Migraines

[warrior queen]

I'm guessing there's more than a few on here that get them.
I do.
After more than 2 yrs of keeping a food, excercise and lifestyle diary, as well as sleep clinics, blood tests, and hormone levels, MRI and CAT scans (this was about 10 yrs ago) the best that the docs could come up with was that mine are triggered by the monthly hormone fluctuations that women get.
So for the last 10 yrs I have been on the pill to regulate my hormones, and then analgesics (and sometimes Temazapam and Morphine, and anti-nausea meds) to control the pain of the headaches. Up to 32 times a year.

Now, just recently, the mother of a friend of mine has told me about something her doctor has had her do which has drastically reduced the frequency of her migraines.
She's been on a bi-annual 30-day juice fast for the last 3 yrs.
Her migraines have gone from fortnightly for about 20 years, down to maybe 5 a year.

I'm wondering if anyone else has heard of this?
I've always been sceptical about juice fasts, because until now all I've seen them related to is fad- style weight loss.
I'm trying to research this, but it's hard wading through all the gimmicky stuff to find the real science (and I'll admit to being a hopeless internet searcher )
I've asked my friend to get the info from her mother - but as she's in rural Northern France, it's going to be a while before I get anything here.

I'll he asking my GP next week if he knows about this.
In the meantime, I thought I'd ask here.
So - has anyone heard of a specific juice plan for migraine?

 

[lovetoread]

I've not heard of juice fasting, but no one has figured out how to control mine. Since I have a condition that limits what meds I can take, I pretty much have to suffer until the pain eases.

If fasting works, I am all for it.

 

[Wat_Tyler]

I am subject to get them but not to speak to the girlie hormonal aspects of them. Mine are stress induced. I keep my neck and upper back muscles stretched as best I can, and I haven't had a full-blown one since 2006.

 

[warrior queen]

I've not heard of juice fasting, but no one has figured out how to control mine. Since I have a condition that limits what meds I can take, I pretty much have to suffer until the pain eases.

If fasting works, I am all for it.

Oh God! I can't imagine having to deal with the pain and nausea without medication!
How awful for you.

I am subject to get them but not to speak to the girlie hormonal aspects of them. Mine are stress induced. I keep my neck and upper back muscles stretched as best I can, and I haven't had a full-blown one since 2006.

I wish mine were stress-related!
It would be easier to control the triggers!
Good for you not having one for so long

In the background here, I'm still trying to wade through a whole load of fad links to try and find something scientific about this.
*sigh* I am such a useless researcher

 

[Wings27]

Just speculating, but would a juice fast keep you well hydrated? My mom's triggers are hormones and dehydration. I'm wondering if a juice fast would help her too.

Considering most Americans (I can only speak to this country) stay dehydrated almost all the time it would be an interesting theory to test.

 

[Wat_Tyler]

I wish mine were stress-related!
It would be easier to control the triggers!
Good for you not having one for so long

In the background here, I'm still trying to wade through a whole load of fad links to try and find something scientific about this.
*sigh* I am such a useless researcher

As long as I keep my neck fairly loose, things are pretty good. Twinges come sometimes when I'm getting a bit wired up.


Best wishes for your finding mitigation.

 

[AKGhost]

Used to get migraines on a weekly basis and couldn't find a pattern to determine what my trigger was. Being male they couldn't say it was my monthly hormones... But I am sure they would have if they could. I had been given a variety of drugs that basically just knocked me out so I could sleep it off.
After an injury at work I had to go in for physical therapy to releive cramps and spasms in my upper back and neck, including an adjustment of my spine. That has been 2 years ago and I have had only one migraine since, and it went away after a couple of hours with a quick trip to a local chiropractor. May be something to look into.

 

[Bugaloo_Dookie]

I've been using the inversion table method since 2008 and have had no migraines since. At least 3 times a week I try to use it for at least 30 minutes per session.

 

[Cheyenne]

I'm guessing there's more than a few on here that get them.
I do.
After more than 2 yrs of keeping a food, excercise and lifestyle diary, as well as sleep clinics, blood tests, and hormone levels, MRI and CAT scans (this was about 10 yrs ago) the best that the docs could come up with was that mine are triggered by the monthly hormone fluctuations that women get.
So for the last 10 yrs I have been on the pill to regulate my hormones, and then analgesics (and sometimes Temazapam and Morphine, and anti-nausea meds) to control the pain of the headaches. Up to 32 times a year.

Now, just recently, the mother of a friend of mine has told me about something her doctor has had her do which has drastically reduced the frequency of her migraines.
She's been on a bi-annual 30-day juice fast for the last 3 yrs.
Her migraines have gone from fortnightly for about 20 years, down to maybe 5 a year.

I'm wondering if anyone else has heard of this?
I've always been sceptical about juice fasts, because until now all I've seen them related to is fad- style weight loss.
I'm trying to research this, but it's hard wading through all the gimmicky stuff to find the real science (and I'll admit to being a hopeless internet searcher )
I've asked my friend to get the info from her mother - but as she's in rural Northern France, it's going to be a while before I get anything here.

I'll he asking my GP next week if he knows about this.
In the meantime, I thought I'd ask here.
So - has anyone heard of a specific juice plan for migraine?

I have never heard of a juice plan for migraines. I recently started to get migraines myself and figured out on my own (by looking at the calendar) that they are related to my cycle. If I get a bad headache, it is usually the day my period starts. I went to my GP back in November and he gave me meds that seem to work for me. For me, the hardest part is figuring out if I have a migraine starting or if it is just a normal sinus headache. With the migraine, I am light sensitive before the pain starts and also can have an upset stomach. Still, it's a gamble in figuring out when to take what medicine.

If you DO come up with some juice plan, please post about it. I'd be curious why something like that would work.

 

[unregistered]

 

[CHNOPS]

It's not the fast, it's the elimination of whatever foods were causing the migraines in the first place. Some people whose migraines are triggered by foods say salt causes them (some say it helps them, though, too).

If yours are triggered by foods, then sure, the fast will help, but not because of anything having to do with the juice.

On the other hand, if it's juice that causes yours, you're really out of luck.

 

[warrior queen]

Used to get migraines on a weekly basis and couldn't find a pattern to determine what my trigger was. Being male they couldn't say it was my monthly hormones... But I am sure they would have if they could. I had been given a variety of drugs that basically just knocked me out so I could sleep it off.
After an injury at work I had to go in for physical therapy to releive cramps and spasms in my upper back and neck, including an adjustment of my spine. That has been 2 years ago and I have had only one migraine since, and it went away after a couple of hours with a quick trip to a local chiropractor. May be something to look into.

I've done the chiropractic route.
Unfortunately, it didn't help my migraines - but it did help with an old injury I had to my shoulder

 

[warrior queen]

JAJ never has this problem.

Just speculating, but would a juice fast keep you well hydrated? My mom's triggers are hormones and dehydration. I'm wondering if a juice fast would help her too.

Considering most Americans (I can only speak to this country) stay dehydrated almost all the time it would be an interesting theory to test.

I'm pretty sure dehydration isn't my problem - I drink about 3 1/2 litres of water every 24 hours ( I have a 900ml filter water-bottle that I carry everywhere, and I fill it every 6 hours, day and night - which reminds me, I must buy a replacement filter tomorrow!)
And that's alongside everything else I have during the day!

 

[warrior queen]

I have never heard of a juice plan for migraines. I recently started to get migraines myself and figured out on my own (by looking at the calendar) that they are related to my cycle. If I get a bad headache, it is usually the day my period starts. I went to my GP back in November and he gave me meds that seem to work for me. For me, the hardest part is figuring out if I have a migraine starting or if it is just a normal sinus headache. With the migraine, I am light sensitive before the pain starts and also can have an upset stomach. Still, it's a gamble in figuring out when to take what medicine.

If you DO come up with some juice plan, please post about it. I'd be curious why something like that would work.

I'd never heard of it either!
But hey, if I find out what it is, and how it works, I will definitely be trying it!
I am sick of the medication assault

 

[warrior queen]

It's not the fast, it's the elimination of whatever foods were causing the migraines in the first place. Some people whose migraines are triggered by foods say salt causes them (some say it helps them, though, too).

If yours are triggered by foods, then sure, the fast will help, but not because of anything having to do with the juice.

On the other hand, if it's juice that causes yours, you're really out of luck.

If it's simply a case of eliminating foods, then why wouldn't her migraines come back full-force when she stops the juice thing?
That's what's got me curious about the whole thing.

I eat extremely healthy - no salt, no sugar, no processed foods, mainly raw veg and fruit, loads of fish, and absolutely no refined grains.
Really, my only vices are alcohol and coke zero... but even if I have a shitload (weekend party or whatever), I never seem to get a migraine after doing so.

 

[koalabear]

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn233/koalabear_photo/ththhappy.gif

 

[Alexandra831]

My mother gets them atleast a couple times a month. Not sure how she treats them. She knows when they are coming because she gets painless migranes first.

I also had a friend who had them so bad, she would throw up. Her daughter at the time had to help care for her at the time and she was only like 6yrs old. She would give her mother her shot for the headach. Hers finally went away or diminished when she quit drinking coke a cola.

When I was pregnant with my oldest son I started getting migranes. Which was wierd for me because I just didn't get headaches. I also put on a shit load of weight. Doctors told me it was all normal for my first pregnancy. 30lbs my first trimeste and they called it normal. All together I gained almost 100lbs. Guess what? It turns out it wasn't normal at all, my thyroid wasn't working properly.


So have you ruled out thyroid problems yet?

Drink plenty of water?

How about any food allergies?

Not to mention what about air born allergies. I get sick from overly perfumey things. Aerolsal stuff. etc

I sure hope you find your cure for your head aches or should I say migranes.

 

[CHNOPS]

If it's simply a case of eliminating foods, then why wouldn't her migraines come back full-force when she stops the juice thing?
That's what's got me curious about the whole thing.

I eat extremely healthy - no salt, no sugar, no processed foods, mainly raw veg and fruit, loads of fish, and absolutely no refined grains.
Really, my only vices are alcohol and coke zero... but even if I have a shitload (weekend party or whatever), I never seem to get a migraine after doing so.

It's not that direct. it can be the accumulation of (for example) salt over time, or it can shift from food to food. It can be too much of one food too often.

If it's salt, it can even be from taking too much antacid over too long a time. If she's on a juice fast, she might not be popping TUMS all day because she doesn't need to.

Etc.

It's not the fast, it's whatever she isn't eating during that period that she usually does (if it's anything other than placebo anyway).

 

[pink]

Topamax gave me my life back.

 

[warrior queen]

Topamax gave me my life back.

I have to admit, the meds have made my life functional.
But it would be nice to find a non-medicated way of dealing with them.
And probably a LOT better for my liver.

 

[warrior queen]

It's not that direct. it can be the accumulation of (for example) salt over time, or it can shift from food to food. It can be too much of one food too often.

If it's salt, it can even be from taking too much antacid over too long a time. If she's on a juice fast, she might not be popping TUMS all day because she doesn't need to.

Etc.

It's not the fast, it's whatever she isn't eating during that period that she usually does (if it's anything other than placebo anyway).

It may not be the fast, but the point is, it MAY be the fast!
When you've tried all the various things, medical and quackery, that I have - well, just in case it DOES work, I'm happy to give this a go too.
If I can find it, that is!

 

[pink]

I have to admit, the meds have made my life functional.
But it would be nice to find a non-medicated way of dealing with them.
And probably a LOT better for my liver.

I get my blood checked every six months and my liver is still clicking right along. The topamax enables me to work and have a life, without it my life is nothing but pain. I vote for quality.

 

[warrior queen]

I get my blood checked every six months and my liver is still clicking right along. The topamax enables me to work and have a life, without it my life is nothing but pain. I vote for quality.

I get tests every 6 months too.
So far, my GGT levels have only spiked once.
I vote quality - I'd just really like that quality to be without heavy medication!

 

[sweepthefloor]

I am searching databases. So far, I have found one persons experience with 'juice fasting' and 'migraines.' I am looking for more evidence.

 

[warrior queen]

I am searching databases. So far, I have found one persons experience with 'juice fasting' and 'migraines.' I am looking for more evidence.

I found one too - a link to something called 'Reboot'.
Can't check it out right now tho. I am on my tablet and it won't load properly.
Got to go out for a couple of hours, but when I get back I'll have a look on the pc.