Thank you, Nancy, for your reply.

I've seen the lists of potential trigger foods and am adhering to not eating them. However, I find these lists somewhat vague. I'm a food person and I've been able to identify many foods and food types and triggers for other problems that I have. That said, my diet is very, very limited, and many of the potential trigger foods for migraines have been staples on my IBD diet. So, pardon me for asking a few specific food questions. . .

Is goat's cheese on the potential trigger list?

How about soy milk?

Are all nuts a potential trigger?

Why is process/grocery store bread okay? It still has yeast in it?

Thanks much,

Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

No problem with specific questions, we love that!! See the thing is that food triggers vary from person to person. For example, chocolate is a Migraine trigger for my son, but thankfully not for me. Raw, fresh onions can trigger a Migraine for me, but don't for my son and so on. Trigger foods are really a very individual thing and tracking them is the best way to find out which ones do and do not trigger a Migraine attack. Did you download the trigger workbook at the end of the article? It has a more indepth food list than the article touches on. 

I know this isn't the answer you are looking for, I'm sorry. Triggers are tricky. There are more to them then just food too. Weather changes are big triggers for some people, myself included. Dehydration and interruption in sleeping patterns can be Migraine triggers too. When you add up a glass of soy milk (potential trigger) drastic weather changes and oversleeping, now you have a fabulous receipe for a Migraine attack. Does that make sense? We have a video that you may want to take a look at; Migraine Video: Identifying Your Triggers.

Again, let me know if I can be more helpful.

Nancy

That's why can be more than just food triggering a Migraine attack.  

Thanks, Nancy.

I appreciate your reply. And truly understand that "triggers" are different for everyone, even with the same disease. It's exactly the same with Inflammatory Bowel Disease - food isn't a trigger for my dad, who has it as well, but many, many foods are a trigger for me, as well as those environmental factors you mentioned.

I was actually looking for more guidance in the Elimination of food process, as that is the most important phase, to rid your body of the potential triggers. But no worries, I'm not eating any of the foods I mentioned and we'll see what happens during the add-back process.

You have been helpful and I appreciate your time with this.

Best,

Elizabeth  

Hi again,

Forgive me for being blunt, but we may differ on an elimination diet being the most important phase of figuring out your Migraine triggers.  Especially with your family history of Migraine I would think a Migraine diary that includes food and non-food triggers would be the way to go. 

Also you may want to take a look at this article if I didn't give it to you already

Abdominal Migraine - The Basics.

Keep me posted on how you are feeling, ok?

Nancy

Hi Nancy,

I've offended you, and apologize as I had no intention of doing so.

When it comes to Elimination diets I come at them from an Inflammatory Bowel Disease focus. And in IBD, it is doing a very strict Elim. Diet first that is the most important and informative phase of figuring out how to manage the IBD. Environmental triggers come second.

So, I agree with you that when it comes to migraines, environmental and food are on an equal playing field. Personally, I'd prefer that my causes be more environemental, as my diet is already very limited and many of the potential trigger foods for migraine have been staples in my IBD diet. And with that in mind, I was just trying to make sure that I wasn't sneaking in a potential trigger food during my elimination period.

I realize better than most that this is a process, and in my case it will be a harder one in that the vestibular nerve damage I have can cause some of the same symptoms as the silent migraine. So, trying to figure out what is causing what will be a challenge, which is why I suppose I'm mainly focusing first on what I know - the Elim. diet.

Your support and concern is much appreciated. And again, apologies for any offense. It was not meant.

Cheers,

Elizabeth 

Oh Elizabeth, you didn't offend me, sometimes I get a bit "carried away" with my suggestions and I think I come off a bit too strong. My turn to apologize. I really just want your pain to go away . If I had a magic wand I'd be waving it all day!

It's just that for me, I was caught up for so many years trying to find one answer to my head and neck pain. Like you, I have a complicated health history and have come to realize there is no one trigger for my Migraine pain. One day it could be my Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is "acting up." Another day my cervical spine may be the issue, yet another day - or even better the same day - it could be one of my "autoimmune" issues. All these things can trigger a Migraine for me. And God forbid I chop a fresh onion, then I am doomed for an instant Migraine. I do understand your desire to figure out what would help decrease your Migraine pain. 

Are there more foods than the ones you mentioned (nuts, soy milk and goat's cheese and grocery store bread) of specific concern to you? I did a little digging on the bread and depending on what kind of bread from the store we are talking about, it may not trigger some people because it has been "watered" down so to speak. This type of store bread is not full of "good" things for you, rather, contains preservatives, Now these may or may not trigger some folks. Yeast may be one issue of the bread conundrum. Nuts, I think it is a hit or miss for each person :(.  As far as soy milk goes, you may have to take it out of your diet for two weeks then add it in slowly and see  where your  head is. 

If it helps, I am here to help, and not offended in the least

Nancy