Migranes....due To Gluten?

[Guest sickrunner]

Have any of you linked migranes or headaches to gluten??

[Guest barbara3675]

I have not personally, but my DDIL who is the mother to my granddaughter who is six and who has celiac disease says there is a definite link between migraines and gluten intolerance. That is one reason she wanted me to get tested, I did, and I am gluten intolerant. I had gene testing and I am the one from which my granddaughter gets the celiac disease. As time goes on here, we will see how it effects my migraine situation. I have been gluten-free for about 8 weeks now and also discovered through testing that I am casein sensitive, so went cf also. I think that is almost harder than the gluten-free. My migraines are totally under control at this time, however because I take medicine to keep my blood pressure low and Topomax which is an anti-seizure medicine that they are having great luck with to prevent migraines. I viruatlly don't have them anymore. It is my hope that when I am gluten-free for a long time I can ease off some of these medicines. Barbara

[jaimek]

There is definitely a link between migraine headaches and gluten. Before being diagnosed, I had headaches every single day. At times they were so bad that I had to leave work and go home to lay down. After going gluten-free, I have yet to have a headache (except for when I don't eat for long periods of time). It is wonderful to be able to go through a day headache free!

[llj012564]

I have been gluten-free since Feb04 but have been taking Topomax since Aug03 for the migraines. One thing I have noticed is if I have a slip in my gluten-free diet I do get break through migraines. So take that for what it's worth. My Dr is not willing to take me off the topomax, since my migraines were so bad b4 and that did help. I believe when I eat stuff I shouldn't the headaches come back. Wheat is not my only food allergy.

[lovegrov]

I had a lot more headaches when I was eating gluten but not migraines.

Some people report relief after going gluten-free and some don't. I can only assume that gluten is the trigger for some but not for others.

richard

[tarnalberry]

I think I have had fewer bad headaches since going gluten-free, but gluten was not connected to my migranes (I've had two in my life...)

[seeking-wholeness]

I definitely get migraines immediately after a wheat gluten accident--often before I have finished the cross-contaminated meal. It wasn't noticeably this way before I went gluten-free, but now I can most definitely link my migraines to gluten accidents. I also get mood swings setting in about three days later.

It's odd, though--I am about 90% sure that my reaction to barley is entirely different than my reaction to wheat. Barley reactions were what tipped me off that I have celiac disease (because I was wheat-free at the time), and they are far more "classic" for me (rotten-egg burps, waves of nausea, and liquid diarrhea). I hadn't had one in a very long time (maybe once since I replaced my grain-cooking pot, which had barley scum all over it just from the few times I had tried barley--that stuff is incredibly sticky!) until last night/this morning. I opened a new bag of soy flour from Arrowhead Mills and baked with it yesterday, and I know they DON'T use separate lines for their gluten-free flours, so it is my prime suspect.

Sorry for getting a bit off-topic; my point was just that my reactions to wheat and barley are quite different.

--Sarah

[Guest sickrunner]

Thanks everyone for you feedback. I think that I am getting migranes/headaches linked to my gluten accidents....and now, hearing your input really makes me think there is a link!

Thanks again