What has helped my migraines

I am writing about my experience with what has reduced my migraines to help others who are living with migraine. Obviously my experience does not replace the advise of a medical expert. What I am suggesting has been suggested by a neurologist and you can run it by your doctor. 

Back in May I was having migraines that went for days. Migraine with aura. Migraine with pain. Migraine with nausea. I was scared due to severe pain and increased visual symptoms. 

Living in a darkened, quiet room did not help. Lying down actually increased the aura.

My Dr gave me anti inflammatory meds and anti nausea meds that gave some relief from a week of constant migraines. He also referred me to a neurology clinic. 

I have VSS which is a neurological condition that causes many visual symptoms. Both my GP and the 2 neurologists I saw, at the clinic, said the symptoms I was experiencing were not connected to VSS. They said it was migraine with aura. They prescribed strong medications. I am not good with most medications as I get side effects. 

I then discovered 3 vitamin/minerals that help migraines. I am not sure why we are not told about this but they have really helped me and have not had a migraine for 2 months. I was having migraines weekly. 

It is actually written on the B2 bottle and the Tri-magnesium citrate bottle that they help prevent migraine. "To reduce duration of mild migraine...", "helps reduce the duration and occurence of headache symptoms associated with migraine...". I would not call the migraines I was experiencing mild but taking these 3 different vitamin/mineral supplements has stopped me from having any migraine for 2 months. They started providing me relief after just 3 days of taking them.  

The key to trying supplements for me was to use the medications prescribed by my doctor first to get rid of the migraines and then use the supplements as a preventative. ‘Strong medications would be used for acute migraine attacks,’ says Dr Sam Chong, a consultant neurologist at King’s College Hospital. ‘But when it comes to long-term prevention, a holistic approach can be effective.’

HERE IS MY PROTOCOL FOR PREVENTING MIGRAINES:

CoQ10 - 300 mg total - divided between 2 doses morning and night

Magnesium Citrate - 600 mg total - divided between 2 doses

B2 Riboflavin - 400mg total - 2 110mg tablets in morning and 2 tablets at night.

It was important for me as a person with multiple food intolerances that these supplements had no gluten, sulphites, milk derivatives, yeast, colours or preservatives. As 
I live in Australia the brands that I use may not be available to you. The specialists recommending these supplements are not recommending specific brands but they are recommending specific amounts of each.  If you click on the 3 supplements above you will see my recommended brands for USA. In Australia I use Blackmores CoQ10, Henry Blooms Tri- Magnesium Citrate and Nature's Own B2. 

HERE IS WHERE MY PROTOCOL COMES FROM:

1. The diagnosis and treatment of chronic migraine by Mark W. Weatherall, Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London. Table 1 Preventive headache treatments for chronic migraine.

Supplements
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)	400 mg daily
Magnesium citrate (or taurate)	600 mg daily

2. Dr Chong, consultant neurologist at King’s College Hospital:  Co-Ezyme Q10 reduces the frequency and severity of migraine.   It works in the ‘mitochondria’ of cells where energy is produced so happily, many people report an improvement in their energy levels as well as their headaches.  

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, taken in the morning has also been shown to keep migraines and headaches at bay. A three month Belgian study found that taking vitamin B2 cut headache attacks by over a third.  Try taking about 400 mg of Riboflavin in the morning.

3. British Association for the Study of Headaches (BASH): Reducing the Impact ofMigraine in the Workplace ii) Preventing the attack. When attacks are quite frequent then preventative medication aims to stop the migraine centre from firing. A number of medications can be purchased from health food shops that can be effective in the prevention of migraine although the evidence base is poor compared with prescribed medications. You will need to check with your GP or pharmacist if you are on any other medication for potential drug interactions. 

Riboflavin - 400mg a day 

Magnesium – 600 mg a day in divided doses. 

Co-enzyme Q10 - 100mg 3 times a day 

All medications should be taken for at least eight weeks before a benefit is judged. There is also evidence to support the effectiveness of a course of acupuncture in preventing attacks.

4. The Migraine Trust sites and agrees with No. 3.

HERE IS SOME EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THIS PROTOCOL:

Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial. 

HERE IS SOME EVIDENCE ABOUT THESE VITAMINS/MINERALS:

Magnesium: The best evidence comes from a 1996 study in Cephalalgia of 81 patients who were given either 600 mg of magnesium or a placebo every day for 12 weeks. In the magnesium group, the frequency of attacks was reduced by 41.6 percent.

Coenzyme Q10: This is a substance found in the body that cells use to produce energy needed for growth and maintenance. How it helps prevent migraines is not known, but a small trial published in Neurology in 2005 that compared 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) taken three times daily to placebo showed that CoQ10 reduced migraine frequency in half of those who took it; only 14 percent in the placebo experienced fewer migraines.   A study at Jefferson University found that migraine sufferers who took 150 mg daily could reduce the number of migraine attacks they had each month.

Vitamin B2: Also known as riboflavin, it helps convert food into fuel and helps metabolize fats and protein. It is unknown why B2 helps reduce migraines, but it could be because some people who are deficient in it are more prone to migraine. In a small study in the European Journal of Neurology, 23 people who took daily doses of 400 mg of riboflavin for six months reported half the number of headaches per month—from four to two—and reduced their use of medications. NICE Clinical Guidelines for managing headache state that riboflavin (400mg a day) may be effective in reducing migraine frequency and severity in some people. 1.3.23 Advise people with migraine that riboflavin (400 mg once a day) may be effective in reducing migraine frequency and intensity for some people. 

FINAL WORDS:

If you’re considering taking any new supplements speak to your GP to make sure there are no reasons it may be unsafe for you and that it does not interact with other medications you are taking.

For most people, most supplements are unlikely to cause any harm. If you notice a change in your symptoms or other potential side effects speak to your GP.

As with other preventive treatments for migraine it is likely to take time to see if it is helping (usually 6-8 weeks). It may take up to three months to see the full benefit. The Migraine Trust 2021

Three of the links in this article take you to Amazon. I am an Amazon affiliate which means that I receive a small percentage of any purchase you may make. I am not writing this article to make sales. I am writing it as I have seen so many people online, with both fibromyalgia, VSS and other conditions complaining about ongoing migraines. these supplements taken together is what has helped me prevent my migraines. 

REFERENCES:

American Academy of Neurology: Brain & Life.

British Association for the Study of Headaches (BASH)

The Migraine Trust.

NICE Clinical Guidelines

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