Migraine diet - mistake to cheat?? [also a plea for visual vrt exercises!]

Adrienne H.

Hi Dave,
Unfortunately I can't offer any advice on the migraine diet but I can give you an excellent visual vestibular exercise to do in the meantime. This is the quickest somewhat simpliest exercise which you can do even at your desk while at work. Pick an object or mark to focus both eyes on. Now, keeping both eyes fixed on that object move your head first to the right and then to the left, again keep both of your eyes locked on that object/mark as you turn your head. Try to do 20 of those at a shot with the left and right counting as one. Then left and right as two etc. This exercise really helps me. I can actually feel a blip and then a tug on my eyes when my symptoms are bad. Almost like my eyes are putting up a fight. You can also do the same exercise while standing on one foot (bend leg behind you at knee both knees resting right next to each other or slightly touching) keep your arms crossed over your chest and focus on an object at eye level. This time do a 2 minute set moving your head right to left and then another 2 minute set moving your head up and down. This helps coordinate both your balance and vision at the same time. Good luck...hang in there and next time please at least choose between the pickled chiles OR the wine!!!

adrienne.

Tesss

Hi Dave
I don't knwo anything about the migraine diet, but a dr did tell me that chillies are a stimulant and so has an effect on the body which is not good for dizzyness. I don't eat much hot food so Ive not really tested that myself. She also said that caffeine, chocolate, etc can all cause dizzyness to worsen. Maybe the chillies are the reason for your symtoms today.

I also know that any diet is guaranteed to fail if you don't follow it! I went wheat and dairy free at the start of the year and it was horrendous! But after a couple of months of following this severely I have gradually been able to eat small amounts of wheat and dairy with no problems but only because I stuck to the diet to start with. I really think its worth trying to do this properly, even if just a couple of weeks and see how you feel at the end of that time. You can always have things in moderation later on - it doesn't mean that you will never be able to eat anything again - just not right now.

Good luck with it - so what do you have to cut out?

gloria2936

Hi Dave - I've been searching through my old posts. Sometime ago I posted a bunch of the exercises I am doing (a lot of visual stuff) on the board to Tesss. I can't seem to find it and my head is pounding today. I Know the message to Tesss was after July 26th because that is when I got the exercises. Feel free to search my posts and I'll try again later to see if I can get you the link. - Take care and feel better. I know what headaches are like; I've had a constant one that never went away since January.

Gloria

Tesss

The post was 27th July and called 'Decompensation'. I have a printout here! Sorry I didn't think about the exercises. Its not the first post but a few in, 3rd paragraph down on a post by Gloria to me. There are a number of exercises there.

Wowwwweeee

Hi Dave and all,

I can't believe that you are drinking alcohol - especially if you are dealing with MAV issues. Naughty.

I have been diagnosed with MAV, and did the Diet in it's strictest form. The results after four days was no headache or head symptoms. Of course, starting to feel better meant me going off the diet a little more every day, until I felt as yucky as I usually do.

I am not saying that the Diet works 100%, or that it is for everyone with MAV, but I believe that it sure does help.

I think however, that if you are a true MAV sufferer, but you are only doing the diet "selectively", then you shouldn't be doing it at all - because, really, what's the sense of trying it halfway?

It is recommended that a person go on the Diet completely, and then introduce a desired food that is not on the Diet, to see that particular food affects symptoms. It's a good method to try ruling out trigger foods.

It's a commitment to a lifestyle. If you yo-yo on the Diet, then it wouldn't work for you anyway.

I have found that tomato sauce, onions, and swiss cheese (especially) are quick triggers for me. Alcohol is basically intolerable for me.

I say, go on the Diet in it's strictest form (that includes watching what you drink in all beverages, and staying away from the recommended condiments), and see how you feel after two weeks.

Stop cheating! Ha ha.

Wishing you a nice day.

dizzy_dave

Hi Adrienne,
Thanks very much for your VRT tips. I’ve just been give a date for the physio at the National Hospital so this is great in the meantime. I just want to feel better!!!

Hi Tess
Interesting about the chillies… I do eat a lot of hot spicy food so maybe that’s a mistake.

Hi Gloria,
That’s great – thanks very much for remembering those exercises. How did you find them? Sorry to hear about your headaches… that really sucks. Have you tried the Dr Buccholz book ‘heal your headache’? He really seems to know what he’s talking about.

And finally, Hi Wowwwweeee!
How are you doing? Yep you’re definitely right to tell me off… it is pretty stupid to half do the diet. But that diet is soooo difficult to keep to. I know I have to have will power. After all I’d happily eat nothing but lentils if it would stop me feeling so rubbish all the time! (not that I have anything against lentils of course ) Interesting what you say about alcohol. I’ve always suspected that booze is my biggest trigger – do you think that is pretty normal? Also my symptoms really came on at a time in my life when I was going out a lot and if I’m honest with myself drinking too much. I’d just moved to London, was working, was 23, and probably had too much fun.

So thanks to you all! How is everyone getting on?

Have a great weekend,

Dave

gloria2936

Hi Dave,

No I haven't read that book yet as I've been reading a lot to try and convince myself I can heal from this. I need to sort my anxiety and depression out first and then I am going to look into that book. I don't feel I have migraine with my history and how all this nightmare started. I think my pain is damage to my vesibular nerve that I feel. I've tinkered a little with my diet with some recommendations from my neurotogist but it doesn't really seem to make a difference. I almost never had a headache before my virus/ear infection so I don't food would make a difference for me, but I still plan on reading it and perhaps giving it a try. I'd try anything to make this nightmare go away, but I really think over the next few weeks I am going to try a few things to help me cope a little better.

I got the exercises from my neurotogist and I believe they have really helped my dizziness. I am still having bad vision problems and am hoping that they will eventually disapate. I hope you will find the exercises of some help. Subs had also posted that he use to walk on a dark road 2 miles every night so that he would learn to use his brain to compensate rather than rely on his eyes too much. I've been walking on a track during the day with my eyes closed and may be noticing some slight change in my vision. Subs recovered from this, so I will do everything I find that he has done in hopes that I will recover too.

Good luck and feel better - Gloria