Imagine the sides of your forehead pinching in while pain radiates across your entire face. That’s how Jaidyn’s extreme migraine attacks felt.  And they started when she was just in 4^th grade!

Jaidyn had trouble falling asleep due to the frequency and severity of the migraine attacks. Her ability to focus while at school was significantly impacted – a major barrier to learning.

Managing the symptoms

On days when her migraine attacks were at their worst, the only relief Jaidyn found was when she closed her eyes and laid down in a room with the lights off. Jaidyn also found she could manage the symptoms with cold drinks, an ice pack on the forehead, or a peppermint stick. However, these were not long-term solutions.

Investigating the triggers

Jaidyn and her family decided to visit the doctor, who recommended that they investigate how her diet affected the frequency of her migraine attacks. Jaidyn began omitting certain foods for four weeks at a time to examine their impact on her overall life and performance in school.

The process involved a lot of frustrating trial and error, but over a few months, Jaidyn had cut out eggs, red food colouring and dairy.

Eliminating dairy, in particular, seemed to significantly improve the severity and frequency of Jaidyn’s migraine condition. She felt so much better; she was never tempted to have dairy again.

Food sensitivity test

Although her condition had improved, Jaidyn continued to look for solutions because the attacks had not wholly subsided.

Accompanied by her parents, she visited a food specialist, who administered a food sensitivity test. The test was able to identify many other foods like gluten, soy, tomatoes, and certain types of berries that contributed to migraine attacks. This experience helped Jaidyn realize the vital role of diet in one’s health.

Jaidyn is currently doing well in university and plays sports at a high level. She still experiences migraine on rare occasion, but her diligence and methodical approach to adapting her diet has genuinely paid off. Now that Jaidyn is older and drinks coffee, she has found that coffee is a helpful tool to help with migraine.
           

Finding a path to improvement – patience is key

When I asked Jaidyn what advice she would give to others in a similar position, she said patience is key in finding what works for you.

It may be frustrating for those with migraine caused by food sensitivities to identify the triggers, but being diligent will be rewarding. She hopes that anyone who experiences migraine can find ways to improve their current state.

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