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Migraines Worse On Gluten-free Diet?

Guest Norah022

By Guest Norah022
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Guest Norah022
Guest Norah022
Posted

My migraines have drastically decreased since I was younger but they happen when I cry...and I cried for about 2 hours straight last night and was left with a doosy of a migraine.

However this one felt so different from any of my other ones before going gluten free (it was the first one since starting the diet). The pain spread to my nose and under my eyes and the vomiting/dry heaving continued for 5 hours and I woke up this morning with the same pain.

Has anyone else had their migraines get worse since going gluten free?

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RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted
My migraines have drastically decreased since I was younger but they happen when I cry...and I cried for about 2 hours straight last night and was left with a doosy of a migraine.

However this one felt so different from any of my other ones before going gluten free (it was the first one since starting the diet). The pain spread to my nose and under my eyes and the vomiting/dry heaving continued for 5 hours and I woke up this morning with the same pain.

Has anyone else had their migraines get worse since going gluten free?

Mine are completely gone! Though for me it was largely due to yeast. If your gluten-free diet contains specialty/prepared foods, you might want to watch out for yeast and/or MSG. The latter is often imparted into such foods by way of a yeast ingredient. They do this purposely so they don't have to say MSG on the label.

Here's some info for you to consider:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Hope you find the source of your pains, though it could simply take time. You might also have some other yet unidentified/newly emerging allergies.

Corkdarrr Enthusiast
Corkdarrr
Posted

Mine aren't gone, but they seem to have decreased in frequency. By this I mean that instead of having one 5-6 days a week, I usually only have them 4-5 days a week.

Great.

I'm not sure if they've changed or if I've just gotten so scared of them getting bad that my Excedrin habit has worsened. I find that if I take two at the beginning of the headache I can cut it off before it gets full blown. Granted, they often come back a few hours later. And then I take more Excedrin. Basically I am probably doing some serious damage to my body by taking so much Excedrin, but I don't know what else to do! I had a CT scan (that I just found out wasn't covered by my insurance...super...) and they didn't see anything.

That didn't answer your question - sorry...I think I'm just frustrated 'cuz I feel one coming on right now. :(

Courtney

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Norah,

I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering, still, from migraines. They are the most painful things! Mine have decreased in frequency since going gluten free, but that obviously (or yet!) isn't helping you. Do you have a prescription for migraines? I've heard that some of the new drugs are very helpful. Also, do you know (or think?) you might have other food intolerances? I've heard that migraines can be triggered by other foods.

That's about all I can come up with...I'm sorry I'm not more help.

Laura

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

Norah, how long have you been gluten free? If you just started the diet, you may be going through gluten withdrawal. That's relatively common, I believe, and I got horrible migraines in my withdrawal stage. I also get the sinus migraines. I used to think they were sinus headaches, but my Imitrex works to clear them, so apparently they're migraines. If you're only getting them when you cry, then it may just be as a result of that. However, if you find you're getting them often and you cannot determine a cause, perhaps a food diary would help. I know I get a migraine if I eat to much msg (like Cheetohs or Doritos). I hope you find the root.

Guest Norah022
Guest Norah022
Posted

I started the diet June 1st.

I am not getting them frequently at all but when I get them (very very rare) they last longer and are more painful and lead to more vomiting.

The one time i had them close to under control prior to going gluten free i was on 3 heavy duty meds that I don't want to do again.

They aren't consistant but when i get one they last forever.

And I am dealing with serious nausea on a daily basis so the migraine isnt helping.

rkmonckton11 Apprentice
rkmonckton11
Posted

My migrains i think have been worse since gluten free and its only been like 2 mos. Im getting migrains all the time. i take 50mg. of Topamax in the morning and i get a headache or migrain by 1 or 2. Sometime if its bad i try Aleve or Excedrin but nothing works. I drink water. i try a migrain stick. almost evrything. any one have any tips?

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Guest Robbin
Guest Robbin
Posted

I have been a migraine sufferer for most of my life. The things that helped me most have been cutting out soy, casein (cheese, dairy), msg, diet soda, and cured meats. I have to say, it is rare now that I have one and I used to be extremely crippled by one right after another it seemed. Some otc remedies that help me too are: dramamine for nausea, very cold drinks, ice chips, or popcicles eaten during pain helps me, eye mask and ear plugs to decrease sensitivity to sound and light, small amts. of caffeine drinks with the pain killers make them work more effectively for me too. Antihistamines help when I suspect it is a cluster headache coming on (sinus and runny nose with a SEVERE migraine indicates this sometimes. (Ask your doctor or pharmacists, though before taking any medication). The treatment of last resort has always been a shot of phenergan and pain killers, though that is when they are extreme and if I cannot get any relief at all at home. Take care and I hope you get some relief soon.

Edit--Another thing is that you may be hypoglycemic-sometimes they come on from low blood sugar with me too. Eat a carbohydrate and a protein if you suspect this and maybe you can stop it from coming on full-force. Again, check with your dr.

NicoleAJ Enthusiast
NicoleAJ
Posted

I used to get frequent migraines before going gluten free--3-4 per week. Part of this is because I had become over-the-counter drug dependent from taking too much Advil. I took it so frequently that if I didn't take it, I got a headache or migraine. I broke the cycle by going to biofeedback therapy at my neurologist's office. They attach electrodes to your back and neck to measure how much tension you're carrying with you on a daily basis, then they keep the electrodes attached and ask you to do several relaxation exercises. They show you on the screen which things ease the most tension and which things are unhelpfu so that you know what to do to reduce the most tension in your back and neck. This helped me immensely. I only got a few migraines each month after that.

When I went on the gluten free diet, I had a few migraines during my withdrawl period, but then I didn't have another migraine for almost two years. I just started getting severe migraines back a few months ago, but it turns out that it's related to the fact that I have pernicious anemia.

By the way, for those of you who haven't tried it, Maxalt works really well for me.

P.S. If you have a migraine for over 72 hours it becomes a status migraine or transformed migraine--see your doctor about this. I had one a few months ago, and I had to have a prednisone reduction to get rid of it--rather unpleasant if you ask me.

  • 5 weeks later...
elligal Newbie
elligal
Posted
I started the diet June 1st.

I am not getting them frequently at all but when I get them (very very rare) they last longer and are more painful and lead to more vomiting.

The one time i had them close to under control prior to going gluten free i was on 3 heavy duty meds that I don't want to do again.

They aren't consistant but when i get one they last forever.

And I am dealing with serious nausea on a daily basis so the migraine isnt helping.

Try taking 50 mg of Topamax at night, before going to sleep, and another 25 mg in the morning. I don't know how you are able to function with so much Topamax in your system during the day. You also might try Propanol as a daily med to help in the prevention. I find that Maxalt works when I have an attack, but you might respond to something else. Of course you should consult your Dr. before making any changes in your meds.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

the normal dose for Topamax is 200mg bid, so you may want to keep working with your doctor on the dosage. (it is supposed to be a bid med - once a day will not keep it in your system sufficiently.) and make sure to have a rescue med (I also use maxalt) available.

my migraines do not appear to be food related (they became a bigger problem nearly 3 years after going gluten-free, after I moved to the PacNorthWest, where I believe they are barometric-pressure related).

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