I Want a Migraine Sensory Bubble!

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1. 

   bloodmoonrising75

   March 5, 2020

   <p>Hello Lisa! <br> <br> Yeah, I have triggers I deal with, light being one of them. I try my best to avoid looking into any light source directly. Driving at night, where you have traffic going the other way with lights on, is truly frustrating for me. My sister, though, had the presence of mind to get me an interesting birthday gift- TAC glasses (an "as seen on TV" brand). They do a pretty good job, cutting back glare, and making your view a little better. But there are a few vehicle manufacturers out there whose headlamps are strong enough to cut thru the glare-stopping power of the TAC glasses. Today's vehicle models use upgraded headlights that easily trigger migraines for me. Maybe the same for other migraine-sufferers, too. <br> <br> As for other triggers, loud high-pitched sound, and certain odors do it for me. Too much stress is another trigger. Not sure about food, though- I've heard lots of folks talk about food triggers. I've done some diet eliminating, and I'm still not confident what foods are triggers for me, if any. Could be bread, though. <br> <br> Hope this helps! <br> <br> Blessings, Trey</p>

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      Peggy Artman Moderator

      March 7, 2020

      <p>Trey, thanks for stopping by. I can completely relate to your post. I agree that some vehicle lights seem brighter than they used to and it feels blinding. I thought it was just me that noticed that! <br> <br> I seem to have similar triggers that you have. I just had a migraine attack begin when I was in a building that had a fire drill. Stress is another bad one for me, partly because my back and neck muscles tense up. Managing migraine disease can seem like a part time job sometimes! <br> ~ Peggy (Migraine.com team)</p>

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2. 

   katetyndall

   March 7, 2020

   <p>All that with a one-year-old. That's really tough, Lisa. I feel for you, and wish I could grant you your wish for a sensory bubble. <br> <br> Odors. Odors are the biggest trigger for me, and I never know when the assault is coming. Scented candles are definitely one, as are strong perfumes, especially musks and florals. So many of the scents in perfumes are chemical creations mimicking the smell of jasmine, gardenia, whatever the main florals are, and they are killers for me. Instant icepick migraine. <br> <br> But not all perfumes. Things that smell green, herbal—but definitely not all herbals!—and grassy. I often say if it smells like sun-warmed earth and straw, I'm good to go. Wish I could bottle that! <br> <br> I am terrified of Uber, because the vast majority of Uber drivers use all sorts scented air fresheners. I wish Uber would ban them. I have gotten so many headaches from driving in highly scented Ubers. Even rolling down the window and sticking my head outside doesn't help. After so many disastrous experiences with Uber I've learned to lean in and sniff first, and if the smell is migraine-inducing, tell the driver I can't use his/her cab and why. So far, they have been understanding. I just wish I didn't have to do this. The chemicals in those hang-up an push-in air fresheners and bad for the drivers as well. They should not be driving for hours at a time in that toxic chemical soup. <br> <br> Humidity is another trigger, and we have a lot of it in our summers. But it is more manageable than odors. <br> <br> I live in a big city, and night driving is out for me, because all the various lights coming in through the windshield totally fry my brain and whip up a migraine. <br> <br> But if I could choose only one of these triggers to banish from my life, it would definitely be my sensitivity to odors. Failing that, a worldwide ban on all scented products would work for me too!</p>

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      Peggy Artman Moderator

      March 7, 2020

      <p>Hi <inline-mention user-id="3784210" username="katetyndall"/> , I hear you on all these triggers, especially since many of them are out of your control. That is very frustrating! This article really resonated with me too. Night driving has been more difficult lately for me than it used to. As for scents, it seems to depend on how long I&apos;m exposed to them, but I know many people that get a migraine attack as soon as they are exposed. Keep looking around - there are so many other community members that are frustrated about all these same things! <br> ~ Peggy (Migraine.com team)</p>

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