Migraine Headaches Support Group
Migraine is a neurological disease, of which the most common symptom is an intense and disabling episodic headache. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head and are often accompanied by photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound) and nausea.
I was taking Relpax or Frova or Maxalt once a day. I would get relief only for the duration of the drug (8-20 hours).
I was fairly sure if I called my neurologist he would send me to the ER but we would never get to the core of the problem.
I was drinking a lot of water as I thought I might be dehydrated but I still had NO relief.
Finally, I went to see my naturopathic doctor. She immediately said you have adrenal fatigue and your body is screaming for help. She told me to reduce all sugar and caffeine*** (I tapered as my experience is if I go cold turkey it can create a migraine). She put me on 2 magnesium with potassium (evening) and 1 (and worked up to 3 )Adrenal Complex by Integrative Therapeutics (with food in am).
Within 24 hours I was experiencing relief.
*** I told her after Valentine's Day I got some chocolate candy on clearance and was eating lots of Hershey kisses. She said I can't have any caffeine at all. I don't drink coffee and chocolate candy is the only caffeine I have. Normally I can have up to 15 mg. of caffeine and I am OK. I didn't realize that each Hershey kiss has 1 mg. of caffeine. I was probably having 25-35 a day.
Now I am taking the supplements and have reduced the Hershey kisses to 8 a day and I seem to be OK. I only have the candy if I feel like a migraine is coming back (I think its from the caffeine withdrawal).
In short:
1. Reduce sugar
2. Cut out caffeine
3. Adrenal Complex
4. Take magnesium
5. Drink plenty of water
It worked for me. Not sure if it would work for other rebound sufferers.
I was fairly sure if I called my neurologist he would send me to the ER but we would never get to the core of the problem.
I was drinking a lot of water as I thought I might be dehydrated but I still had NO relief.
Finally, I went to see my naturopathic doctor. She immediately said you have adrenal fatigue and your body is screaming for help. She told me to reduce all sugar and caffeine*** (I tapered as my experience is if I go cold turkey it can create a migraine). She put me on 2 magnesium with potassium (evening) and 1 (and worked up to 3 )Adrenal Complex by Integrative Therapeutics (with food in am).
Within 24 hours I was experiencing relief.
*** I told her after Valentine's Day I got some chocolate candy on clearance and was eating lots of Hershey kisses. She said I can't have any caffeine at all. I don't drink coffee and chocolate candy is the only caffeine I have. Normally I can have up to 15 mg. of caffeine and I am OK. I didn't realize that each Hershey kiss has 1 mg. of caffeine. I was probably having 25-35 a day.
Now I am taking the supplements and have reduced the Hershey kisses to 8 a day and I seem to be OK. I only have the candy if I feel like a migraine is coming back (I think its from the caffeine withdrawal).
In short:
1. Reduce sugar
2. Cut out caffeine
3. Adrenal Complex
4. Take magnesium
5. Drink plenty of water
It worked for me. Not sure if it would work for other rebound sufferers.
Its interesting that you are also gluten free, I am as well but not Celiac. I think I have a gluten intolerance. All I know is, after being off gluten and milk for 2 months I started to be able to breathe through my nose.
Lynn, how do you deal with low cortisol? I take estrogen and progesterone bio-identicals and add DHEA once a week. I always assumed the DHEA boosted my cortisol but not sure.
Also, my doctor told me my adrenal supplement wasn't effective as long as I have a lot of sugar or sugar products (white potato, bread) in my diet . Have you heard that?
I do find it interesting that 3 of my doctors all agree that migraines are almost always caused by hormone issues.
I have to wonder how many people with relentless migraines might have an adrenal issue that has been neglected or undiagnosed.
If that were true, the root cause of migraines would be treated and solved with hormones and not other medications. I had a quack put a vial in his hand and take my arm and bend it different ways and that supposedly told him what supplements I needed to take. When he put a different vial in his hand and tried to bend my arm that would tell him what other supplements I needed. I caught on that he was trying to bend my arm a way it wouldn't go when he didn't have the vials, then bending it the way it naturally bends when he had the vials. He was indeed a quack.
Blood work really does reveal much about the body including B-12 deficiency, B-1 deficiency, D3 deficiency, etc. and I find it amazing that so many "doctors" can determine deficiencies without any type of bloodwork. The guy bending my arm only proved that my arm does indeed bend.
I've had so many different doctors over the years see me without success until this last neurologist. There is no one cure-all for migraines because there are different types of migraines and different methods of treating the various types plus each individual reacts differently according to their own body. Some are chronic migraineurs and others are not.
All I can tell you is, my primary, neurologist and my naturopathic doctor all said migraines are almost always caused by hormone issues. And needless to say, they weren't all in a room together, I asked them individually.
I realize that caffeine, nitrates and other food issues, barometric pressure, sugar, stress, irregular sleep patterns, and other issues can cause a migraine but what I understood was, these things effect the hormones which in turn cause the migraine.
Right or wrong, that is what 3 of my doctors said when I asked them.
I take steroids to stay alive since my adrenals don't work at all. My migraines start about 2 am when I'm out of steroids in my system, so I take a small dose and try to go back to sleep. I'm seeing a new neurologist in April since my headaches have gotten worse again since right before Christmas. I avoid all my triggers. Two neurologists say I will have headaches the rest of my life. I hope not. My mother did. Both my sons have occasional migraines, they think its inherited.
I get BVVP (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) about once a year and it is very severe and I have no balance and will fall. I am told this has nothing to do with my migraines. But if it becomes more often, they will want to run more tests. A specialist has to do all the head movements to get the crystals back in place deep inside my ear. But I have to get an appointment with the doctor first to be diagnosed with BVVP, then I have to get the diagnosis and then can get the referral so the med. ins. carrier will pay for treatment with a physical therapist trained to do that treatment. After treatment they have to put me slightly with chest inclined up and I feel like I will pass out. That leaves in about 45 minutes and other people vomit during treatment but so far I never have.
I have the hypothyroidism and it is treated correctly for me so I am fortunate..
I also had the B-12 deficiency and in digging deeper with blood work the doctor found it was caused by pernicious anemia. Had to have injections for a year, then had my blood level checked and was switched over to oral B-12 that melts under the tongue and my blood level checked again in a year and I remain on that. But the B-12 under the tongue taste really good!!!
Many hugs Squarley and hope this finds you with a good day.
Also, any neurologist or headache specialist worth their credentials would have IMMEDIATELY taken you off Relpax and Frova if you did call them and told them you where taking them every day, and would not prescribe them to you again until they were out of your system.
I'm glad you got relief from your naturopathic doctor, but you cannot change what causes rebound migraines. Taking triptans everyday causes them. Maybe now that your system is clean from them, try not to use them any more than two days in one week. If a headache is that bad, there are other medications your neuro can give you to break it up.
I hope you continue to feel good.