migraine headaches

[John Vernon]

today I experienced a third such attack in the last year & a half. until I just googled migraine symptoms I was totally clueless as to what I was experiencing, I thought it was just something I ate, lack of sleep, etc.

my symptoms have been identical for each attack:

- impaired vision (usually in my left eye) 20-30 minutes prior to the actual headache. manifested in bright spots or blurred vision. i've discovered the bright spots are called scintillating scotomas. this morning when it set it was experiencing both scintillating scotomas & very blurred vision in my left eye.
- once the headache sets in it settles right at my eyebrow line and is most severe behind one eye (usually the right eye)...on a pain scale of 1 to 10 (10= severe pain) it's about a 8.5-9.
- then nausea and/or vomiting sets in. didn't puke this time due to my stomach being fairly empty from a 14-hour fast. previous attacks I did.
- other: sensitivity to light, dizziness, mild hand/lower arm tremors, sensitivity to movement.

my past course of treatment during my last two experiences have been: puke and then go to bed and sleep/don't move for many hours. then I'd wake up and be right as rain. I'm going on hour 12 this time and I still have the pain behind the right eye. this is after leaving work at 10:00, coming home, and going right to bed.

have yet to see a doctor (just webMD) for official diagnosis but I'm pretty darn sure this is what I've got.

does anyone experience these and if so have any treatment tips or preferred over-the-counter drugs?

my last two migraines came on when I was a very diligent paleo zone eater, I'm still okay with my diet and have also been throwing in some IF. so, I don't think it's related to diet or exercise at all.

I don't know anything about migraines other than they really blow and what I've just read on the internet so any advice is appreciated.

[Garrett Smith]

John,
If you're open to alternative methods of treatment, I can suggest some.

Since you are a strict eater, an food allergy test may be in order. Your foods may be Paleo and they might set you off.

[Scott Kustes]

I used to get migraines about once a month with the same symptoms you describe...over-sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and occasional puking, the only treatment being "lay in a dark room and go to sleep". Now that I've cleaned up my diet (along with possibly growing out of them...that was mostly during puberty and early college), I might have one once or twice a year if I have several days of doing nothing but staring at the computer monitor (I have a slight astigmatism in my left eye). I actually had one Monday night, but I think that was a reaction to my body clearing out all of the pain meds I was on from the surgery.

The only treatment I can recommend is to go to sleep in a dark room. I have always slept best when I have a migraine though and it could also be related to lack of sleep (my sleep habits weren't great back then either...whose are in high school and college?).

[John Vernon]

Doc G, I'm definitely open to any methods to decrease/eliminate the occurence of migraines. If it's an unknown food allergy that's triggering them that be great to know.

Scott, the first thing i did was go to sleep once I got home. Slept with the pillow over my eyes to get it a little darker. slept for about 3.5 hours and woke up without the nausea and the headache had decreased well enough to where my appetite came back. now that I think about it that may have been the best 3.5 hours sleep I've ever had...although I cannot remember the sleep quality from the first two times.

[Mike ODonnell]

You may want to track eating and lifestyle habbits over the last 24-48 hours when the migranes attack. Is there some common foods always present....are you stressed....did you get sleep lately....is it when you balance your checkbook... did you eat too many carbs....is it when you run out of fish oil.....etc..etc.

Find out what is consistent during those attacks.....there is always something to learn and awareness of what your doing is the best way....as everyone is different so your issues may be specific to your body and lifestyle....

[John Vernon]

wait...so you're saying there might be a common thread between my cannonballing bong rips w/ shots of jager & my migraines?! I'm refusing to believe that because br's & jager is too delicious.

Seriously though, I have been thinking a lot about the last 3 instances and anything similar between them. Although I think the tendency to put bad things behind has caused me to forget most of the circumstances. I want to say that I was supplementing my diet with 5-10mg/day of L-glutamine during all three episodes. I know for sure I downed 10mg PWO the night before this last one hit. but I don't think that makes any sense.

[Garrett Smith]

John,
Go to PubMed and look around at glutamate and headaches...I think you nailed your culprit!

I would put it up, but I've got to run up to Phoenix to pick up the rest of my stall mats...

[Robb Wolf]

Insulin resistance can be a sneaky aspect to migraines...and sleep deprivation can be a sneaky route to insulin resistance. Getting your zzzz?

[S. Tyler Bayles]

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/about.html#CLINICAL%20FEATURES

good luck

[Mike ODonnell]

Consider a protocol for GABA supplementation. GABA helps control neural excitability, as may be the case in migraines. GABA may have low absorption qualities so consider methods that enhance GABA. The inhibitory amino acid taurine is a supplement considered to enhance GABA. (2) For an orthomolecular protocol see the article “Panic Attacks/ Anxiety,” listed in section Mood Disorders. A building block of GABA is glutamine. Before considering glutamine supplementation as a method to build up GABA or glutathione (glutamate is a building block of glutathione) levels, consider that glutamine can be neurotoxic. Note – Glutamine is a precursor of GABA. Glutamine is first synthesized to glutamate, then glutamate is synthesized to GABA. However, glutamine in the conversion process to glutamate, can result in neurotoxicity. If you already have poor brain health, glutamine supplementation may not be proper. In healthy subject’s 2 grams of glutamine is often what is recommended. For an ill person, the likely dose would be less than 2 grams. Consult with your doctor before supplementing glutamine; ill health can stress the glutamine to glutamate conversion process leading to neurotoxicity.

You're welcome....pay it forward....

[John Vernon]

"If you already have poor brain health, glutamine supplementation may not be proper."

poor brain health?!?! damn it....well, actually my fiance would probably agree with that.

Thanks MOD & Doc G. I really appreciate it. First thing I'm doing when I get home is dumping all the L-glut powder.