Low-tyramine (Buchholz) diet for migraine: tried it? Felt ill?

[Sasha]

I recently read neurologist David Buchholz's book, Heal Your Headache, which posits that all headaches (except those caused by a sinus infection, brain tumours, etc.) are basically the same - migraine, sinus, tension, etc. His suggested treatment is to remove 'triggers' and that includes going on a diet that's low in tyramine, among other things.

I started the diet three weeks ago and, amazing! My chronic, almost-daily, pole-axing "sinusitis" headaches disappeared, except for the odd one that turned up when I experimented (rather early!) with reintroducing certain foods. I'm writing this with a cracking headache and one eye closed for doing exactly that so please don't ask me to explain his protocol - just google on 'low tyramine diet' and you'll find most of the basic info.

But! I've also been feeling pretty ill - that fluey ache that we all know, and exhaustion. I don't know if this is coincidence, or if this is what's left when you remove the headache from a migraine but your body hasn't yet fully benefitted from the diet, or if it's some sort of withdrawal (I gave up caffeine years ago so it's not caffeine withdrawal), or what.

Buchholz recommends that you give the diet two months as a fair test. This surprises me because I would have thought that most stuff would have been out of your body fairly quickly.

I'm aware that there are criticisms of his logic and his evidence. But even though I may be unnecessarily excluding certain foods, following this diet wholesale is working for my headaches. I just want to know why I feel so ill and if it's to do with the diet, how long it could continue.

So, has anyone tried this diet? Did you feel ill? If so, how long did it take to wear off? Are you aware of any explanation?

Thanks!

 

[Sasha]

Bump.

Ow!

 

[Sea]

Poor Sasha As a migraine sufferer I sympathise with you. I haven't tried the particular version of diet you have referenced, but my 3 daughters and I have all done an elimination diet by Sue Shepherd (RPA hospital Australia). It's a diet that looks for sensitivites to amines, salycilates, glutamates and preservatives. We've each identified some triggers so it was helpful.

I'm glad the diet is helping you reduce headaches, it's certainly a sign that something in your diet is a trigger. As to why you feel so ill, I know there can be withdrawal effects from certain food chemicals (natural ones) that can last at least a couple of weeks. I remember reading that it often takes longer to feel better when you are particularly sensitive to something you have been eating regularly. Also, if you've started eating something new that you weren't eating before the diet that could be something that is a problem for you.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[Sasha]

Glad you've found some triggers yourselves - it's great to get some control back, isn't it?!

As to why you feel so ill, I know there can be withdrawal effects from certain food chemicals (natural ones) that can last at least a couple of weeks. I remember reading that it often takes longer to feel better when you are particularly sensitive to something you have been eating regularly.

That was what I wanted to know, really. I wonder what the mechanism could be?

[quoteAlso, if you've started eating something new that you weren't eating before the diet that could be something that is a problem for you.[/quote]

I've wondered about that. I was already on a restricted (Paleo) diet and having to eat more or less the same stuff every day (food prep is v. difficult for me, which limits things) and having to cut yet more things out has meant I've had to introduce some things just to get enough calories down my neck. Nothing completely new to me, but in larger quantitaties and more regularly. That's why I've had to reintroduce things too quickly - I'm starving! I must get on top of it, though.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks!

 

[acer2000]

Yeah I have found that avoiding tyramine does reduce the number of migraines that I experience.