From a young age I experienced migraines. This forced me to learn that too much sun, not eating properly, not enough sleep, stress and crying could set off a migraine.
Migraines caused my young self to be aware of the little things that can set off a migraine and until recently I honestly have a pretty great handle on them. What changed? I really can’t say. My assumption is that I have an allergy to dairy and/or gluten. In the mornings I would get an aura after having my morning tea and peanut butter on toast. I was aghast because I was following “the rules” and I was getting migraines. WHY?! This is what got my anxiety rolling. So much ruminating and trial and error came from these migraines. I had to fix it; prevent myself from this daily suffering.
Because I am in “fix it mode” I have such an unhealthy relationship with my anxiety right now. I am SO UNCOMFORTABLE with my anxiety and auras that I will do anything to prevent them. Which my assumption is, actually increases the anxiety. Everything I put in my mouth (eat) makes me anxious because I have no idea what will come from it “will i need to be close to a bathroom”? “Will I get an aura/migraine and have to go to bed”? Bleh. These thoughts overwhelm me all.day.long.
How do I get myself out of this loop?! I need to change my thought patterns.
I don’t even know what to think to be able to change my thought patters. I feel really stuck. HELP!
Right now I’m scared that since I have been awake since 4AM on only 5 hours of sleep that I will get a headache during the middle of the day or worse, be unable to control my emotions. I also worry that I won’t have time for a nap or that the nap will make me feel even worse. All this thinking is overwhelming me!
The truth is that I have no idea what will happen – I can only assume based on past experiences. I would really like to stop assuming and “just be”. Another thing: I need much better falling asleep habits. I was doing so well with using my calm app and meditating before going to sleep. That flew out the window and i need to get back into it! Now it’s like I have too many thoughts and ideas before I even can consider meditating 🙁
I’m in a little bit of a tough spot with my anxiety at the moment; I really feel like I am walking on eggshells all day long! I would love any ideas or helpful tips! Thanks <3
Hey there!! Wish I could wave my magic wand for you!
One thing that may or may not help, but it helped break me out of some pretty bad anxiety about a week and a half ago … there’s a guided meditation on the Insight Timer app – called “Detach from Overthinking: Healing & Cleansing Negative Energy” by Kenneth Soares. It’s 25 min long … which sounds nuts, but it literally did not feel that long and most importantly … it really kinda broke me out of my spin cycle. And I found myself wishing it was longer. Did it 2 days in a row. By day 3 I felt great. So just did a timed meditation. Next day nervous and nauseous again. So I did the same guided meditation again for a couple more days and it helped. Anyway, part of his analogies are a little “not what I would pick,” but some are really awesome and overall it’s really calming.
What’s really impressive, is I had my husband try it when he was stressed (and he generally doesn’t like guided meditations that much)… but he had the same responses I did… actually felt like it went by really quickly, left him way calmer and he kinda wished it was longer. So, anyway… that was a really long way to say, hey maybe this guided meditation I used will help. (#facepalm). But hey, maybe it will… ❤️
Thanks so much for sharing! I will give it a try and let you know what i think <3
This is so great! I will definitely sign up 🙂 I have never heard about neurons de-polarising and mood being a link. Migraine prophylactics are also new to me. Thanks so much for sharing all this!
I´ve had aura migraines since I was ten years old, and am still having them (I´m 37 now). So that´s a lot of years filled with exactly the kind of anxiety and worries you´re describing here. I´ve tried a million things, but still I can´t seem to get a grip on those migraines. It´s extremely frustrating. I´m trying just to let it go, and accept my life the way it is.
The one book I read that was more helpful than others is: “The Migraine Brain” by Carolyn Bernstein. Not that I´m here to make publicity, but it helped me to understand my migraines better, and maybe it can be helpful to you.
And something that might also help: the knowledge that you´re not alone. there are other people who understand what you´re going through. And this is a really tough thing to deal with, but you´ll see that because of it, you´ll be better able to deal with stuff that´s problematic for other people. Simply because you´ve had to deal with aura migraines. That´s a real tough training, you know.
Wishing you lots of courage.
Thank you so much for sharing, Kathleen! I will definitely check out that book!
Have you ever tried removing gluten or dairy from your diet? I have noticed HUGE changes since removing both. I no longer have the auras!!
Really? Wow, I´m so happy that worked out for you!! You´re the first one I´ve heard of that got rid of auras that way!
Actually, I started a gluten-fee diet almost three weeks ago, and I did feel an immediate increase in energy, less fatigue in my bones. But I´ve had two aura-migraines since, so unfortuately it doesn´t seem to have an effect on that… And I tried cutting milk a few years ago, but that seemed to only make the migraines more frequent.
I think in my case stress and lack of sleep are important triggers, and they´re really hard to get a grip on sometimes…
Yes, definitely! Do you find that exercise and meditation help?
I´ve tried meditation several times, but I haven´t been able to install it as a daily habit. I should really get onto that track again…
As for exercise: I treid Pilates and swimming but it just made my back pain worse. I do cycle and walk a lot. But no clear correlation with less migraines.
Do you meditate, and does that help? And have you found some kind of exercise that works for you?
How is your posture? Does your neck hang out over your body? I tried improving that one thing and it’s helped so much! The migraines were wicked at first because of the adjustment but then it was great!
Meditating really does help! When I am getting a migraine I take a bath and meditate. Sometimes I am actually able to get rid of it that way! Especially when it is muscle related
Sounds like you get a good amount of exercise! I grew up exercising so I’m very used to it! I play ringette, go for walks, yoga, elliptical, bike ride, I want to start swimming (even bought a bathing suit, goggles and cap), I enjoy hiking, kayaking. I am not good at sticking to a certain kind of exercise but I try and do one thing everyday
You do sound very active 🙂 That´s so nice!
I´ve always had trouble with my necka nd shoulders, and since I´ve found a very good fysiotherapist, her treatments actually seem to cause migraines… But I suppose it´s from tyhe adjustment, of loosening muscles that have been so tight for so long. Although chiropraxie never had that effect. Last week the fysiotherapist said something about posture too, so now I´m looking into that. Keeping my shoulders straight, been trying some yoga again… That might actually help, I think. I do notice some relief afterwards, sometimes.
I just read on your blog that you want to become a coach? Seems like a beautiful career, helping people 🙂 Good luck! I might check out some of your videos later too, but first have to take he little one to bed 😉