Sweetener Sucralose/Splenda – A Migraine Trigger

A case report about a woman whose migraines were being triggered by the artificial sweetener Sucralose/Splenda was published by the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, dept. of neurology.

When the physicians withdrew the sucralose her migraines stopped and when they reintroduced it, they began again.

If you look carefully at the labels of low calorie drinks and foods you will find sucralose in many of them. It is not yet clear if sucralose serves as a trigger for lots of migraine sufferers. Only time will tell.

Interestingly, this woman also reported menstrual migraines that were caused by her birth control pills. When the physicians switched from a fixed estrogen birth control medicine to a triphasic, her menstrual migraines improved significantly.

If you are on birth control pills and feel that they may be contributing to your migraine headaches, speak to your doctor about possibly switching to a different one.

Curt Hendrix B.S. M.S. C.C.N. C.N.S.

New Warning of Botox Dangers

Company Marketing Botox Loses 212 Million Lawsuit Over Side-Effects

Most people are probably familiar with the use of Botox whereby it is injected to reduce frown lines, and reduce muscle stiffness. Other people who suffer with migraines may be familiar with the suggested use of Botox to prevent migraines.

Should you ever decide to use Botox, you should discuss the potential side-effects with your physician.

A jury in Virginia has awarded a man who used injected Botox to reduce stiffness in his fingers, $212 million dollars because it was found that the Botox caused him brain damage.

This implies that the Botox migrated from his fingers to other parts of his body and may have caused an autoimmune reaction. This of course would be of concern to people who have the Botox injected into their foreheads.

For chronic migraine sufferers, the risk and expense of trying Botox should be weighed against proven natural and safe options for migraine prevention.

Curt Hendrix

If you are a chronic migraine sufferer please read the important and useful information at www.migrelief.com

New Dangers of Prescription Migraine Meds

OVER USE OF ANTI-MIGRAINE MEDCIATIONS IS COMMON AND MAY CAUSE PERMANENT PAINFUL CHANGES TO NERVES

We have written about the medical phenomenon referred to as “Medication Over-Use Headache” (MOH) in previous articles.

In patients who over use either Over-The-Counter drugs like aspirin, Excedrin, motrin or prescription drugs like Imitrex, Zomig, Relpax, an increase in the number of migraines experienced every month, occurs. This is also referred to a “rebound headache”.

Now, researchers have found that actual changes in the sensitivity of your nerves to migraine triggers may occur in patients that are over-using their anti-migraine drugs in an attempt to treat their constant pain.

Researchers of the department of pharmacology at the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona, report that, even after discontinuing the over-use of anti-migraine medications, long-lasting effects continue.

These effects include a decreased ability to withstand migraine triggers and therefore and increased pain response to these triggers and significantly increased numbers of migraines and an increase in the painful intensity of each new migraine.

It is becoming very clear, that a lifetime of treating migraine pain with either over-the-counter medications of prescription drugs, is not a permanent solution and in fact, can sometimes make the migraine problem worse.

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

Stopping the migraines before they start, is clearly preferable and healthier. Join the tens of thousands of migraines sufferers who have taken control of their migraines. www.migrelief.com

MigreLief Segment on Lifetime Television June 20th and July 25th

Catch MigreLief’s segment on Lifetime TV!

We just finished shooting a segment about MigreLief on The Balancing Act for Lifetime!

Set your DVR’s now to catch us on June 20th & July 25th 7:00am et/pt!

The Balancing Act, America’s only one-hour morning
show that’s about women, for women and trusted by women.
7-8:00 a.m. daily et/pt

Tim’s Migraine Story – Inspiring!

We consistently receive many wonderful testimonials from MigreLief fans; online, by email, phone calls and “Thank You” letters via the old fashioned U.S. Postal Service.

The positive feedback and touching stories encourage everyone of us, on the MigreLief team at Akeso Health Sciences, to strive harder towards our goal of making a difference and restoring quality of life to migraine sufferers world-wide.

With permission we would like to share a recent testimonial given by the wife of a long-time migraine sufferer.

“TIM’S STORY”

~ My husband has suffered from chronic headache and migraines weekly since he was 18. Trying anything and everything we could think of he has eliminated smoking, alcohol, dairy and caffeine, tried regulating sleep and eating patterns, tried a bite splint, acupuncture and taken drugs such as Topamax, Zomig, Zonisamide, Imitrex, and Maxalt. He has seen Neurologists, Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. Thinking that it might be the root cause he has had Septoplasty, turbinate reduction and a cervical fusion. Nothing worked.

At Christmas time, he had 2 migraines that were worse than usual. He started more research and found MigreLief. Within a week his headaches were actually gone.

We held our breaths and it is now mid-May and he is doing beautifully. He would tell you it has changed his life. He no longer lives his life surrounded by pain. He’s had a few headaches but nothing Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen couldn’t take care of.

Now if you could just find a cure for Tinnitus (ringing in his ears)

You have made a HUGE difference in our family’s life. Thank you.

Tim and his family

Fishers, Indiana

Abdominal Pain in Children & Abdominal Migraines

Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children Maybe A Result of Abdominal Migraine in up to 15% of Children

Abdominal migraines may occur in both adults and children. A new study reported in the medical journal “Headache” states that up to 15% of children who experience recurrent abdominal pain may actually have “abdominal migraine” and that for those children in this group, migraine treatment may help reduce or resolve the recurrent pain.

If your child has been diagnosed with migraine (which can also result in cyclic vomiting and disturbed sleep) any recurrent abdominal pain he/she experiences is 4X more likely to be “abdominal migraine” as opposed to another condition that causes abdominal pain.

It is important to note that the study authors stated that “abdominal migraine” is not well addressed in medical school or during residency and is therefore likely to be missed by many physicians as a potential diagnosis.

The authors also stated that children with just abdominal migraine symptoms are more likely to suffer from migraines as they reach adulthood.

Though there are no studies showing that any of the current prescription drugs used to treat migraine pain, help with “abdominal migraine”, it makes sense, especially when children are involved, to try a dietary supplement regimen created just for kids with all types of migraines (classic, common, abdominal…) Children’s MigreLief and MigreLief-NOW. MigreLief supplements are safe and gentle for children 2 years of age or above.

MigreLief is available in 3 daily formulas

Original MigreLief (Age 2-11)
Children’s MigreLief (Age 12-Adult)
MigreLief+M (Menstrual/Hormonal Migraines)
AND
MigreLief-NOW (Fast-Acting “as-needed” formula for on-the-spot support)

MigreLief Regimen:
Action step 1: Choose a daily maintenance formula and take twice a day.
Action step 2: Keep MigreLief-NOW on hand at all times and take as needed

MigreLief supplements are drug-free and do not interfere with prescription migraine medications.

Visit www.migrelief.com for more information email healthadvisor@migrelief.com with your questions.

Can Migraines Affect the Cognitive Performance of Your Child?

The cognitive performance of 30 children between the ages of 8-12 years old, with migraines, was compared to the cognitive performance of 30 similarly aged children, without migraines, using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.

The study, which was conducted at the department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, in Brazil, found that despite the fact that both groups exhibited normal cognitive performance, the children with migraines had much lower scores in the areas of arithmetic, vocabulary, perceptual organization and resistance to distraction and processing speed.

Future studies, aimed to see if preventing migraines in these children would raise their cognitive performance levels in these areas where they were low, would be of significant interest.

To learn about gentle, safe and effective options for children suffering with chronic migraines, visit: Children’s Migrelief

MIGRAINE DRUG LINKED TO RISK OF WEAKENING WOMEN’S BONES

A WELL KNOWN DRUG USED TO PREVENT MIGRAINES MAY DO SO AT THE RISK OF WEAKENING WOMEN’S BONES.

In an article published in the medical journal “Headache” and written by the departments of neurology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology of the University of Toledo College of Medicine, the researchers stated that the anti-epileptic drug, Topiramate (Topamax) reduced bone mineral density in women who used the drug to treat their migraines. [1]

It was found that 53% of women, who had used topiramate, were found to have osteopenia, which is bone loss that is not normal but not yet diagnosable as osteoporosis.

The researchers also found a correlation between the degree of bone loss and the amount of time the women were using topiramate.

While prevention of migraine is definitely the preferable way to go for chronic migraine sufferers, other safe and natural choices are available that do not introduce bone loss or other side-effects associated with this drug. For more information please go to www.migrelief.com

MigreLief Airing on Lifetime Television June 20th -The Balancing Act

We just finished shooting a segment about Migrelief on The Balancing Act for Lifetime!

Set your DVR’s now to catch us on June 20th!

Image - Curt Hendrix on The Balancing Act Show - Lifetime Television June 20th

Curt Hendrix - Scientist, Creator MigreLief

Don’t Let a Migraine Ruin Your Royal Honeymoon

Anyone who has migraines knows that stress can bring on an attack. Major life changes like illness, moving, changing jobs and certainly getting married and planning a honeymoon, can be very stressful.

What is not as well known, is that migraines can often occur, just after the stressful event has occurred and not necessarily, during it.

One neurologist M.D. reports that she had a surgeon for a patient. The surgeon reported that he got migraines like clockwork on Fridays and Saturdays. Upon questioning, the neurologist learned that the surgeon’s major surgery day was every Thursday and that the stress and pressure of having to perform at a high level was probably causing the migraines a day or two latter.

If you have ever planned a wedding, (let alone a Royal Wedding), you know the tremendous stress, aggravation and politics that can be involved.

The same neurologist, cited examples of how brides, successfully get through the excitement and stress of their big wedding day, leave for their honeymoons, only to experience migraines, a couple of days after the stress is over.

She also points out, that the airplane travel, that is often part of the honeymoon plans, can also trigger migraines and that it is essential to stay very well hydrated during flying. Also, be sure to get up and move around, especially during longer flights. Finally, remember that lack of sleep can also trigger migraines. So bring sleep aids if necessary and speak to your physician about using melatonin for jet-lag, which can disrupt your sleeping patterns.

Here’s hoping that your “Royal Honeymoon” is a royal joy and not a royal pain.

Curt Hendrix

The Royal Wedding: A Royal Headache?

Royals get migraines too! Can you imagine the stress and pressure of being Kate Middleton who is about to marry Prince William in the Royal event of the decade? The enormous amounts of planning, meetings, decisions, paparazzi, reporters, wardrobe choices can easily cause a migraine and history teaches us that the wealth and power of being a royal is not enough to make one immune to these incredibly painful headaches.

King Henry the eighth, Queen Elizabeth I and II, all suffered with migraines. Royalty is no more immune to these debilitating attacks, than are we commoners.

After having what promises to be, one of the most extravagant and fairytale weddings of all time, its hard to imagine a migraine causing the honeymoon night something less than fantasy perfect. Somehow, “not tonight, dear, I have a migraine” just doesn’t seem like an option.

Well there is some interesting research that Kate and all of you other women who may experience a migraine on a special night, should know about.

The often quoted saying “Not tonight dear, I have a headache”, implies that sex makes the pain worse.

Well, a Dr. James Couch, a professor of neurology at the Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, reports that several women patients have reported that sex actually helps decrease the pain of their migraines or makes them go away completely, in many cases.

So Couch asked 84 other female migraines if they ever had sex during a migraine? 2 out of 3 patients reported that they did and 61% reported that they experienced some sort of relief. This is pretty impressive since the prescription medicines known as triptans and sold as Immitrex or Zomig, achieve some benefit between 60-80% of the time.

What was even more intriguing was that more than 20% of the women reported that sex stopped their migraines completely!

Couch could only guess as to why sex had this favorable effect on some female migraine sufferers and also laughingly said, “I haven’t really figured out how to follow this information up with a more formal study.”

On the other side of things, professor Randolph Evan of the Baylor College of Medicine says that sex can trigger migraines in 10% of female migraine sufferers.

From the male perspective, 1% of men can actually develop a headaches that is known as “coital cephalalgia” (a fancy way of saying headaches induced by sex) but its uncommon and usually goes away.

But a much more common and real problem is the headache that can be caused by erectile dysfunction pills that men take, like Viagra and Cialis.

The bottom line is that sex may help certain migraine sufferers and it may cause migraines to occur in others.

Evans joking states, since migraines happen randomly and unexpectedly, using sex as a treatment certainly has its limitations, one just cannot grab someone in the office and tell them, “Hey, it’s a medical emergency.”

The real goal of chronic migraine sufferers should be to stop the migraines from occurring, not to spend a lifetime taking pain killers. This may sound like a dream but in fact, it is reality for hundreds of thousands of women. Women, who had tried everything to take back control of their lives, only to be disappointed. If you suffer from chronic migraines, go to www.migrelief.com. It will change your life forever.

Curt Hendrix

Darvocet, a Narcotic Pain Reliever Banned by the FDA

Sometimes migraine pain can make sufferers desperate for relief and prescriptions for narcotic pain relievers like Darvocet were written.

Hopefully, those of you who suffer with chronic migraines are taking steps to prevent their migraines with proven, natural products like MigreLief, rather than continually trying to relieve the often debilitating pain.

But when a painful migraine does occur, and the triptan drugs like Imitrex or Zomig are not working for you, you may require a prescription pain medication.

Recent reports from the FDA indicate that taking Darvocet can cause life threatening heart arrhythmias (a disturbance in the electrical activity of the heart) and Darvocet has been taken off the market.

It is very important to speak with your physician about gradually stopping the use of Darvocet if you are currently taking it. Abrupt withdrawal from the drug can cause serious side-effects.
Curt Hendrix B.S. M.S. C.C.N. C.N.S.