Migraines and gluten intolerance?

[Jenn_M]

Has anyone eliminated gluten from their diet due to chronic, severe migraines? I've been reading a lot about it and there seems to be a fairly common link between migraine sufferers and gluten intolerance, even celiac.

[Ethelpea]

I had mild/moderate chronic (as in daily) migraine (diagnosed) headaches for YEARS from about 18 to 35/36 years old. I also had a handful of severe migraines that hospitalized me. I went gluten free around 36 yo (so, 3 years ago) and they went away, completely.

Now, on the rare occasion I indulge in gluten containing foods, I will get a headache. This happened a few weeks ago on vacation.

[Jenn_M]

I am so glad to hear that!! I'm 27 and have had almost daily migraines for about 10 years. I've been on a number of meds and have had all kinds of tests done but nothing helped. I am really hoping the will give me some relief and prevent my daughter (who is already starting to have headaches) from living the same life!

[Drummer's Wife]

Yes! Well, not only migraine headaches, but sinus and other issues that turn into horrid headaches.

I went off gluten 8 weeks ago - and felt better a few days into it. I usually have 3-4 days a week when I have a headache, 1 tends to be a full blown migraine. You know, the kind where you want to die or at least cut off your head!

Anyhow, I have had very little headaches in the last 2 months, and I can usually determine they are due to either something dietary or lack of sleep + stress + sunlight + minimal water, or something. And the headaches I've had haven't been very bad, EXCEPT, one time, about 2 week ago. I took one of my DS's out for the day and he wanted Burger King to eat. I was starving, and figured what the heck, a whopper and fries sounded really good. They did taste pretty dang good, except that that night and the next day I got really sick. I had a horrible migraine, and felt like I had gotten run over by a truck. It could have been completely coincidence, I dunno, but I'm not taking the chance again. It's why I haven't been tested for gluten or celiacs - you have to be on gluten for a month prior, and that doesn't sound like fun to me.

I also avoid things like MSG, artificial coloring (especially red 40), certain wines and cheeses, chocolate - things that migraine sufferers often react to. But I've done that for years - with some relief, but I was still having frequent headaches.

Really, I think it's worth a try. Even if you don't feel better right away, you may after a couple weeks. Also, there are other benefits for anyone to be gluten-free, so I think it's a pretty healthy dietary change. It is a lot easier than I thought, and the longer I am GF, the more ideas I come up with to eat, recipes, find GF foods, and get better at researching restaurant menus (many offer GF choices, even fast food joints).

I'm sure you've done this, but when I googled "gluten headaches" I was surprised with how much info came up. It made me feel like maybe it was for real - since no one seems to have heard of that - and I wasn't crazy! LOL.

[kjbrown92]

I know one person who gets gluten migraines (she has other triggers as well, dairy, wine, chocolate, maybe a couple more). I used to get menstrual migraines before going off gluten (and dairy, soy, and corn). Now I don't get them at all.

[Jenn_M]

Drummer's Wife- Yes, I was totally blown away by how common it seems to be!! And kind of irritated that I've never heard of it before. All my doctors ever did was push more meds on me. My mom came across an article in a magazine and called me right away. And red 40 is a HUGE one for me, not only does it give me a headache but my throat gets numb

kjbrown- thanks! it helps to know that other people are having success!