Has anyone given up sugar to help with migraines?

[Dinosaurpoo]

Exactly as the title says. Just wandering if anyone has tried this? And did it work?
I’ve done 6 weeks without coffee, and if anything, my migraines are worse. I get hormone related clusters. At the start of my period, end of period and around ovulation. Im probably peri menopausal now too 😫

Triptans work well, but I’m getting through A LOT. I feel like giving up sugar might be worth a go? I’m reaching for more biscuits for a boost now coffee isn’t an option. Im just so disappointed the coffee detox didn’t help - I need some good advice before I hand over the mini eggs and haribo!

any other miracle cures that you want to suggest are very welcome! Thanks!

Magnesium oxide tablets are good for headaches. Most people are deficient in magnesium. You can also get a magnesium spray and Epsom bath salts which have magnesium in.

I couldn't dream of giving up sugar personally, but randomly I've found that eating beef helps (I seem to sleep better then and lack of sleep triggers mine), avoiding sunshine and screen glare and increasing font size on screens, and if I feel one coming on, go and get really salty chips or crisps, the salt seems to ward it off and if not at least I have a belly full of chips which is some comfort. These help despite hormones also being a triggering factor. There's a lot on this thread: Hormonal Migraines - what works? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/4960568-hormonal-migraines-what-works

Really salty crisps, like salt and vinegar Pringles and Diet Coke I find super helpful

I quit gluten and it did the trick. I reintroduced it once I'd had a while without one and now I'm ok. Bizarre but it worked. I did keep a food and symptom diary which helped narrow down what seemed to be the issue. Also a daith piercing might have helped but definitely didn't make it worse.

800mg ibruprofen at the very start of an aura was the only thing that stopped the pain. Cool head patches on my head and neck were great for relief.

Have you seen a doctor? There can be some good preventatives out there but it's trial and error on what will help. Triptans are good sometimes (but weirdly made my migraines so much worse) but you shouldn't be taking them too often.

Yes and it doesn't work, sorry. Also if you are getting a lot of migraines, you are probably reaching for the biscuits when you are in prodrome as they can cause overwhelming food cravings before the headache bit kicks in.

In terms of caffeine, my neurologist advised that it was changing how much you have every day that triggered, rather than just caffeine on it's own. So going from several coffees a day to none- unfortunately you may have inadvertantly made it worse.

Finally when you say you get through a lot of triptans, how many? It was impressed on me no more than 2 a week, 6 in a month. Any more and you get overuse headache.

So if you are using more than that, unfortunately your triptans are probably triggering more headaches

If all or most of your headaches are hormonal then mini pill worked for me as no periods = no hormonal migraine. And for peri, HRT has evened them out a lot.

Loads of quick replies! Thanks!

@BingBongBoo86 it doesn’t work for me, unfortunately!

I will look at that thread, thanks @sleepeasie

I also find that I get salt cravings. Mostly during post drome.

@househelpneeded24 interesting about gluten. Will look into it. Was it really hard?

I am under a doctor and have tried various other things. Thanks all for your advice. I get through about 2 triptans a week. They’re not worried about overuse headache. I’ve tried periods without and they’re no better. I get ocular symptoms too. I wouldn’t be able to hold down a job without them.

i’m Not a candidate for the mini pill. Will ask about hrt.

am so looking forward to post menopause and hoping this will all be over when the hormones finally run out!

I gave up eggs, chocolate, all caffeine.

I have cut down on sugar, caffeine and carbs due to having reactive hypoglycaemia. Before this I used to get headaches. I find that eating something high in sugar gives me a headache. I’d give it a go in case it is a contributing factor.
i did notice that after a bad migraine , I had low blood sugar and would need biscuits crisps etc to recover.
it is not a fun time giving up sugar and carbs. Good luck!

Are you definitely not a candidate for the mini pill- it seems to be ok for most women who can’t take the combined pill.
Only double checking because it’s got rid of my hormonal headaches. I think you need to get at the source of what’s causing it so for me it was stopping my cycle.
I tried so many things. And when I felt sick with it sometimes it was only sweet things I could stomach!
I really sympathise. I once saw a news article about a new type of injection for it ?! It was new on the nhs so might be worth asking about.

Have you tried feverfew tincture. Take it as soon as you get the first sign of one coming on. Works a treat.

I did this in around 2007 and it worked. I spoke to the migraine trust and did a food diary and discovered how much sugar I was eating.

It was so painful. They got a lot worse in the period where I gave up but around 6-12 weeks later, I went from having 1-2 a month to having 1 a year. I would also recommend sorting out your hormones - I went back on the pill and that also seemed to help.

Now I'm in my 50s I get the occasional one but I'm just waiting for my sodding periods to end!

Hey fellow migraineur, I absolutely empathise with you and hope you find some capers that work. On advice of neurologist I take 400mg of magnesium glycinate; 200mg of B2; and 200mg of co-enzyme Q10 daily. I also take a high EPA and DHA fish oil. My Mirena coil helps too. Cutting down on sugar did not help my migraines, but they’re a fickle beast and that may work for you. I am disciplined with sleep, bed and awake at same time daily. My migraine went a bit nuts for a while during peri-menopause, i’m hoping they’ve settled now (I’m still peri - my 12th year of the nonsense). I suffer from a debilitating aura, but thankfully with manageable headache. They wipe me out for 4ish days. Perfume triggers mine, especially (thank god no one wears it anymore!) Youth Dew by Estée Lauder. Immediate wipe-out! Good luck!

.

If you can't take the mini pill what about a mirena coil, it worked really well for me at one point.

I didn't find cutting sugar helpful and you maybe like me, as some people actually find a small amount of caffine helpful. I have one a day normally, occasionally an extra one if I'm having a bad migraine but no more.

Although it sounds like you need to be taking a preventative medication. Good luck and hope you find something that works.

Oh and 2 triptains a week is OK, that's my limit recommended by the neurologist.

Sympathies! I jiggled my diet, and discovered that giving up wheat helped me.
There is an argument that things people consider a trigger can simply be what your body is craving just prior to a migraine in an attempt to self medicate. Ie chocolate, coffee, orange juice etc. So they may not cause the migraine, but they become associated with them.
I found that two paracetamol, a can of coke and a packet of salted crisps often headed them off.
I don't eat wheat at all, and avoid gluten ( and gluten free uhp products) and I'm also in menopause. Haven't had a migraine for a couple of years now.
Hope this thread helps you OP as migraines are miserable!

My hormonal migraines have been massively reduced by taking a high strength b vitamin complex.

There was something on the main news last night about a brand new drug for migraines that's supposed to be a game changer. I believe you have to be having a minimum of 4 migraines per month to qualify for getting it. It's called Atogepant and it's a one-a-day tablet.

As an acupuncturist I can highly recommend a few treatments. I have a 100%success rate at improving symptoms and 80% of my patients are now migraine free. It’s an incredible treatment!

Only beta blockers worked for me

I have tried a lot of dietary changes over the years, eat gluten free, no dairy, low sugar,decaffinated.

All have helped a little.

The real game changer for me came with a Low Histamine diet.

I tried it following anti histamine treatment for some bad stings last year. The treatment side effect was no migraine for a month.

Three months of a low histamine diet has resulted in a dramatic reduction in Migraines.

Might be worth a try !!