BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Headaches/Migraines Migraine Headache

Migraine Headache is the most common type of vascular headache, involving abnormal sensitivity of blood vessels in the brain to various triggers resulting in rapid changes in the artery size due to spasm. **edited to remove link**

Sorry, but this is supposed to be news to us? LOL!

Most of us on this forum have suffered from migraines for years - we know what they are. And we have our own migraines editor here at BellaOnline, it was rather inconsiderate to try and sneak in your own webpage. <img src="/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

BellaHarmony..thanks for sticking up for me!

Readers--The previous post was edited to remove a link to another web site. Migraine information is a serious topic and one that has been getting a lot of attention in the medical community as well as in the media. A lot is known about migraines, but there is still much more to learn about causes, triggers, effective treatments, and the affect migraines can have on patient lives. In addition to the Headaches/Migraines site here at BellaOnline, there are a multitude of reputable and informative web sites available. Unfortunately, as with most things, there are also the opposite type.

If you do not find what you are looking for here and would like help researching additional info or have a question, please post it to the forum or send me an e-mail and I will do my best to help. Thanks for reading!
- NicoleM, Headaches/Migraines editor

I have a question concerning headaches. I have notice as of late( the last 3 months ) I am getting headaches in clusters? I will have one for two-three days straight then it goes away. I don't have the funds to see a dr. about this right now but was wondering could this be allergy related/sinus problem or neither. Or could this have something to do with peri menopause? Thanks for the advise ahd have a great week.

I get migraines a lot. Finally I went to the DR and he ordered an MRI, which showed I had a sinus infection. He gave me meds for that, and although the migraines didnt go away completely, they are a LOT better. Many factors may play on the causes for your migraines. As I stated, mine did not stop, but they were greatly reduced. I have literally paralyzing headaches, where I can't talk, have to be in a dark room, laying down,head feeling like its about to explode.. and no matter what they put me on they dont go away until I sleep. The DR did'nt completely believe me at first until one day I was in his office at the onset. Now they know it IS serious and have ben working on a resolution. Now that the sinus issue is resolved, we are onto the next step...Good Luck with yours!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Summer6 - all of the above! Headaches can be caused by dairy, allergies, sinus problems (which can also be caused by dairy) and the hormonal changes of peri menopause!

If you cant see a doc I'd start by cutting out the dairy, remember it takes 7 weeks for it to completely clear your system. That should help the headaches, sinues and possibly allergies.

meg

Well I must say I have been eating yogurt and cheese every other day and sometimes both together
Mmmm...maybe that IS why! I did not know dairy products cause headaches.
Hi D81 fancy meeting you here- Thank goodness you have the sinus issue nipped in the bud. Take care and thanks!

Hi Summer!

Also pay attention to what the weather is doing on those days you are getting the headaches.

I tend to get some of my worst migraines when there are thunderstorms eminent (big tendency during the summer here in the south). And since they tend to run for 2 or 3 days, that sometimes means my head is miserable for that length of time. I am just that sensitive to the pressure changes.

You also mentioned peri-menopuase; until I had my hysterectomy, my #1 reason for a migraine was my menstrual cycle - the week before and the week of. Since the surgery, I have been relieved of that, and i didn't have trouble with menopause symptoms either (got lucky on that one!)

So it is quite possible up and coming hormone changes could be the cause, especially if it occurs around the same time of the month. The best thing to do is to start keeping logs of your headaches. That will keep track of your days, include what the weather was like, and also your diet. You will hopefully see a pattern that can help you.

Wow..I never thought to monitor the weather at the onset either, or to check where in my cycle they may fall. This thread cursed me..shortly after posting yeasterday I got a doozy of a migraine..LOL. I was told to keep logs but never thought of the weather or cycle relationships..Thanks!!

Hiya Summer! Yep seems like we have a few things in common!!! Great!!! Looking forward to hearing from you in the future!! Good Luck, Migraines suck, this I know!

LOL! For some reason I have the song "Jesus Loves Me" running through my head with those words attached. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue2.gif" alt="" />

Sacreligious I know, but I can't help it! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

My big food trigger is wine--especially red wine--but any wine will do it. Big nasty migraine.

That's followed by nitrates/phosphates and aspartame (in any quantity).

None of the other regular food triggers bother me--chocolate, cheese/dairy. I can eat these without problems.

Mostly my headaches are hormonal. I get them when I cycle--they last 3 or 4 days. Great fun.

Interesting that it is mostly women posting here. I've had migraines all my adult life that are triggered by many of the things already mentioned - hormones, weather (especially wide changes in barometric pressure), cheese, white wine, sleep deprivation.

Turns out we have a strong family history and my 8 year old daughter has migraines. It breaks my heart that she will have a life time of this but I'm hoping she can benefit from my experiences and learn to identify triggers earlier. When she was younger, 3-4, it was hard to figure out when the migraine would hit but now she can tell us fairly accurately. We have her on a preventative medication that is working great.

By the way, I'm perimenopausal and my gyn put me on continuous hormones that so far have helped - eliminates the monthly cycling.

Best,

My son got his first migraine at the age of 6. I had him tested for everything under the sun, but he just inherited migraines from both parents. I didn't use preventatives with him--I was scared of using them on a kid (he's 19 now). He went from one a week in first grade to about one a month in high school to just a handful a year now.

My daughter didn't get them until about 16--she has menstrual migraines every couple of months now.

Mine started at the age of 10 and were infrequent (several times a year) most of my life. I'm premenopausal now, and this year, they picked up speed--four day headaches every other week or so that could be triggered by stress, sinus, hormones, or whatever.

I'm trying progesterone cream and this month, I had one day with a premenstrual headache. Big, welcome difference.

Hi Deb:

The prevenatives are very safe in kids - Megan's done well and kids in my practice on them have had no problems. We've used zomig with her to abort the migraines and that works well, too. We have a great pediatric neurologist who has been fantastic in weaning off and on as her symptoms dictate. We find school tends to be when she needs it most.

Not fun for sure.