Hi guys and Gals - well I havent been on in a while and since my Anaphylactic shock episode event that happend in July - Ive had quite a normalish time apart from the Hayfever symptoms continuing into the Winter.
I racked my brain for a while - even asking the husband of the lemon drizzle cake cook what ingredients was in the cake.
The only conclusion I could come up with was that I did not have an allergic reaction to anything.
This got me investigating as I hate unanswered questions - I know my vertigo and migraines are triggered by something - and was there a link to my Anaphylactic episode…
And then had the eureka moment - what if my body went into Anaphylactic shock without having an allergic reaction - well yes it can …
If your body has too much Histamine - usually produced by eating fish (scromboid poisoning) but any overload can cause Anaphylaxis…and guess what there is a strong link between Histamine - Vertigo and Migraines.
Bad gut Bacteria is the culprit which produces high levels of Histamine.
I will get my Consultant to check my Histamine level and my Gut Histamine Reducing Enzyme in January as it should show that my Histmaine levels are high.
I have also started to eat these probiotic yoghurts to attack the bad gut bacteria which should also reduce the Histamine in my system (thought I would save time).
I have noticed a reduction in my eyes watering and hayfever symptoms since starting these.
Im not saying all MAV is caused by this (Histamine Intolerance) but it is something that all VM sufferers should get looked at as too much of anything is not good for you.
Hope this is a big help to people…
Paul
ps merry christams everyone and have a happy new year.
I found this list of which foods contain tyramine, and which foods contain histamine. It might also help you figure out how to lower your histamine levels. I think I found this document on the migraine.com website.
The two foods which I believe pushed my body into an anaphyaxic reaction were - a hot spicy chicken tikka masala (the night before) and rich in Histamine and two pieces of a lemon drizzle cake - also rich in Histamine.
The Propranalol is stopping my vertigo and migraines but not blurry vision and the odd weird headache.
Lets hope a combination of the probiotic treatment and anything else the Consultant can come up with can reduce my symptoms further …
This is my first time responding, although I’ve found a lot of valuable info on this site over the years. I had to respond because I’ve been diagnosed with vestibular migraines, but a couple of the preventative meds actually made the frequency worse. I was unable to identify clear triggers despite years of tracking. I started Zyrtec 10 mg for something else at the end of June, and while I’ve had a few times I thought I was going to start spinning, it hasn’t actually happened since I’ve been on the medicine. Before starting the Zyrtec I was averaging a VM every 10-14 days, so over 6 months without is awesome!
As a child, I also had what I realize in hindsight were probably migraines, although they were diagnosed as something else. At the time, I was helped by cyproheptadine, which is also an H1 antihistamine like Zyrtec. My neurologist isn’t convinced, but my experience says histamine is a factor.
Get your histamine levels checked - they fluctuate throught the day but a lack of the stomach enzyme in your blood should indicate if your body is not able to break down Histamine
I never got my Histamine levels checked (long story - basically I was seen by an awful woman who replaced my normal consultant when he couldnt make it - and all I got was we dont have the resources to check that here and she then discharged me from the falls clinic - stupid woman) - but by not eating Histamine rich foods…cutting down to one tablet of Propranalol (which is also a DAO inhibiter) per day and eating Probiotic yoghurts I have seen a dramatic improvement in both my allergy type symptoms and my MAV ones tbh. I usually have a blurry episode if I eat mayonnaise foods etc. While I am not saying this will work for everyone it has worked for me - I didn’t have to see a doctor to do it and it doesn’t cost anything. Give it a try anything could help in my eyes…I definitely have a severe Histamine Intolerance…
Paul.
Oh no. Not an end to my life-long love affair with the humble banana!
I’ d too looked at possible Histamine/intolerance. Originally because once I established a pattern of MAV attacks following meals out in restaurants. Immediately I thought ‘lighting’ than the other common factor, ‘food’. Different from my usual home-cooked… Rather ruled HI out because it seemed to produce immediate response (mine is always delayed, 36 hrs usually if restaurant is trigger) and because write-ups speak of an almost diagnostic imperative rash I never had. However I do suffer a dripping nose, which seems spontaneous and intermittent combined or not with watering eyes. I don’t get hayfever. Must follow it to see if there’s a link to my banana consumption. I love them.
I’m no chemist that’s for sure but since reading your posts I cannot help wondering … here sometimes that the drugs being taken for MAV appear to suddenly stop working. Surely HI could be the connection. Wonder if anybody’s ever researched this. Anybody, any ideas.