Jan,
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
You have much going on here to be sure. Your Migraines do sound like they may be hormonal. Have you read my post on Zoladex and Migraines? You can find my own experience with them and with HRT here. Everyone is different,...
I have suffered from migraine since the age of 3 and it involves unilateral pain, exhaustion and horrivble nausea and sickness. Over the years it has hit in phases. I avoid the food triggers and try not to get too tired - being a teacher doesn't h...
Hi Lindsey, can you give our readers some more information on Progesterone creams? I have read both potential for good and for bad, and a conversation between 5 thyroid patients (myself included) was started about Progesterone.
Playing devil's ad...
Yup, got chocolate. :) Oh well. It was just a little bit.
Magnesium is tricky, especially on your GI tract. Start little and go slow. Trading brands and types often helps.
Folic acid and B12 are tricky-er. Also, how much you take depends partly on the form you're using. You really shouldn't supplement folic acid unless you know your B12 status because much damage can occur. Folic acid supplements can cover up the B12 deficiency. This warning is in the Merck manual as well, so docs do know this.
If you don't need injections because of an inability to absorb it properly, B12 is best taken with a sublingual multiple times thru the day. Not all tablets are sublinguals- you'll have to buy these especially for that purpose. Folic acid isn't so difficult to get into your system. How much you need to take really depends on your status. If you're not deficient, I'd be wary-wary carefuwl. B12 is pretty efficiently stored and carried out of the body. There is no upper limit, tho those with thyroid issues may have increased feelings of hypERthyroid symptoms. One study used 1000mcg's daily (orally) and saw improvement in half of those who tried it. You may not be able to absorb it tho, this is why I suggest sublinguals because it bypasses the GI tract. There is a nose spray too, but in the US it is very expensive. (Other countries offer it cheaply.) If you take injections, a loading dose is usually recommended for deficient states. This means you will receive 1cc (1000 mcg's) injections daily, then weekly, then monthly to maintain your status. People like me with thyroid issues may need to take more frequent doses that are smaller. I take mine twice as often, but only 1/2 cc of cyanocobalamin. Methylcobalamin (another type of B12 supplement used more frequently in non-US countries) might not require as high or frequent dosing because it is more efficiently used by the body.
What are you using now? Maybe that's a better place to start...
Hi Laura, how are you doing? I hope you're okay...I was just thinking of you today and how your blog posts were so terrific and thought provoking.
How are you with Chocolate? Is that a trigger for you or your son? Valentine's day is nearly here, and I'm still trying to get it thru my hubby's head that chocolate is not the best thing for me, LOL! I think he secretly wants it for himself... :)
LAURA,
THIS IS AWSOME,MY HUSBAND GETS THEM AS WELL, AND HE SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT DOCTORS WHO THINK THEY ARE EXPERTS.BUT HE PUTS THEM IN THEIR PLACE AS TO WHAT MEDS AND HOW MUCH. ME TOO LAURA AS I GET OLDER THEY HAVE GOTTEN MUCH WORSE. HEY I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOUR OPINION ON MAGNETIC JEWELRY. A LADY TOLD ME TO TRY IT, SHE SAID IT HELPED HER BECAUSE IT OPENS THE BLOOD BLOCKAGE THROUGH THE ARTERIES. IT ALSO HELPS ARTHRITIS AND FIBERMYALGIA. WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOPE.
LAURA HI,
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SAY HELLO!! I WILL DEFINITELY TAKE YOUR ADVICE TO HANG IN THERE WITH THESE DOCTORS. ITS A MATTER OF, I HOPE MY KIDS CAN!! WOW, I NEVER HEARD OF SOMEONE SAY THEY WERE BORN TO MIGRAINES. I REALLY FEEL FOR YOU.!!! I AM SO SORRY!! YOU MUST GIVE ME MORE ADVICE YOUR KNOWLEDGE MUST BE LIKE GOLD. THANKS
Hi Laura! The pond photo makes me so hungry for warm summer days, chirping birds and buzzing bugs. *sigh*
My son had abdominal Migraine as a baby, and his first Migraine Headache before he could walk. I have a special place in my heart for little ones dealing with this.
Why don't you join our Migraine group at WEGO Health! You had a very good question and more Migraineurs will see it there than the general forum space. Matter of fact, it was such a good topic, I want to blog on it next!