Dear Marie,
I have had headaches for decades, basically all my life. I can’t remember when they first started, but I can remember taking a lot of over the counter pain medications like Tylenol, Aspirin and Advil trying to take the “edge” off. I started taking Imitrex when my doctor suggested that the headaches might be migraines and that was about 10 years ago. I thought Imitrex was a Godsend and used it whenever I had a migraine – which was 2 to 5 times per month. My massage therapist suggested that I investigate Marie’s therapy for migraines which looks at numerous causes but with food allergies being the most common. I never in a million years thought I had food allergies and that they could be involved in my migraines. I didn’t get a rash or any other typical symptoms I associated with food allergies. My doctor echoed the same suggestion, “See Marie.” I would visit her web site three times over the next two years, each time they encouraged me to see her. I never did call until my migraines increased in frequency and intensity to the point that I was desperate. By now they were up to 9 per month and lasting days. Up until this point, I though I could manage with medications and didn’t have much faith in alternate therapies. I was wrong.
At the first appointment, I had the beginnings of a headache, but by the end of the session my neck tension had eased and my headache went away. Following the first session, Marie told me to avoid temporarily caffeine and numerous foods including dairy which she found I was allergic to and was causing my migraines. I experienced withdrawal headaches initially from going off caffeine and then later I had withdrawal headaches from the Imitrex which I had unknowingly become physically addicted to over the past few months. The solution – try to reduce or eliminate the drug. I stayed off the Imitrex, but still took Advil to get me through. When I saw Marie for my second appointment, 2 weeks later, I was still having daily headaches, but not migraines – I could control them with Advil. The next step was to eliminate Advil which also caused rebound headaches. Who would have thought that both Imitrex and Advil could cause rebound headaches – I certainly didn’t.
I just wasn’t expecting to have rebound headaches from the very drugs I was taking to suppress my pain. They were fierce, but I hung in knowing for the first time these were withdrawal headaches and that I needed to endure the withdrawal period to move through it. After another few days of headaches but without taking any medication I road it through once again, they finally stopped. I thought that if this works, it would be worth the journey.
This has definitely been a journey – a successful one. My body detoxified from the medications and also from the foods that had been triggering me; my favourites (coffee and cheese). I found that after 3 weeks, I didn’t even crave these foods anymore – they were my “go to” foods when I was getting a headache – and all along they were my migraine triggers. Since Marie corrected me for these foods I can now enjoy them without getting any headaches or migraines. Even more surprising is the fact that I don’t experience headaches of any kind. I thought my tension headaches which I also called stress headaches would still linger but I’ve not had any whatsoever. Marie informed me that many people suffer from tension headaches or stress headaches and that these often are the beginnings of food allergy induced headaches. Since the first visit my post nasal drip has stopped. My daily dose of Flonase I have never needed since. I have not experienced any auras either. I am dealing with stress much better and have even lost a few pounds. I can’t imagine I endured decades of pain and suffering in so many areas of my life not knowing there was a simple non-invasive solution.
I hope my story will help others to consider that hidden food allergies may be the cause of their migraine headaches or other health issues.
Thrilled with the results,
Charlene S., Oakville