Migraine Medication?

LabLynnie · January 8, 2024

Hi I was diagnosed with celiac disease 4 years ago and suffer from migraines unfortunately. Has anyone found an OTC medication that works well to help with migraines? I suffer from them often and prefer not to take my Rx too often. Even a herbal remedy maybe? Anything that would help.
Thank Y’all 🙏🏻

LabLynnie

trents · January 8, 2024

Welcome to the forum, @LabLynnie!

I too am a celiac migraine sufferer so I feel you pain. I have tracked this on a spread sheet for my physician and have found that I suffer headaches/migraines one out of every four days. I rate them as small, medium and large. You did not say what kind of Rx you are taking but for an analgesic I use sumatriptan (aka, Imitrex) and it works very well but takes about 45 before taking hold. Nothing else will touch the pain. Not NSAIDs, not Tylenol nor both together. Not even hydrocodone. Sumatriptan is the only thing I have found that works. Fioricet more or less works but I have to take a double dose for it to be effective and because it is a short acting analgesic you can quickly develop a dependency on it so I don't use that anymore.

My primary care has been experimenting with preventatives including Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline but those two were not effective at all. A few weeks ago she switched me to Topirimate which may be helping to reduce the frequency (fingers crossed). It's hard to tell with me because I get migraines/headaches in bunches and then I won't have them for awhile. So, I'm not sure whether they are always true migraines or cluster headaches.

What Rx are you currently taking?

cristiana · January 8, 2024

Hiya @LabLynnie

My sympathies, this is such a thing for us coeliacs. Mine tend to be the aura variety these days but occasionally I still get the strangest migraine where I feel quite nauseous with generalised pain at the back of my neck, and light sensitivity.

I've come to the conclusion that that type really responds well to lying down, if possible, with a rolled up hand towel under my neck and relaxing that area. There are videos online which help such as this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZQoJ2psHIs

Warmth too.

I don't get on well with NSAIDs so I only use this as a last resort, but if I can't get a headache to budge after a couple of days I find coffee with sugar and an aspirin works wonders with of all things a small amount of chocolate (except the aspirin leaves me with a sore stomach for a few days, so I need to take an omeprazole afterwards or beforehand!)

Prevention is key, of course. I don't know if you find this but I find getting dehydrated can be a contributor, so I try to keep well hydrated. Also, I find low sun in the winter and travelling distances by car triggers some headaches, so sunglasses and a preventative paracetamol before a such a journey helps.

A friend of mine (not a coeliac) manages her migraines by keeping her blood sugar levels in check, she avoids missing meals as she says this is also a trigger. Might help you, too?

Cristiana

Edited January 8, 2024 by cristiana

knitty kitty · January 8, 2024

Hello, @LabLynnie,

I used to have terrible frequent migraines, but since correcting nutritional deficiencies caused by Celiac Disease, I rarely get them anymore. I had tried the gamut of pharmaceuticals without any of them working. I'd much rather take vitamins that our bodies need to function properly than take medications that don't work.

I do get Ophthalmic migraines (auras, sparkling, and dimming of vision) triggered by computer screens, but that is due to optic nerve damage caused by vitamin deficiencies (B12 and Thiamine deficiencies can affect the optic nerve leaving permanent damage).

Following a low histamine Paleo Diet helps. High histamine levels in the brain can cause migraines. We need B12, Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Pyridoxine B6 to help us make enzymes that break down histamine. Pyridoxine B6 is used to make the enzyme Diamine Oxidase (DAO). DAO supplements are also available over the counter. Magnesium and zinc also improve migraines.

The eight essential B vitamins, extra Thiamine, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium and zinc are frequently low in newly diagnosed people with CeD.

Do talk to your doctor and nutritionist about the benefits of supplementing with essential nutrients while healing. Gluten containing products are required to be enriched with vitamins, but since you are not getting those while gluten free, supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals is beneficial.

Hope this helps!

References:

Magnesium and migraines...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912646/

...Associations between migraine, celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and activity of diamine oxidase

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32416409/

...Zinc and migraines

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36588459/

...B vitamins and their combination could reduce migraine headaches: A randomized double-blind controlled trial

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9860208/

...Chronic Migraine Responding to Intravenous Thiamine: A Report of Two Cases

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27197607/