I am lucky and don't really suffer from allergies; however my son is having issues. Last year at this time he had 6 migraines in an 8 day period, and this week he's had 3. He's had to leave this job (teacher) three days this week early to go home as he can't function with one.

Does anyone have issues with migraines & allergies? If so, what do you do about that?

I have some pollen allergies and I have migraines, but mine are not necessarily triggered by the allergies. What I can tell you about mine is that once I recognized the precursers or warning signs, I found that I could head them off with quick treatment with something as simple as Excedrine Migraine. Which is way better than having shut down and take the Fiorinal.
Perhaps one of the histimine blockers would help him more than an antihistimine?

My daughter has had migraines since she was a teen. In the last year or so, she became hyper sensitive, possibly allergic. She's found that going gluten free has helped with the migraines that seemed to amp up when the allergies showed up. A drastic change in your son's diet, ie: eating nothing but fresh food, may help during allergy season but that's just a shot in the dark. Better he should see his dr for guidance.

Does your son have prodromes? There are a bunch of different kinds that, if he can identify, he could medicate to ward off the migraine. My dr once told me you've got to catch it on the upswing 'cause once it hits, there's virtually nothing you can do but ride it out. For me, either a otc migraine drug washed down with coke or an Imitrex can usually nip it in the bud.

Last suggestion is that if he's not already, he should go to the dr to get on some sort of migraine drug like imitrex. It's a real life saver.

He has imitrex, but is running low. I think he's going to take a personal day and go to the doctor to see if they can figure something out.

Thanks to both of you for your responses.

You can buy Nasacort 24 Hour nasal inhaler over the counter now - a month's supply for like $17 at the drugstore. The stuff works great for allergies. Hopefully it might help him too. Good luck!

Thanks - and I will let him know. I think he's planning on going to a doctor when he can. Working 40 miles from where he lives makes it even more difficult.

Thanks for this tid bit! I used it a few years ago when my allergies were bad. For a while I've got by with generic zyrtec, but it's not helping as much this year. I'm going to pick some up!

They have said this year's allergy season is expected to be pretty bad. I know my husband has been sneezing a bunch.

I have had migraines for 30+ years. There are 2 things that help me the most... staying very hydrated (lots of water!) and I avoid aspartame like the plague! It is an artificial sweetener and its bad stuff. You'll find it in lots of things... diet soda, crystal light, sugar free jello, almost all chewing gum, etc... I was having 3-4+ migraines a month in 2007 and then began avoiding aspartame and I had 3 in an 8 month period.

Glad you found your trigger, basilring. I have switched from aspartame to stevia, but not because the aspartame was a trigger. For me it's processed foods, primarily meats. There's very little lunch meat that I can eat and packaged things like noodle dishes seem to have something in them that sets me off too. So I stick to fresh foods that I know what I'm putting on or in.

For anyone suffering migraines, it really helps to keep a diary of what you eat, sleep patterns, and even weather. It's tedious but once you find your triggers, as basil pointed out, life really improves.

<----generic Claritin D here. I take one every day even if I don't "need" it that particular day. My allergies/sinuses have never been better, but some days I can feel the symptoms trying to break through.

Dramatic weather changes seem to be the trigger.

Truffle... I have heard cured meat is a big trigger... and should probably be next on my list (I rarely eat deli meat, but things like bacon would be hard to give up).

I too am sensitive to gluten and dairy (not cheese, just milk and cream). I do much better with my headaches if I eliminate these 2 foods... but these are harder to do than aspartame! I can usually make better choices or not eat them all the time, but give them up entirely.. just yet.

I also suffer from visual aura migraines, so I have to be careful with some types of light. Life is fun!!!

I saw something last night that said aged cheeses were triggers for a lot of people.

I get the aura's, but no headache pain...silent migraines. Who knew a migraine could be silent! Leave it to me to be weird that way.

I like the Claritin D except I cant sleep when I take it.

Be thankful they're silent, Joker!
When I have a migraine, I'm extremely sensitive to light and smells.
Bacon has (so thankfully) never bothered me. go figure.
Cheese and dairy are ok too.

Daughter has allergy/migraine issues that have accelerated to the point of her going totally gf/cf. Most nuts have been added to her list too. But the only thing she tested positive for on recent allergy testing was tree pollen. So we're not sure what is going on with her. I'll mention the Nasacort to her. Does it have any negative effects like drousiness?

I take it right when I wake up in the morning - no issues then! (and that's usually when I'm most congested so double bonus!)

Even taking it first thing, after a couple days I cannot go to sleep at all. I was taking the real one, not generic, maybe I should try it.

TR...I didn't have any side effects with Nasacort, but I only took it one spring for several months.

Excedrine for Migraine is a life saver, as long as you take it at the first sign of headache, as someone mentioned above. My doctor put me on Proponolol (sp?), but I'm not sure if it's doing me any good.

Isn't that what MJ died from?!

MJ died from Propophol i believe. I think Bucs is referring to prophanonol (sp) which is actually a blood pressure medicine, but used for headaches too. My nephew uses the same thing.

Joker - I call those 'eye' migraines and I get them, too. Messes up my vision for 15-20 minutes. Generally they are caused by light or if my blood sugar drops (weird, huh). Rarely, but sometimes afterwards I get a headache - but no where near 'migraine' status. My mother gets them and my grandmother used to get them, too.

The neurologist I was seeing for other bizarre purposes told me those are migraine aura's...I later looked up these psychedelic chinese dragons and sure enough...they are actual migraines, just without the pain. Apparently, if you get migraine aura's with or without pain, you are at a higher stroke risk, too.

It does mess with your vision and leaves me feeling completely wiped out. I have no idea what triggers mine....I'm thinking it's renegade loan officers most of the time.

Yes it messes with my vision - I can't read while they are going on - and driving can be hazardous. Thanks a lot for telling me about the stroke issues. Maybe that's why my mom had one at 58. AND my son gets the aura's before his migraines start.

The "aura" (scintillating scotoma) is my precursor. I have about a 5 min window to treat it and it will go away with only a mild headache left. But if I dont. I will have a full blown migraine.

Ditto this, 200%! My major ones are artificial sweeteners, sulphates/ites (whatever it is that's in red wine and eggs), too much dairy, and super-bright or flashing light. I'm also allergic to Imitrex - it makes me break out in hives and throw up for a couple of hours. Most of my migraines come with the aura warning and I get about 20 minutes or so to take an Excedrine, shotgun a Powerade, and find a dark, quiet room to lie down. If I do not get those 3 things done quickly enough I am completely out of commission and/or hugging a toilet for several hours.

There are viable alternatives to Imitrex. My daughter uses one because Imitrex gave her the racing heart issues that can be a dangerous side effect. It's worth the effort to talk to your dr or neurologist to see if one of the others will work for you.

Also, try taking a B12 supplement. It really helped me back when my migraines were more cyclical. Scientists don't know why it works but they acknowledge that it does.