Migraine Relief ANYONE?????

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Permalink Reply by Janeen on January 21, 2009 at 7:41am

I hope Magnesium is your answer!! Will be keeping my fingers crossed. I know how frustrating it is that they just keep throwing the same old stuff at you even though it didn't work in the first place. Since so many people have migraines, you'd think that there would be a better solution.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on January 21, 2009 at 6:16pm

THANKS.. can you imagine if it is as simple as magnesium.... HMMMMMM! Makes me wonder!

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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on January 22, 2009 at 10:19am

The thing about vitamins and minerals, is that when one is off, it sets others off as well as the body tries to balance itself. Rarely is just one going to be an issue for a person.

Vitamins and minerals are what we consume so that our body can essentially tear them apart and use them to build other things. Hormones, enzymes, amino acids, neurotransmitters etc. All those things help to regulate our bodies as a whole.

For example, if you are low in B12, there are many things in the body that will not work correctly. B12 is needed for a chemical process called Methylation. This causes a long chain of events to happen that is necessary for our survival. Sort of like B12 is the trunk of a tree that has many, many branches. Having a depletion of that vitamin is like cutting the tree trunk. The branches and the leaves at the end of the branches, cannot survive for long without the trunk. Even worse, the byproducts that back up because the B12 isn't there to create the reaction, are dangerous.

Magnesium is not taken up in the brain particularly well unless you are given a high dose via IV. A blood test for Magnesium will only tell you the level in your blood, not in the tissue/cells themselves, where it is important in Migraine. Taking it orally is difficult and takes time. My Neurologist tells me he rarely has patients that can take it orally and get sufficient results, and most eventually give up trying.

Magnesium and Calcium are pairs. Calcium is largely responsible for muscle contraction (there are "muscles" that control your blood vessels too). Magnesium is the opposite - it helps relax. Magnesium and calcium also bind (stick) together. This is why they must both be taken (but ideally not together or they will bind and not be used) to form bone. Of course there are many more things that go into bone formation including phosphorous and vitamin D as well. You can see then, how having one of these things slightly off, has the body trying to deal with excesses and depletions of other things, and this can result in depletions elsewhere, like a big snowball rolling down a hill.

One other word, if you're on Topamax/Topiramate, this has a tendency to acidify the body causing real issues with calcium/magnesium levels etc which are leached from the body to balance that acid condition. This is partly how kidney stones are formed with this med. Very high acidic levels is called Acidosis and can be serious. For best results, watch your diet extra carefully. Sodas are a definite no-no. Many docs routinely prescribe B12, B6, and Folic Acid for patients who are using anti-convulsants, because these vitamins are depleted during usage. (See this text page 344 and 345) This may help with the tingling etc, but does take some time to work. Look up these deficiency symptoms, especially neurologic symptoms- B12 (or cobalamin), B6 (or pyridoxine), and Folic Acid (B9) and see what you think. I also just wrote a post about CoQ10 and Migraine preventives you might want to read, as this level is also often depleted as a side-effect in Migraineurs who are taking preventives.

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Permalink Reply by Angie on February 2, 2009 at 8:23pm

This is fantastic information, Ellen. I just put the teakettle on for my granular magnisuem called "Calm". Also, Tammy, I always prefew the herbal route and discovered that feverfew has to be taked daily for 6 weeks before notable results are witnessed and then taken daily as a preventative. Did you find that to be true for you?
Thanks, Angelika

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Permalink Reply by sderjik on June 7, 2009 at 9:09am

Manganese required for the production and activation of enzymes, bone, cartilage, and collagen formation and also for production of antioxidants

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Permalink Reply by Brooklynn on February 8, 2009 at 2:54pm

I know some people are having luck with an herb called black cohosh. http://altmedicine.about.com/od/blackcohosh/a/blackcohosh.htm

I know that it can help regulate the bodies hormones. I have not tried it yet. I did try Topamax and felt like it was the most evil thing I had ever done to my brain cells. I am currently off my birth control pills (not due to migraines) and am hoping this will ease the migraine attacks. Botox helped me tremendously with the frequency and severity of migraines.

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Permalink Reply by rckyfun on January 23, 2009 at 8:15pm

Try feverfew pills. You can get them at a health food store such as GNC. I don't think you are suppose to take them if you are on prescription medication or allergic to shell fish. I do know there is a 1-800 # on the bottle so you can ask them. Hope this helps. Tammy

Ps. I took them twice a right when I woke up and right before I went to bed.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on January 24, 2009 at 9:34pm

Do you take them as a preventative or when you have a headache??? Thanks... So far the Magnesium has been a good "system cleaner outer" The jury still remains OUT...

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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on January 24, 2009 at 10:02pm

If the Magnesium is cleaning you out, you're on too high a dose. Excess is flushed out in this way. Try backing down and slowly increasing until you're at the recommended dosage. My fingers are crossed for you....!

Feverfew can be taken either way, but be careful. When taken with other medicines it can be dangerous.

There are many 'natural' therapies Migraineurs use to help them. Have you tried Butterbur? You might check out the WEGO Health page for Natural Migraine Relief

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Permalink Reply by Laura on January 24, 2009 at 9:36pm

THANKS!!! The pond is in North Carolina in the DUKE Gardens- I believe my 10 year old actually took that particular picture... he's the one who lso get's migraines too!!! :( Poor thang!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on January 24, 2009 at 10:03pm

It would make a great screen saver this winter... Brrrrrr! It was -5 this am.

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Permalink Reply by pydy9916 on January 26, 2009 at 3:31pm

HI Laura,
In response to your questions about magnesium, two studies released in 2008 showed that menstrual migraineurs dip their magnesium levels even lower when have their periods and between this and the estrogen factor the headache is much worse.

We have people in our clinic start on 400mg/ day for 90 days..it takes that long for the brain to modulated receptor sites. After that I try to work them up to 800mg per day and a few people are on 1000mg. It doesnt work for everyone but most see an improvement of some sort and it IS dose related.

If you are getting diarrhea with it then you may have to stop..this is a known side effect of magnesium.

Ellen is right about one thing..if you haven't had your B-12 levels checked get it done. I see alot of migraineurs (I practice in a headache center) who are B12 deficient and this will make your headaches a bit worse.

Good Luck!
Mary Kay

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