Towards Ending Migraines

[burtlancast]

Strange.
The Budwig mix ( cottage cheese blended intimately to flax seed oil) NEVER triggered migraines in me.

Maybe this is due to the bond between the linoleic acid and the sulfur proteins of chees, making the lipoprotein more soluble ?

 

[himsahimsa]

Flax oil mainly contains alpha-linolenic acid (omega 3) 47%. Linoleic (omega 6) 24%. (According to Wiki.) Maybe the omega 3 made the difference.

 

[himsahimsa]

From Haagendazendiane:
.... It is shown that linoleic acid releases platelet serotonin in vitro, and this study suggests that it has the same action in vivo. Further, it is the precursor of all prostaglandins in the body and its marked elevation during migraine may serve as a source of increased prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) synthesis. It is suggested that linoleic acid plays an important role in the biochemical process of the migraine attack, acting both as a serotonin releasing factor and a source of PGF1, the vasodilating action of which can aggravate the clinical symptoms of migraine.

From the Wikipedia:
Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), known pharmaceutically as alprostadil, is a prostaglandin. It is a drug used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and has vasodilatory properties. In healthy humans, prostaglandin E1 is biosynthesized "on demand" at its intended site of action from dihomo-γ-linolenic acid.

How unfortunate!

 

[tara]

Hi Sueq,
I've read some of your other posts with interest too, and seen your refs to migraine. It's good to hear your's are improving. Thanks for your advice here.

Great info here! FWIW my input as fellow sufferer who's been given lots of help by this forum:
in a nutshell, I think it's the blood sugar and the serotonin.
The blood sugar is a bigger deal that it seems. Yours is probably broken like mine and fixing takes time and never, ever letting your sugar drop. Recognizing and treating with sugar every tiny hint that it might be, from hunger to tiredness to aching to irritability to spaciness to feeling hyper. Easiest way to do this is to aim to get something into you every hour. Sugar (fruit) and protein. Just a little, but every waking hour. If possible make big friends with milk as it is one of the stars on this approach. (But take care of the "too much liquid" pitfall.) At night, a glass of milk with sugar next to your bed, sip it if and when you wake in the night. And first thing in the morning after taking temp.

Yes, I have thought for a long time that blood sugar is key. It's been hard to keep it up, especially while I thought I should avoid sugar :), and when the people around me run on 3 meals a day. So now I carry my OJ (spiked with baking soda, salt, sugar) with me wherever I go, but don't always manage to have protein with it. OJ jellies work for portable protein, but I can't always keep up with making them. Will try to do better on this. I do have protein at least 3-4 times a day, and sometimes more milk in between. I quess the easiest way to increase the calorie density/reduce the fluids would be to add more sugar to OJ and milky coffee. Its frustrating that getting it wrong can put me out of action and in pain for 3 days, as I'm sure you know. Do people really recover their ability to store glycogen?

Then the serotonin. Best way I've tackled that is to make my other priority to be a happy digestion, never skip the daily carrot salad or charcoal, get sunlight in the morning, consider BCAAs, definitely lower tryptophan in the diet (milk stars again) take B vits but not too much NA - it seems from other threads it may drop blood sugar a bit (Hope I got that right) and I find too much makes me feel serotoniny.

I haven't yet got a picture of which foods agree with my digestive system. Its seldom really uncomfortable, but also seldom completely happy, either. I usu take c. 100 mg niacinamide after breakfast and dinner - seem like a reasonable amount? I accidentally took more a couple of times, and maybe this contributed to migraine the following day. I've got a B complex that I take every now and then, but not every day. Would like a cleaner one. I currently eat c. 200 gm liver c. 1/week. Maybe I should do 100 x2/wk instead. I see evidence of the yellow B vitamins after this meal:). Will consider BCAAs. Are you using them? Have you tried cyproheptadine, either as preventative or abortive?

I now see that the brain is the canary in the mine when it comes to energy, feels dips first and worst, via amongst other things migraines. I went from at least one 3 day migraine a month and often whole fortnights in a sort of pre- or semi- migraine (dull headache but not yet killing, light sensitive, nauseous, depressed, dull headed) to nothing for the first 4 RP months, then a 2 month setback following a period of (foolish) overwork, with major estrogen and serotonin issues, several migraines and swimming through a' serotonin soup' and then nothing since then (6 more weeks) during which I' ve tackled serotonin signs early and nipped them in the bud.
Best of luck, it's really worth it!

Other than the migraines themselves, I'm not sure I can pick 'serotonin soup' symptoms - what else do you attribute to this?
Thanks for your encouragement - it helps to hear such stories of improvement.

 

[tara]

If hunger is the most reliable trigger, then it clearly means your glycogen liver stores are low, and your body starts burning fatty acids to compensate for lack of glucose; the breakdown products are what's triggering the migraines.

Yes. Even knowing that, hard to avoid having it run out, esp during sleep. But i'm working on it
[/quote]And just in case you wouldn't know, MSG hides under more than 40 different names, all of them able to trigger migraines.[/quote]
Yes, I know MSG or similar chemicals have many names, and i haven't learnt them all. I've probabaly eaten a fair bit of it in hte past. But for the last year or so, almost all of the food I eat I prepare at home from single ingredients, so I think I seldom eat any now. And I think I saw e re to research suggesting that just having PUFA released in brain tissue may set nerves up to be oversensitive to serotonin and the native neurotransmitter glutamate that we get from most protein sources, even without MSG. And to swell. Here's hoping another couple of yeas of PUFA retriction will help with this.

 

[tara]

How unfortunate!

Yes!

 

[tara]

I've read from Charlotte Gerson how she had great success arresting migraines with a coffee enema; makes sense, considering the caffeine, and the effect of coffee substances on the detoxifying enzymes in the liver ( speeds up estrogen detox)

I love the idea of trying coffee enemas to stop a migraine, but the logistics seem a bit daunting.
Have you had improvement in migraines since you started applying some of Peat's ideas? Or anything else?

 

[tara]

Marikay - thanks for yr thoughts.

Hi Tara. Your migraines sound a lot like the ones I used to get. They went away for the most part, but I still get them occasionally..

What do you put this improvement down to?

The one thing I can add to the above is that for me the only thing that triggers them now is alchohol. ... I don't think you mention whether or not you drink alchohol, ...

No, I learned early that alcohol didn't serve me well, before I go a chance to really pick up the habit.
Thanks

 

[burtlancast]

I love the idea of trying coffee enemas to stop a migraine, but the logistics seem a bit daunting.
Have you had improvement in migraines since you started applying some of Peat's ideas? Or anything else?

Saddly, not really.

I've tried sugar to arrest them, to no avail.
Even fluo bulbs trigger migraines in me.

The problem with migraines is it takes 1 day to stop, and then another day to recoup near a normal state; so that's 2 days lost.

I've never tried the coffee enema remedy, but i might have to in the future, because i can't afford financially anymore to be out for 2 days.

 

[paper_clips43]

I used to do coffee enemas all the time. Its really a lot easier and more relaxing than it seems.
I use enema buckets that cost like 4 dollars and make a quart of coffee the night before.
Put on some relaxing music in the bathroom and lay a couple comfortable towels down and your good to go!
My roommate and I, at the time, used to alternate days so we would be doing it every other day.
He gets horrible migraines, like the ones that take 2 days to recover, and he said it was the best treatment he has ever used for them.
This is kinda bringing back good memories I might have to get back into it...

 

[burtlancast]

He gets horrible migraines, like the ones that take 2 days to recover, and he said it was the best treatment he has ever used for them.

Great !
That's the kind of info you want to come across if you're a migraine sufferer.

[highlight=#ffbf40][glow=red]Charlote Gerson right again ![/glow][/highlight]

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[charlie]

[img=center]http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130728192409/mlp/images/1/14/Hes_right_you_know_guy.jpg[/img]

 

[burtlancast]

Seriously, i always wondered about Charlotte's teachings on bad animal proteins, bad salt, bad sugar, bad coffee ( by mouth), bad saturated fats, bad cholesterol, good vegetables.

After reading Peat, i have to admit it's potentially extremely damaging to people's health, and it's kind of irresponsable she's indulging in it.

But on the bright side, it's cancer's most successful treatment ( and for a host of other degenerative diseases).

But to apply only for a short period of time.

 

[tara]

Re: towards ending migraines - dry CO2 bath bag report

Dry CO2 bath experiment 1:
Today I we finally cracked open the CO2 bottle :) . We did a small experiment first to get used to the process, and figured it wasn't too hard to control the flow of gas. I got in a big bag, squeezed out as much air as I easily could, held it roughly closed round my neck. Then my co-experimenter released the CO2 into the bag via the hose. She tied the top loosely round my neck, and we sat there for c. 40 min chatting. Gas going in felt cool, but I was soon warmer with less clothes than I'd been before getting in. No dramatic sensations. Breathed occasional whiff as moving puffed some out the top of the bag. Could kind of taste it. Lots of ice on valve and bottle, some on hose. Glad I lagged the outlet pipe.
Couldn't tell any major difference in how I felt. But maybe slight positive? Didn't interrupt current premigraine threat. Will try again.
Will try to improve process by trying to suck out more of the air from the bag before filling.This should increase CO2 concentration. Maybe with vacuum cleaner? Rig up a drawstring so I can control the neck opening from the inside, and possibly control the fill myself. Don't think I need an expensive regulator.

Boring migraine experience this week:
Fought migraine last Sunday, went down badly Monday and Tuesday. Even the sumatriptan wasn't as effective as usual - I'm only supposed to have 3 doses max in 24 hrs, and that wasn't enough to keep me out of pain. Fighting it again yesterday and today. Possible triggers: late night/short sleep/late rise this morning. Busy morning, less morning food, less chocolate, late lunch (but still did have some fuel every waking hour). Physical activity yesterday evening. Maybe I should go to smaller quantity more often (more hassle). Liver yesterday? Not enough sun for a few days? Emotional stuff. On top of continuous background factors as described before. Wish me luck. I want to go out and play.

Canary
sueq: Brain as canary in the mine but the canary is in charge of getting you out of the shaft. Once the brain is going down, it gets hard to think what to do about it, and forget/have less energy to do stuff I know that might help (let alone keep my spelling straight :) )

 

[SQu]

Yes I find that too, once it's got going the brain stops being able to help you think your way to the right response. Storm has to pass first.
Re glycogen storage mine's not fixed yet - I believe thyroid plays a role and I am not on top of that one right now. Never had migraine in my life till I low carbed that's why I agree it's about the blood sugar and glycogen. Was not headache prone at all. Boy did I mess myself up!
I too don't feel good with niacinamide in high doses. I'd like to know why.
years ago tried the coffee enema and got big stress reaction. But drinking it ditto - not enough sugar, milk. Might be worth trying again but not planning to just yet.
Bcaas have subtle yet definite effect for me, feel clearer and better on them. I have signs that I'm lowering tryptophan - color returned to eyebrows - so I think tryptophan lowering worth looking into. I do take cypro but no clear effect other than slight insomnia aid. Others swear by it.
These measures have definitely helped a lot and the key is prevention and watching out for pre migraine state of dullness ,light sensitivity, groggy, grouchy. When I feel it I get more sun, take bcaas, charcoal, aspirin coffee and ice cream sometimes. Don't know if this helps as everyone different and others here so much more knowledgeable, but it is clearly an area that's improved ( and I'm so very grateful it has). Best of luck.

 

[Mittir]

Re glycogen storage mine's not fixed yet - I believe thyroid plays a role and I am not on top of that one right now. Never had migraine in my life till I low carbed that's why I agree it's about the blood sugar and glycogen. Was not headache prone at all. Boy did I mess myself up!
I too don't feel good with niacinamide in high doses. I'd like to know why.

You are right that liver needs T3 to function efficiently.
(We also need B vitamins, 80 grams of protein,carrot salad, selenium,
steady sugar level etc to support the liver)
RP has mentioned that Thyroid supplement immediately makes some part
of our body needing more sugar than before, but it takes some time
for liver to restore it's glycogen storing ability. So, he suggested frequent
intake of extra sugar in the beginning of the thyroid supplement until liver is fixed.
Naturally you will eat some protein and fat with that sugar.

I had similar problem with Niacinamide. I started with 100 mg once a day and when i tried
to increase to 100 mg twice a day, i noticed some sleep problem, a delay in sleep but
better quality. Since Niacinamide lowers free fatty acid release, body has to rely mostly
on sugar as energy source. A hypothyroid person can not store glycogen efficiently,
this will lower blood glucose and increase stress hormone.
I slowly increased niacinamide over several weeks. Now i use 100 mg 3 times a day.
One of the major benefits of Niacinamide is that it improves liver function.
Now i can go without food for 10-12 hours and not feeling surge of cortisol and adrenaline.
In the past after 7-8 of hours of sleep i would wake up . Now i can restfully sleep 10-12 hours,
which i used to do on weekends. Aspirin also lowers free fatty acid release, so using both
would increase the need for frequent sugar.
Keeping all your alkaline minerals up helps with increased metabolism.

 

[SQu]

so it's the usual catch 22 - in this case, needing T3 to improve glycogen, but T3 makes you need glycogen. a few things have been like this - eg needing to be strong enough to improve your health, which you want to improve in order to feel stronger! must be really confusing and superficially confusing to newcomers, which is why I seriously doubt that this could ever reach large numbers of people - have you noticed how their eyes glaze over? to me, nothing could be more interesting than fixing your health as all else comes from that, but i'm astonished how many really sick people are still bored by the topic! thanks for this.I increased my sugar today by adding it to OJ every glass I had, feeling fine this evening.

 

[charlie]

- have you noticed how their eyes glaze over?

Some people have eyes to see, some not. I am grateful that I do. Yes, I see that glazed over look quite often.

In the beginning of Peating, I had a really bad glycogen problem. It was hard to keep my blood sugar up and I would crash. I got through that and believe anyone else can too if given the right conditions. Although food changes helped, most progress came from taking thyroid hormone.

 

[SQu]

good to know,thanks! blood sugar has been a big deal for me too. going better today.

 

[himsahimsa]

Vacuum cleaner might work well to suck out the last bit of air but even if some air is left, the bag must be mostly CO[sub]2[/sub] so the partial pressure is going from almost noting to almost everything.

Peat said bone can store some huge amount of CO[sub]2[/sub] so maybe it will take a long time to make a dent. I've been thinking putting a block of dry ice wrapped in a towel under the sheets with me nightly to get a long exposure could be practical. Normal air at sea level is 0.0397% CO[sub]2[/sub] by volume so any increase is a big increase.

I've also thought but not yet tried dissolving sodium bicarbonate in a bath and adding distilled vinegar a little at a time to liberate CO[sub]2[/sub]. It might be necessary to get the solution "pressure" of CO[sub]2[/sub] in the water higher than that in the blood and tissue in order to drive it in.

I think a better device might be a hyperbaric or decompression chamber loaded with 25% O[sub]2[/sub], 5% CO[sub]2[/sub] and 70% N[sub]2[/sub] (about). Then holding just under one atmosphere. You wouldn't want to induce CO[sub]2[/sub] embolism. Probably best to try it on someone you don't like first.