Migraine

Is it possible to really have no definate triggers?

I know the weather does affect mine, especially if it's going to rain. I'm so glad I see others saying that here, I think people must think I am crazy when I tell them weather affects a migraine!

But other things like red wine, I might be fine drinking it one time and then another time I'll get a migraine.
There are no definate foods that trigger either.

I'm 39 and have had them all of my life, tried the diaries and didn't come up with any type of pattern.

Hi, kalaim.

My triggers are mainly weather and hormones. I don't believe I have any food triggers. Not having food triggers is not unusual.

Your migraines are undoubtedly being triggered by something, but it could be that they are triggered by several things acting together, what we call "stackable triggers." If different triggers stacked together in different ways, to cause different migraines, it could get quite difficult to figure out what the triggers are.

I know, for example, that my preventives can sometimes prevent migraines when weather changes might have caused one. Less often, they prevent hormonally-triggered ones. But if there's a change in the weather, and a "milder" hormonal change in my body, I'm doomed.

Thanks, that makes sense! Thanks for the info.

My triggers are basically weather and hormones as well.

I have food ones, like red wine and cured pork products....but they are more often then not, stackable, not stand alone.

I'm the same, somtimes I can have red wine, no problem, other times, migraine!

Usually, like I said, it's stackable. If I have red wine, with something pork like bacon or sausage, then I'll probably end up regretting it.

But that's it for me and food triggers.

Millsy that's a good point!

quote:

I don't worry about it. I control what is controllable and that's all.

Like you, some things trigger me sometimes (flashing lights, storms, lack of sleep) and not other times (definitely stackable), some things nearly every time (cigarette smoke, more than two cups of coffee a day) and some things that aren't really considered triggers, like fatigue, stress, leading a seminar, and being in a large crowd (or hosting a party!!!) seem to trigger me most reliably!

But Kalaim, back to your original point, I think it's worth diarying because you can also identify combinations of things that trigger you - it takes more work and attention, but it's worth it to know more about what you can control! By the way, welcome to the forum!

- Megs

quote:

Originally posted by nutmegan:
some things that aren't really considered triggers, like fatigue, stress, leading a seminar, and being in a large crowd (or hosting a party!!!) seem to trigger me most reliably!

I can add "the dentist" to that list. Though really what it is, is a combination of the fluorescent lights, instruments in my mouth, and just general sensitivity in that area - darned trigeminal nerve.

The vast majority of my triggers are stackable. Only a few are "always" triggers for me, like flying. Anything else that a migraineur could be sensitive to, I am, with the notable exception of many food triggers and hormones.

Don't feel bad. I don't have any food triggers either. I wish I did sometimes. Just avoid a food. Not so hard.

The only thing for me that is a definate is sun exposure. 30+ minutes in summer and 60+ minutes in cooler weather.

Most of my migs are a combo of lack of sleep, stress, etc. Possibly some foods though I have never been able to pin point anything.

I still keep the migraine diary though, just in case I can identify something.

There are a lot of us who have no food triggers. Messed up sleep and weather changes are my two worst triggers. If I oversleep, don't get enough sleep, or if my sleep is disrupted, I can be in big trouble.

Another point is that triggers can be stackable. You might have triggers that don't trigger a Migraine when you encounter just one, but encountering two or more of them together will trigger.

As the others have said, keeping a Migraine diary can be a big help. Do you need one? You can download one here from Your Migraine and Headache Diary.

You mention you can drink some wine and not others. I am the same way as is a friend of mine. I fortunately can drink champagne. I know the fermentation process of wines, and usually better wines, are what make the difference for me. Yes, cheap white wine I can usually drink and red wine is really dicy. So I find I just avoid it. I avoid it even in cooking. My friend just takes her bottle of inexpensive white wine with her, though she says she feels embaressed often as people are opening these wonder exciting expensive bottles of wine to drink. The outcome she says usually just isn't worth it for her. I would agree.

Cindy

I too haven't be able to determine all my migraine triggers. When I was at my worst about 3 years ago, with daily primary migraines, there didn't seem to be any trigger at all for the daily severe headache I kept having. Then when I had my right hip replaced, the headaches improved amazingly, going from bad daily (7+) to every 7 to 14 days (usually not above a 5).

Migraines a really a strange beastie. Don't give up. Especially don't stop your headache diary. Even if it doesn't seem to show a pattern, over a longer period, it may give some inkling of what's going on. Don't forget about sun/sweating as possible triggers, or weather that will be coming in 2 to 3 days (not what's going on today). Just record every thing you can think of that's going on when the headache starts. Don't forget to record how much stress you're under, how much caffeine you've had that day, etc.

I'm a walking success story, at least for today, and I'll take that!!!

Good Wishes
Tracie

I haven't had any big triggers either. And keeping a diary mostly means writing down the day and trying to figure out what is different. But the 3 months last fall before my MD appt when my HA were all messed up and I really wrote down everything, there was no rhyme or reason. I think that's why he diagnosed "cluster" since they seemed to last about 3 days then go away for a week come back for 7 days, go away for 2 weeks, etc. He just looked at the pattern with no "trigger". Granted, he increased my topomax and finally gave me meds (tiptans vs. just fioricet/advil) to treat the headaches, which have helped immensely, but the diagnosis is iffy and now with more education from this board, I need to return (yes, still) and treat my neck pain more appropriately. Just gotta make the time....

But I will say this, when my headaches were in full swing, the possible triggers (wine of any color, cold, heat, weather, hormones, life, stress, anything) seemed to make them worse and compound the pain and length of days they would last. Now that the headaches are more controlled the past month or so, I can drink wine freely (I do only drink a glass with dinner, not an all out binge), sit outside in the sun again at lunch, and my last period only gave me a 1 day bad headache (not 3 days of severe misery).

So, maybe the stackable trigger theory is also sitting on a big high pedastal next to the "needs better preventative control" theory? Those 2 meanies can get the best of us until we knock them off their high horse and get back in charge of our bodies? So if you are having a lot of headaches and can't pinpoint the triggers, maybe don't worry so much about the trigger, think more about just the prevention, whether it be thru medication (addition or elimination)(I also gave up my BCP again last month and it seemed to help this second go around), meditation, acupuncture, whatever and see if that helps.

Diane, whose neck has been controlling her head a little too much this week (but a I got a cute new haircut and a nice massage today to knock those tight muscles down a little)

quote:

Originally posted by MaxJerz:
I can add "the dentist" to that list. Though really what it is, is a combination of the fluorescent lights, instruments in my mouth, and just general sensitivity in that area - darned trigeminal nerve.

No kidding... which is why I haven't been to the dentist in over 13 yrs. the lack of dental insurance & plus it being it such an unpleasant experience makes me very resistant.

My teeth probably have lots of cavities by now...