn't change it. The only other game which sometimes did it was Eve Online again if I jumped straight into a long intensive play session (not reliably repeatable but happened enough to see a pattern). I'm guessing it is the sheer amount of information involved in those games mixed with probably cramping up my neck/head from being tensed up so long.
One I've discovered recently - which is repeatable
and for some reason triggers the worst ones is play The Division - if I've not played it in more than 1-2 months or so and jump straight into a long play session, especially on the hardest difficulty = guaranteed migraine within a few days, often 2 in a row within 24 hours which nothing else seems to trigger for me. If I ease back into it though I don't get migraines. Tried messing about with settings turning off stuff like chromatic aberration in case it was a visual effect but that doesn't change it. The only other game which sometimes did it was Eve Online again if I jumped straight into a long intensive play session (not reliably repeatable but happened enough to see a pattern). I'm guessing it is the sheer amount of information involved in those games mixed with probably cramping up my neck/head from being tensed up so long.Oddly, my issues with direct food sensitivity and migraines have only become very noticeable in the past few years. I do wonder if any of it is linked to having suffered swine flu, then Type A influenza a couple of years on the trot several years ago.
Artificial sweeteners (guaranteed, especially Aspartame).
Too much sugar.
Too much gluten.
Too much diary (this is new, I think their may be a gastric link).
Peanuts and Hazelnuts (booo).
Caffeine (varies, tea I can get away with if everything else is kept in check, coffee is like russian roulette).
Alcohol (not a chance, not a drop sadly).
Sulphates/metabisulphates in food (bad mmm'kay).
Stress, lack of sleep (way too common), bright/flashing lights and back/neck pain are significant factors, with the latter being one I cannot get the G.P to engage with l, as it the main driver these days.
I usually get an aura migraine so I have a chance to take Sumatriptan, which usually stops the worst of it (70% success at a guess). I will still get a headache, so Paracetamol is needed to.
Worst case is next pain is the cause or the migraine adds tension which then triggers more next pain than usual. Then I have to take Ibuprofen which messes up my gut even more.
I have found that using White Tiger Balm on temples and the my neck, especially around the CVJ area, helps relieve a migraine much faster. The heat is a pleasant distraction too. The only problem is I have a habit of rubbing my neck or head, which h is not great if you then touch anything else.
The thing I hate most about migraines is, even if the meds stop them, I have a couple of days of brain fog (well worse than usual).
I have trouble remembering things, words, dates, events in my own life. I struggle with speech, often falling over words or losing my what I was saying. I get this this frequently as it is but it disturbingly pronounced post migraine.
@dcsarge from reading your post I think there are a lot of similarities with my migraines. As I understand it, migraines are linked to the digestive system. I read this a while back so I could benefit from looking into it again.
I can sympathise with the brain fog. It's awful and very difficult to deal with. Whenever I am unwell, especially with migraines, I like to be cool. The White Tiger Balm is interesting but are you saying it applies heat? I generally go for something cooling - ice in a wet flannel, cold water, "Kool-n-Soothe" gel packs or roller ball. I also can't tolerate anything near or touching my neck - ie shirt collar, blanket and such. It is mainly round the front though.
I can sympathise with the brain fog. It's awful and very difficult to deal with. Whenever I am unwell, especially with migraines, I like to be cool. The White Tiger Balm is interesting but are you saying it applies heat? I generally go for something cooling - ice in a wet flannel, cold water, "Kool-n-Soothe" gel packs or roller ball. I also can't tolerate anything near or touching my neck - ie shirt collar, blanket and such. It is mainly round the front though.
@Cadder yeah Tiger Balm is a natural remedy available in two types, white and red. The red one is more potent and meant for muscle use only, like a natural Deep Heat, stains everything too.
The ingredients of the white one are:
Cajuput Oil, Camphor, Levomenthol, Clove Oil, Dementholised Mint Oil.
I only started using them a few years ago as I was trying to find something without restarting to more medication. I am a full time carer and have enough issues with NSAIDs and the side effects of my blood pressure meds, Topiramate and Sumatriptan (when I take it).
It was actually a nurse getting a someone in Boots at the Bristol Royal Infirmary to apply it to her neck that put me onto it a few years ago
.
The ingredients of the white one are:
Cajuput Oil, Camphor, Levomenthol, Clove Oil, Dementholised Mint Oil.
I only started using them a few years ago as I was trying to find something without restarting to more medication. I am a full time carer and have enough issues with NSAIDs and the side effects of my blood pressure meds, Topiramate and Sumatriptan (when I take it).
It was actually a nurse getting a someone in Boots at the Bristol Royal Infirmary to apply it to her neck that put me onto it a few years ago
.
Soldato
I used to get maybe 2 or three a year. However recently over the past couple of months I've had them more often.........couple of times a month, maybe.
Thing is with mine, I get the sparkly corona effect in my vision which starts out in my right eye at the outside corner then spreads slowly across my entire vision until I can't see particularly well because of it. That takes about 15-20 mins to manifest and then intensifies for around another 20 mins then begins to subside. Most of the time it subsides and vanishes in around 10 mins. During that time I feel light headed, a little dizzy and slightly nauseous (but not much) but I rarely get any headache or pain. I actually had one today on the way back from a site visit at work, was fine during but then walking back to my car I felt it coming on. Had to sit in the car until it eased off before I could drive.
Anyone else get just the sparklies and slight dizziness? I'm not sure if Migraines are hereditary but my dad has had them for years and gets them really quite bad to the point where he has got to go and lie down in a dark, quiet room.
Thing is with mine, I get the sparkly corona effect in my vision which starts out in my right eye at the outside corner then spreads slowly across my entire vision until I can't see particularly well because of it. That takes about 15-20 mins to manifest and then intensifies for around another 20 mins then begins to subside. Most of the time it subsides and vanishes in around 10 mins. During that time I feel light headed, a little dizzy and slightly nauseous (but not much) but I rarely get any headache or pain. I actually had one today on the way back from a site visit at work, was fine during but then walking back to my car I felt it coming on. Had to sit in the car until it eased off before I could drive.
Anyone else get just the sparklies and slight dizziness? I'm not sure if Migraines are hereditary but my dad has had them for years and gets them really quite bad to the point where he has got to go and lie down in a dark, quiet room.
@Draeger most of the time I don't get the visual aura, but when I do I know the headache that follows will be the worst and I will also end up vomiting due to the nausea.
I have read that some people just get a visual migraine with no associated pain. I must admit from my standpoint it sounded nice but the way you describe it isn't great. I don't think I've had dizziness from migraines before, just everything else.
I just counted my total for last month - 9 migraines.
I have read that some people just get a visual migraine with no associated pain. I must admit from my standpoint it sounded nice but the way you describe it isn't great. I don't think I've had dizziness from migraines before, just everything else.
I just counted my total for last month - 9 migraines.
Caporegime
I've had the odd migraine from time to time for decades, but they'd been getting much more regular in the earlier part of this year with really bad visual effects too. My wife mentioned that the doctor had suggested magnesium supplements to her, and that clicked for me since I'm on PPIs which limit magnesium uptake, so I tried taking 500mg a day and I haven't had one since save once when I was on holiday and forgot to take the supplements for a few days.
Soldato
I went through a bout of them a few years back. To combat them I got myself off caffeine - which really did the trick despite the week of extreme drowsiness it took for my body to get over the lack of it.
Sadly, I'm back to drinking caffeine again, but haven't had a really bad headache since.
Sadly, I'm back to drinking caffeine again, but haven't had a really bad headache since.
Soldato
Only had 3 migraines in my life. Get headaches but they are nothing compared to a migraine.
You just sit in agony in the dark. Nothing touches them. No light, no sound if possible. The best part is when the sickness starts due to the pain. Nothing like the pain of throwing up while suffering a migraine. I would rather break my arm.
You just sit in agony in the dark. Nothing touches them. No light, no sound if possible. The best part is when the sickness starts due to the pain. Nothing like the pain of throwing up while suffering a migraine. I would rather break my arm.
Associate
first glance i read that as wife not knife .lol
Fortunately not had that experience - came close once - vomiting on top of the migraines I get would be thoroughly unpleasant.
Mine are severe, everyday I have a migraine and have had for about 5 years now. I can only tolerate short bursts of screen activity, can’t watch TV anymore. Can’t use the PC for more than about 30 minutes. Have daily pressure on my head and face, my sinuses are blocked up. Get vertigo daily.
Oh boy do I hate it. Haven’t been able to work for weeks because of it.
Oh boy do I hate it. Haven’t been able to work for weeks because of it.
That is awful. I take it you've tried a lot of things over those 5
I have woken up this morning with a few indicators a migraine is coming on. Now time for my tablet which makes me feel worse before I get better.
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It’s years not days, I’ve tried tons of medications. It’s given me chronic fatigue syndrome as a result, been off work for weeks now. Was off work for around 8 months in 2020. I’m having a gon block in November, not sure what else to do at this point. I spend most of my days in bed and have for years because they are so bad. Proving very hard for mentally!
Sorry about that - I am not sure why I typed days. I must have been distracted while typing.
That is a truly awful situation to be in. Have you managed to identify any absolute triggers? Environment, food, light, sound etc.
Must be difficult to gauge since you get them constantly. Have there been any promising suggestions or options?
I know someone who had botox in their forehead for migraines. Stopped working after a while.
Had migraines since I was a baby. I am definitely getting less migraines as I've got older (maybe once a month or so), but bog standard headaches are still multiple a week.
I've only ever had an aura once before, and it was like I looked directly at a torch. I could only see out of my peripheral vision.
I've only ever had an aura once before, and it was like I looked directly at a torch. I could only see out of my peripheral vision.