This week, our intrepid traveler has spent a lot of time LEARNING. And as a result, is doing much better!
This past week was the Migraine World Summit. If you sign up ahead of time, you are given access to the talks for 24 hours for free. (If you sign up now, after it’s over, it’s costly.) (https://www.migraineworldsummit.com/)
The talk I was most interested in was by Dr. Turknett, explaining WHY a ketogenic diet can eliminate migraines. (His theory is that you need to calm the hypothalamus.)
Spent a lot of time reading his book (http://amzn.to/2pksXug) and poking through his website (https://www.mymigrainemiracle.com/)
I’ve been on a ketogenic diet now for about seven weeks. It has not eliminated my migraines. It has, however, made them much less severe.
In addition, one of the things that I learned was that I probably only have one-two actual, REAL migraines a month. Then I have rebound headaches, again and again. I had the feeling that I only had one migraine and that it never really went away. He has a page on his website (http://www.mymigrainemiracle.com/7-warning-signs-youre-rebound-headaches/) about the seven warning signs that what you’re experiencing is actually a rebound migraine—and I hit all seven of the criteria.
Well, shit.
The first step for me is to stop rebounding. Fingers crossed, I may have already broken the cycle.
The next step is magnesium. Studies have shown that for many women, 2-3 days before menstruation, their magnesium level drops. This is thought to be part of the cause of menstrual migraines.
I had my magnesium level tested. Doctor said it was fine. Didn’t double-check the numbers until this past week.
The range of normal for magnesium (for this lab) is 1.6-2.6.
My level? 1.8.
So I’m within “normal” range. However, what happens when my cycle starts? Does my magnesium level drop?
I started supplementing with a different type of magnesium this week. I’ve tried two different types of magnesium before. They haven’t worked. Part of the problem is that every body is different. The type of magnesium that works for one person may or may not work for another.
I bought four different types of magnesium, willing to try them all to see if I could find one that worked for me. I started with the type of magnesium that two women have said helped with their menstrual migraines (magnesium glycinate).
Today, I don’t have a headache. Had a headache last night that felt as though it could turn into a migraine at any time. I’ve learned that I’m supposed to take magnesium at night. This morning? No more headache.
Plus, while guys say, “Take magnesium all the time,” women say, “Fuck that shit. Only take it just before and during your period. You don’t need it the rest of the time.” Which might have been part of my problem—I was taking magnesium at other times, and so it didn’t do anything for me.
I’m being cautious. I feel as though I’m not 100% “stable” yet—the back of my head hurts slightly, and my ears still have that background ringing thing going on.
But I’m better. I feel as though my migraine risk is closer to 20% than 80% today.
Fingers crossed, if I can stay migraine/rebound free for a couple more days, I’ll have broken the cycle. I won’t have another migraine until the start of my next period, if then.
I will need to work at tweaking the diet so I have no more migraines at all. I’m actually much more hopeful than I was before. Dr. T has success stories on his site. While for some people, just going on a ketogenic diet was enough, for others, it took awhile, up to six months, for the migraines to disappear.
Here’s to the hope of living a migraine free life!