Daily Migraines - How do we function?

@marzun Good advise, drinking water is the best. Good Luck, sorry for your suffering I know how awful it is. I went to see a Dr. of PT I was also suffering from TMJ he used his hands to massage inside and pull the muscle foward. I could not believe the pain was gone, never had it again. We also bought some tools to use when my headacks are bad to know out the knots.
Has helped. Dr. Joseph Jacobs (I think he is in Flordia now).ASTR interesting. We are willing to try anything right. Thinking of you good luck.

Hi there,
Yes of course happy to be of assistance in any way I can.
Trying to avoid drinking cold water during a meal comes to mind or is specially true at least in my experience when I was trying to heal from a migraine( in the middle of one or maybe right after when my stomach is super sensitive still)
In the middle of one after a few hours all I could eat was maybe a Saltine cracker and some sips of chamomile tea. If I was already feeling much better I will always start with something very mild like bake chicken no skin and some warm liquid (no dairy).
For me At least cold water is ok when you are right in the middle of a migraine right after throwing up. but super small sips( at that moment food is not an option) I remember also ginger ale been really soothing in tiny sips.
Also if you are feeling good I believe one of the many ways you could stay away from getting a migraine is not to drink water during a heavy meal like for example indulging on burrito. Also to clarify on the subject of water . staying hydrated is super important. first thing in the morning
brush your teeth, drink a full glass of water and many more during the day. I hope that helps. blessings
@lisalucier

@marzun - will you expand on this a bit and explain why you suggest this? " ... avoid cold water during a meal."

Hi there,
Yes to trial an error and reading articles in medical journals and books( before internet) and Food dairy is a good idea if you just focus on key triggers and not every single thing you eat otherwise you stress levels go up and that's no good either. staying hydrated is key but avoid cold water during a meal. and of course exercise.
So here you go. I hope the following helps, I wrote it myself and summarize it with Gemini ( in case you wonder 😃 ) also alcohol is a big one specially white wine. Just so you know I don't take any heavy duty migraine medication because is to hard on my liver and don't help if I have a full blown migraine. Good luck . let me know if this helps .

I wanted to share something that might help if you’ve been dealing with migraines and suspect food could be part of the problem.

Many people with migraines don’t have food allergies — they have food intolerances. That means allergy tests often come back normal. What really matters is:

- How much of the food you eat
- Whether you combine more than one trigger
- How these foods build up over a few days

Even small amounts eaten on different days can add up and trigger a migraine later.

Here are some common ingredients that often cause problems:

1. Nitrates and Nitrites
Found in deli meats (ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni), sausages, and some dried fruits.

2. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Often in packaged soups, broths, salty snacks, and some restaurant dishes.

3. Hydrolyzed Yeast / Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
These act like MSG and show up in imitation soy sauces, bouillon cubes, and seasoning packets.

4. Chocolate
Because of caffeine and other compounds that can trigger migraines for some people.

5. Hard Candy and Soda
Sugar plus additives can be a trigger.
(Ginger ale in small amounts may help with nausea during a migraine.)

The key idea is that your system may be sensitive to certain chemical compounds, and when they accumulate, a migraine can appear.

Take care,
Rafael

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@dlydailyhope
All of those triggers are 100% true but at least for me food intolerance (not allergies) is what triggers them and the amounts you eat are also important and what makes it tricky. it a slice of pepperoni pizza for example may not do anything but if combine with another trigger like chocolate the next day or hard candy or lunch meats then boom! Migraine! I'm 59 years old I had migraines since 7. now under control most of the time.

@heysie
My teen son has migraines and I have had them too. Both of us have had mild to moderate concussions when young so this doesn’t help. I also believe ours get triggered by hormone fluctuations, stress, too much screen time, dehydration, poor sleep, etc.

My son's neurologist suggested taking omega 3, vitamin D and magnesium supplements and this has helped. He also suggested making sure to stay well hydrated and add electrolytes to water to help retain more of it. When my son gets aura visual changes starting, his neurologist suggested taking Motrin or Tylenol as soon as possible before the pain and nausea sets in. This all has helped. If my son doesn’t take the pain medication at the first sign of visual changes with aura, he gets significant pain soon after then the nausea and vomiting follows. Putting a cool wash cloth in his head, lying down in a dark room while letting the pain medication kick in also helps.

I’ve also probably “tried it all” over the past 40+ years of migraines! Most recently, I was having rebound headaches with imitrex. Neuro prescribed Ubrelvy. It worked, but I was having 10-15 headache days/month, so she suggested Qulipta. I am now down to 2-4 headache days/month!!!! Wooo whoooooo!

Although I hate taking medication, I am so grateful it’s an option. My poor mother suffered most of her life with nothing but aspirin and darkness. When they came out with “Fiornal” she thought it was a gift from above!

BTW - I suggest you find a neurologist who listens and cares AND i was told the “prednisone dose pack” should be a very last resort because it’s so hard on your body- that being said, I’ve received it a handful of times in my lifetime.
Also-go online and contact the pharmaceutical company to see if you can get help with your copays - I have!

New to this forum. Migraines became chronic about 6 years ago, after having episodic migraines since age 20. Changes probably related to perimenopause? I get regular botox, started 3 years ago, but also rely on tryptans to get through the week. Jaw clenching at night worsens things. Have had some success with physio for TMJ. Have trouble working full time.

@dd75 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. To not be able to work full-time, if you are wanting to, would be rough. Sorry to hear your migraines changed over to chronic.

How have the onabotulinumtoxin A (Botox) treatments gone for you? Do you feel they have helped? Do you have any side effects from that treatment or the triptans?