Migraine with aura
Hi,
I've been suffering with migraine with aura, roughly for 3 years now, if I wasn't on propranolol and amitripaline, I'd imagine I'd have them constantly. I had an mri 2.5 years ago, no concerns. I used to know exactly what triggered them when I was younger (early 20s) and steered clear ahd usually would never get one, now I'm in my 40s I still steer clear of certain food triggers. I'm not convinced now that food is my sole trigger and I find it hard to work out what causes them. But I'm also sure they just come on through other means, no explanations, i could just be talking, move and an aura will start.
I've had 2 this week unusually for me in the morning while I've been asleep, I woken seeing the aura full blaze in my sleep. My question is things that I may of eaten 8 to 9 hours earlier, can they react to cause the headache or do people get the trigger/migraine instantly?
I've probably asked a silly question, but I'm dumbfounded by what and how mine come about.
Thanks for reading.
Not a silly question at all! Living with migraine disease is exhausting and frustrating and I find I have more questions all the time as things change.
There is lots of conversation regarding whether foods are triggers or cravings as part of the migraine process. In my opinion, I think it can be both, certain foods can trigger a migraine for some instantly while other foods may take longer to trigger one. If I have a concentrated amount of MSG I'll have a migraine within an hour. Other foods not so much. We all experience migraine differently, it's complicated to say the least. We have information here you can read more about cravings and triggers; https://migraine.com/migraine-symptoms/food-cravings. And here is an interesting study from pubmed; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8068686/.
The other interesting thing is some folks with migraine aren't impacted by food at all. Things like lights, sounds and smells may be more impactful. Have you kept a migraine a diary recently? This may help shed some light on migraine patterns and symptoms to help weed things out. We have information on this here; https://migraine.com/blog/keeping-migraine-diary-basics.
I hope today is a low pain day. Will you let me know what you think? Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com TeamHi
I think underneath it all it is just the complexity of it all, I do think it's likely the foods or even stresses from the previous day cause them, today hasn't been at bad magraine, it just lingered softly through my day, I find the tiredness the killer, and no matter how much sleep I have and I'm a regular sleeper, and these 2 this week have been the first 2 I have ever had in my sleep whilst waking up, just bizarre. I will read the links and see what they say. I just find it cruel that something did within the 24 hours earlier impacts. I also am sure it's not definitively food that triggers mine, just unlucky really, but I only get an visual aura and a horrible head with neck ache, or nerve ache and tiredness, sometimes even a mild sore throat, I don't get nausious/sick. Just one last me up to 3 days sometimes.
Thank you for your answer 😀
My pleasure! You're right, migraine is so complicated. Just when we think we have a handle on it, things change.
Will you let me know what you think after you read the links? Wishing you a good day, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team
- hoping you get a chance to 1) see your physician regarding this change in migraine symptoms - seems they are ramping up more and differently. They would be better equipped at finding out what is the cause and possibly treating it effectively. 2) As Nancy suggested starting a daily diary, possibly a month down the road you may come to find the reason your symptoms ramped up, and why differently this time around. Sometimes, though, there is no "rhyme or reason" - migraines are a mystery. Hoping you find relief from the crippling fatigue that is plaguing you and migraine pain/episodes dissipate appropriately. Migraines are frustrating and vulnerable phenomena. Cheers to health and healing. Rebecca (comm advc) Thank you for your replies, its good to know that others support for people that suffer. I do intend on going back to see my GP (in UK) and hope that they'll re refer me to the headache clinic. I do think the medications have reduced the amount I have, i mostly have 1 every 4 weeks, occassionally the 2 like last week. Before the propanolol well also whilst i was started on it i could get 1 to 2 a week. Which were tiring, so in some respects the treatment is successful. I just don't think I'll ever fully know the triggers, they can just come on, i think i could eat better, but who wouldnt say that, but when you read even the healthiest of foods could trigger, so its a catch 22. Or if they've started I've no way of catching them in the early phases. I find my eyes can play tricks on me, I'm not sure about others but there are times I think I miss something or words I'm reading sometimes get swirled very quickly and I at times refocus, or moments when things do not appear where they are, it's not a sight/reading issue, i assume that this can be a sign, but it sometimes goes and doesnt materialise to much, i have good normal vision and had a thorough eye test 18 months ago. I think it's to do with the auras and the spots etc that can sometimes come. It's certainly isn't something unusual. Just irritates me in small doses
