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Migraines & Headaches Community

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

I'm 49 yrs old. At 35 cigarette smoke started my journey with migraines. At 41 it was my...

Posted by quietday

I'm 49 yrs old. At 35 cigarette smoke started my journey with migraines. At 41 it was my birth control pills which I had taken since age 18 with no problems. Also at 41 I noticed a different headache which 8 yrs later my gynecologist suggested it sounded like maybe preservatives in food. My headache doctor, when I was 41 said it is rarely food when I asked him about it. I suffered needlessly for 8 yrs. I now eat only organic foods which solved that problem, but it's very restricting because of no more eating out or at other people's homes. I also get migraines from even slight dehydration, not sleeping enough, caffeine, animal products(even organic, might be tied to my perimenopausal problems), fish, shrimp, paint, magic markers, burning charcoal, scented products. I now use unscented laundry detergent, bath soaps, and cleaning products. I just moved into a new house and started having a headache which it turns out was from the pilot light from the gas fireplace(turned it off, headache went away). Also since it got cold and I closed the windows up for the winter I now have a headache back which I think is from the new carpet. I think this because last week I went shopping for some rugs for my house and ended up later that night with the most awful migraine. I put the rugs in the garage and after 2 days(that's how long my migraines last) my migraine was gone(but not the lesser headache from my carpet). Carpets(rugs) give off toxic gasses when they are new. I now live a quiet life mostly at home because of the smells I encounter in public. Some of the lesser smells just make me sneeze out of control and I have pulled back muscles because of this. I know the things I have to avoid might be excessive but if my story can help someone it's worth telling.
I've tried meds in the past without much help. I've tried daily Verapamil. And, as needed, I've used imitrex pills and shots, Amerge, Zomig, Torodal none of which worked very well, but they did take the pain level down enough so that I didn't feel "suicidal" anymore. Anyone who has had bad migraines knows what I'm talking about. It's a very scary place to be. Now, since I know my migraines will last 48 hours no matter what I do, I will take 2 Motrin(ibuprofen) every 8 hours to stay below the "suicidal" pain level until it is gone.
Sometimes a migraine will show up immediately as with cigarette smoke and sometimes it will show up after a few hours like after an offending chemical(preservative, pesticide) is digested and gets into your bloodstream thus causing the bloodvessels to inflame which causes pain(migraine). Get to know your body and what it is telling you. It takes time but it works. I'm NOT a doctor but I have learned from 14 years of experience with migraines. Check out WebMD and type in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity(MCS). There's no cure but there are things you can do with some awareness. Look for patterns in your migraines. Keep a detailed journal about your activities and also everything you consume. It just might help.View Thread

Posted byquietday

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