Migraine Sufferers, What Are Your Triggers and Does This Bug You...?

I noticed these lights when I moved back to the states 2 years ago. Thankfully, I don't get migraines from them (yet) but they are the MOST annoying thing I've ever seen! It seems to me that many of the car/truck lights are much brighter than they've ever been! So sorry you get migraines from them.

I would assume they are for safety reasons but it makes it appear like some vehicles have their brights on constantly.

I got a migraine once from strobe lights at a concert (daughter actually wanted me to go with her) but that was to be expected. ugh. :/

Good luck & I guess there's no going back, since these car/truck lights are everywhere. :(

I have had them since high school, almost 30 years. Stress is the #1 trigger and when I had periods before my uterine ablation that was a #2. The doctor told me in high school that it was a stress trigger back then. I don't have a problem with many of the other common food triggers.

I have had migraines for 29 years and I would say that I have become more sensitive to things. My triggers are hormones, stress, not enough sleep or food and certain smells (tar, strong perfume/cologne.) My food triggers are chocolate, MSG and anything with nitrates (pepperoni, sausage, etc.) I would say hormones is the biggest though since I had NO migraines during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of both my pregnancies no matter what I ate, smelled, etc. I have been on many medications and even had the migraine surgery, but they continue. If you have not seen a dr. about them, I think you should just to rule anything else out.

Mine are certain smells. Like yesterday I was in the company vehicle and they allow the guys to smoke cigar's in the company vehicle. Ugh my head hurt all day long and the bright sun didn't help much either.

My biggest triggers are smells. Weird, I know. I have been on a regiment of maintenance meds for about 5 years (I call it my "med cocktail" and it has changed my quality of life tremendously--from 12-18 headache days a month to maybe 2 and I know one is usually a hormonal-1st day-of my-period one). I avoid (as per my Neuro's instructions) some of the food triggers like artificial sweeteners in the pink or blue packs..but she said Splenda in the yellow is OK, so I use that for all my hot drinks and to sprinkle on whatever needs it like cereal or oatmeal. Also red wine and dark choc she said to avoid as they are common triggers as well.

But just last week, after what I assumed was a workout related minor injury, I had an MRI of my neck done (not sure now why they never did one as my migraines ALWAYS start at the base of my neck on the left side..always). I found out I have 2 bulging neck disc's. And much of the pain and discomfort (but on a lower level than I am in now) is something I have felt for a few years at least. Now I wonder if this has been in place for a long time? No way of knowing. But I will be dealing with this now and hopeful it can be resolved enough to have a positive impact on my migraines (and lower my med cocktail at some point?)

Best wishes from another lifelong migraine sufferer!

i've had migraines since high school as well but mine are fairly minor - I can usually stop them if i take several extra strength tylenol at first sypmtom (i lose my peripheral vision and cannot read anything at onset) but i have yet to figure out what triggers them...

MSG and estrogen do it to me... Sinus allergies left unchecked will set mine off as well.

I haven't had a problem with those LED lights.

If you've never seen a doctor for your headaches, you should definitely get in. Migraines are no joke and it isn't wise to self-diagnose a neurological issue.

HTH
T.

About 5 years ago I stopped eating msg and all the other 20 ingredients that are pretty much the same thing and my migraines have stopped. I mess up now and then when eating at a restaurant or at someone's house and I instantly get migraine symptoms and a headache that is not as bad as they used to be. I have read that we migraine sufferers have multiple triggers and you need to know what are the triggers for your body. Hormones (certain time of the month) made things worse for me. I can't even tolerate alcohol anymore. Nitrates in meats. Sulfides in things like dried fruit. I avoid all this. It is like I just got more and more sensitive to things as I got older. Here is the website of ingredients: http://www.msgmyth.com/hidden_names.html

It wouldn't hurt to see a doctor.

My triggers are perfume - the worst because I cannot control it, I hate when someone with strong perfume stands too close to me because it always ends up with a migraine.

Scented candles especially the cinnamon and apple scents

Not eating

disturbed sleep

And bright blinking lights like the ones on a tow truck or police car

My triggers are certain smells (cigarette smoke, perfume, tar for roads or roofing), weather changes, emotional stress, dehydration, smog, hunger and loud noises. I have had migraine all my life, including silent migraines that did not get diagnosed until after five years of testing for other neurological problems (MS for example.) I have also started to get cluster headaches. I am very much hoping that once I go through menopause that the migraines will disappear. I would suggest you go to the doctor. I just recently got a prescription for Imitrix and I love it.

It seems uninamous lights are a big trigger, and yes you should go see a doctor. The meds while they never personally worked for me seemed to have provided a quality of life for the other writers that you could probably use. My triggers are any type of rocking movements, sleep is a big one too much or too little, loud noises, and smells they set it off my migrane alarm quick fast. Over the years I have found that I have become very sensitive to my triggers and they have progressively gotten worse so for your own sake go see a doctor.

They CAN be a sign of something more serious, but all in all, it can be triggered by food, dehydration, lights, smells, stress, etc. Some friends of ours see our chiropractor for migraines and they have gone away nearly 95%. We all get adjusted just to stay healthy and for the occasiosnal headache, backache, sinusitis, bedwetting, etc. We get great results, but not all chiropractors are created equal.

Stress, msg and nitrates (as found in hot dogs) are my triggers. There is no OTC medication that works for me. Even one of the major prescription brands didn't do anything to help. (Imitrex)

I saw a neurologist after having one for 4 days. He gave me a script for Atenolol. It actually worked. He also said migraine sufferers tend to be low in magnesium, so that might be something to consider as well.

I hope you find relief. Migraines can stop you dead in your tracks and make it impossible to function. :(

As we mature.. Yes, you need to go to a doctor.. I have also suffered with migraines since I was a teen. They became so bad that at one point , I had one for 2 days straight. went to the ER and found out I actually had Spinal meningitis. Felt like the same pain!

Anyway I was getting them multiple times a week. So now I am on beta blockers.. It has changed my life.. Funny thing, I never had one while pregnant.. Total a hormonal thing.

Migraines can have lots of side effects. I have some numbness in one arm. I am clumsy.. these are not things you want to end up with..

I started having migraines after the birth of my first child, 23 years ago. I thought something was wrong with my vision and had just gotten off the phone with the eye doctor when the pain hit. OMG I thought I was going to die! I have the vision problem first and about 10 to 20 minutes later the pain hits. Then I am a puking machine! My triggers are dairy and birth control pills! I was eating yogart like a crazy person and drinking milk as well. I have cut out all dairy. I do eat butter but not much at all. I do not drink milk or eat yogart any more. :( I don't like cheese so I don't have to worry about that. I stopped birth control (any type) and I have been okay. Stress doesn't seem to trigger but I do have a lot of headaches they just don't go into the migraine category. I cannot function with the migraine, it just is impossible. I'm too sick and it affects my vision as well. Last major attack I was half blind. Probably should have gone to the ER. The only way to get rid of it is to go to sleep. I have tried the meds but once we were able to narrow the triggers, I was able to get off of them. Yay!

My triggers are mainly psychological... stress and anticipation. When I have an event with a lot of build-up (eg Christmas, big presentations at work), wham, I get a migraine as soon as it is done. Also just general "piling on" of stress.

Not too many other things will trigger it, I have no issues with lights or scents. But caffeine can affect it (sometimes a diet coke works in a pinch to stave it off when I feel one coming on, other times too much caffeine will bring it on). Lately I notice I get one after drinking margaritas, so I guess i am going to hafta cut out the tequila! Bummer, I love a margarita when i am out to eat mexican. That's as bad as going to the restaurant and not getting to eat the chips and salsa for me.

For all you barfers out there, I was told by my doctor (back when I was diagnosed at 15) that the nausea is purely a byproduct of the anxiety we experience when we have the headache. Back then I was nauseous every time and throwing up at the end of every headache. Once he explained that it was my own anxiety causing the nausea, and not something directly connected to the pain of the headache, I vowed never to get nauseous again. And I never did- it was all a psychological thing for me.

Actually, it really helped to have the doctor explain the process of the migrain to me, I felt it helped me control my headaches. I still get them, but I can actually work thruogh them if I have to. And I can Knock them out in 30 minutes with no meds if I just have a quiet, dark place to lie down. I just have to clear my mind and black myself out.

YES go see a Doctor, it may help you learn to understand and deal with them better.

Awesome question!!!!!

I live with a headache EVERY DAY!! And have for the last 25 years!! Awful believe me I know!

I am on Blockers that work when they want but have cut down on the pain immensly!

Triggers: MSG!!!!! (Found that out the hard way) Scent (mostly floraly type, Sweet) Woman's perfumes (men's don't bother me at all) Certain Candles (I have learned to NOT walk down the candle isle at the store or the laundry isle).

Those seem to be the worst! I have an an awesome list of triggers migraine sufferes should stay away from. If anyone is interested PM me I would be happy to share it. :D

My migraines are also scent, light, heat (too much time in 100+ weather is a no go for me!) and too little sleep.

My worst trigger when I was pregnant was the smell of shoe polish! My husband and I were both in the military and the boots were shined at least once a week. That was the worst 34 weeks of my life, and my husband went so far as to not only shine my boots for me, but shine them outside or in the garage, but as soon as he brought them in. WHAM! Throwing up, seeing spots, no noise please migraines were to follow.

Direct sunlight, even with really dark sunglasses, will set off migraines for me as well. Something about squinting my eyes. And any type of Avon perfume. I have to go pick out my husbands deoderant and body spray otherwise I'm a ticking time bomb.

I used to use wet, cold rags to help but one night my husband put one of those frozen but mushy (still moldable) ice packs in a towel and put in on the back of my neck. I don't know why I never thought of that before, but I could roll over to my back, put it on the pillow without a big wet spot, mold it to the crease of my neck, and fall asleep as it stays cold for HOURS! Besides meds, this is the best thing ever!

Oh, and to actually answer your last questions, yes, as I age they become worse and more frequent. If you are not on preventative meds yet, you should definitely go talk to your doctor. He/she will be able to let you know what is normal and if you should be worried about something worse (for example, my cousin thought he had migraines and he actually had a very agressive tumor). Of course, this is rare, and since you can identify triggers to your headaches this is very likely not a problem for you.

My triggers are estrogen (once a month) and weather changes. When the weather changes my sinuses swell putting pressure on nerve endings from the brain causing migraines. Although they are not technically allergies, I treat the symptoms like allergies and see an allergist. It took me years to diagnose this problem after seeing a neurologist and other specialists. Lights don't cause my migraines, but definitely make it worse if I already have one.