Anyone done an elimination diet?

Just wondering if anyone has ever tried the so called "elimination diet" and if so, how they did it? I have been a sufferer for over 20 years, get migraines almost everyday, hospitalized numerous times, no longer work, been on more medicine than I have fingers or toes, and treat with some of the top migraine specialists in the world (or so they say). Today, I was in the ER for 6 hours and the ER doctor (NOT a migraine specialist, mind you) recommended the elimination diet and said he had seen it work for 2 people "like me." At this stage, I am willing to give anything a try. Anyone done this? Any success?

Thanks so much!!!

hi, I've been on an elimination diet since the beginning of November with some success

I am not cured, far from it, but I've managed to reduce the amount of triptans I was needing to take from 10-12 a month at my worst to only 1 or 2 a month. I've also identified some new triggers which has been a big help.

I have known for a long time that certain foods are triggers for me but until now did not follow an elimination diet seriously enough or for long enough. Firstly I cut out all already known triggers. For me this was chocolate, alchohol and anything containing nitrates (bacon, hotdogs, corned beef, ham, ect). I started out eating very basic (and boring ) foods. Keeping everything as fresh as possible and adding nothing to my food, no sauces, pickles ect. I cut out everything containing aspartame including yoghurt as I had no idea that most yogurts contained this.

Basically I ate everything as natural and fresh as I could for the first few weeks. I had no migraines in this time, so that was a big success. Over christmas it went horribly wrong as I went to stay with family and got an immediate migraine from the foods I was eating there, chocolate, baileys and brazil nuts. After christmas I went back to eating properly and the migraines subsided again only to reappear when again I ate nuts and the M soon followed. On another occasion I got a very bad migraine after eating cream, since both cream and nuts contain large quantities of tyramines I have now also eliminated any food that are high in this.

Since food isn't my only trigger I am still getting headaches but nothing the severity of before and most headaches are relieved by 4head (not sure what this is called outside of the UK) or ibuprofen.

The downside of an elimination diet is you have to suffer the migraine in order to identify your triggers but since I was already getting one migraine after another anything it really didn't matter!

I had no idea that food could have such a negative effect on your body if you are senstive to certain food types. I would very much recommend trying an elimination diet it certainly has helped me

Jul

p.s I've done hours and hours of research on the internet regarding food triggers and migraine to try and identify the problem foods. Many are unknown to most people, I had no idea that berries for example are risky food, as are nuts and any food that has been 'ripened'. This includes food that has been leftover in your fridge for a few days, the older the food, the more tyramines it contains. For these reason I have also stopped eating fruit as most fruit contains high levels of tyramines if eaten ripe.

Thank you so much for the reply! I'm so glad that it helped you as much as it did. So, were you eating primarily fruits, veggies, organic meat, and organic dairy? I'm not really sure how to do it, but want to do it right. Thanks for the help!

well at the start I limited my diet severely, as I also have IBS and am very fibre intolerant I can't eat fruit and many vegetables anyway so my options were already extremely limited!

Basically for the first few weeks I stuck to plain rice (thank god for rice krispies), poultry, fish, potatoes, milk, pasta but be careful of any sauces, I make mine from scratch now. I avoid fruit entirely since so many contain tyramines. I also eat bread in moderation, butter seems fine, olive oil and vegetable oil also seem ok. As for veggies I seem to be ok with tomatoes, green beans, peas but so far thats all I've tested.

I've been sticking to this for months occasionally adding something new to see what happens. The triggers I've discovered so far are cream, nuts and yoghurt all of which I was eating regularly before I started this.

Obviously I still have to be very careful with my external triggers, i.e paint, perfume, bright lights and I get a monster migraine if I sit with my neck at a funny angle angle for too long but the food triggers if identifed can make a big difference in the frequency of my migraines

I really hope this helps you, the link below is a page I refer to often as a guide to foods that often trigger migraine

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/vf/healthnotes/hn_live_uk/Diet/Tyramine_Free_Diet.htm#Introductory

An elimination diet is more specific than any medical test, and worth a try. Check out the Low Tyramine diet from the National Headache Foundation. I would add the link, but I am a new member, so I can't. It's a good starting point, but remember everyone is different. As an example, I can eat most of these foods without having a migraine, unless it's my period time :-). I think gluten is a major culprit in many health problems, so you may want to take a look at the wheat in your diet as well. To do an elimination diet, eliminate foods you think might be causing a problem for at least two weeks, longer if you can. Then add them back one at a time, like introducing new foods to a baby. Pay attention and track how you feel. Many people can go back to an offending food several months later, as long as it's in small amounts once they have "cleaned the slate" so to speak. Good luck!

just wanted to agree that 2 weeks is needed as minimum to really notice any change or improvement. In my first week of this diet I was in a constant migraine and began to think I was making myself worse but after I got rid of that migraine i didn't get another for 6 weeks....which is unheard of for me in 23 years.

Everyone is different, and this isn't complete cure, I will always have migraine but at least I now know how to reduce the frequency by avoiding these food triggers.

Jul

My neurologist recommended I try to do a full elimination diet to discover my triggers. His argument was that since I was close to being disabled by my migraines and none of the medications tried had worked, I needed to do something. But the problem is, it could take YEARS to do the full elimination diet.

I was suppose to start with a diet of: rice, some types of fish (salmon, mostly), chicken, some types of vegetables (no tomatoes or potatoes, for instance). Low inflammatory foods. Stay on this for 3-4 weeks and see if my migraines went down significantly. If they did, I was suppose to reintroduce a new class of food every couple of weeks. Cheese would have requried about a month as I was suppose to reintroduce yogurt and soft cheeses for two weeks then hard cheeses for two weeks.

Instead, I did the quick version - I eliminated all foods that are thought to be common migraine triggers - nuts, hard cheeses, alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, cured meats, ... about 20 foods altogether. I stayed on this for three weeks and did notice SOME reduction in my migraines, but they did not go away. I then reintroduced the possible trigger foods, one class every one-two weeks.


Because it was only eliminating SOME foods, not nearly ALL foods, it wasn't hard to follow. I did have to be VERY careful eating out, though.

The whole thing took about 1/2 year. I was underwhelmed with the response I got with the diet. At best, I found my migraines went down maybe 10-15 %.

I did discover some interesting things. I was OK with caffeine in moderation, but found that some cured meats could trigger a migraine. And I already knew before the diet that some hard cheeses and wines were triggers.

In my case, I did not find a huge difference in my migraines with or without the triggers, other than the cured meats, which would pretty much set off a migraine right away. And even there, they acted as triggers, only. Eliminating them did not significantly change the overall frequency or severity of my migraines, just when I got them.

But to this day I cannot eat most cured meats as the idea of eating something that will give me a migraine makes me feel physically ill.

I use to get ill just thinking about drinking red wine, too, and a few other trigger foods. But I eventually got over my phobia after being on a good prohyylaxis for a few years that significantly reduced my migraines.

Not to discourage anyone, but elimination diets can sometimes be more trouble than they are worth. I was pulling my hair out doing a very restictive diet when my migraines first became chronic 5 years ago, and this is while already not touching any nitrites (vegetarian), eating all organic, and nothing artificial or processed.

My migraine specialist told me specifically that for most migrainuers, food triggers are overrated as a trigger. That is not to say that food does not trigger migraines - it can and does. For me it is for certain walnuts and bananas, and I learned that I will get a migraine soon after eating them.

The neurologist could see that I was struggling with what to eat having such a limited diet, since the diets are extremely limiting, and I wasn't getting any clear answers. She encouraged me to just continue to eat my already healthy diet and stop the elimination diet, that it was only adding to my stress. Also, she did stress that contrary to what many say, you will know within 24 hours and most likely sooner if something triggers a migraine.

That said, some folks who have gone gluten-free have found some reduction in migraines and that is worth trying. It is hard, but you don't have to eliminate whole groups of foods that are healthy - only wheat and some grains. It is challenging but I may try that - though not right now. The gluten theory is a bit different from say how tyramine affects migraines, and hence may be beneficial for some.

What ever your try, good luck and try not to stress yourself out over it.... Jane

yes, unfortunately most of us have more than one group of triggers, food being only one of them.

I have been fortunate to achieve good success with an elimination diet, I am glad I tried it as I now am much more aware of my food triggers and have eliminated them completely. My reaction to eating problem foods is almost immeadiate, within 10 mins sometimes and certainly within 30 mins so its been easy for me to identify which foods are the problem. Almost all the foods that trigger me are high in tyramines so educating myself on which foods are high in tyramines as been very beneficial. The internet has been a godsend in my research, I had no idea what cured meats contained such high levels of nitrates for instance and I was eating ham almost daily, no wonder I was so ill!

However.....I am not cured, one of my major migraine triggers is tension in my neck, which feels permanantly stiff and sore no matter what I do. I only have to sit or look at someone in an awkward position for a few moments and I'm ill for days. There is nothing I can do about this except be aware at all times.

I read a good description on the internet once about the relationship between triggers and migraine. It was referred to as the 'bathtub theory' where each of a migraine sufferers triggers will raise the water in the bathtub a small amount. Some triggers only a tiny amount, other triggers raise the water level a huge amount (alcohol for me for example). If you expose yourself to 3 or 4 of your triggers over a few days the bathtub overflows and you get your migraine. This explains why sometimes you can have something that you know may trigger you and be ok, other times you are ill with minutes.

Hope that makes sense, I often joke now and say....oh bugger it I've gone over the top of the bathtub LOL

Jul
x

Do stretches help your neck?

I've done the elimination diet thing, several times & several ways, the only thing I discovered as a trigger was aspartame & that was by accident, not from the diet.

I notice tyramine is a real buzz word right now in the world of migraine prevention, been there, done that, didn't work for me, but I know some who have benefited from staying away from it, though it can be hard to do...tyramine is a naturally forming chemical that is formed when food ages, like in cheeses like cheddar and in meat and when food's been in your fridge too long, you can/will NOT find tyramine on a food label.

Another thing about elimination diets is that, often the things that trigger migraines don't act alone. It's not just the caffeine, for example, but the caffeine you had in the morning coupled with the pork you had at dinner, but if on the elimination diet, you'd probably never figure that out...

JUL--

Have you tried a chiropractor? I also have a problem with a perpectually stiff neck. I went to a chiropractor & discovered that I have whiplash & several pinched nerves in my neck! I have been seeing the chirp for about 2 months now & it has helped the migraines some...

yes stretches do help a little, and generally if I feel my neck getting very tight I do excercises and it relieves it temporarily. I can't say I'm ever pain free from it though but i've had it for so long I'm kinda used to it lol...

about the chiropractor, no I've never been, I'm scared of it being made worse. I had a friend who went for a neck problem and it was a million times worse after it was fiddled with, but would certainly consider it if it got much worse. Some days its ok, but its always much much worse during a migraine, almost like my neck/shoulder muscles are in a spasm. I'm a little confused about whether the neck problem is the cause of my migraine or the migraines are the cause of my neck problems! I never had problems with my neck until the migraines started.

About the tyramine, yes basically if you want to avoid tyramines you have to avoid all food that has 'aged' including leftovers in the fridge. Anything pickled or cured is a nono, ripened fruit ect...

I am most definately tyramine sensitive as I discovered over christmas after eating walnuts and brazil nuts, the migraine from those was so bad I don't ever want to eat another nut in my life !!

Jul, I have the same thoughts, is the chronic headache causing the stiff neck/shoulder or vice versa. I have been trying this type of therapy and it has helped:

http://www.myofascialrelease.com/fascia_massage/public/whatis_myofascial_release.asp

The headache is still with me, but my shoulder muscles are no longer as tight. As for the neck, I still have problems with it, since any treatment of it, will give me a worse headache.

Martin

thanks have bookmarked the link and will look into it.

I also have to be very careful about doing anything to my neck as it will make my headache worse or trigger a migraine. One of the excercises I was recommended was to fully rotate my neck from side to side 10 times and repeat. I got to 3 and started to feel nauseous! this then triggerd a migraine!

I also have to be very careful about the position I am sitting when I use the pc, as hunching my shoulders over even for a few minutes can set me off into a headache I have to make sure my back is relaxed into the back of the chair at all times.

Jul

Jul, the therapy that I mentioned has given greater neck rotation. However, if a chiro, a trigger point massage therapist, Bowen therapist, or even the Myofascial Release therapist (I mentioned in my previous posting) try to manipulated the SCM (the muscle from the back of the ear to the sternum) and the sub-occipitals (the small muscles that attach the skull to the neck), I also get nauseous and a bad headache for about four or five days.

I also have the same problem sitting in front of my computer.

I should also mention that I take Baclofen, a muscle relaxant) every other day that helps a lot with my muscle problems and, most of the time, I do not wake up in the middle of the night with a splitting headache (what other forum members call a "pillow headache") in the 6-7 level of pain.

Martin

oh I know all about the pillow headache lol.... been there and done that

recently I bought a new bed with a foam mattress, I had previously always had sprung mattress, and what a difference!! the foam is soooo much more comfortable for me, at first it feels hard but I guess after a while it moulds into your body shape, its really helped. I also bought a very thin and very soft pillow, so my head is hardly raised above the level of my body at all, another of my migraine triggers is laying down with a pillow/cushion that is too high.

I've often considered asking my gp for a muscle relaxant. I am kinda stubborn about taking more drugs, I already hate taking the ones I do already, will think about it

Extreme neck positions also give me an instant migraine. I significantly reduced my headaches by buying a car with a rear backing camera. No more starting the day off my craning my neck to back out the driveway. I have to be very careful not to sit in meetings or talk to people with my head turned. Straight on only. If I mess up, it's headache time.

I have been following a vegan eating plan (everything fresh, no meat, no dairy, no eggs) and it has made a significant reduction in my daily migraine pain. I would recommend every person with chronic migraine give it a try! My pain levels are down, and energy is up which is amazing with all the preventive meds I've been prescribed by my headache specialist. I'll try to follow up if anyone has any questions.

Thanks for all of the information! I am going gluten free (which a couple docs suggested in the past), chemical free, and then cutting out the known triggers that you all mentioned. Tonight I had a nice big plate of pasta and tomorrow will have my last pizza b/4 the big change. Again, thanks!

I would agree with a lot of the posters that my biggest trigger is my neck as well. Weird thing is that I go to a headache clinic (Michigan Head Neurological Institute in Detriot) and no one has ever told me to do anything with my neck. I go to a chiro, which by the way, intitially went kicking and screaming b/c I thought they were quacks. I WAS VERY ILL INFORMED!!!! I love my chiro and she has helped me a lot! I was brain washed by my family and the lawyers I worked with: my migraine dr doesn't like that I go to one, but I would recommend her to anyone.

A study on chronic migraines in children showed that 93% of patients could stop their frequent severe migraines on an elimination diet (see first reference). In the study, the patients ate only 4 foods (ex: rice, lamb, apples, and brassica) for a week. If that helped reduce their migraines, they added foods back once a week until their diet was nutritious and socially acceptable. It might be worth a try. There is growing evidence that migraines are an allergic disease.

I learned a while ago that my diet was by far the best way to manage my migraines. I tried an elimination diet. I cut out 7 common allergens from my diet (Milk, Egg, Wheat, Tomato, Beef, Corn, Soy) and got much better. I now eat mainly rice, vegetables, and fish and have almost no migraines and the aura is manageable.


Best,
Steven

References:

Egger, J., et al. "Is migraine food allergy?: a double-blind controlled trial of oligoantigenic diet treatment." The Lancet (1983): 865-869.

Mansfield, Lyndon E., et al. "Food allergy and adult migraine: double-blind and mediator confirmation of an allergic etiology." Annals of allergy (1985): 126.

Monro, Jean, Claudio Carini, and Jonathan Brostoff. "Migraine is a food-allergic disease." The Lancet (1984): 719-721.