Migraine treatment options - what else can I try?

[Greta]

As I've mentioned (whined about) before, I developed chronic migraines a few years ago.  Chronic means 15 or more migraine days per month, but in my case it's almost daily.  In the past ten days, I've had one day without a migraine.

 

Over these three years I have tried a lot of things.  Mainstream medical things:

 

Beta-blocker

Calcium-channel-blocker

Tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline)

Anti-convulsant (topomax)

Botox injections

 

And supplements:

 

Feverfew 

Butterbur 

Magnesium 

 

 

Most of these did not help one iota.  The tricyclic antidepressant helped for a few months, but then stopped working.  My neurologist increased the dose, but that only increased the side effects, not the desired effect, so I ended up with a heart arrhythmia and had to go off of it.

 

The combination of three or more hours of aerobic exercise per week AND a low-tyramine diet AND taking ginger and turmeric reduces the severity of the migraines significantly.  So they are mostly livable, and I'm usually able to function.  But they still are not fun!

 

I'm not sure what to try next.  I'm not a believer in alternative medicine, but I'm desperate enough to consider it. My only ideas at this point are:

 

Try a more modern antidepressant such as citalopram, which as far as I know doesn't have any evidence indicating that it will help migraines.  But if it affects the brain in a similar way as amitriptyline, maybe, just maybe it could help (without the arrhythmia)?

 

Ketamine injections?

 

Medical marijuana? (it is legal in my state, but I'm really not sure I want to go there.  I've never taken it, so I just have no idea how it will affect me.  I have a genetic tendency toward addiction, so I'm more than a little hesitant.)

 

If you know anything about these options, or can suggest other options, I'd be most grateful for any advice.

[Ottakee]

I don't know if it would help your type of migraines at all or not but Lamictal has really helped one of my girls with her migraines. It is another seizure med but far less side effects than Topomax fir most people.

[Greta]

I don't know if it would help your type of migraines at all or not but Lamictal has really helped one of my girls with her migraines. It is another seizure med but far less side effects than Topomax fir most people.

 

 

Thank you, I will ask my neurologist about it.

[cintinative]

My one friend has had some limited relief from daith piercing. But this is very much YMMV because she still has some migraines and my other friend that had the piercing done hasn't noticed much difference. 

[hornblower]

Have you changed your bed and pillows at all? 

If migraine treatments are not helping, I agree with this article that it's time to consider whether you're getting referred headaches from cervicogenic headaches.  I have several things that trigger migraines in me, and one of my triggers is CGH. Once I got that recurrent headache under control, my migraines became very infrequent.

 

" If you have been diagnosed with Chronic Migraine or Chronic Daily Headache and are not responding to typical migraine treatments, then perhaps it is time for a second opinion to rule out CGH."

https://migraine.com/blog/some-headaches-are-caused-by-neck-problems/

In between I also had my head scanned to rule out tumors, cause yanno, at some point you have to think of that too.... 

[Night Elf]

My doctor put me on Propranolol but it's a beta blocker and you said that didn't work for you. 

 

Have you considered going to a chiropractor?

[Jyhwkmama]

Two things that help me:

 

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) at 400mg per day. Takes at least 2 months to kick in. Proven by scientific study. Take in combination with the chelated magnesium.

 

Abortive therapy (triptan) taken in weird off label way. Take 1/3 of a Maxxaalt (sp?) at bedtime each night. Your 9 pills will last 27 days, so this is for most days. It keeps me from having a migraine most days.

[Catwoman]

I wish I had some information for you, Greta — my migraines have been worse than usual for the past few months, but they’re nowhere near as bad as yours. :grouphug:

 

I hope you can find something that helps you, because migraines aren’t just painful — they’re also very depressing. :(

[Hyacinth]

Have you tried acupuncture?

[Jyhwkmama]

I have heard good things about Botox, but have not tried it,

[Jyhwkmama]

I used to have chronic migraines. 

 

I say used to because I still get migraines but the frequency is SO much less.

 

The things that decreased the frequency.

 

Having DS5.  I know that's strange but so many of my migraines were hormone related and after I had my youngest, once my body settled down.....they were just much less.  Which I know is not really helpful to you, I just mean that sometimes, the body does what the body does.

 

Dropping caffeine.  I never drank coffee, but I drank a lot of other caffeinated beverages.  Now, this one is maybe complicated.  In the immediate term, caffeine would help get rid of a migraine in progress.  But once I decreased the amount of caffeine overall....the frequency and severity decreased.  This happened about a year after DS5 was born, so I know it was a separate thing.  I stopped basically all Cherry Coke, all black tea, all excedrine, etc.  Then, some time after stopping, I had to take an overnight job, and started taking a couple caffeine pills just to stay awake during that 2am to 4am timeframe, and immediately noticed that it affected migraines.

 

Keeping my teeth clean.  I am not suggesting you have the teeth problems I do.....but keeping my mouth clean helped my head pain.

 

And finally......probably the most important in a direct scenario (vs the indirect scenario that the caffeine issue) is hydration, hydration, hydration.  I have found that at this point, MOST of my headaches....not all, but most...are a direct result of not having consumed enough water in a particular period.  For me, at this point, very few things have the impact that drinking enough water has.

 

 

Having said all that, when I had chronic migraines, the ONLY thing that would knock out a migraine once it started, was Relpax.  I tried SO MANY scripts, including Imitrex, Topamax, and a whole bunch of others.  A sleeping med at one point.

 

Relpax would make me feel sleepy and sicker than a dog for a couple hours.  But......after that it was gone.  It was a magic $60 pill (so called because it was costing me $60 per pill.....and I paid it with a smile on my face lol.)

 

 

Replax is a triptan. This is a good point. If one triptan is not working for you, try another! There are MANY on the market now.

[Greta]

I have to run an errand, but I don't want you all to think I'm ignoring you.  I appreciate all the replies, and will post again as soon as I can!

 

[Jyhwkmama]

Also, try different doses.  I started Relpax on a 40mg dose.  I had changed docs at one point, and the new doc wrote a 20mg script and I didn't realize there was even a difference until it just wasn't working.  I would take a 40mg dose as soon as I realized it was a migraine.  And if it wasn't gone in about an hour and a half, take another.  But at the lower does, I might as well have been taking a sugar pill. 

 

 

Yes! I always ask for the highest dose of the pill. If I happen to find that I don't need the whole pill, I can always cut it. More medicine for your refill $.

[crazyforlatin]

B-2 400 mg

 

I have been taking this every day for almost 2 years and have had 2 migraines since.

 

I also take magnesium but just magnesium only didn't help me.

[nixpix5]

I had daily migraines around the same time each day for years. Atleast I thought they were migraines, turned out they were cluster headaches which is the worst, most debilitating type of migraine like head pain there is. Nothing worked and I thought I was going crazy because things that helped other people with migraines didn't help me. When I finally got my cluster headache diagnosis that was when I finally was able to get on a plan for pain management that worked. I mention it in case you are dealing with something similar.

[Vintage81]

I don't suffer from chronic migraines...I only get about 3-4 per month, but my neurologist has me on Trokendi XR. It's topiramate, similar to topomax, but it's an extended release, so the side effects aren't as bad. (I really haven't experienced any side effects so far.) I've been on it for about 5 months, and I'd say that the severity of my headaches is less. Frequency is still not what I'd like. I've taken topomax before and experienced some bad side effects, so I'm a little apprehensive to increase my dose of Trokendi, but that'll probably help reduce the frequency. It's still a work in progress. For pain, sumatriptan and Zomig are working, but I only take those if the headache is really bad. 

 

Like you, I've tried all sorts of things to rid myself of migraines....supplements (magnesium, feverfew, riboflavin, acupuncture, chiropractor, different preventatives, etc. None of that stuff worked for me. 

 

I found this book that I really like - it's called Heal Your Headache, the 1-2-3 Program (by David Buchholz, M.D.). I've been following the advice he gives in the book, especially the diet. The biggest thing to give up is caffeine, which up until I read this book, I had never tried before. Again, I'm noticing it's helping with the severity of the headaches. I've also noticed that weather is a huge trigger of mine. The weather where I live has been crazy lately. Freezing one week, then 60 degrees the next, and I'm super sensitive to that. There's obviously no way I can control the weather, but there are so many other triggers out there which can be controlled (food, sleep, exercise, etc.), so I'm trying to focus on those.

 

I'm sorry you're going through this. Migraines are awful. I hope you can find relief.   

[sassenach]

Chiropractic

Acupuncture

Massage

 

Intensive elimination diet

 

Moving- dh hasn’t chronic migraines in Florida. They have almost completely disappeared since we moved to NorCal. When we went to Hawaii for 3 week, he had a ton (ruining my dreams of living there). I think it’s the tropical weather.

 

Do you use imitrex to get out of it?

[cintinative]

 

I found this book that I really like - it's called Heal Your Headache, the 1-2-3 Program (by David Buchholz, M.D.). I've been following the advice he gives in the book, especially the diet.

 

 

 

I wonder if this is the same book another friend (not the two upthread) has tried and found help via the diet. Is there something weird about not eating leftovers more than two days old? If so, it's the same book.

[displace]

Some people treat migraines with ketosis diet.

 

Some eat vegetarian.

 

Hugs.

[Cindy in FL.]

I had migraines as a child and into my twenties. For the past 10 years mol I have had what I now know are cervicogenc headaches, which are very like migraines for me symptom wise. Chiropractic (the kind where they adjust my neck with sound waves) has helped a lot.

 

Have you changed your bed and pillows at all?

 

If migraine treatments are not helping, I agree with this article that it's time to consider whether you're getting referred headaches from cervicogenic headaches. I have several things that trigger migraines in me, and one of my triggers is CGH. Once I got that recurrent headache under control, my migraines became very infrequent.

 

" If you have been diagnosed with Chronic Migraine or Chronic Daily Headache and are not responding to typical migraine treatments, then perhaps it is time for a second opinion to rule out CGH."

https://migraine.com/blog/some-headaches-are-caused-by-neck-problems/

In between I also had my head scanned to rule out tumors, cause yanno, at some point you have to think of that too....

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cindy in FL.

[JFSinIL]

Has the doc tried you on Depakote as a preventative?  That worked for ds.

[zimom]

One thing doesn't keep my migraines under control.  Over the years as my migraines have roller-coastered I've had to tweak, tweak, and tweak some more to keep mine at a level so that I can be functional in life.  One thing hasn't worked for me in decades.  I currently take:

 

Topamax max strength twice daily

Citalopram

Jigsaw magnesium

CoQ10

B2

Botox, 32 shots every three months

 

These are my 'maintenance' meds.  Then about six-eight times a month, I still need my abortive migraine drugs, either Imitrex 4mg shot or Imitrex 100 mg pill depending on the severity, often repeated in 2 hours.   I drink zero caffeine.  

 

All that to say, if your migraines are that bad, you do likely need a combo of many, many meds.  I HATE that I have to take so many but this is what my life has become so that migraines don't rule my life.  

[Greta]

Wow, thank you guys so much for all of the replies! I will check into everything mentioned. I forgot to mention that tried B2 and it didn’t help. But I may not have given it long enough, so I’m willing to try again.

 

I’ve also had some negative experiences with chiropractic which make me hesitant to try that, though I don’t wish to sound ungrateful for the suggestions.

 

Have you changed your bed and pillows at all?

 

If migraine treatments are not helping, I agree with this article that it's time to consider whether you're getting referred headaches from cervicogenic headaches. I have several things that trigger migraines in me, and one of my triggers is CGH. Once I got that recurrent headache under control, my migraines became very infrequent.

 

" If you have been diagnosed with Chronic Migraine or Chronic Daily Headache and are not responding to typical migraine treatments, then perhaps it is time for a second opinion to rule out CGH."

https://migraine.com/blog/some-headaches-are-caused-by-neck-problems/

In between I also had my head scanned to rule out tumors, cause yanno, at some point you have to think of that too....

My migraines first presented during puberty, stopped temporarily during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and became chronic with peri menopause. They include photo-sensitivity and really bad phono-sensitivity along with dizziness and brain fog. And they do respond well to triptans, but of course you’re not supposed to take those more than twice a week (some even say twice a month). Alcohol, MSG, sulfites, high-tyramine foods, and loud sounds are definite triggers. Since all of this is typical of migraines, do you still think cervicogenic headaches are a possibility?

[Ravin]

I have several friends with the daith piercing, with varying reports of its effectiveness. Also several who have good results with medical marijuana--mostly through edibles, not smoking it.

 

We keep trying to find better solutions for DD's migraines--magnesium is next on our list to try.

 

 

[Vintage81]

I wonder if this is the same book another friend (not the two upthread) has tried and found help via the diet. Is there something weird about not eating leftovers more than two days old? If so, it's the same book.

I went back and looked, but I didn’t see anything about leftovers. Must be a different book. 😊

[Vintage81]

Could you be having rebound headaches?

[Greta]

Could you be having rebound headaches?

I don’t think so, because I cut out caffeine, use triptans only very rarely (like with an exceptionally bad one every couple of months), and try to limit NSAIDs to twice a week. So from what I’ve read, that should be okay, right?

[Greta]

I wish I had some information for you, Greta — my migraines have been worse than usual for the past few months, but they’re nowhere near as bad as yours. :grouphug:

 

I hope you can find something that helps you, because migraines aren’t just painful — they’re also very depressing. :(

Thank you! They really are depressing. They have taken my joy and replaced it with anxiety. I’m seeing a therapist now to try to get some help coping.

[J-rap]

My dd also has chronic headaches.  In 8 years, she has not been free of a headache (they are probably a mix of migraine and other types by now) for even one hour.  She's tried most things people here have mentioned, but not all, so I have some new ideas to tell her.

 

My dh used to have the same type of chronic migraine headaches.  The book "Heal Your Headache" (also mentioned above) was a life saver for him, mostly related to diet.  He was always a healthy eater, but he changed many things in his diet after reading the book, and also went on a calcium channel blocker.  Both of those things helped so much.

 

My dd has tried all the same things, with no luck.  But, she does have an appointment with the doctor who is the author of the book above in the spring, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

(She did try medical marijuana, but no luck with that either!)

 

[Vintage81]

I don’t think so, because I cut out caffeine, use triptans only very rarely (like with an exceptionally bad one every couple of months), and try to limit NSAIDs to twice a week. So from what I’ve read, that should be okay, right?

Yes, you’re correct. From what I understand, rebounds can occur when taking things like triptans and Excedrin (which contains caffeine) more than twice per month.

[Greta]

One thing doesn't keep my migraines under control. Over the years as my migraines have roller-coastered I've had to tweak, tweak, and tweak some more to keep mine at a level so that I can be functional in life. One thing hasn't worked for me in decades. I currently take:

 

Topamax max strength twice daily

Citalopram

Jigsaw magnesium

CoQ10

B2

Botox, 32 shots every three months

 

These are my 'maintenance' meds. Then about six-eight times a month, I still need my abortive migraine drugs, either Imitrex 4mg shot or Imitrex 100 mg pill depending on the severity, often repeated in 2 hours. I drink zero caffeine.

 

All that to say, if your migraines are that bad, you do likely need a combo of many, many meds. I HATE that I have to take so many but this is what my life has become so that migraines don't rule my life.

I had kind of wondered whether a “cocktail†of multiple drugs might work since none worked alone, but I wasn’t sure if doctors ever do that. May I ask what dose you take of the B2, CoQ10, and Mg?

[Vintage81]

 

My dd has tried all the same things, with no luck.  But, she does have an appointment with the doctor who is the author of the book above in the spring, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

 

Wow! I love that book! He explained migraines in a way that none of my doctors ever did, which was really helpful for me. I hope he can help your DD.

[J-rap]

Wow! I love that book! He explained migraines in a way that none of my doctors ever did, which was really helpful for me. I hope he can help your DD.

 

It really is a great book!  I hope Dr. Buchholz can help my dd too.  I've been in touch with him by email and he seems like a great guy.

[hornblower]

 

 

My migraines first presented during puberty, stopped temporarily during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and became chronic with peri menopause. They include photo-sensitivity and really bad phono-sensitivity along with dizziness and brain fog. And they do respond well to triptans, but of course you’re not supposed to take those more than twice a week (some even say twice a month). Alcohol, MSG, sulfites, high-tyramine foods, and loud sounds are definite triggers. Since all of this is typical of migraines, do you still think cervicogenic headaches are a possibility?

I don't know. I guess it might still be a trigger? And apparently it's common for the headaches to overlay. I can see how they'd all trigger each other.  

 

I don't know if have you tried muscle relaxants at all? I think if the cervicogenic headaches  a trigger or overlaying & you can catch it early enough, muscle relaxants + analgesic often work & stop the progression.    

What you're describing just sounds so awful - I don't know how you're carrying on. Can you sleep with your headaches?  

[Greta]

I don't know. I guess it might still be a trigger? And apparently it's common for the headaches to overlay. I can see how they'd all trigger each other.

 

I don't know if have you tried muscle relaxants at all? I think if the cervicogenic headaches a trigger or overlaying & you can catch it early enough, muscle relaxants + analgesic often work & stop the progression.

What you're describing just sounds so awful - I don't know how you're carrying on. Can you sleep with your headaches?

Thank you so much for the information, hornblower! I am getting a pretty decent amount of sleep, otherwise this probably would be unbearable. The typical pattern is that the migraine wakes me up around 4am, it’s with me most of the day, but it starts to get better in the evening, so I usually feel okay by the time I go to bed and can get to sleep without any problem . . . until 4am when the cycle repeats.

[J-rap]

Thank you so much for the information, hornblower! I am getting a pretty decent amount of sleep, otherwise this probably would be unbearable. The typical pattern is that the migraine wakes me up around 4am, it’s with me most of the day, but it starts to get better in the evening, so I usually feel okay by the time I go to bed and can get to sleep without any problem . . . until 4am when the cycle repeats.

 

That's really interesting, because my dh's chronic migraines always began around 4am too.  It would wake him up and the rest of his night would be very restless after that.  As the day continued, they'd get worse.  Sometime in the evening he'd generally feel better and get a second wind because he felt good.  Then at 4am the next morning a migraine would wake him up again.

 

No answers, but interesting how they're so similar!

[Rachel]

The Headache Cure by Joseph Kandel was helpful for my husband finding the cause of his migraines.

[Rachel]

I don't know. I guess it might still be a trigger? And apparently it's common for the headaches to overlay. I can see how they'd all trigger each other.

 

I don't know if have you tried muscle relaxants at all? I think if the cervicogenic headaches a trigger or overlaying & you can catch it early enough, muscle relaxants + analgesic often work & stop the progression.

What you're describing just sounds so awful - I don't know how you're carrying on. Can you sleep with your headaches?

Muscle relaxers are what finally gave my husband a breakthrough with his migraines. He used them in combination with Imitrix and Excedrin.

[kiwik]

That's really interesting, because my dh's chronic migraines always began around 4am too. It would wake him up and the rest of his night would be very restless after that. As the day continued, they'd get worse. Sometime in the evening he'd generally feel better and get a second wind because he felt good. Then at 4am the next morning a migraine would wake him up again.

 

No answers, but interesting how they're so similar!

Mine mostly come on early morning too. But things happen to bodies around 3 AM. I wonder if we all woke at 2 and had a couple of glasses water and a short walk if it may help.

[Greta]

That's really interesting, because my dh's chronic migraines always began around 4am too.  It would wake him up and the rest of his night would be very restless after that.  As the day continued, they'd get worse.  Sometime in the evening he'd generally feel better and get a second wind because he felt good.  Then at 4am the next morning a migraine would wake him up again.

 

No answers, but interesting how they're so similar!

  

Mine mostly come on early morning too. But things happen to bodies around 3 AM. I wonder if we all woke at 2 and had a couple of glasses water and a short walk if it may help.

Wow, that is interesting! I had no idea that I wasn’t the only one with this pattern. I wonder if it might help if I tried to drink more water before bed.

[kbutton]

I would second the idea of a reliable elimination diet (not sure which one to recommend though). My migraines have decreased in frequency and intensity when I've found food triggers. Gluten was the biggest, and I got a lot of mileage from that for years. I have some kind of issue with high histamine foods also, so I have to limit those (particularly tomatoes and peppers). 

 

I also found that I seemed to be short on some necessary things like selenium based on cravings. For instance, I bought a bag of Brazil nuts when I saw them in the store (oh, don't those sound good!), and then I couldn't help but eat them by the fistful for months until I abruptly didn't need/want them anymore. I would feel completely different and super happy every single time I ate them. It was so strange! 

[Tammi K]

I have tried everything on your list! 

 

I have to say, that for me, menopause was the best thing to ever happen in terms of migraines. 

 

I don't know how old you are, but hold on to the idea that it will improve in time.  In the meantime :grouphug:.  I get just how miserable it can be.

 

[Vintage81]

Has your neurologist mentioned hemicrania continua migraine? It's a very specific type of headache, only affecting a very small percentage of people. The only way to see if you have it is if you have a positive response to taking the medication indomethacin. I wasn't sure if you've already tried this, but I thought I'd mention it just in case. This was one of the first things my new neurologist tried with me, just to rule it out.  

[Greta]

 

 

I also found that I seemed to be short on some necessary things like selenium based on cravings. For instance, I bought a bag of Brazil nuts when I saw them in the store (oh, don't those sound good!), and then I couldn't help but eat them by the fistful for months until I abruptly didn't need/want them anymore. I would feel completely different and super happy every single time I ate them. It was so strange! 

 

 

Try 200 mcg of Selenium.  That is the one thing that I used in both iodine therapy AND my with my hypothyroid issue.  I've tried hard to pinpoint exactly what worked for me over the years because it was miraculous and that is the one thing that I started with and am still on.  It's the only intersection point.

 

This is the brand I use https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Selenium-200-VCaps/dp/B00SJKPBNY/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1518014629&sr=1-4&keywords=selenium&dpID=41ePC2YYRmL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

 

 

That's interesting that you both mentioned selenium, because I have wondered about that.  I eat a vegan diet, and with the additional restriction of avoiding high-tyramine foods, my diet is *extremely* limited.  So I tracked my food on cronometer for a few days to see if I was covering all of my nutritional bases.  It showed that I was low in both selenium and Vitamin E, both of which are found mostly in nuts, and since nuts are also high in tyramine, I've been avoiding them.  So, I wonder if that has made my migraines worse.  But it's kind of a no-win situation since nuts trigger a migraine!  My preference is to get my nutrition from food rather than supplements, but clearly this is a situation where a supplement is justified!  So I will pick some up today.  Thank you!

[Greta]

Has your neurologist mentioned hemicrania continua migraine? It's a very specific type of headache, only affecting a very small percentage of people. The only way to see if you have it is if you have a positive response to taking the medication indomethacin. I wasn't sure if you've already tried this, but I thought I'd mention it just in case. This was one of the first things my new neurologist tried with me, just to rule it out.  

 

 

Thank you - I've never heard of this so I will definitely ask him about it.  

 

I'm starting to grow a bit concerned that I did not end up with the best neurologist.  He really pushed Botox from day one, that's obviously his favorite treatment method.  He doesn't seem to be very well-versed in other options.  

[Greta]

I have tried everything on your list! 

 

I have to say, that for me, menopause was the best thing to ever happen in terms of migraines. 

 

I don't know how old you are, but hold on to the idea that it will improve in time.  In the meantime :grouphug:.  I get just how miserable it can be.

 

 

My OBGYN basically told me there was a good chance I was going to be miserable until I'm through menopause!  I'm only 44, but my mother went through it very early (in fact she was DONE by the time she was my age).  I'm not really having periods anymore, just a little spotting every two or three months.  So maybe it won't be much longer?

[Greta]

Imitrex works for me BUT I rarely take it anymore.    What seemed to stop mine (and I had about 20 a month) was taking iodine drops (and some supplements that you have to take while taking iodine like selenium and magnesium).  It was like a miracle.  It also resolved fibrocystic b reast disease.  It's been 3 years since I started.  You can find iodine therapy info online. 

 

 

I'm going to the health food store later today, so I was wondering if there is a particular brand that you would recommend.  Or are there lots of good ones to choose from?

 

 

ETA:  Or maybe I should just get some seaweed?

Edited February 7, 2018 by Greta

[MBM]

My husband used to get migraines with aura at least 1-2 times per week for years. He would have to leave meetings until they passed and if driving, he’d have to pull over. His maternal grandmother also had migraines mostly during her reproductive years that would go away during her period, while pregnant and after menopause.

 

I belong to a fasting group online (a Dr. Jason Fung group) and read how a number of fasters’ migraines went away after doing water, plain tea and coffee fasts. So dh did a series of 2-day fasts — maybe 4 altogether — and they went away completely. He’s been migraine free for at least six months. We both are starting up 2-day fasts again but just for general health.

 

Valter Longo and Thomas Seyfried are researchers who use fasting as a treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases if you want to investigate more. Basically fasting kills off or recycles damaged subcellular parts and when you eat again, new stem cells are created that can be used throughout the body. (Autophagy, mitophagy, etc.) If you were to try this, it’s best to learn how to properly fast (Fung’s book or blog is good) and start with short fasts of 18-24 hours.

 

Triggers for dh were beer and peanut butter which he gave up for awhile but can have now with no problem.

[Greta]

My husband used to get migraines with aura at least 1-2 times per week for years. He would have to leave meetings until they passed and if driving, he’d have to pull over. His maternal grandmother also had migraines mostly during her reproductive years that would go away during her period, while pregnant and after menopause.

 

I belong to a fasting group online (a Dr. Jason Fung group) and read how a number of fasters’ migraines went away after doing water, plain tea and coffee fasts. So dh did a series of 2-day fasts — maybe 4 altogether — and they went away completely. He’s been migraine free for at least six months. We both are starting up 2-day fasts again but just for general health.

 

Valter Longo and Thomas Seyfried are researchers who use fasting as a treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases if you want to investigate more. Basically fasting kills off or recycles damaged subcellular parts and when you eat again, new stem cells are created that can be used throughout the body. (Autophagy, mitophagy, etc.) If you were to try this, it’s best to learn how to properly fast (Fung’s book or blog is good) and start with short fasts of 18-24 hours.

 

Triggers for dh were beer and peanut butter which he gave up for awhile but can have now with no problem.

 

 

Thank you!  I've actually read Dr. Fung's book!  Simply because I'm interested in diet and nutrition.  I've never tried it, because, I think I must be the opposite of your husband in this respect, skipping a meal triggers or worsens a migraine for me.   :crying:  Especially with breakfast, if I eat even an hour later than normal, my migraine gets much worse.  Strange that it could affect different people so differently.  But I am glad that your husband found relief!

[MBM]

Thank you! I've actually read Dr. Fung's book! Simply because I'm interested in diet and nutrition. I've never tried it, because, I think I must be the opposite of your husband in this respect, skipping a meal triggers or worsens a migraine for me. :crying: Especially with breakfast, if I eat even an hour later than normal, my migraine gets much worse. Strange that it could affect different people so differently. But I am glad that your husband found relief!

Interesting. Have you tried a ketogenic diet for a period of time?

 

Maybe a device could help? The Cefaly came out a few years ago and I believe there are some newer ones as well.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=migraine+device&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari