Update - migraines ruining my life. Advice needed from allergy sufferers.

[Stropzilla]

This is what, my 3rd post about migraines, and I may finally have some answers. Posting this mainly for other sufferers who may not have considered blood testing. My MRI scan came back, apparantly they found a brain, and gasp it's normal. My husband does not believe them ;). My bloodwork came back, and I'm intolerant to...everything. Well, O.K not everything but it feels like it. I can't have wheat, milk, egg, lemon, gliadin, yeast, hazelnuts, kidney beans, barley and soya bean. And you try shopping at sainsburys without eating any of those! AT LAST! I have an explanation as to why I never feel well, am always tired and grumpy. I did suspect bread, but this?

Right now, I'm actually pretty depressed. I'm trying to do an online shop but it's hard to avoid my much loved cheese and I'm not even thinking about Ben and Jerry's. Now I need to ask you clever MNers with allergies and intolerances, what substitutions do you use? What is utterly disgusting and I should steer clear of? It's incredible the number of things I can't have, and I'm a little overwhelmed.

For those of you who haven't considered allergy testing for your migraines, try it. You might be surprised what comes up.

Had a migraine yesterday, and am reading with interest. Poor you though, its hard to get to grips with deleting that much stuff from your diet - initially, at least!

I once had a very limited diet due to urticaria I was trying to treat, and found rice bread toasted was fine - bit tasteless, but see what you can put on it. I never use dairy spreads/butter, and there are lots of olive or sunflower spreads to choose from - check they don't have any dairy ingredients in though, some of them have tiny amounts of buttermilk etc.

Corn thins are delicious, rice pasta is ok (but don't overcook, gets soggy).

Hope others along soon to add to the list. FWIW, I felt furious and depressed for about ten days, especially in supermarkets - then it got a lot easier. I did wonder if the detox effect was partly to blame for the depression, too - if you think of it that way, it feels a tad more positive perhaps?!

Good luck, and thanks for flagging this up too.

I didn't think of the detox making me depressed, it seems a bit better that way! Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try corn thins and rice pasta, but olive or sunflower spreads still contain whey (from cows milk) or buttermilk! I've found Sainsbury's do a Freefrom range, which while not perfect is pretty good. I haven't seen rice bread before, I'll try and find some, thanks for that.

You might have to try a healthfood shop for the rice bread....Wholefoods Market would be brill for you, if you could get to one!

Yes, whey, thats what I meant....ugh, didn't realize they all have it. Olive oil on bread (at mealtimes, not breakfast obviously!) is good, if you like olives. Lots of meat/fish and veggies, by the sound of it, and fruit other than olives. Rice milk is ok, when you get used to it - are you allowed goat cheese/milk? Or does that count as dairy?

You are going to be SO healthy, and energetic, with glossy hair and perfect skin....

Oooh thank you Eli! That's what I need to hear! I've been struggling with the weight a bit, and you're right, by Christmas I might dare to get back into a Little Black Dress!

And of course, I might be the mum my little girl deserves. Full of energy, taking her swimming, being happy and chirpy :) best reason of all to stick to this and not weaken in the face of delicious cheese on toast.

We ditched all cereals (with my ds) and now have mainly cooked breakfast, we sometimes use ricecakes if stuck or travelling, otherwise weaned off bread totally

Agree with Eli, I didn't realise how unwell I was until I got better.

At first it was a struggle but just go for real foods and bypass isles like cereals or crisps. AFter a while you will prob be able to have dairy (and butter is often OK, we use goats').

After a few months of GF you will prob find that you will be reacting far less to other foods, as it's wheat that suppresses enzymes digesting them.

Yes, its true, often once you've removed the real culprits some of the lesser evils are allowable again

Another motivator for you!