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Migraines And Going Gluten Free

helennaomi

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helennaomi Newbie
helennaomi
Posted

Hello everyone, I really need your help. I have been getting debilitating migraines for years. The left side of my face will go numb, I can't speak without slurring, and sometimes my face sags, and my left arm and hand go numb. I have been going to a neurologist who sent me to a sleep specialist. They said I had narcolepsy, based on no symptoms other than my brainwaves while sleeping. The neurologist suggested that I go gluten free and see what happens. I have been gluten free 6 weeks ago. 1 week in, I stopped having migraines and then went 23 days without one. That is unheard of in my world. Then about 30 days in I tried gluten again and got the worst migraine ever. The neurologist said I was allergic to gluten and not to eat it anymore. I have had a migraine every day since and I don't know how to make it stop. I haven't been eating gluten, but I am not sure about cross-contamination. I am not doing anything I didn't do the first 30 days. One of the weeks I have had a migraine I was on my period, but it has come and gone and still my migraine is here. I am so miserable. I was wondering if I should go get all new stuff for my kitchen. Or if I am doing something else with shampoo or makeup. I am just at a loss and I am hoping someone else has had the same issue. The first 30 days were a life changers and now I am not sure what happened. Thank you in advance.

 

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moosemalibu Collaborator
moosemalibu
Posted

I don't know if this happens to everyone - but it happened to me. I went gluten-free for about a month just like you did. Then I did a gluten challenge for diagnostic purposes for 3 weeks. Now I am one week out and I am getting headaches pretty much every day since I stopped eating gluten this time around. I think it's normal withdrawal from gluten. Perhaps it is more difficult the second time around than the first... I hope you feel better soon!

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

 

I hope you feel better soon!  Check out the above link that will take you to a thread within this forum.  It contains tips about going gluten free and covers cross contamination.  

 

I never got migraines, but I know that each time I've been accidentally glutened -- my symptoms return stronger and last longer!  For some it can take three weeks to recover from a glutening!  

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

Hello everyone, I really need your help. I have been getting debilitating migraines for years. The left side of my face will go numb, I can't speak without slurring, and sometimes my face sags, and my left arm and hand go numb. I have been going to a neurologist who sent me to a sleep specialist. They said I had narcolepsy, based on no symptoms other than my brainwaves while sleeping. The neurologist suggested that I go gluten free and see what happens. I have been gluten free 6 weeks ago. 1 week in, I stopped having migraines and then went 23 days without one. That is unheard of in my world. Then about 30 days in I tried gluten again and got the worst migraine ever. The neurologist said I was allergic to gluten and not to eat it anymore. I have had a migraine every day since and I don't know how to make it stop. I haven't been eating gluten, but I am not sure about cross-contamination. I am not doing anything I didn't do the first 30 days. One of the weeks I have had a migraine I was on my period, but it has come and gone and still my migraine is here. I am so miserable. I was wondering if I should go get all new stuff for my kitchen. Or if I am doing something else with shampoo or makeup. I am just at a loss and I am hoping someone else has had the same issue. The first 30 days were a life changers and now I am not sure what happened. Thank you in advance.

Hello

I  have  been a  migraine  sufferer most  of  my life... Ten  years ago  when I went  gluten-free  the  migraines  lessened  , now  I get  them  when the  weather  changes...always  bad, no lights, noise, lots  of pressure  (head exploding), shakiness, vomiting...they  can  last  for  an  hour  or  for  several days...I tried  the  migraine  meds  but  didn't  help  & I felt  like a  space  cadet...for  years  Excedrin was  my  help but  docs  yelled about  me  taking  it  too much  &  too often but  when  you have a migraine  you have  a migraine! So  a  doc  suggested  I  drink coffee when I  feel one  coming  on  or  just  drink coffee each  day. It took me  a  good  while to learn to drink  coffee .And  I will say no other caffeine would  help ie: coke, pepsi...a person told  me  warm coke  fixed  them  so I tried  warmed  coke , YUCK , vomiting  for  an  hour  after...After  I  went  through menopause  the  migraines  have gotten better  except  for the  darn  weather  changes....Now  I  try to  eat  protein, very hot  then very cold  on my  neck & head for 10-15 minutes  each, banana popsicles  until  my  throat  feels  frozen  & I'm  shivering cold....rest peace  & quiet...

 

now  to being  safe  & gluten-free.....

there is  a newbie  post on here to help...Any pot,pans, utensils, cutting  board, toaster, plastic  items  , Teflon that  are  scratched needs to be  replaced. If  you have  stainless  then they are okay unless  they  were  gorged  to  make  deep scratches...

if  you have  others  who  are not gluten-free in your  house  get  your  own jars  of  peanut butter, jelly, mustard  &  things  that others  will be dipping into  . Or  else  train them  to  use  a spoon  to  dip into the  jar  & never  put  the spoon near  wheat bread ...

You  can only  sick ill from  gluten  if   its  gets  to  your intestinal  tract so  per say shampoo  wouldn't  make  you sick unless  you  ate  some. lipstick is  one  I  would  watch tho  as  we  do  lick our  lips  & ingest  lipstick...

Some  super  sensitive  people do  react  to  things with gluten  on their  skin  but  it is  not  intestinal  woes  but maybe  hives, itchy  skin, rashes & such  ....

As a  founder  of  a support group I  suggest  to  start out  with  things that  are  naturally gluten-free  ie: plain meats, fish, veggies, fruits.  season your  own  .. Use  nothing  that  is  marinated, seasoned,  breaded, rubs, or  dusted unless  it  stated  gluten-free  on the  label..

Its  also good  to  stay  away  from process gluten-free  foods to give  yourself a  chance  to heal & feel better. Think  clean  eating, more healthier  anyway...

 

hth

blessings

 

mamaw

helennaomi Newbie
helennaomi
Posted
  • Author

Thank you sooooooo much everyone.

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted

Just wanted to mention that I've only had a few migraines in my life and used to get them once in awhile when I was highschool.  Then a few weeks after going gluten-free I started to get headaches in the morning that felt as if they wanted to turn into migraines, although they didn't.  I finally figured out that I was having a reaction to my multi-vitamin - I think maybe because it has iron it in.  I had been taking it with breakfast, which for me is a glass of whey protein.  While I was eating gluten, it never bothered me.  Now that I'm gluten-free I have to wait until lunch to take my multi-vitamin so that I'm taking it with a substantial amount of solid food.  I think I'm actually absorbing more of the multi-vitamin now, especially the iron, and I'm actually absorbing enough of it now that I have to take it with food.

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