Migraine aura with type 2 diabetes

[TinksMum]

New California US type 2 diabetes lady. Upon reading a few of you mentioning an aura you refer to as a migraine headache aura, please beware of assuming it was migraine or in my case for years an "ocular migrane' or any other migrane like I did for years. I am now in early 70s,diabetes 6% H1c, eat healthily with lean protein and green vegetables. All ok. I've never had a headache in my entire life ever. A year ago at the dinner table in a retirement center I love and live at, I had an aura I usually do when Ihave them of right turquoise and gold octagonal lined with silver spanning my lower left field of vision the arching over it down to right corner. Identical every time since 1996. No pain,, beautiful, but hard to experience with people present. I was at a neurologist office in Dec for sleep apnea Ivehad forbears (neurologists often manage sleep apnea in the usa) I in general first visit questions i mentioned the auras and years etc in passing. He seemed surprised and asked if I'd ever had a Deja Vu etc and yes I have now and then,but not a big deal. He said that most people that have auras without headaches have temporal lobe epilepsy. I was shocked. He sent me to a hospital outpatient for a EEG test. Painless and 35minutes. Sure enough, I have temporal lobe epilepsy. Not the kind like in the movies with convulsions and not related to diabetes or food. Caffeine from coffee or tea affect the brain though. I'm still shocked that other doctors were so clueless about the cause. Please be careful and dont assume auras are from headaches beat to rule out epilepsy. Temporal lobes area contains the hippocampus which is your memory and intellect. Serious stuff.

Thanks California Lady.
Actually my mother did have a mild sort of epilepsy which she described as blackouts which started in 1945 when she worked at the Post Office on the (noisy) telex machines - maybe there is a history of it - although why it should just start now at 62 I'm not sure? If the other tips don't help I may contact my GP - not keen on that at the moment though!!

 

[TinksMum]

It’s not just sodium (table) salts you need but potassium and magnesium. The rehydration sachets have these too. Try and up your intake of these electrolytes on a daily basis and see if that helps.

Any idea where you can get the rehydration sachets from?

 

[Goonergal]

As a former migraine sufferer, @Goonergal might have some advice

I am mostly concerned as migraines have rarely featured in my life

Thanks @Indy51 for the tag
@TinksMum one of those days at work so I’m coming to the thread late.

I had chronic migraines for almost all of my adult life - was treating 6-8 a month on diagnosis (and that was an improvement over matters for the previous few years). They have vanished on a ketogenic diet (it is almost 2 years since my last one). I never had aura, ‘just’ the headache and vomiting. They did get worse when I first started keto, perhaps because of a combination of carb withdrawal, lack of salt and electrolyte depletion so the advice you’ve been given about that above is great.

I have never been able to find a food trigger for migraines. The only sure things I identified prior to them deciding to leave me were lack of sleep and missing a meal. Now neither of these causes them either. In my case it’s clear to me that they were very clearly related to fluctuating blood sugar levels.

I hood you’re able to work a way through this as migraines really are no fun at all.

 

[Robbity]

Think about fattier foods to fill yourself up instead of vegetables - e.g. meat, fish, nuts, dairy....The basis of LCHF/ketogenic eating is that you are replacing energy from carbs with fatty fuels instead.

IMO one of the great benefits of ketogenic/very low carb diets is that our brains - which can become insulin resistant - can function better when fuelled by ketones, and such diets have been used successfully for many years treat epilepsy and are currently being investigated in relation to Alzheimers, so maybe work generally with brain issues - of which I rightly or wrongly consider my migraines to be, which is why I'm inclined to believe that eating LCHF is why I'm currently migraine free.

@Brunneria, my known trigger foods were dark chocolate, red wine, and blue cheese, and very rarely but only slightly prawns. A workmate's rugger playing son used to regularly get migraines at half time, eventually discovered to be caused by the orange slices they were given then! In general, foods containing tyramine are common triggers.

 

[Brunneria]

Any idea where you can get the rehydration sachets from?

I got mine from Boots the Chemist, but we only ever use them for ‘emergencies’ such as when Mr B has been working hard on a hot summers day and become dehydrated.

 

[Bildad]

I was a migraine (without aura) sufferer for 40+ years. I hoped that going keto would stop them but unfortunately it didn't. Itvwas in fact getting worse about 15 to 18 a month. I was put on to topiramate as a preventative but the side effects were as bad as the headaches so I was offered amatryptalene which had different but just as bad side effects. I never managed to find a trigger.
I stopped eating or drinking anything containing any artificial sweeteners. (I used to drink lots of diet Pepsi) I have also stopped drinking cafinated coffee. I have now managed 65 days without a headache of any sort even with the stress of the pandemic.
I am not sure if that is of any help to you but don't give up low carb it helps in so many other ways.

 

[HSSS]

Any idea where you can get the rehydration sachets from?

Or just eat more foods rich in these things or get some simple supplements of potassium and magnesium (oils/creams, baths also an option with magnesium )

 

[MrsA2]

Over 40 years I have come to believe my migraines are caused by a combination of foods, light levels, stress and tiredness...so very very difficult to pin down. When working I regularly had one on Saturday morning, not food related just because it was Saturday
I have also found its not just one occurrence of food trigger but if it is is repeated. For example an orange no problem. An orange a day for 5 days = migraine until I stop the orange. Ditto with dark chocolate one square one day fine, one square every day for 5 days=migraine.
So now eat very varied, trying not to repeat any food within 5 days.
And my migraines have eased with age but can still suddenly get me out of the blue

 

[HSSS]

Over 40 years I have come to believe my migraines are caused by a combination of foods, light levels, stress and tiredness...so very very difficult to pin down. When working I regularly had one on Saturday morning, not food related just because it was Saturday
I have also found its not just one occurrence of food trigger but if it is is repeated. For example an orange no problem. An orange a day for 5 days = migraine until I stop the orange. Ditto with dark chocolate one square one day fine, one square every day for 5 days=migraine.
So now eat very varied, trying not to repeat any food within 5 days.
And my migraines have eased with age but can still suddenly get me out of the blue

A relief from stress (Saturday morning syndrome?) was a trigger for me in younger years, rather than the current pressure from it. The end of coronavirus pandemic should be a doozy if this still holds true.

 

[TinksMum]

Hello Everyone, I was diagnosed in February with a HbA1c score of 50 which is only just diabetic - which was a wake up call (although not sure why as my father developed it in his 70s - I am 62). Anyway I have been following LCHF diet and IF 14 to 16 hours a day, since and have lost about 1.5 stone. I had my first DN meeting in March and am due to be retested in June. I have been doing really well and felt very well but this week I have several days developed a migraine aura - not much of a headache with it and providing I drink plenty of water it usually wears off. I am just a little concerned that perhaps I am overdoing it. I am reluctant to ask for advice from my GP/DN as they will probably just tell me to eat more carbs! I have ordered a BSmeter but it has not yet arrived. I do naturally have a relatively low blood pressure so it may be that it is v low. I am still keen to lose weight so am only probably eating about 1000 calories a day. I am trying not to snack either to keep my insulin levels low. Does anyone have similar symptoms - do you think I should eat extra protein to up my calories or do you think it will pass? I am losely following Michael Moseley's 800 Fast diet but as I say I probably eat nearer 1000+ calories at the moment. My husband cooks superb food for me - mostly without carbs - he does sometimes thicken sauces with a bit of flour but I feel a tbsp flour split 4 ways is not going to hurt me. Other than this I am fit and well - certainly not showing any COVID symptoms.

Hi Everyone
Just a quick update - I have increased both my salt and fat intake and am feeling great. My meter arrived and I am at lowest 5.2 (fasting) and highest 6.8 (two hours after dinner) so think I am well in the non-diabetic zone - and I am still losing weight, and thankfully the auras have not returned and I am feeling so well. Just have to carry on what I am doing now for the rest of my life - but I have to say that it is so easy now I am into it. Thanks for all the help and advice - great website!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Off topic slightly - but someone recently posted a link to a recipe for "keto" pecan cookies -

OT again... Took me a long time to gather the courage to try out the new oven, but...

 

[Goonergal]

Posting back here as something else dawned on me this morning. One thing sometimes implicated in migraines is magnesium deficiency. Also common for those with type2 (among other things). I’ve been supplementing magnesium for some time (not quite since diagnosis, but a while), mainly to deal with cramps, but wonder whether this is an important part of having solved the migraine problem along with keto. Just a thought @MrsA2 and @JoKalsbeek thinking of you two in particular.

 

[TinksMum]

Posting back here as something else dawned on me this morning. One thing sometimes implicated in migraines is magnesium deficiency. Also common for those with type2 (among other things). I’ve been supplementing magnesium for some time (not quite since diagnosis, but a while), mainly to deal with cramps, but wonder whether this is an important part of having solved the migraine problem along with keto. Just a thought @MrsA2 and @JoKalsbeek thinking of you two in particular.

Thanks @Goonergal

I do take magnesium citrate regularly. I think it must have been a mild version of Keto flu. I am now happily established with Lchf and have lost 4stone in weight and my latest HbA1c is 39. I no longer get any migraines/headaches but make sure I keep my electrolytes up-particularly when I do a longer fast.

Really love this way of life and great advice on this forum. Thanks for all your help.

 

[MrsA2]

thanks @Goonergal I do take it occasionally but will try it regularly for a while

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Posting back here as something else dawned on me this morning. One thing sometimes implicated in migraines is magnesium deficiency. Also common for those with type2 (among other things). I’ve been supplementing magnesium for some time (not quite since diagnosis, but a while), mainly to deal with cramps, but wonder whether this is an important part of having solved the migraine problem along with keto. Just a thought @MrsA2 and @JoKalsbeek thinking of you two in particular.

I've started the magnesium citrate a few days ago. So far, so good. It actually stopped a developing migraine in its tracks. Thank you. <3

 

[Goonergal]

I've started the magnesium citrate a few days ago. So far, so good. It actually stopped a developing migraine in its tracks. Thank you. <3

Let’s hope that continues!