I get regular hormonal migraines too, and find one thing that I have to ensure is that I keep my blood sugar levels from spiking and plummeting too much. If I miss meals it can trigger a migraine. Also getting dehydrated can be a trigger for me. Maybe something to keep an eye on while you are trying to lose weight (well done on that, by the way, and also the cycling - go you!)


I'm happy to join you on your healthy and migraine-free quest, I could do with some of that myself! Count me in....

Thanks, Blondeheadon!

I'm really careful about eating regularly and keeping hydrated as that's a trigger for me too. Can't do the 5:2 for that reason. It didn't half trigger migraines when I tried it. Hoping to do the blood sugar diet - perhaps not completely carb free but definitely eating less carbs. I love potatoes so was thinking cutting back to potatoes twice a week would be good.

If you haven't already, ask around your family about migraines. You might find a relative who has suggestions of things that worked for her. At least in my family many of us have similar triggers.

No-one in the family has them.

I have found that two things are likely to bring along my migraine cluster attack (dehydration and getting over tired). Once I realised, dehydration was ease to manage but events can make over tiredness more difficult to avoid.
One thing I think helps is as soon as I'm heading into over tiredness area, I take some paracetamol. Doesn't always work but I do believe it's kept a few away.

I think I'm just at the end of a three day cluster attack, fortunately I'm down to just a few attacks a year and that's bad enough so feel for you going thru it daily.

I can't take paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen unfortunately due to a liver condition.

I can't get tired either but ironically too much sleep triggers it too.

I agree with the too much sleep trigger, as well as not enough - also sleep at different times triggers a migraine too. I always get a migraine after the clock go back in the Autumn, it jiggers my body clock. However I am fine when the clocks go forward in Spring for some reason.

I take Maxalt Melts for my migraines, but I also have a very strange but cheap and works for me 'medication' when I have an attack.... an Aldi Belgian Bun! One of these eaten with a cup of tea can stop a migraine developing too far, or I cut one up and nibble on it through the day when I have a migraine but no longer feel nauseous. I have no idea why the bun works so well, it is just the perfect combination of stodge and sweetness for me. I have discovered that the buns freeze well, so I always keep several in the freezer for migraine days. I can't stand the things the rest of the time, it's just all I crave when the dreaded M strikes....!

I've tried other makes of Belgian Buns by the way, and none work as well as the Aldi ones. I have no idea why.

I also have no idea whether this will help anybody else, but the buns are about £1.00 for a pack of 2, so not expensive to try.

I suffer from cluster headaches and have around 8 attackes a day when on cluster persiod so i feel your pain (literally lol)..


I presume you have sumitriptan tablets or nasal spray to use ? (I have the injectable version)


On the natural remedy side of things, you might also want to try ginger - 1 teaspoon in a bit of water chugged down always seems to help a bit (you might want a nicer way to ingest it)

That made me laugh! Thank you! They should organise clinical trials of Belgian buns!!! I will try them!

Got my iron tablets yesterday. Hubby said the ones for £1 in wilko weren't the right ones or strong enough so he told the pharmacist in Boots what I needed. £7!!!! If they work, I will ask the GP to prescribe them as I have a prescription prepayment certificate.

I used to find maxalt worked and sumatriptan too but now they just delay my migraines. Got zomatriptan now instead but I have heard that triptans can cause heart attacks. I read that there's been a clinical trial where people took.a quarter of a teaspoon of dried ginger at the start of a migraine and it was as effective as triptans. Will try that next time. Have now got cyclizine injections at home too which have always helped me before but it was a pain traipsing to the hospital for one.

Anyway, maybe the iron tablets will mean there isn't a next time!

I was typing my reply as you were writing yours!!! Great minds think alike!

I almost want my next migraine as I feel quite hopeful about ginger. Used to drink ginger and green tea during migraines which seemed to help but it makes me nauseous now.

My prevention tips are to remain hydrated and don't get too tired or too hot.


My non-medicinal treatment options are a single coffee or can of (diet) coke. I guess it is the caffeine that helps.

Belgian buns made me laugh too, unfortunately not an Aldi store near,

I find caffeine helps as well, and use the (single) coffee and/or diet coke option during a migraine. I drink tea during the day, which also helps.

I find chocolate can be good too, which is a bit bizarre as this is a trigger for some people.

Another stand-by for me when I am feeling really nauseous with a migraine is 'sucky sweets', my favourite being the mints 'Reflets de France Pastille Mineral Sweets' which are available from Waitrose/Ocado. I also use these to take away the horrible taste of the Maxalt Melts. They can really calm my stomach.

I eat healthily the rest of the time, honestly!

Weirdly I LOVE the taste of Maxalt melts.

Can't have coffee or tea when I get a migraine. The first sign is often me throwing up my morning cuppa.

Have noticed the last few days that I have a headache when I wake which goes with my first cup of coffee. Not sure if I'm just thirsty or if I need the caffeine. It's only instant coffee so not much caffeine. I have to wake up in the night to take tablets for a different medical condition so going to start drinking a full glass of water when I do that to see if it helps.

I once met a man through work who had had migraines. He reckoned he no longer got them and said he had found ten things, each of which helped by 10% when he started with a migraine. One was caffeine, another was a bag of ready salted crisps (the salt helped absorb water apparently and the carbs from the crisps helped too), another was a pint of water and another a shot of vodka (he reckoned blood vessels dilate or something with alcohol!) I can't remember the other things. I am just going to try ginger for now.

Hubby said yesterday that I am like a different person the last two months as I am much more laid back and relaxed. We moved house and now feel settled and we're living somewhere very quiet so don't have neighbour hassles or anything that could worry me. I gave up work too so that's less stress. I wonder if that will help.

Saturday is my due day for a migraine. It has been every four weeks for a few months, to the day. So curious to see if it will happen.

Have you tried any Triptans?

I used to take propanolol. Worked well for me for a few years until I got a dry throaty cough every 5 mins (apparently a side effect). Stopped the medication and cough went away.
Presumably as your hubby is a medical professional you've discussed such options?

I am now using this product and it appears to have stopped my migraines (monthly so I believe hormonal).
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057RKQ1E/?coliid=I3RULRL9WPWYW1&colid=1H57N0SMVKJWE&psc=0&r ef_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

No - I do not sell this product.
I have considered whether it's a placebo but it works on babies and I never expected it to work and I'm not a strong believer in aromathoerpy or alternative therapies in general (but it's working).
If it relieves me of horrible suffereing then in one sense I don't care why/how it works (but I'm curious).
I also tried some medication (amytriptyline) which did nothing and I would have a stronger psycchological bias towards medication so I don't believe it's working as a placebo (other people also say it works).

Obviously I can't guarantee it would work for you but it might be worth a try?
Can get it from ebay/amazon but be careful which country you're buying if from if you don't want the chance of customs charges as it's not generally sold in UK only US, so ebay/amazon sellers might be from US. Several will ship to Argos.
I am really glad I tried it am I'm curious about how smells work (methol in this case).

Triptans mentioned several times in earlier posts. Maxalt is rizatriptan.

I am off them due to side effects. Though we have a few in.

Tried propanolol and another beta blocker. No effect.

Amytriptaline was brilliant for six months. I loved it. Then the effects wore off. I would love to try it again but the consultant for my other condition has banned it.

Weirdly I use menthol type things too. Either 4head or a cheap version from poundland or tiger balm. They ease the pain. So do ice packs and conversely hot water bottles.

There used to be a lovely one that was a mix of peppermint and lavendar and very natural and that worked too but the company was bought out. Am hoping they'll make it again.

I am using it as a preventative, not as relief.
I have avoided 2 monthly migraines so far.