Is It Really a Migraine or Could It Be Something Else?

It sounds an awful lot like celiac. Celiac is an autoimmune disease caused by an intolerance to wheat gluten. Nausea and vomiting are symptoms and the migraines are too. I used to have migraines all the time and a sensitive stomach. I have not had a migraine since I've been on a gluten-free diet (and I had debilitating migraines once a month on average).

Another thing that points to celiac is the fact that the symptoms were gone when you were pregnant. Pregnancy suppresses your immune system so that your body won't reject the fetus (a foreign entity). Since celiac is autoimmune that suppression can make the symptoms subside (puberty can do something similar due to all the hormones and it sounds like that happened for you then, as well).

Celiac is the most highly underdiagnosed genetic disorder in this country. Here's a basic overview from the NIH website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000233.htm
(Noting that nausea and vomiting is one of the top symptoms - both my boys had that one)

And, this one discusses Celiac and Migraines:
http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20030321/mi...
(both my sons had constant headaches and I had migraines)

You can get yourself tested here: www.enterolab.com

Your doc can run blood tests, but they're not as accurate.

Definitely visit a neurologist and get yourself evaluated. I have a friend who has suffered from migraine for years and the trigger was always hormone related. She never got them while she was pregnant, but other than that she could almost always count on getting a migraine when she had her period. My husband also suffers from dibilitating headaches called clusters and once he was properly evaluated by a neurologist he hit upon a treatment that works well for him -- a combination of Imitrex and oxygen.

My 7 year old daughter gets the same headaches. She saw a neurologist at 5 and is going again next month. They have even done 2 CT scans to rule out anything major. Wh also use Phenegrin for the nausea and we are waiting for them to give us a script that will help make the headaches not so painful. (Not much available for a 7 year old) Definately sounds like migraines- which is what my dd has. But as everyone else has suggested you need to see a neurologist. After seeing my daughter go thru these episodes, I can only imagine how you must feel. Good luck to you!

I have had the same thing- for all of my life too. What works for me is Midrin for the migrane and phengrin for the nausea. Visit a neurologist and ask for options. Sorry- I know how this feels, not fun with a little one.

I've been a migraine sufferer since I was in the 2nd grade. I would see a neurologist if you can. For many years I was on daily meds to prevent the migraines, and meds for when I got one. They should also do tests to make sure it isn't anything else. That was the first thing my neurologist did the first time I went when I was 13. I hope you can find some relief soon!

It could be all kinds of things, but you sound so much like my sister that i had to mention what she has just found. She just discovered that she has (and I hope I am spelling it right) A Chiari Malformation. A good neurologist will spot it, so do get checked. It certainly could be more hormonal, but it might be worth looking into. If you need more info. please let me know. Take care, I know what years of suffering can feel like!! ~A.~

Hi J., we are a family of migraines for generations! It sounds like you do have migraines. I've had migraines since I was probably 7. I get nauseous everytime I get a headache, even if it's a little one, and I have no idea why. Our neurologist says it's because that's your body's normal reaction to pain. The thing with migraines is that if you're so sick with them, it's hard to take anything to get rid of it. The best thing for you to do is go see a Neurologist that specializes in headaches. I'm sure there's nothing medically wrong, but it's better to know. You could try going to your GP and getting medicine to get rid of them, they might recommend that you go to a neurologist. I take Phenergan for the nausea, imitrex for the headache once it turns into a migraine and Topamax to prevent them. Also, anacin or BC Powder is the best thing for headaches. Aleve, ibuprofen, tylenol, none of that works for my family. Hope this helps.

Sounds like they are migraines that are triggered by hormonal changes. I've had migraines since puberty but I get them rarely now and I think a big part of that is because I take birth control pills. Have you ever tried taking BCP and see if that helps? I too have nausea & vomiting with my migraines, so my doctor prescribed Imitrex nasal spray because I couldn't keep the Imitrex pill down long enough to have any effect. The only side effect I get from the nasal spray is a nasty taste in the back of my throat, so I always have gum, mints, or hard candy handy to suck on after I take the spray. And, I often continue vomiting for an hour or so even after the pain has gone away; what you describe is not uncommon.

I have also suffered from Migraines since my young age. Over 10 years now. I see my nueroligst for them once a month. I take migraine prevention medication. This works the best. There are many out there to try. Some can cause you to lose weight and other can cause weight gain while others nothing. You will have to try them and find one thats right for you. Then you will need a break throgh med. I take immtrex, but the shot. There is a pill but it works slower. the shot takes 30 seconds. Then I also have pain meds incase of emergancy. The preventatives work great!!! Make an apt with a nureologist though. My migranes come with seziures. This is awful. So good luck.

My trigger was hormone related also. I can't tell how glad I was to get rid of those hormones!!
Do see a neuroligist. They know more about migraines now than when you were 11.

God bless.
A great-grandma
D.

Wow!! I have been suffering from the same thing for the past year. I am not sure but I think I have low potassium and magnesium. Every time I have gone to the doctor I have had a migraine so they just assume that was what was bringing on the nausea and vomiting. But last week I had such bad leg cramps along with the nausea I looked on line and figured it out.
It says migraines are associated with low magnesium. I started eating bananas and drinking orange juice and I feel so much better already. I also got some calcium magnesium and potassium supplements. I had very low energy. I just associated it with running after a 2 yo, working full time and being 42. I go on Friday for a full work up. I hope this helps.