Comments on: Deeper into Migraine, Glucose and Insulin…

By: Tammy

Tammy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:54:44 +0000

I have suffered from migraines for ten years and currently take high doses of topamax to manage them and imitrex several times a week to manage the attack. I have always suffered with my headaches when I wake up at 4 – 5 in the morning. By then it’s too late for preventive medicine and usually have to take a shot. Recently, I was trying to lose a few lbs (from preganancy) and do some healthy detox and started fasting alternate days. I immediately noticed on the days that I didn’t eat dinner, I didn’t have a migraine. I was totally surprised because I had done always thought the opposite. So I tried to eat some small portions and healthy foods on the alternate days….didn’t work, I still got a headache…..not a migraine. Definitely different! Can’t remember the last time I just had a headache. Anyway, Over the past few weeks, I have stopped eating dinner and it has been amazing….I can’t tell you the difference. I don’t have diabetes but wonder if I do have some type of insulin problem. I do have hashimoto thyroiditis and take supplement for that. I’m 5′8″ and now weigh 125 lbs. Never been over weight just a heavy migraine sufferer trying to figure out how to find a cure! Thought someone else should try this because after ten years this is working for me. I’m going to try to start taking myself off of the topamax if this continues to work for me. I have also started taking a natural progesterone too.

By: James

James — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:38:45 +0000

Thanks for your examples. Yes, processed meats are generally a trigger – and probably not all that good for you anyway!

One other challenge is that cravings are sometimes mistaken for triggers when they’re not. Of course, eating a food you crave may be a trigger, but sometimes the migraine attack causes you to crave something before the attack is in full swing.

For many people, this may be the case with chocolate – not a trigger for you, but you tend to crave it early in the attack.

By: Leslee

Leslee — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:37:53 +0000

My migraines with visual aura have been ocurring mostly midmorning when I am hungry. I have long suspected a drop in blood sugar as being the trigger.

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:08:00 +0000

I used to love pepperoni pizza, but would always get a killer migraine two days later. It took me awhile to notice the connection since it was that delayed, but once I did, I realized that it happened every time. Now I rarely eat pizza, and if I do, I definitely leave off the pepperoni. Certainly not worth the day (or more) in pain!

By: Laurie

Laurie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:16:32 +0000

I notice that when I have a migraine, I usually crave high carb foods. If I eat pasta and have a soda the pain usually eases up.

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:49:50 +0000

Hot dogs and all packaged lunch meat are a definite no-no for me. I’ve also noticed the sugar connection. I love my sweets. I can usually tollerate them early in the day, but I try hard not to eat anything after dinner. I do so much better if I go to bed on an empty stomach. When I’ve had food, especially something sweet before bed, I can feel the pressure behind my eyes when I wake up. Usually a cup of coffee shakes it out, but sometimes not, and I’m uncomfortable for the most of the morning.

By: Aurora

Aurora — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:53:07 +0000

The “smertesykepleier” literally pain nurse in English explained to me of the idea of strengthening my migraine threshold by not eating the triggers and attacking the attack early on; I understand now that it also works the same with my food allergies—some days I can tolerate eating prawns without taking antihistamine. Then one day, wham! I get thick lips and swollen ears. The bathtub is full, James. But one thing’s sure for me, the day after I have eaten hotdogs, I get an attack. I saw the pattern in my diary.

By: James

James — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:02:52 +0000

That’s interesting – I’m not sure how different times of the day would relate, but I’m sure it would. There could be other reasons as well why eating something later could have an impact – for example, a build-up of other triggers.

Certainly many people have reported a significant “delayed reaction” when it comes to food triggers.

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:31:54 +0000

This is something that I have also noticed but my migraines do not occur until the next day when I wake up. Could there be a connection?

By: Paula Kirsch

Paula Kirsch — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:10:42 +0000

One thing I have noticed over the years (I have had migraines since age 9) is that I can eat things early in the day with no problem, but IF I eat the same things late in the day they will trigger a migraine. Wonder if this relates to the above?