Migraines: Treatment, Triggers, How I Cope
14 responses
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I had my first migraine last year at the age of 34 and it was a terrifying experience. When it started, I thought I was having a stroke because I was having hallucinations and blurred vision, then the excruciating pain set in, then the debilitating nausea. Overall, it lasted several hours and then took days to recover. I’ve had a few less intense ones since then but I still get a lot of headaches. The two biggest triggers that I’ve identified for me are alcohol and bright light. I really enjoyed reading this post and thank you for sharing your experience!
Jessica
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As someone who suffers from migraine with aura and can’t find the exact triggers that set my migraines off, this was helpful with giving me ideas of what my triggers could be. Migraines are so frustrating and difficult to deal with because they are so different from everyone. Thank you for sharing.
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Ugh…nothing more debilitating than a migraine. I completely agree that diet and hydration are the biggest keys to prevention. I have made huge changes to the way I eat over the last year or so and I have only had a few headaches and zero migraines. When I do feel one coming on, I take two Excedrin Migraine and just go to bed.
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My mom has migraines too. Not too often, about three times a year. They are the kind of migraines where you can’t stand light and need to be in a dark room, sleeping and taking painkillers. It doesn’t last a long time but I understand how one can take lots of measures if you have them often. I have headaches as well, though I wouldn’t consider them migraines. What I know are my biggest triggers are:
-bad posture, sleeping in an uncomfortable position
-being on my period and not taking enough water
-just like you, taking too much coffee or too little coffee are not good for me either
-not taking care of my sight(too much screen time) -
I get migraines as well, and hit my breaking point when I was pregnant & couldn’t take pain medication to manage them. A friend mentioned that I should try acupuncture, and it’s been amazing in preventing my migraines. Stress is a huge trigger for me as well – and I wasn’t able to make it to my acupuncture appointments initially once my baby was born. I was fine the first few months, but then my baby got sick & my dog passed away all in the same weekend, and the migraines returned (no surprise there) – I immediately booked my first appointment back with my acupuncturist and I’ve been avoiding them ever since (since January). Highly recommend!!
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I come from a migraine prone family, because of this my mom always watched for signs and when I inevitably started getting them she started monitoring what I had been eating, where I had been and what I had been doing so she could figure out what my triggers were. She had been on medication for migraines, but quickly stopped because of the side effects so she did everything possible to make sure I didn’t have to take medication.
For the most part I avoid my food triggers (all similar to yours, however my biggest trigger is any Red food dye), but it does get hard to avoid environmental & physical triggers (also similar to yours). Cigarettes and perfume can trigger a migraine in a matter of minutes if I’m near either for too long I’m guaranteed to get a migraine.
When I feel one coming on I usually take Aleve, grab a coconut water (electrolytes!) and sit in the shower in the dark with running lukewarm-cool water, occasionally I’ll turn on the fan since the faint hum acts as a calming white noise. When I get a migraine I’ve always needed to be in a cool, dark, smell-less, quiet room, which is probably why I prefer the bathroom, I know it’s weird but it also makes it easier since I usually end up getting extremely nauseous, and also the tiles feel cool on my feet. I’ve noticed that anything warm (carpet, blankets, pillows) can make my migraine worse. Luckily I’ve had a handle on my migraines for a while now and hope everyone else reading this article is able to do the same!
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I had my first migraine in second grade too! I remember missing so many birthday parties, soccer games, etc. because of them. Starting in high school, my migraines would come with auras. The first time I got an aura, I called my mom from the bathroom at school because I thought I was having a stroke. I’ve tried SO MANY different medications, preventative and abortive. I’ve kept diaries and still can’t figure out my triggers which is SO frustrating. Over the last couple years, I don’t seem to get as many *knocks on wood*, but when I do, I pop 2 Excedrin Migraine and a Dramamine because sleep and time are the only things that make the migraine go away. Ugh, they’re literally the worst.
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I started getting migraines in grade 9 and they were debilitating. My doctor told me about natural herb called feverfew which helped me immensely and was meant to prevent migraines. It’s worth looking in to 🙂
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Thanks for sharing your experience. I don’t get migraines, but I have a few loved ones who do and this helps me understand what they’re going through a little more.
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Thank you for a great article! I’ve had migraines most of my life and learning/avoiding triggers and correcting imbalances has been life-changing. I still get them, but not as often as I used to, and my recent ones haven’t been as severe.
My biggest trigger is hormonal imbalance, but that’s so complex, because hormones are so affected and intertwined with everything a person does or eats, etc. Hormonal birth control was a huge issue for me. I was on it for eight years, and I’d be fine on a pill or the ring or whatever for a year or two, then the month-long migraines (legit lasting a whole month, 24\7) would start on. I’d switch pills, and repeat the same thing. I finally went off totally, which has been a good choice for me. These days, I often can’t tell anything’s “off” hormonally until it’s either ovulation or PMS time and a migraine hits. That’s my cue to look at things like diet and exercise and really clean those areas up. Whole food soy (like tofu or edamame…not soy protein isolate in protein bars or whatnot) has also really helped my hormonal balance, although I know it’s a trigger for many, so YMMV on that.
Blood sugar spikes/low blood sugar is another trigger. I’ve started eating 95% whole grains, skipping sugar and other sweeteners, swapping in sweet potatoes for white potatoes, etc., and trying to eat a higher percentage of protein in my diet. It’s also helped hugely.
Alcohol factors into both of these, since it messes with blood sugar and causes estrogen to spike. So, I hardly drink these days. A drink per week or less is best for me.
Because I eat largely vegetarian or vegan meals (I’m neither, but tend toward eating that way), I ended up deficient in magnesium. Adding a supplement in (250mg, once a day) decreased my migraine days from 5-7 per month to 1-2. I also found that popping two magnesium pills right away when a migraine hits can sometimes stop it in its tracks for me.
Lastly, I started using CBD oil for some mood issues I have (I’ve used Lord Jones and Cordial Organics — both hemp-based, since that’s what’s legal in my state), and while it doesn’t help once a migraine has started, I’ve noticed using it daily for the mood stuff has, as a nice side effect, cut down the number and severity of my migraines and menstrual cramps over the course of my monthly cycle. I have some months with no migraines now and minimal cramps, and the CBD is all that’s changed.
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I started having migraines when I was about 13 and now have Chronic Migraine. I could write about it for pages. Mine are strongly tied to hormones but I have many triggers, including stress, dehydration and foods. Use of over-the-counter painkillers for years also lead to gut issues including food sensitivities and IBS, so, yay. I’ve tried all kinds of management techniques including yoga, acupuncture, chiropractor, medication, TENS, diet changes, physical therapy, natural supplements, multiple MRI’s, etc, etc.
Lately I’ve been having some luck with cognitive behavioral therapy through the Curable app, and would recommend it for anyone suffering with chronic pain. Cheaper than most alternatives and worth trying.
Best of luck to all you out there dealing with this monster. I know it’s not fun!
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This was incredibly helpful!! I’ve been battling migraines with no clear solution, despite my neirologist’s best efforts, for 9 years now. A lot of what you just wrote/suggested makes perfect sense. I cant wait to try it all to fend them off. Thank you!!
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Hey Jess! I so appreciate you sharing this! As a migraine sufferer for over 20 years, I have been on a quest to identify/ avoid triggers but also find ways to bring down the pain before it goes full on. I found that prescription migraine meds didn’t always work and had terrible side effects, as well as the period I was on Topomax and nearly lost my will to live- it’s dangerously sever side effects are pretty life draining and I was still having break through incidences. Presently, I have to agree that stress, bright lights, strong smells, dehydration, lapses in routine or poor sleep, and certain food/ drink (dairy, alcohol, wine, hazelnuts, caffeine), hormonal fluctuations, and change in barometric pressure can really bring them on- but I notice more in periods of high stress (both from work and personal / emotional). A dear friend recommended an essential oil blend of peppermint, sweet orange and juniper berry, applied as you mentioned to the back of your neck and shoulders, up to the nape and hairline, massaged in, plus to the temples, forehead and down the sides of nose (just avoid eyes) also breathing in the scent – this really seems to help. I also get regular treatment from acupuncturist and chiropractor as well as foam roll my back (if you hold a lot of tension in your thoracic spine, this is great to do a couple times a day) as well as going through a vinyasa and rolling out any tight spots with a lacrosse ball. The best advice my doc gave me recently was that a migraine is like boiling water- if you feel the water is staring to boil (takes keen self awareness!) then you must take steps to bring down the stress or trigger by relaxing, breathing, meditating and for sure getting away from the trigger if possible. Would love to hear a podcast on this or to share more tips/ products that you love to self-treat. Again, I really appreciate your post and as long as I’ve been following you have to say that you really share valuable insight and I’m so glad to know you!! ❤️
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I’m so sorry Polly. I know how hard it is battling with them. But it sounds like you’re doing all the right things, for me identifying my triggers was really the best and most effective step towards prevention. Your doctor is right, the second you start to feel one coming on you have to take action. At this point, I can usually tell even before my head actually starts to hurt. Take care xx
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