Going Back to the Basics After 35 Years of Migraine

I was diagnosed with migraine in elementary school - more than 35 years ago. So, I'm no stranger to the relentless and sometimes unpredictable pain and vomiting. Over the years, I learned a lot of different strategies, tips and hacks to reduce the frequency and intensity. At the end of the day though, this is a chronic condition that we live with. I was reminded of this recently when I had an increase in attacks. It prompted me to revisit the basics in managing them to see if there was something I was overlooking. It turns out there was something missing.

Why did my migraine attacks suddenly increase?

The strategies that I’ve used over the years included many that were within my control – food, hydration, sleep, supplements and exercise. Are they a cure? No. However, they have helped me to better manage migraine. They’ve been effective. It’s why I was so caught off guard recently when I started to get more attacks.

Why the sudden change? Did I do something wrong? Could I stop it? How? These questions were on repeat in my head as if felt yet another attack coming on. So, I decided to get curious, was there in fact something that I was overlooking?

I scheduled an appointment with my headache specialist to get a current evaluation, but we know all too well, that can take several months before you get to meet with the doctor. This time, the wait was four months. I needed to do something on my own in the waiting. So, I went back to the basics.

Was it diet?

I took another look at my diet. I’ve learned over the years and through an elimination diet which foods tend to trigger a migraine attack for me. Because I have so many years of experience, I do a pretty good job of avoiding them, but I wanted to see if perhaps I was missing something. I started to pay closer attention to what I was eating but nothing stood out that would have changed the attacks.

Was it hydration?

While hydration isn’t the only factor to trigger a migraine, I do find that drinking more water serves as an extra layer of protection against an attack. So, I started to wonder if I was falling short here. I took a couple days to track it and that seemed good too.

While I was thankful to see my healthy habits in a good place, I did want to find something that was off because then that offered me something that I could change.

Was it my supplements?

I’m never perfect with remembering to take my daily supplements, but I take them the majority of the time. So, I was ready to move onto the next area. That’s when the bottle of magnesium caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. The bottle was moved from my normal area of supplements and therefore I hadn’t been taking it regularly.

So, I started adding that back in and I was humbled by the difference that it was making. It took about a week, but I could notice an undeniable difference since starting it. It was helpful that I only changed one thing at a time, so I was able to make better connections on the outcomes.

Was it exercise?

This last one that I uncovered was probably the biggest culprit. For a variety of reasons, I had to take a break from my normal workout routine a couple months back and I never returned to it. Not only has exercise been helpful in managing stress but it also helps to strengthen my overall body and therefore improve my posture. Having better posture helps me to take pressure off my neck and shoulders, especially if I’m otherwise hunched over at a desk all day.

This “back to the basics” experiment was rather empowering because it reminded me that a portion of my care is in my hands. Small habits that are within my control can in time have a significant impact on my ability to manage migraine.

What habits do you find helpful to reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraine experience?