[Lissybug]

I've mostly lurked on this board since a few months ago when we figured out my two boys are intolerant to dairy. My friend Mtn.Mama suggested I post here regarding the migraines I've been getting and I am here now to ask for your help.

I only started getting migraines once my cycles returned when my second son was about 1 yr old. At first I thought they were related to hormones, but I've gotten them at all different times. I know stress and lack of sleep and low blood sugar all make me more likely to get one, but I think there's a nutritional deficiency going on as well.

As I've read about MTHFR genetic mutation that sets off a lot of bells. Both my boys were mildly tongue tied, one had a sacral dimple. I have a sacral dimple and my mom was tongue tied- so it seems like maybe a genetic thing going on. I plan on getting tested for that.

I'm trying to figure out what else I can do. Aside from migraines I am tired of being tired and foggy brained. I know I need to work more on keeping blood sugar even, and I feel like I need to do some detox work, but it'll have to be more in line with liver support I'd think because I'm breastfeeding right now.

I'm feeling rather lost though. Can you help?

 

[kjbrown92]

First of all, start keeping a food journal. You'll be more apt to find the trigger that way. From what little I know about migraines, things like dairy, gluten, chocolate, wine, MSG can be triggers. Also magnesium deficiency.

 

[sprouthead]

I was also going to say check your magnesium.. Also, my migraines were triggered by copper- I noticed this when I would get them after taking a zinc supplement that had copper, and after eating lentils- so the food journal is a great idea! If it's high copper, then I think you would deal with that by taking more zinc, so you could try the zinc taste test.. Let me know if you need the link for the mag and zinc taste tests..

 

[mtn.mama]

Hi Alissa!

I hear what you're saying about multiple health factors that exacerbate the situation. I had seizures for about 12 years that ended up being controlled with nutrition, sleep patterns, stress management and exercise. If I only knew then what I know now, I may have been able to avoid this rigorous allergy journey that me and T have been on.

It seems like the MTHFR mutation might really hold some keys for you. Things that are swimming around in my brain are related to elevated homocysteine... have you had a chance to look over the info on Eating Cultures and Heal Thyself?

I know you've done a bunch of research on MSG? and sulfites. Have you found some foods that DO cause migraines for you?

Tired and foggy brained sound adrenal/thyroid to me...

 

[tanyalynn]

Since it seems to relate to MTHFR, I'd either find a multivit with folate (not folic acid) or really up the folate in my diet (see the Folate thread) or both. The goal, I think, would be 800mcg per day (plus more if you want to try to make up deficiencies).

For adrenals--eating regular meals helped reduce stress on me, early breakfasts with protein (really all my meals with protein, more fat helped too), regular snacks before I got to the ravenous/shaking stage. And getting to bed early (trickier with a little one still night-nursing, I admit).

Foggy brain, for me, was thyroid. Do you consume gluten? It seems so problematic for so many people, and if it's a problem, reducing that stress on your body could help other things get back into balance. There's more stuff to do for thyroid, but if you want to start gradually, gluten-free is good.

You can do a lot to support your body's ability to detoxify just with nutritional support, that helps your body keep up with what's going on now, and helps rebuild your nutritional stores, and thus helps your nurseling as well. Folate helps with this, magnesium too. Are you taking any multivit at all now?

The epsom salt taste test described here worked for us for magnesium...
http://www.psha-inc.com/guai-support/sf/TasteTests.htm

 

[WuWei]

Do you have any mercury fillings in your teeth? Did you lose a lot of weight after baby?

Magnesium helps with migraines. I like Natural Calm. http://www.naturalcalm.net/

Start here about detox pathways: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/t...bstacle-course

And here are a few informal videos about detox pathways: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/video/video

and here about evaluating digestion and stomach acid (beet "pink pee" test"): http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/the-beet-test

This thread about Healing the Gut with Food: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/t...-gut-with-food

Nutrient Dense Foods: http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/t...nt-dense-foods

Foods to Help Phase I and Phase II Detoxification:
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/t...4160Comment655

check out www.eatingcultures.com to try and guess on some of your detox pathways, and figure out which nutrients will be important for you all.

HTH, Pat

 

[mtn.mama]

http://www.relieve-migraine-headache...migraines.html

 

[Theloose]

When I asked in the chat thread a bit ago, it seemed like high homocysteine levels were the common thread. Homocysteine is lowered by magnesium/B6, and by folate/B12. It's raised by using up methyl groups. Methyl groups are used to detox amines (common migraine trigger), estrogen (hormonal connection), epinephrine/norepinephrine (stress trigger). With adrenal fatigue, I'm thinking someone is more likely to get an epinephrine/norepinephrine response to stress cause there's not enough cortisol. And they can be released when your blood sugar drops too low.

So it sounds to me like folate, B12, magnesium and B6 will help with homocysteine, and adrenal support (B5, B6, mag, biotin, vit C, B1) might help as well. Tired and brain fog sound like hypothyroid, which could potentially be caused by low folate as well.

yikes, bedtime!
www.detoxpuzzle.com/folate.php

 

[Lissybug]

Wow whoMe- you just went ahead and put it all together there in one fell swoop

I think all of the things form your last post make a ton of sense for me. I know I need to get my blood sugar stabilized and keep it there for a while. My body has been living off adrenals for...yikes. like the past 20 years? I mean I was diagnosed as having Hypoglycemia at 8 years old, and while I knew how I should eat I don't think I ever really had it under control except for very brief times. So that's one major thing.

I do think there's a folate connection- is it worthwhile getting tested to see if I have the MTHFR genetic mutation, or should I just take folate and see where that gets me?

Sprouthead- may I please have that link to the zinc/mag taste test? I know I've seen it somewhere, but don't recall where.

Pat- I did lose a lot of weight after each child. I lost it really rapidly and became underweight both times. After my first son I believe I had some sort of toxic reaction too- I got really sick to my stomach and then all the skin peeled off my hands and feet (yuck) That happenned twice, then an herbalist gave me a tonic to help my liver. It didn't happen after the second child was born, but he has stronger food sensativities that my oldest. And I believe I probably have mercury amalgum fillings. I know I have fillings.

Food Journal- how do you write everything down and not drive yourself nuts. I definitely can see where this would help, but I get bogged down. Do you have abbreviations for stuff? I am just being a wuss, but would like to know what works well for capturing it all on paper.

As for my current supplements- I take Magnesium Glycinate before bed, but haven't always been regular about that, so I will be more diligent on that one. I take a teaspoon or so of CLO a day and some probiotics.

I do eat gluten, though not tons. I think that at this point, just given where our family is in life that's not something I'm ready to look at yet. I do try to reduce it in our diets. We don't eat any dairy. I'm trying to reduce tha ammount of refined and unrefined sugar I'm eating because i know it screws with me. I'm also reducing alchohol. Actually after this week (when dh and I have a date planned at a restaurant that is special) I'm thinking I need to cut out alchohol all together for a while to let my body rest and detox. I think that's certainly contributed to this problem. I'd been having a beer in the evening 5-7 days a week for a while. The I cut that down to about 3 a week a couple months ago. This last bout of migraines WAS after a week where I'd had wine and beer at a friend's birthday party then also had a beer the next evening. I knew alchohol wasn't great, but I see it reduces folate etc. etc. So definitely not a help, I think my body needs a break from it, and then to only have it every once in a while.

In looking at the heal thyself stuff I'd bet I have low stomach acid, I'll have to start there.

I know my system has been all out of whack especially since these last migraines. My stomach has been sort of upset for days. And what's the deal with carrots? Always before if I ate them on an empty stomach they sort of bothered me. Now if I eat a raw carrot, even with other stuff it bothers me, makes my stomach feel all hollow. Does that tell anyone something?

Thank you. Starting a food journal today.

 

[Theloose]

You could try just increasing folate, or you could try to get a hcp to order the test. It's expensive, but mine was covered by insurance. I think it comes down to how much you like/need testing, and how much you're willing to just experiment.

 

[Lissybug]

Thanks so much for all this information you've so kindly put together for me. Thank you.