All That Triggers

Last week I told you about my visit to the doctor and started talking about my plan to identify possible food triggers.

I already know about many physical and environmental triggers that I have:

• Fatigue
• Light (especially florescent lights)
• Loud noises
• Neck pain
• TMJ
• Allergies
• Dehydration
• Skipping meals
• Hormones
• Changes in weather (heat and storms)
• Exercising in extreme heat
• Excessive caffeine
• Tension
• Stress
• Extreme emotion
• Hair accessories/hats

And then there are the physical symptoms that both preceed and/or show up during my headaches/migraines. I get the majority of these symptoms every time. And yes, some of these sypmtoms mirror my triggers, begging the question, "Which comes first - the chicken or the egg?"

Good times, eh?

No.

• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sound
• Neck pain
• TMJ
• Dizziness/vertigo
• Nausea
• Sensitive to strong scents (newer issue)
• Shaky
• Irritability
• Increased pain with normal physical activities
• Sensitive scalp
• Yawning
• Confusion
• Nasal congestion
• Fever (rare)
• Aura - wavy lines/pulsating lights (rare)
• Speech problems (rare)

Out of the Shadows

I had my first migraine when I was 10 years old. I have been managing migraines and other headaches (tension, sinus, hormone) ever since. About a month ago I woke up and decided that I was done living like this. Why am I putting up it? Why am I living this way? Because I know I don’t have it as bad as some other people? That’s just silly, Rachel! It affects your way of life. Do something about it!

And so I am.

I met with my doctor and he asked me if I have ever actually been diagnosed with migraines. I said no. He then asked me why I think I get migraines. I smiled as I pulled out a piece of paper that contained a list of triggers, symptoms, descriptions of pain, and more.

My doctor looked at the list and asked me, "Are you sure you don't work in the medical field?" Ha!

I left the appointment with a prescription and instructions to work on getting rid of possible trigger foods. The list is a long one.

Some of the foods are:

• Additives found in aged, canned, cured or processed meats (nitrites, nitrates, tyramine?)
• Aged cheese
• Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners
• Avocados
• Caffeine
• Certain beans
• Certain Fruit
• MSG
• Chocolate
• Cultured dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt
• Olives and pickles
• Onions
• Peanuts, peanut butter, other nuts and seeds
• Pizza
• Potato chip products
• Smoked or dried fish
• Canned soups and broths
• Sourdough bread, fresh baked yeast goods
• Sugar

There are many days where all I want is to lie down in a dark quiet room. If I’m being completely honest, I am a little afraid that giving up certain foods forever will leave me a deprived and depressed mess. Cheese? Bacon? Onions? Chocolate? Say it isn’t so! No really, please tell me that I will be able to eat those things again before I start sobbing! I may be tempted to crawl back into my comfy bed in my dark quiet room. Except life and work don’t afford me that option very often. And it isn’t what I ultimately want.

I want to come out of the shadows. I want to live in the bright light of day with all its hustle and bustle, and without fear of pain or struggle.

I plan on blogging quite a bit about my headaches and all the things that I need to adjust, temporary and permanent. You get to be along for the ride. Lucky you.