Can my Crohn's be causing my killer migraines?

Remicade for sure gives me horrible headaches, but I am actually due for it tomorrow, and am still struggling with this freuquently. Despite the brain MRI's and that stuff, there is nothing wrong. Yet I still get 2 or 3 very horrible migraines a week. Seems like lately the smallest amount of stress also brings on an intense migraine. Today coming home from college I had to park at the grocery store for a full HOUR before I decided to just drive in the dark with my relentless headache... Unacceptable.

My GI doctor gave me 10mg Maxalt which is supposedly the best medication, as it dissolves in your mouth, but it does not give me any relief.

Any feedback and personal experience? Been told that Crohns can somehow cause this, or is it time to make another appointment to a Neurologist?

OH YEAH! And I have been going to massage therapy for two months to help with this and it has not been helping : (

Well I don't have migraines but when I was in the hospital in a severe flare waiting for surgery I had some of the worst headaches I ever had in my life. I also have seizures which don't help the matter and I had one after surgery. I think when we are flaring we can't eat normally which is starving the brain of nutrients it needs, so yes I think crohn's when active can cause some pretty bad headaches. If you have migraines you may need to put a call into your doctor to see if they can adjust the medication you are on. Hope you get to felling better soon. Let me know how things turn out.

I also wanted to mention that my daughter has migraines but they have her on seizure medication called Topamax. It does sound to me like this medication isn't working for you so you may need to change meds altogether.

Seizures? That's not good, sorry to hear Does your daughter get the seizure as well, or do they just have her on the medication that is generally prescribed to help them? And if she doesn't get seizures, does she like the medication? I will look it up online.

I don't know what a average flare is like for me so not sure about my specific "bad" foods cause my only flare I've gotten I could not eat anything, and had surgery almost immediately after my diagnosis. So other than that I always eat whatever I want and never have had GI symptoms either.

Hi there,
I have been suffering with migraines since my flare and googled it. Apparently crohns causes the release of too much histamine in your system.... I took 2 anti histamines in desperation and an hour later I could move my head.

I asked my doctor yesterday and he said yes he agrees and has put me on a one a day anti histamine to see if helps reduce or cure the headaches..... So far so good. I figure it's worth a try they can't do mt any harm ....

Hope you feel better soon x

As So-Over-CD said, I also heard of something regarding anti-histamine. I have migraines frequently as well and this as been since I was a teen (and I got my crohn diagnosis when I was 14 so, it can be partly related even though it runs in the family, my mom and bro do migraines too). Anyway, since I can't take Ibuprofen, which, as basic as it is, would usually bring me relief, I take Codeine Tylenol + either a benadryl or I take a Muscle relaxant(methocarbamol) because it's a vicious circle, when I get a migraine, I get a tension headache on top and vice versa. The only annoying part is that you have to sleep when you take those... I prefer having to sleep than taking the actual migraine pills, I have Zomig, but the vasoconstricting idea scares me to an extent...

Hmm, that is new information! Will pick something up for that and test it out, for sure. Thank you both!

Oh yeah, if I am home and I get a migraine taking that to sleep would be okay. Just sucks when you are driving and it hits. Maxalt helps a little though, so maybe will start taking a little extra for further bad situations.

It seems as if my headaches are worse too. Anything that helps please let me know! I'm sorry you are goin through this as well!!

Just a thought and I have read that sometimes low magnesium levels can cause migrains, would be good to get your levels checked for deficiancies... I rarely get headaches and I cant imagine a migraine. Hugs.

Do you know of any foods that could maybe help with te magnesium levels?

@ Pen that sounds like a good thing to start off with, thank you for that. Also new info. for me!

@Gabismommy - I looked it up and says dark green vegetables like spinach, kale etc. lima beans (raw,) pumpkin and squash seeds? Cashews and the sort. So yeah, might want to take a nice trip to the organic market I am going to try it.

I have researched and a doctor who publishes great info in Toronto has mentioned Magsense
http://www.pno.ca/item/womensense/magsense.html?qh=YToxOntpOjA7czo4OiJtYWdzZW5zZSI7fQ==
I have been taking it and it has helped. Apparently the powder is more absorbable which is good because I have had resections. Read the ingredients, it has everything you need but I still take calcium and vitamin d3 added. I hope this helps. It is supposed to help migraines too.

Pen said:

I have researched and a doctor who publishes great info in Toronto has mentioned Magsense
http://www.pno.ca/item/womensense/magsense.html?qh=YToxOntpOjA7czo4OiJtYWdzZW5zZSI7fQ==
I have been taking it and it has helped. Apparently the powder is more absorbable which is good because I have had resections. Read the ingredients, it has everything you need but I still take calcium and vitamin d3 added. I hope this helps. It is supposed to help migraines too.

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Perfect! Powder seems more effective, yeah. Have only had one re section, myself.

Are you on birth control? When I was on birth control I had migraines several times a week. When I went off they went down to a few times a month. I am so lucky in that Maxalt and Imitrex usually work for me. If abortives (triptans) aren't working for you they may be a different type of headache. Also botox can be effective. I'd say it's definitely time to see the neurologist again, in any case. I tried Topamax but it made my face twitch constantly so I had to discontinue it. Not sure it worked for me anyway.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this though. I understand how awful it is. I hope you find a course of treatment that is effective for you. Good luck.

I am not on remicade and I have migrianes 2-3 or more a week and am trying to start Topamax. Maxalt is nice but my insurence won't allow me to have the amount I would need and so far my current anticonvulsants aren't doing the job. I have some pretty great Neuro's helping me with my migrianes and they know of my IBD issues...I also just came from Mayo while tested and they could see I was having a migraine during the test as well as it being talked about....no one yet said there was a connection but I am pretty sure that when one pain stresses me out....it is great at causing the other! anyway ((hugs)) you are not alone!

Kat671 said:

I am not on remicade and I have migrianes 2-3 or more a week and am trying to start Topamax. Maxalt is nice but my insurence won't allow me to have the amount I would need and so far my current anticonvulsants aren't doing the job. I have some pretty great Neuro's helping me with my migrianes and they know of my IBD issues...I also just came from Mayo while tested and they could see I was having a migraine during the test as well as it being talked about....no one yet said there was a connection but I am pretty sure that when one pain stresses me out....it is great at causing the other! anyway ((hugs)) you are not alone!

Click to expand...

I'm sorry you're dealing with all of that. Migraines are awful. I hope Topamax helps you.