We have tried everything for migraine relief. Any other suggestions?

[J-rap]

Migraines run in our family (husband's side)... really bad, chronic ones. My 17-year-old has had a chronic migraine for two years now. That is, she hasn't had one day without a headache, and it falls into the migraine category. Usually they aren't terrible -- but about two-three days/week they are. She usually has the strange vision problems that go with it. She has been to see headache specialists, has had MRI's, the whole bit. She has tried every medication out there, and we have eliminated almost every typical food trigger from her diet for a month at a time. NOTHING helps. Is there something I could be missing? Some strange allergy or reaction, that is acting as a trigger? Any other ideas for us to try??

[HS Mom in NC]

If you're seeing a ped or GP you're wasting your time. See a pediatric neurologist that specializes in headaches. They have far more up to date info and far more knowledge about treatments. Our ped. neuro. also recommends seeing a chiropractor and an acupuncturist.

[J-rap]

We have met with a neuro doc who specializes in headaches at the Mayo clinic several times. He pretty much just focuses on meds. We've tried a chiropractor, but not acupuncture.

[Jilly]

We have met with a neuro doc who specializes in headaches at the Mayo clinic several times. He pretty much just focuses on meds. We've tried a chiropractor, but not acupuncture.

 

I would highly recommend seeing an acupuncture. They may be able to provide your daughter with some much needed relief.

[Dolphin]

Does your daughter worry a lot? I was classed as a worrier, turned out I had anxiety. We got the anxiety under control and my headaches became more manageable. I still have 2-3 headaches a week, but they only turn to migraines during high stress time.

 

Med wise, has she tried propranolol? It is not for migraines, it is for high blood pressure. It just also sometimes helps migraines sufferers. Traditional migraine meds didn't work or made me sick, this works for me. Best of luck.:grouphug:

Nicole

[West Coast Mom]

Has she tried Amerge (2.5mg)? I've been on it for 10 years now. Many doctors aren't familiar with it and I have to fight insurance companies to pay for it. I often pay for it out of pocket, but it works wonders for me since other meds never worked. You take it at the onset of a migraine, it is not a preventative med.

 

I have two major triggers for migraines, my cycle and bright light. Two things not easy to control. Amerge has made a world of difference for me. I just wish insurance didn't constantly deny it.

[Pamela H in Texas]

What kind of cleaning products do you use? This is the area I found my relief. I definitely think meditation and/or accupuncture could work.

 

Also, on Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, there is a woman with migraines who got relief by doing a shorter juicing cycle then she added other things back in but does juice also. She was not fat :) Just saying about that since it's been on the board, but I've heard all sorts of similar situations from those who have gone raw.

 

I think I'd focus on triggers rather than medication. Even things like menstrual cycles may be treatable. Finding the right medication or combination may be necessary, but I think you'll get further addressing triggers if you can figure them.

[cloversandlions]

My dd has headaches, but nothing like you've described. However, while talking with some of mom friends here, one of them told me that the source of her frequent migraines was finally discovered to be TMJ. I'd seek out a dental professional who is familiar with identifying and treating this problem, if you are inclined to pursue this.

 

I hope your dd finds some relief soon; it is awful to be dealing with chronic pain like that. I think it's often nearly as hard to watch your child suffer.:grouphug:

[lailasmum]

I had migraines as a teenager up to about 25yrs. I still get aura occasionally but not the pain. A thing that seemed to cause a lot of mine was clenching my jaw, once I realised I was doing it and made efforts to stop it made a big difference to my migraines. Fluorescent strip lighting also caused them for me.

[lula]

I can really relate to your daughter! When I was 16/17 I went for over a year with a migraine. I went to a ton of doctors (even Mayo, how weird is that?) They often did seem to focus on medication. The medications helped at times but overall left me feeling fuzzy because I was taking them daily.

 

I kept a diary of triggers which is hard when the headache is daily, I started noting things that seemed to make it worse, lights, weather, food, anything at all. I tried acupuncture and while I LOVED it and would keep it up for the fun alone it didn't help my head long term. I would try it though if you haven't. I also did extensive biofeedback "training" to help with relaxation etc. I am not sure if this would work for everyone but it really helped me and I still do it daily. I had the dentist recheck my alignment and had a retainer for a while. Is her menstrual cycle a trigger? I also tried BCP for any potential relief. (though often they are a trigger) I found switching doctors was helpful because sometimes different doctors in the same system had unique ways of looking at the issue. I did end up seeing a psychiatrist for a while to help with some of the mental effects of dealing with long term pain, it sounds crazy, but it can be a more draining experience than expected. (more so than I expected and I was the one dealing with the pain!) Having my neck/back adjusted actually made my headaches worse. (if you believe in chiro care go for it, if ANYTHING helps I would do it! Honestly however, it was completely useless to me and did absolutely nothing that was promised) I did all of the typical stuff, drank lots of water, worked on destressing, made sure my caffeine intake was regulated, watched foods, slept on a regular schedule not too long and not too short, watched my blood pressure, tried vitamins etc.

 

Honestly, I think you just have to not give up which can be unbelievably hard. I still get the occasional headache but I do believe that because I spent literally 5 years dealing with it I have some resources that help, biofeedback, knowing triggers, medication when necessary, not living at certain altitudes, etc.

 

Best wishes to your daughter. Ugh, I wish I had something more helpful to say than "Sorry, headaches really suck. I wish you the best and will be thinking about you."

Edited November 1, 2011 by lula

[Melissa in Australia]

I had constant headaches and migraines from age 15-16. I tried everything. I ended up overloading my liver and had to go an very strict diet to clean my liver, my skin was very yellow. I grew out of them, and only get the occasional migraine now.

 

My grandmother has had them almost constantly since she was 3 years old. She has a very bad one every 5-7 days, where she has to lie down in a dark room and vomits constantly. She has seen every kind of specialist there is, nothing really helps her.

[jennsmile]

In Take Charge of you Child's Health, Dr Wootan reccomends 1 quart of water first thing in the morning to ward off migraines.

[Homemaker]

I recently read something about eating jalapenos helping jalapenos. The stuff that makes it spicy (I can't remember what it is called) is suppose to help the migrane. Might be worth a shot.

[nono]

Probiotics.

 

I read an article a few years back which was investigating a correlation between some types of migraines and GI issues. My dh and my Mom both suffer. Both have "tricky" stomachs. When my dh feels one coming on, I remind him to load up on probiotics. He's never had a full-blown migraine attack when he's done this.

 

I don't think it works for everyone, but wanted to throw that out there, in case your dd might benefit.

[golfcartmama]

Just a question...does she take any allergy medicine? My son's allergy meds were the trigger for his. Once off the meds, it took about 2 weeks and they were gone! I get them too, but mine are from my neck/back and my TMJ issues.

[luvbnhome2]

3 or 4 years ago, I was in the same boat your daughter is now in and it was awful! I had daily headaches and migraines weekly. It was almost debilitating. I am unable to take triptans, which are meds specifically for migraines, because they make me very ill, so my dr. treated me by controlling my pain. This usually entailed several ibuprophen followed be a hydrocodone-this left me in a funk/fog/hangover for one to two days AFTER the migraine. I was prone to depression because I often just felt HORRIBLE!! I had to change drs for insurance purposes, and my new dr told me I had just been putting on a big band-aid and not treating the problem itself. She was sending me to a neurologist but wanted to try two things first. She wanted me to try an anti-depressant used to treat chronic pain called nortriptyline, and then a beta-blocker if the other did not work. Well, it worked like a charm. I rarely had migraines, and although I still got headaches, it was not near as ofter nor were they as severe. After a year or two of this, I decided to get off of the meds. I began taking an herb called FEVERFEW and weened myself off of the anti-depressant. I am now 90% migraine free, and never get the horrible would rather shoot yourself in the head then feel that way kinda pain migraine!! I do still get headaches, but they are treated with ibuprophen and/or aleve. If you go to iherb.com, you receive $5 off of your first order and I get a 6 month supply for about $13, I think. There are also ratings on this website-read the ones for FEVERFEW-there are many folks who have success with this. My life is so different now. I would go back to nortrityline in a heartbeat if the FEVERFEW ever quit helping me. It's kinda cheesy to say, but it really did give me my life back! HTH!!

 

I am copy/pasting this from another thread that I responed to and it is looking funny! Sorry! I try to let everyone I know about this because it worked so well for me!!

[jelbe5]

Just throwing this out there, but in a recent thread regarding the movement to more energy efficient bulbs I was wondering if that could be contributing? Have you changed from incandescent bulbs recently?

[mommyto4]

:grouphug:

I have suffered from migraines too, since I was about 10 years old. I had a stretch of 2months of constant pain and daily auras about ten years ago that left me in bed and out of work. When I was pregnant with my third and fourth, I also suffered greatly.

 

For me, it was mainly caused by stress and hormones along with too much exercise on sunny days, and trigger foods like chocolate and red wine. I always had them worst in the fall and spring with the change of the seasons. I also suffer from anxiety/panic attacks and wonder if they are somehow related to migraine.

 

Doctors really didn't offer any help. Chiropractors and acupuncture didn't help me either. I would just take my Tylenol 3's and sleep.

 

Sorry I don't have much advice, but I have great sympathy and will pray for you daughter. Hopefully, this will pass and she will not have to suffer. I have only had one migraine in the last three years, and I am beyond thankful for this freedom!

 

 

 

:grouphug:

[Blueridge]

:grouphug: I have heard that, in some, eating *aged* products like cheeses, Worcestershire, salami, cooking wine/beer, or *mold* products like mushrooms and yeast breads, can trigger migraines. Watch out for anything like that in the diet.

[Zebra]

I have a friend who had a problem with migraines for years. I just happened to read an article about magnesium supplements and told her about it. She tried it, and it worked for her.

 

I know everyone is throwing a lot of suggestions at you, but maybe it's worth researching magnesium if you haven't tried it already.

 

This must be so frustrating for you. :grouphug:

[RegGuheert]

:grouphug: I'm very sorry about your daughter.

...we have eliminated almost every typical food trigger from her diet for a month at a time.

My personal experience is with MSG, which is a well-known headache trigger. I'm sure you're familiar with these lists of ingredients to avoid, but I'll provide them just in case you aren't: Truth in Labeling and MSG Myth.

 

One other comment about MSG: We've eliminated all of these ingredients from our diet, but sometimes I still get MSG headaches. I'm starting to believe that I may be ingesting some MSG from the shampoo that I use. Shampoos often advertise that they contain lots of protein and I think that sometimes equates to non-food-grade MSG. I'm wondering if just trace amounts on the lips during a shower would equate to a large dose of food-grade MSG (which contains very low ratios of right-handed to left-handed glutamic acid).

 

Finally, we have good friends who have struggled with Lyme disease for years. Unfortunately, the spirochetes in Lyme attack different parts of the body in different people. One of their children has constant, severe headaches from it. She is about 15 years old. It might be something to consider. If you are unfamiliar with Lyme disease, I would recommend you start with this excellent essay by Amy Tan.

 

I pray that you are able to help your daughter find relief.

[2cents]

I've had migraines for years too. They peaked in my 20's. What I found has worked the best for me was the no wheat/low carb diet. For me, it eliminates them and I feel so much better. However, I do fall off the wagon and will end up with a monster headache and joint pain until I detox. It isn't a full blown allergy but some kind of sensitivity.

 

Coffee reduction or elimination can also cause horrible headaches too. If you are addicted to caffeine (in sodas etc.) getting rid of it cold turkey can be brutal. I tried it once and thought I was almost dying so I relented and drank a cup of coffee and all was good with the world. I felt like a junkie. I'm still a coffee addict. :(

[UmMusa]

Lots of fantastic suggestions. I'm sorry your DD is going through this, especially since it's so hard to pinpoint the cause.

 

I'm taking 5-HTP to regulate my moods during PMS, and as I was researching it I found it has helped some people with migraines. It supports serotonin synthesis which apparently lags off during the 2 weeks before your period starts. Serotonin helps you feel good, curbs your appetitie, and can help with headaches. It's a natural supplement, not a drug, and it doesn't have any reported side effects. A doctor should probably tell you what kind of dosage of it to take to be helpful for migraines since it is used for many things.

 

You have a big list of suggestions here LOL

[PhunandFonics]

I had them horribly when I was a child and they lasted through my first pregnancy. After the 1st trimester things were MUCH better for a long time. Then after a few years they came back. I went to every specialist, tried all the meds, made diet changes and nothing seemed to help. It wasn't until I found a integrative doctor that specialized in allergies and environmental medicine that I was able to truly get control of my headaches. It was a combination of foods, chemicals, yeast overgrowth, and fighting the inflammation in my body with diet and supplements that made a world of difference. I was SO used to feeling some level of awful all the time that when the clouds finally cleared and I felt great, I just couldn't believe the difference.

The whole journey started when I read a book called "Inflammation Syndrome" by Jack Challem.

 

I hope you find what works! It's a long and difficult process to get to the root of these things.:grouphug:

[Sevilla]

I would contact this place: http://www.diamondheadache.com/

 

Also, has she tried Botox? I have read that it is helpful in treating Migraine. The key with migraines is to break the cycle (and this usually takes a multi-pronged approach to tackle, including medication). Once the cycle is broken the headaches can become less frequent.

[Tammyla]

Sunglasses when outside.

What kind of indoor lighting do you have?

Glasses for eyestrain?

Any neck or spinal issues? Chiropractor?

Allergies?

 

 

I hope she finds the trigger(s) and gets some relief.:grouphug:

[FaithManor]

I've known someone who was successfully treated for migraines with magnesium. Apparently, low absorption of this trace mineral can lead to chronic migraines.

 

Dh used to have them fairly regularly. When I changed my cleaning from using things like Dow Chemical Foaming Bubbles in the bathroom, scented laundry soaps, Pledge for dusting, etc. He got so much better. Actually, we all noticed an improvement in how we felt. I know use mostly vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, Dr. Bronner's Castille soap mixed with a little essential oils (lemon oil, lavender, tea tree oil, and peppermint or gardenia depending on how I want the house to smell :D). I use homemade laundry soap (though I don't make it myself anymore because I can buy it from a Mennonite mom who charges a very reasonable price and that is one less hassle for me). I do keep one commercial cleaner - Zout - around for tougher laundry stains and unfortunately, the natural stuff doesn't remove rust from the shower and sinks too well when dh doesn't have time to put salt in the water softener. So, I do have something around for that, but I use it when dh is going to be gone all day so it airs out by the time he gets home.

 

Also, dh benefitted GREATLY from therapeutic massage. Though he'd seen a chiropractor and that was of no assistance to him, the massage therapist identified several muscle groups in the scalp, shoulders, and lower back that were tense and swollen. Over a course of four treatments, she used cold compresses plus massage to reduce the inflammation and release the tension. Now, word of warning, therapeutic massage is not one of those lovely, relaxing spa massages. Sometimes it is not at all comfortable. Our massage therapist always manages to find spots on our bodies that we had NO idea were sore. But, a couple of days later it is like being given a new body for a while. For children, usually the necessary work is done over a longer period since they need a gentler approach or one would not get them to cooperate if they felt so sore after every session.

 

Faith

[Sevilla]

Also, dh benefitted GREATLY from therapeutic massage. Though he'd seen a chiropractor and that was of no assistance to him, the massage therapist identified several muscle groups in the scalp, shoulders, and lower back that were tense and swollen. Over a course of four treatments, she used cold compresses plus massage to reduce the inflammation and release the tension. Now, word of warning, therapeutic massage is not one of those lovely, relaxing spa massages. Sometimes it is not at all comfortable. Our massage therapist always manages to find spots on our bodies that we had NO idea were sore. But, a couple of days later it is like being given a new body for a while. For children, usually the necessary work is done over a longer period since they need a gentler approach or one would not get them to cooperate if they felt so sore after every session.

 

Faith

Yes, this greatly benefitted my relative with migraines too. The massages were painful - I believe they were called 'deep tissue massage' but they really did help, and when it had been a few weeks without one he could really tell a difference in a bad way.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

look into magnesium and see if it might help-i take 2caplets/day....oh gosh i can relate-i had horrid migraine headaches from like 9yrs old through my 30s-when i was a teen i'd be in bed with the windows covered for days with headaches.... thankfully they are few and far between now....I had allergy testing and now know what foods to stay away from--and have given up wearing perfumes/colognes because they are a big trigger for me....alot of potpourri/candle scents are too....i tried a couple of the RX meds for migraines and they never really did much for me...I took compazine when i was pregnant and that's helped some but thankfully these last few years i rarely have a really bad one....i was/still am a stresser-does she worry alot? yoga might help....:grouphug: i hope you can find something to help her find relief....migraines are awful

[Cera]

Have you had her hormone levels checked? I had terrible migraines as a teen and the only thing that helped was to start taking birth control pills.

[dsmith]

My brother's ex used to take melatonin at night for sleep issues, and as an added benefit it eliminated her chronic migraine issue. I've heard from quite a few people about magnesium helping. Many people do an elimination diet to figure out triggers. E've heard of people being helped by the Feingold diet, and/or going GF/CF. It's very important to take into account environmental triggers. One of the worst for me is Febreze. My mil likes to use it when we go away (we live together) and I didn't find out until I was getting a severe headache every time we came home. She guiltily admitted to using it after the 3rd or 4th time this happened. I guess she didn't believe me...:confused: Another big trigger for me is pesticides. My old employer used to have weekly pesticide applications, and I would have horrible migraines afterwards. This would also happen in our old apartment the few times we ended up with spider infestations. I recently had a tooth pulled, and have had chronic mild migraines since then. The only relief I had was from the blood pressure med my dr. put me on. I felt great for 3 days until the medicine itself started making me sick as heck. We think it was the diuretic part of the drug, so the dr. gave me Norvasc. I'm hoping it will help too. I hope your daughter finds some relief!

[TravelingChris]

My middle had a chronic migraine for seven months. Doctors tried one medicine after another. As a last resort, he decided to try lexapro, an anti-depressant. It went away. She has been on lexapro ever since and she isn't going to stop it any time soon (3.5 years almost now).

 

I was getting three day long migraines and went to see a neurologist when I lived in Belgium. He suggested 400 mg. of vitamin B2. While my headaches still occur sometimes- they are much rarer, shorter, and less debilitating. I was cautious and did look up the study in Lancet, the British Medical Journal, which showed that those levels of B2 work in about 2/3 of people in eliminating or reducing migraines, the same or better as conventional medications.

[J-rap]

Wow -- I want to thank all of you SO MUCH for all of your suggestions!! You have given me renewed hope for my daughter. Many, many of you offered suggestions that we haven't yet tried, so I am now making a list of everything.

 

She has tried most abortive meds/preventative meds out there (preventative meds including Topomax, anti-depressants, blood pressure meds, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers). She has also tried magnesium, vitamin B, and other vitamins (but not pro-biotics). Almost every med she tried just made her sicker, but I'm thinking I'd like to try the vitamin supplements again alongside other changes.

 

The light-bulb thing is really interesting. I know bright lights do bother her, and she does wear sunglasses now everywhere, even in the winter. She has also become very temperature sensitive -- cold, even when others aren't. Her fingers are often icy to touch, even on a just average temp day.

 

She has tried some biofeedback and hypnosis, with no results. However, she and I both can see how stress immediately triggers a worse headache. I remember her even as a young child rubbing her forehead when something caused her to cry. In general she does not APPEAR to be an anxious personality -- she is very independent and self-confident. But, maybe she is masking an anxiousness. She is a musician/performer (semi-professional), and is used to being on stage, and it's a little hard to detect how much internal stress she is putting on herself.

 

The ONLY thing she has found that sometimes helps is going outside and deeply breathing in cool air. I've heard about pure oxygen treatments, and wonder if that might help...

 

I've just recently begun thinking about cleaning products, etc., that might be around the house. I'm going to work hard at changing out those products.

 

Also, we do know that MSG is a trigger, and I'm very curious about the hidden labeling of MSG that someone mentioned.

 

We have eliminated aged foods, gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar, peanuts, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, nitrates... I'd like to try the juice diet though, and the quart of water in the mornings. We'll even give the jalapenos a try!

 

My son can recommend a good pro-biotic I think, and I'm very interested in reading the inflammation book that someone recommended.

 

Also, thank you for the resource of the Diamond Headache Clinic. We do go to Chicago from time to time for husband's health issues, so that's a great resource to keep in mind.

 

So thank you everyone, I appreciate every advice you gave and will be trying it. If anyone has anymore to give, it is still welcome!

[Azalea]

Oxygen worked for my husband. Good luck!

[Twilight Woods]

My dd has headaches, but nothing like you've described. However, while talking with some of mom friends here, one of them told me that the source of her frequent migraines was finally discovered to be TMJ. I'd seek out a dental professional who is familiar with identifying and treating this problem, if you are inclined to pursue this.

 

I hope your dd finds some relief soon; it is awful to be dealing with chronic pain like that. I think it's often nearly as hard to watch your child suffer.:grouphug:

 

:iagree: you will definitely want to check this out just to rule it out.

[linguistmama]

Has she had her thyroid checked? Sometimes sensitivity to cold is a symptom. When checking the thyroid it's important to test for antibodies and free T4 and free T3 and not just TSH. TSH alone won't give an accurate picture of how the thyroid is doing. I hope she can find some relief soon!

[Ellesmere]

 

I've just recently begun thinking about cleaning products, etc., that might be around the house. I'm going to work hard at changing out those products.

 

So thank you everyone, I appreciate every advice you gave and will be trying it. If anyone has anymore to give, it is still welcome!

 

We use unscented cleaning products. We also changed to unscented laundry products. I had one candle that triggered a migraine the two times I had it lit. I have no idea what was in that particular candle that set me off.

 

Chiropractic has helped me if I keep up with going regularly. It provided relief in the middle of one of my migraines. But I would be willing to try acupuncture. I'd also try the juice fast that someone mentioned from Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead if I were able to do it. I'm going to try a low dose of magnesium, too.

 

I know that mine are caused by a variety of triggers ... so just one remedy is not going to work. I need a combination. Chiro helps a little, but if I light a certain candle or my hormones are out of whack or my diet is off, I need to address all of those things, not just one if I look for complete relief. So I think you are on the right track by looking for a variety of treatments.

 

Best wishes, I know this is hard!

[itsheresomewhere]

Wow -- I want to thank all of you SO MUCH for all of your suggestions!! You have given me renewed hope for my daughter. Many, many of you offered suggestions that we haven't yet tried, so I am now making a list of everything.

 

She has tried most abortive meds/preventative meds out there (preventative meds including Topomax, anti-depressants, blood pressure meds, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers). She has also tried magnesium, vitamin B, and other vitamins (but not pro-biotics). Almost every med she tried just made her sicker, but I'm thinking I'd like to try the vitamin supplements again alongside other changes.

 

The light-bulb thing is really interesting. I know bright lights do bother her, and she does wear sunglasses now everywhere, even in the winter. She has also become very temperature sensitive -- cold, even when others aren't. Her fingers are often icy to touch, even on a just average temp day.

 

She has tried some biofeedback and hypnosis, with no results. However, she and I both can see how stress immediately triggers a worse headache. I remember her even as a young child rubbing her forehead when something caused her to cry. In general she does not APPEAR to be an anxious personality -- she is very independent and self-confident. But, maybe she is masking an anxiousness. She is a musician/performer (semi-professional), and is used to being on stage, and it's a little hard to detect how much internal stress she is putting on herself.

 

The ONLY thing she has found that sometimes helps is going outside and deeply breathing in cool air. I've heard about pure oxygen treatments, and wonder if that might help...

 

I've just recently begun thinking about cleaning products, etc., that might be around the house. I'm going to work hard at changing out those products.

 

Also, we do know that MSG is a trigger, and I'm very curious about the hidden labeling of MSG that someone mentioned.

 

We have eliminated aged foods, gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar, peanuts, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, nitrates... I'd like to try the juice diet though, and the quart of water in the mornings. We'll even give the jalapenos a try!

 

My son can recommend a good pro-biotic I think, and I'm very interested in reading the inflammation book that someone recommended.

 

Also, thank you for the resource of the Diamond Headache Clinic. We do go to Chicago from time to time for husband's health issues, so that's a great resource to keep in mind.

 

So thank you everyone, I appreciate every advice you gave and will be trying it. If anyone has anymore to give, it is still welcome!

 

Based on what you wrote here, I would find a doctor to look at metabolic disorders. Her issues combined especially with the cold strongly point in that direction. I have something called chronic migraine disorder. Certain things mentioned here have helped.

 

 

You might want to wait on the juice diet until after you check that out. If I don't have protein in my diet, it makes for the nastiest migraine.

[lexi]

I have terrible migraines and have for years! The only thing that has ever helped is acupuncture. I highly recommend it even though it wasn't my favorite thing to do...mine are much better!

[TeacherZee]

My triggers are light and smell (and lack of sleep but that isn't really relevant here:D). I wear sunglasses a lot too:coolgleamA: sometimes even indoors, so I would definitely encourage her to do that. Also make sure you have unscented cleaning products, especially for washing bedlinen and her clothes.

 

I hope you find something to help her soon.

[Dolphin]

Me again,

with what you responded, I would definitely have her look into anxiety. I was a worrier,but no one thought I had a bigger problem than that. My whole life I just had things running in the back of my head all the time, so I thought it was what everyone had. Just taking in so much information all the time and processing it.

 

With what you said it sounds like it could be that. It has physical manifestations. Different things for different people, but when I am stressed I feel cold. I have been checked for circulation problems. The other thing is the going outside. The fresh air, and the quiet. There is a technical term for it, but I get headaches if too many of my senses are stimulated at the same time. (ie people talking, while the radio is on and dinner is cooking)

 

Behavior modification really helped my to quiet my mental activity, and suddenly the medicines were more effective on my migraines at lower doses.

[Ewe Mama]

Anything containing red dye is a huge trigger for me.

[Bassoonaroo]

My dd avoids sodium nitrite (cured meats, check labels) because we discovered that it triggered migraines in her.

 

Also, she got relief from taking butterburr in a tablet called Petadolex (I might be spelling that wrong). She's not needed that in years though. After taking it daily for a week or so, she noticed the headaches were milder and not as debilitating. She didn't like how her burps tasted while taking it though... That was a few years ago so who knows if it is still on the market. The doctor gave us a ton of samples so we never bought it but it is an OTC medicine but I don't think it's at every drug store -- it's probably a website or something like that.

[Karen in CO]

 

Heal Your Headache was the best book I've read about stopping and treating migraines. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. Acupuncture helped me with pain when I was having them almost constantly. I found that I have some very specific and not so typical triggers which include: tree nuts, wheat, corn, soy, MSG, pork, poultry, cinnamon, and many perfumes. I can't even be in the same building as a Starbucks that is serving pumpkin lattes or walk across a parking lot that is shared with a Chinese restaurant. During the holiday season, I take Topomax which reduces the length and severity of the migraines. Relpax is currently working to treat them, but I have to take the maximum dosage to get relief from most symptoms.

[Denisemomof4]

food is a trigger, but there are MANY triggers. Flourescent lighting is a known trigger, and it is the biggest trigger for my dd!

 

Her other triggers are: not adequately hydrated, waiting too long to eat, not eating enough, bright light, loud noise, sleep deprivation.

 

I feel for you and your dd. I fear my dd's life will be altered significantly when she hits puberty. She is already having more issues now at age 11.

[Denisemomof4]

Heal Your Headache was the best book I've read about stopping and treating migraines. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. Acupuncture helped me with pain when I was having them almost constantly. I found that I have some very specific and not so typical triggers which include: tree nuts, wheat, corn, soy, MSG, pork, poultry, cinnamon, and many perfumes. I can't even be in the same building as a Starbucks that is serving pumpkin lattes or walk across a parking lot that is shared with a Chinese restaurant. During the holiday season, I take Topomax which reduces the length and severity of the migraines. Relpax is currently working to treat them, but I have to take the maximum dosage to get relief from most symptoms.

 

WOW!!! Did you become so intuned to what your triggers are from that book? I'd never even think to consider walking through a mall with a Starbucks or DD pumpkin spice. I'd just assume it was the mall!

 

I need to get that book!

[Karen in CO]

WOW!!! Did you become so intuned to what your triggers are from that book? I'd never even think to consider walking through a mall with a Starbucks or DD pumpkin spice. I'd just assume it was the mall!

 

I need to get that book!

 

The latte was easy..... First, I learned that cinnamon triggered migraines for me. Then I learned that the aroma of cinnamon triggered them. Trial and error with migraine as the penalty for being wrong taught me the rest. I started assuming that I was not supposed to have a migraine and then for every single migraine made a list of possible causes. If I had had nothing different in my diet, then it must have been something else. It has taken me years, but I'm pretty good with it now. Before that book, I was was trying to have fewer, but after I read it, I firmly believed that I could have none. I still make mistakes and get accidental exposure to triggers, but the change in mindset really helped me.

[J-rap]

So many things to think about... I HAVE read Heal Your Headache, and it is an amazing book. It nearly cured my husband of HIS migraines, but for some reason hasn't helped my daughter. I still refer to it often, in case I missed something.

I'm interested in the extra water, more attention to lights/sounds/smells, and the anxiety. We have always been on the alert for sensory triggers, but I figured she would KNOW it was a trigger -- yet maybe it's not that clear? For example, with the smells, do you KNOW when you smell it that it might be a trigger? That is, does the smell of cinnamon roll your stomach immediately, so that gives you an idea that it's a headache trigger? With lights, someone said they wear sunglasses even indoors. Apart from going that route, can anyone recommend which bulbs are the least likely to cause problems (besides a lower wattage, of course).

I also plan to look into the TMJ.

As far as stress/anxiety. I KNOW negative stress is a trigger for my daughter. If something causes her to be upset, it causes a near-immediate worse headache. I've really eased up on a rigorous academic year for her senior year, hoping a more relaxed year would help ease her headaches. But, she likes to be busy, and she continues to have a lot of things going on (her choice). She loves everything she is doing. She has a very happy, positive nature, and is almost always smiling. Although, she does have a very sensitive side to her, and negative remarks from others -- even small critiques done in kindness -- really throw her off. So, I am always very careful about how I word my parental advice to her, for example. Dolphin, you mentioned having so many things going on in your head all the time. I can see her being this way. You also said behavior modification helped. How do you even begin to do that?

Someone here mentioned how going without protein in the mornings can trigger a migraine, and I mentioned that to my daughter. Apparently she has already made that connection herself; she usually fixes herself eggs every morning for breakfast.

I'm also looking into massage and acupuncture. Don't know if acupuncture is available in our small town...

[Karen in CO]

For me for smells it takes almost exactly 30 minutes from exposure to the first signs of the migraine. Most of the smells that trigger my migraines are related to foods - I can't eat or smell soy sauce or cinnamon. I can't eat corn, but the smell of popping corn doesn't give me a migraine although I can't be anywhere near a marshmallow (they're coated in corn starch). The smells don't bother my stomach, but after the first time I could only link a migraine to a friend's new perfume (sandlewood based), if I had any migraines of unknown origin, I would go back through places I'd been and smells I'd encountered. My kids have also gotten really good at being smell detectives for me. When my doctor first suggested a food link to my migraines, I cut down to brown rice and steamed veggies. It took me a long time to get back to where I eat a wide variety of food again.

 

Good luck finding the triggers.

[heartosunshine]

You have gotten some really good advice so far.

 

Has she had any allergy testing done? My allergies often trigger my migraines. Unfortunately, there's little escape for me from cottonwood trees in the Spring or ragweed in late summer. I'll be looking into allergy shots this winter, though...

 

Also, my neuro recommended MigreLief, which has feverfew & magnesium in it. He said it would take about 3 weeks to see if it works. I can't take feverfew because of my ragweed allergy, but I do take magnesium every day & that seems to help. In addition, I take a beta-blocker due to another health condition & really, really watch my food allergies. If I eat any corn starch at all, BAM!, I get a migraine.

 

Good luck & keep trying!

:grouphug: