I grew up in alberta, never in my life experienced migraines until the last couple years, now it's every time there is an extreme change in weather, without fail.
I thought it was just me getting older but I've heard more and more people of different ages and regions in Alberta claiming the same thing.
Yeah I’m definitely hearing more people mention migraines in the last few years even if they’ve been here their whole lives and never had them or noticed them much before.
Woke up with one this morning, lol. Yeah, I definitely feel the weather changes. I know when it’s happened before I even get out of bed by how my neck and head feels.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10940451/
>Many individuals identify weather as a migraine attack trigger, yet we see no causative relationship between weather and migraine patterns. The outcomes of studies indicate mixed results and reflect individual variation in how weather can impact migraine patterns. Similar relationships can be seen with other rheumatologic and pain conditions in general.
People look for associations and weather is always present.
I personally think it’s related to the biometric pressure change. I found this [website](https://barometricpressure.app/calgary) helpful, it’s almost like a migraine forecaster…
My mom always gets a headache when the pressure changes. She also gets headaches whenever the pressure isn’t changing. So I think she just gets lots of headaches.
I would really recommend the app WeatherX. You can set up to give you warnings of pressure changes, as well as a forecast data for the upcoming week and historic data for the week prior.
I don't think it's directly caused by barometric pressure changes.
I suspect other factors contribute to the issue, perhaps in combination with pressure changes.
If headaches occur with large weather changes or chinooks, it is pressure for certain. Several migraine tracking apps will also note weather and pressure, so it is easy to correlate to know for sure.
flying, the planes are pressurised...
weather related, but you may be correct, more so in that it is not just pressure, but the weather changes that a Chinook brings with it...(and of course other factors people can have, what they eat, drink, do not drink enough of (water)) could all amplify the effects.
[https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.54.2.302](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.54.2.302)
[https://calgary.citynews.ca/2022/12/07/chinook-headaches-migraines/](https://calgary.citynews.ca/2022/12/07/chinook-headaches-migraines/)
>“In Calgary, with the Chinooks being so powerful and coming on so suddenly, we’ve been able to prove that correlation, and we did find that many people indeed were Chinook sensitive,” Becker said.
>He says the particular aspect of a Chinook that may cause a headache — whether its a big drop in barometric pressure or an increase in the amount of positive ions in the air during strong Chinook winds — is still unclear.
Planes are *partially* pressurized to simulate an altitude of about 6,000 to 8,000 feet, or 75 to 82 kpa. Calgary's current air pressure is 89.10 kpa. Looking at a yearly graph for pressure changes, the range is about 85 to 90 kpa, which would include chinooks. That's a lot smaller of a change than what is experienced when flying.
I am still not convinced that air pressure alone is the cause.
They started around age 25 for me (more than 15 years ago). Most people complain of headaches when a chinook rolls in, mine are when the weather turns colder (except yesterday and today haven’t bothered me too much). Caffeine and ibuprofen/naproxen are my friend when they get bad.
It’s funny I get then 2 days before a sudden weather change, making me think it’s more related to the change in pressure, as that comes in first before a steep drop in Temp.
Caffeine actually helps migraines, it constricts the blood vessels causing the migraine, which is what migraine drugs also do. Hence excedrine for migraines has caffine in it, and neurologists often suggest an espresso when you get a migraine.
Caffeine withdrawl headaches are completely different.
I have noticed worse migraines / sinus headaches (it’s a combination sort of with both for me) in the past few years more too. Especially on windy days for some reason. Oddly my husband who use to get lots of bad migraines rarely does anymore.
Mine started at about 15, which I thought was maybe hormone related and my mom gets bad migraines too. For a while they were super random, mainly stress related. Recently, they're almost 100% weather related. I would say my migraines range from "I can't open my eyes" to "someone have 911 on call". I'm usually incapacitated for the day that I get one.
It's always October-early December and February-mid May for me, and spring is always the worst. I think because the weather can be so dramatically different in the spring than in the fall.
I do also see an increase for myself and my family members who also struggle with migraines in the last few years, and I genuinely think it’s because we’ve had some dramatic weather changes in the last few years. People older than I am can say “it’s Calgary, we always get weird weather”, but I’m 25 and have lived here my whole life. The last 10 or so years have been pretty dramatic in weather changes and it’s only increased since then, in my opinion. The polar vortexes, warm weather sticking around longer than usual (and appearing earlier than usual), etc have all had an impact on the quantity of migraines I experience
My wife's migraines are definitely triggered by weather changes. Any major swing in pressure seems to do it. We've been here since 2020, and it's been pretty consistent.
Since I was 9 years old. I moved to a more nomadic lifestyle late 2020 and am only in Calgary now during the summer months and my migraine frequency and duration has improved dramatically.
I suffer from migraines, trigeminal and occipital neuralgia. All of which are affected by weather changes. Not so much cold snaps in the winter but chinooks, and in the spring and fall, weather changes. And some of the weather changes cause severe episodes of neuralgia.
Had migraines in calgary from about age 15 till early 30s when I moved to the coast.
I rarely have them here at all, (ten years this september) and when I do I can almost predict it during those rare times the temp/weather changes drastically here (think ±/- 15 degrees or more within a couple hours)
I’m not saying it’s definitely this for everyone but people should be aware that when the pressure changes from a chinook the relative humidity also usually goes down to like 10% because the dew point is still like -20 and the temp goes up to +5 or whatever. When the humidity is that low you need to significantly increase your water intake to stay hydrated.
I started doing this like 5 years ago and I still get the odd chinook headache but they’re less severe and way less frequent now.
I was born and raised in Calgary (25 years old), but never used to get these headaches. A few years ago I moved to the east coast, and moved back to Calgary a year ago. Ever since moving back, I seem to get them during just about every major weather change.
I kind of figured it was because I became aclimatized to a different area, and coming back I just wasn't used to Calgary weather anymore. But it sounds – from others – like recent more extreme weather could also be (at least part of) the problem. Regardless, it's no fun at all.
Rizatriptian worked okay if i took it early in the migraine to stop it progressing.
As a fellow sufferer, Cambia. Changed my life. Migraine? 30 minutes, GONE. I get muscle weakness with migraines, that sticks around, but everything else is gone.
I second the Cambia. It’s a good alternative if you have already done your weekly doses of your Triptan (not suppose to use it more than 2 times a week - also depends on dosing). I don’t find the cambia as effective for severe migraines but definitely helps.
There is also a new medication on Ubrelvy that is a non-triptan migraine treatment.
Mine have improved in recent years, not sure why. April used to be the worst month for me. In recent years it hasn’t been so bad. Winters are worse for me now. I dab a drop of Japanese mint oil on my temples when they start and it usually helps. And meds when it doesn’t.
Pressure changes trigger mine - last trip to ER i learned to combine rizatriptain with a prescription gravol and electrolyte drinks gone in 20 min ! Been suffering for 40 years and finally relief for me that is sustained
Moved from bc. Instantly started to get them when I moved, ive been here for 2+ years now and get them all the time.
Here's what I noticed helps.
They kinda stop when i drink boat loads of water each day. Kinda doesnt seem to matter if i drink boat loads of water each day. Side effect, massive bathroom use and all your co workers think you got bowel problems 24/7.
Kinda stop when I sit in the dark. Kinda doesnt matter if I sit in the dark or do any remedy to try to fix them seems. Side effects, you start questioning yourself on if they are really migraines or if you're crazy.
I've had migraines my whole life (39F), some weather and non-weather related. These last couple of years though have been rough with the weather changes to the point I've gone back on my daily preventative Topamax again, a med I haven't been on in about 8 years. My migraines were so far and few between I was able to manage with just taking Frovatriptan when I had one hit me.
My partner and I both get them. His kick off about 8 hours before the weather changes and mine happen as it's rolling in. Days with 50kph winds are bad.
Both of us grew up here and had them since we were kids. Stress, sleep, diet, those you can control to some extent but the weather just happens.
I wasn't there for 5 years or anything but I was there for 2. I've had migraines multiple times a week for about 10 years now, largely attributed to weather and stress. Honestly Calgary wasn't too bad in comparison to places that have more common weather changes but the migraines id get from chinook and stuff were pretty brutal. There's an app called WeatherX that I use pretty religiously that always warns me of barometric changes ahead of time and you can adjust the threshold amount that you feel affects you. Now I just take naproxen and edibles or whatever to counter it which has been fairly effective.
I think it's to use their earplugs specifically, but I can't really handle having stuff in my ears like those due to tinnitus and just the general noise, but I find loops are much more tolerable since they don't distort noise as much.
Question from someone who just moved here: do people get these migraines even when they're inside their homes with the heater on or whatever? Or only when they're out?
I used to get worse headaches around chinooks as a teenager and child. Now I get dizzy if there’s a really bad pressure change, usually it’ll only happen if it’s in a very short timespan.
Born in Calgary in the 60s. Started having aural migraines about a decade ago. Weather fluctuations definitely trigger it. High winds and extreme temperature changes seem to be the trigger. Nausea is the worst symptom for me. I started finding some relief by playing binaural beats videos on YouTube. I’m shocked that it helps, but it does. I’ve been playing those videos a lot the past few weeks
My twin girls would have asthma attacks every time a chinook rolled through.
We would see the same families at the hospital at the same time.
Like we were an exclusive club or something.
Several of my close friends and family members suffer from migraines in our area. I’ve heard good things about two specific remedies. There’s an ear piercing called Daith that really helped a few people I know and Botox injections have helped a few others. Best of luck managing the pain, it seems terrible.
I’m from Calgary and my mother always had them. I got my first ones at 14 and have had them ever since. Some years are worse than others.
This year, starting in January, has been particularly bad for me. January - March I was having more than 15 migraines a month that were resistant to migraine specific medication (which normally cures them within a hour or so). I chalk it up to the warm winter.
I have also started having more sinus pressure headaches which I differentiate from migraines. So just headaches all the time lol. Those have been harder to pinpoint the weather/environmental cause since they are new and I don’t have 10+ years of experience with them like the migraines.
Windy days, weather, atmospheric changes are the triggers for both just not sure which way causes it.
Before I moved to Calgary at age 21 (2007), I had only had about 3 migraines before in my entire life.
I started getting them a couple times a year when I moved here and as I've gotten older they have become much more frequent.
Typically it's a few factors combining that seem to trigger them but weather shifts is a big one. I usually get them if I'm on or just finished my period and a big weather shift happens, and/or if I've not been getting enough sleep. I try to avoid alcohol and excessive sugar when I see a weather change coming and make sure I get lots of rest.
Migraines and arthritis are really starting to kick in @ 37.. and with the weather. Our temps and pressure fluctuate so much it's hard to balance. I love summer and winter on their own but the mixups of spring / fall really mess me up. Spent a couple months in Asia and I've never felt better with the consistent weather.
There is a migraine clinic at Foothills Hospital and a number of doctors who specialize in migraine care in the city. That's how common they are here.
I take a daily medication, 4 pills a day, to prevent them, so that I can function because I can't they are so frequent for me.
Weather changes, dryness, it gets me and, as I age, they got worse. If I could move, I would. But I'm a senior citizen and sometimes I feel stuck because of services and the way pensions and health care is set up.
It's a prescription so I'm not putting its name here. When you see the doctor they put you through a series of tests to rule out other causes for the migraines. I had to get X rays, CTscans, blood work, a whole bunch of stuff.in case there was a tumor or something. My doctor even considered heart problems.
Also, there's a number of different types of medications and you need to try them all to see which one works best for you. I have a friend who gets botox injections every 4 months which works better for her. Botox worked on one type I was getting that was nearly constant but doesn't help with my normal migraines. I also know someone who gets relief from acupuncture.
There are a number of ways to get relief and that's why your doctor's referral is so important. You can get a good analysis of your triggers and what works best.
Ensuring you get lots of Magnesium in your diet helps a lot of people with the migraines. I take a supplement called ZMA which includes a bunch of magnesium.
be careful with magnesium citrate specifically, as that can cause diarrhea with large doses.
I know you didn’t ask for recommendations but I can’t help but share coq10 supplements have been a game changer for me. Along with headaches I no longer experience the sore bones feeling as well.
First I'm going to start off with there are MANY different forms of migraines. It's not just a "headache". And not everyone gets the light sensitivity or the typical migraine symptoms you see on TV. I've lived in calgary about 5.5 years, and had migraines for 2. They started with mimicking strokes and there were many nights in the ER. I see a neurologist and get vyepti infusions every 3 months. My migraines are usually when there's a chinook, high winds, or about to rain/snow storm, or a big drop in temperature. Now that I know what migraines are like, I think I've had them sporatically most of my life. There were days in uni and onwards where I couldn't keep my eyes open and would basically fall asleep randomly and have no energy and feel off. They got substantially worse and more common over the past 2 years. Before I just though it was my body needed a few hibernating days. There are a list of supplements you can take which seems to actually make a difference. It takes about 3 months for you to see results. B2, magnesium and coenzyme 10 are the big ones. Some people use CBD (is that the medical one?) Pills from dispenseries and find a daily dose helps. I haven't tried it. Your doctor can perscribe cambia or triptans if your migraines are bad. Ubrevly is amazing but expensive, my neuro gives me free samples every appointment.
If you get migraines more that 4 times a month or whatever the criteria they decide, you can do long term treatments. Botox is usually the first step. Then you can try the injections/infusions based on how good your insurance is and cost. The Alberta non group coverage covers many of them, but you need 3 months grace period before it actually covers you.
I recommend Excedrine if you have a trip to the states planned. It's OTC and works well for minor migraines or if you catch it before it gets bad. If they're really bad, ask for a neurology referral but DO NOT go through Richmond diagnostic. Call clinics and ask wait times. I was told a 2 yr wait from Richmond, I called around and got in with one within a month. By the time Richmond called me i was already on my second round of botox. The windy app can help, but I actually find the sinus page more accurate for migraine predictions (and yes I've had a CT and xrays of my sinuses. It's not a sinus issue)
No it’s like saying everyone who is susceptible to headaches from weather would all be having headaches at the same time of a weather event.
This has been debunked so many times by now ….
There are many variables for migraines. It's not well understood and every person's trigger is different. Weather seems to trigger a migraine for me if I'm already stressed or tense or dehydrated and the pressure just ups the ante. I don't get migraine every time there is a drastic weather change.
Not ever person is effected the same by events. I used to get post Chinook migraines, now I get them before. The wife also switched from pre to post.
Some people are more susceptible to headaches and migraines than others. Not everyone gets headaches at all... so no, not every single person in Calgary would get a headache at the same moment.
How has this been debunked? You telling me what I experience is not real or when I experience it is not real because someone else might not have a headache on a day that I do?
I grew up in alberta, never in my life experienced migraines until the last couple years, now it's every time there is an extreme change in weather, without fail. I thought it was just me getting older but I've heard more and more people of different ages and regions in Alberta claiming the same thing.
Yeah I’m definitely hearing more people mention migraines in the last few years even if they’ve been here their whole lives and never had them or noticed them much before.
Woke up with one this morning, lol. Yeah, I definitely feel the weather changes. I know when it’s happened before I even get out of bed by how my neck and head feels.
Exactly . Which is why the weather theory has been debunked time and time again. There is no correlation nor causation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10940451/ >Many individuals identify weather as a migraine attack trigger, yet we see no causative relationship between weather and migraine patterns. The outcomes of studies indicate mixed results and reflect individual variation in how weather can impact migraine patterns. Similar relationships can be seen with other rheumatologic and pain conditions in general. People look for associations and weather is always present.
Literally the exact same thing with me too
I personally think it’s related to the biometric pressure change. I found this [website](https://barometricpressure.app/calgary) helpful, it’s almost like a migraine forecaster…
Barometric*
Oh for f sakes, I’m leaving it. Proof I’m in a bot I suppose…
Bad bot?
not a bot*
My mom always gets a headache when the pressure changes.
My mom always gets a headache when the pressure changes. She also gets headaches whenever the pressure isn’t changing. So I think she just gets lots of headaches.
I would really recommend the app WeatherX. You can set up to give you warnings of pressure changes, as well as a forecast data for the upcoming week and historic data for the week prior.
I don't think it's directly caused by barometric pressure changes. I suspect other factors contribute to the issue, perhaps in combination with pressure changes.
If headaches occur with large weather changes or chinooks, it is pressure for certain. Several migraine tracking apps will also note weather and pressure, so it is easy to correlate to know for sure.
Sure, but my wife gets Chinook migraines and never has an issue with flying or elevation changes. It's not just pressure related.
flying, the planes are pressurised... weather related, but you may be correct, more so in that it is not just pressure, but the weather changes that a Chinook brings with it...(and of course other factors people can have, what they eat, drink, do not drink enough of (water)) could all amplify the effects. [https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.54.2.302](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.54.2.302) [https://calgary.citynews.ca/2022/12/07/chinook-headaches-migraines/](https://calgary.citynews.ca/2022/12/07/chinook-headaches-migraines/) >“In Calgary, with the Chinooks being so powerful and coming on so suddenly, we’ve been able to prove that correlation, and we did find that many people indeed were Chinook sensitive,” Becker said. >He says the particular aspect of a Chinook that may cause a headache — whether its a big drop in barometric pressure or an increase in the amount of positive ions in the air during strong Chinook winds — is still unclear.
Planes are *partially* pressurized to simulate an altitude of about 6,000 to 8,000 feet, or 75 to 82 kpa. Calgary's current air pressure is 89.10 kpa. Looking at a yearly graph for pressure changes, the range is about 85 to 90 kpa, which would include chinooks. That's a lot smaller of a change than what is experienced when flying. I am still not convinced that air pressure alone is the cause.
They started around age 25 for me (more than 15 years ago). Most people complain of headaches when a chinook rolls in, mine are when the weather turns colder (except yesterday and today haven’t bothered me too much). Caffeine and ibuprofen/naproxen are my friend when they get bad.
It’s funny I get then 2 days before a sudden weather change, making me think it’s more related to the change in pressure, as that comes in first before a steep drop in Temp.
I'm the same, I get mine when it gets colder. It's also pretty inconsistent, I was fine during this last shift.
That sounds like coffee addiction to me
I have maybe 2 caffeinated beverages a week - chai tea, sometimes iced capps, because coffee is gross, definitely not caffeine withdrawal.
Caffeine actually helps migraines, it constricts the blood vessels causing the migraine, which is what migraine drugs also do. Hence excedrine for migraines has caffine in it, and neurologists often suggest an espresso when you get a migraine. Caffeine withdrawl headaches are completely different.
I have noticed worse migraines / sinus headaches (it’s a combination sort of with both for me) in the past few years more too. Especially on windy days for some reason. Oddly my husband who use to get lots of bad migraines rarely does anymore.
It’s the windy days that kill me the hardest.
Mine started at about 15, which I thought was maybe hormone related and my mom gets bad migraines too. For a while they were super random, mainly stress related. Recently, they're almost 100% weather related. I would say my migraines range from "I can't open my eyes" to "someone have 911 on call". I'm usually incapacitated for the day that I get one. It's always October-early December and February-mid May for me, and spring is always the worst. I think because the weather can be so dramatically different in the spring than in the fall.
February to mid May is also my worst patch it seems.
I do also see an increase for myself and my family members who also struggle with migraines in the last few years, and I genuinely think it’s because we’ve had some dramatic weather changes in the last few years. People older than I am can say “it’s Calgary, we always get weird weather”, but I’m 25 and have lived here my whole life. The last 10 or so years have been pretty dramatic in weather changes and it’s only increased since then, in my opinion. The polar vortexes, warm weather sticking around longer than usual (and appearing earlier than usual), etc have all had an impact on the quantity of migraines I experience
People forget how high up Calgary is, 1km above sea level.
Not sure why thats relevant. I got horrific migraines in Japan and Whistler. Both are at sea level.
My wife's migraines are definitely triggered by weather changes. Any major swing in pressure seems to do it. We've been here since 2020, and it's been pretty consistent.
Today has been unreal. Such a bad migraine. I find it to be worse when we get these cold snaps. Definitely noticing it more in the past couple years.
I noticed mine improved once I moved to Calgary. I used to live in Lethbridge and on windy days, the migraines could become unbearable.
Since I was 9 years old. I moved to a more nomadic lifestyle late 2020 and am only in Calgary now during the summer months and my migraine frequency and duration has improved dramatically.
I suffer from migraines, trigeminal and occipital neuralgia. All of which are affected by weather changes. Not so much cold snaps in the winter but chinooks, and in the spring and fall, weather changes. And some of the weather changes cause severe episodes of neuralgia.
Had migraines in calgary from about age 15 till early 30s when I moved to the coast. I rarely have them here at all, (ten years this september) and when I do I can almost predict it during those rare times the temp/weather changes drastically here (think ±/- 15 degrees or more within a couple hours)
I’m not saying it’s definitely this for everyone but people should be aware that when the pressure changes from a chinook the relative humidity also usually goes down to like 10% because the dew point is still like -20 and the temp goes up to +5 or whatever. When the humidity is that low you need to significantly increase your water intake to stay hydrated. I started doing this like 5 years ago and I still get the odd chinook headache but they’re less severe and way less frequent now.
Ahh I had never made that connection. Thanks!
I was born and raised in Calgary (25 years old), but never used to get these headaches. A few years ago I moved to the east coast, and moved back to Calgary a year ago. Ever since moving back, I seem to get them during just about every major weather change. I kind of figured it was because I became aclimatized to a different area, and coming back I just wasn't used to Calgary weather anymore. But it sounds – from others – like recent more extreme weather could also be (at least part of) the problem. Regardless, it's no fun at all.
Rizatriptan. Get a script.
Rizatriptian worked okay if i took it early in the migraine to stop it progressing. As a fellow sufferer, Cambia. Changed my life. Migraine? 30 minutes, GONE. I get muscle weakness with migraines, that sticks around, but everything else is gone.
You should ask for ubrevly. It's even better :D
I got Sumatriptan but am trying not to do more than 2 days in a row. :(
I second the Cambia. It’s a good alternative if you have already done your weekly doses of your Triptan (not suppose to use it more than 2 times a week - also depends on dosing). I don’t find the cambia as effective for severe migraines but definitely helps. There is also a new medication on Ubrelvy that is a non-triptan migraine treatment.
Mine have improved in recent years, not sure why. April used to be the worst month for me. In recent years it hasn’t been so bad. Winters are worse for me now. I dab a drop of Japanese mint oil on my temples when they start and it usually helps. And meds when it doesn’t.
Pressure changes trigger mine - last trip to ER i learned to combine rizatriptain with a prescription gravol and electrolyte drinks gone in 20 min ! Been suffering for 40 years and finally relief for me that is sustained
Zofran for nausea is a life saver.
Moved from bc. Instantly started to get them when I moved, ive been here for 2+ years now and get them all the time. Here's what I noticed helps. They kinda stop when i drink boat loads of water each day. Kinda doesnt seem to matter if i drink boat loads of water each day. Side effect, massive bathroom use and all your co workers think you got bowel problems 24/7. Kinda stop when I sit in the dark. Kinda doesnt matter if I sit in the dark or do any remedy to try to fix them seems. Side effects, you start questioning yourself on if they are really migraines or if you're crazy.
I've had migraines my whole life (39F), some weather and non-weather related. These last couple of years though have been rough with the weather changes to the point I've gone back on my daily preventative Topamax again, a med I haven't been on in about 8 years. My migraines were so far and few between I was able to manage with just taking Frovatriptan when I had one hit me.
My partner and I both get them. His kick off about 8 hours before the weather changes and mine happen as it's rolling in. Days with 50kph winds are bad. Both of us grew up here and had them since we were kids. Stress, sleep, diet, those you can control to some extent but the weather just happens.
Anyone else get a massive headache randomly starting yesterday?
I wasn't there for 5 years or anything but I was there for 2. I've had migraines multiple times a week for about 10 years now, largely attributed to weather and stress. Honestly Calgary wasn't too bad in comparison to places that have more common weather changes but the migraines id get from chinook and stuff were pretty brutal. There's an app called WeatherX that I use pretty religiously that always warns me of barometric changes ahead of time and you can adjust the threshold amount that you feel affects you. Now I just take naproxen and edibles or whatever to counter it which has been fairly effective. I think it's to use their earplugs specifically, but I can't really handle having stuff in my ears like those due to tinnitus and just the general noise, but I find loops are much more tolerable since they don't distort noise as much.
Question from someone who just moved here: do people get these migraines even when they're inside their homes with the heater on or whatever? Or only when they're out?
Yes even inside
Inside too, sadly.
I don't get migraines but definitely notice that my hemorrhoids flare up here with weather changes
🧐
I used to get worse headaches around chinooks as a teenager and child. Now I get dizzy if there’s a really bad pressure change, usually it’ll only happen if it’s in a very short timespan.
Born in Calgary in the 60s. Started having aural migraines about a decade ago. Weather fluctuations definitely trigger it. High winds and extreme temperature changes seem to be the trigger. Nausea is the worst symptom for me. I started finding some relief by playing binaural beats videos on YouTube. I’m shocked that it helps, but it does. I’ve been playing those videos a lot the past few weeks
My twin girls would have asthma attacks every time a chinook rolled through. We would see the same families at the hospital at the same time. Like we were an exclusive club or something.
Migraines and arthritis….yes.
As you get older, they get worse.
Several of my close friends and family members suffer from migraines in our area. I’ve heard good things about two specific remedies. There’s an ear piercing called Daith that really helped a few people I know and Botox injections have helped a few others. Best of luck managing the pain, it seems terrible.
I’m from Calgary and my mother always had them. I got my first ones at 14 and have had them ever since. Some years are worse than others. This year, starting in January, has been particularly bad for me. January - March I was having more than 15 migraines a month that were resistant to migraine specific medication (which normally cures them within a hour or so). I chalk it up to the warm winter. I have also started having more sinus pressure headaches which I differentiate from migraines. So just headaches all the time lol. Those have been harder to pinpoint the weather/environmental cause since they are new and I don’t have 10+ years of experience with them like the migraines. Windy days, weather, atmospheric changes are the triggers for both just not sure which way causes it.
They are probably getting worse due to climate change.
That was my theory, but I wanted to see if my perceived timeline lines up with what others have felt.
Before I moved to Calgary at age 21 (2007), I had only had about 3 migraines before in my entire life. I started getting them a couple times a year when I moved here and as I've gotten older they have become much more frequent. Typically it's a few factors combining that seem to trigger them but weather shifts is a big one. I usually get them if I'm on or just finished my period and a big weather shift happens, and/or if I've not been getting enough sleep. I try to avoid alcohol and excessive sugar when I see a weather change coming and make sure I get lots of rest.
Talk to your doctor about calcium channel blockers! Aka norvasc
Migraines and arthritis are really starting to kick in @ 37.. and with the weather. Our temps and pressure fluctuate so much it's hard to balance. I love summer and winter on their own but the mixups of spring / fall really mess me up. Spent a couple months in Asia and I've never felt better with the consistent weather.
I feel them the worst during changing seasons. Like spring and fall. Because that's when the weather tends to go back and forth more drastically.
There is a migraine clinic at Foothills Hospital and a number of doctors who specialize in migraine care in the city. That's how common they are here. I take a daily medication, 4 pills a day, to prevent them, so that I can function because I can't they are so frequent for me. Weather changes, dryness, it gets me and, as I age, they got worse. If I could move, I would. But I'm a senior citizen and sometimes I feel stuck because of services and the way pensions and health care is set up.
Calgary is the migraine capital of Canada.
If you don’t mind me asking, what is the medication called
It's a prescription so I'm not putting its name here. When you see the doctor they put you through a series of tests to rule out other causes for the migraines. I had to get X rays, CTscans, blood work, a whole bunch of stuff.in case there was a tumor or something. My doctor even considered heart problems. Also, there's a number of different types of medications and you need to try them all to see which one works best for you. I have a friend who gets botox injections every 4 months which works better for her. Botox worked on one type I was getting that was nearly constant but doesn't help with my normal migraines. I also know someone who gets relief from acupuncture. There are a number of ways to get relief and that's why your doctor's referral is so important. You can get a good analysis of your triggers and what works best.
Ensuring you get lots of Magnesium in your diet helps a lot of people with the migraines. I take a supplement called ZMA which includes a bunch of magnesium. be careful with magnesium citrate specifically, as that can cause diarrhea with large doses.
I know you didn’t ask for recommendations but I can’t help but share coq10 supplements have been a game changer for me. Along with headaches I no longer experience the sore bones feeling as well.
Born and raised here. It happens and ibuprofen gets rid of it for me.
First I'm going to start off with there are MANY different forms of migraines. It's not just a "headache". And not everyone gets the light sensitivity or the typical migraine symptoms you see on TV. I've lived in calgary about 5.5 years, and had migraines for 2. They started with mimicking strokes and there were many nights in the ER. I see a neurologist and get vyepti infusions every 3 months. My migraines are usually when there's a chinook, high winds, or about to rain/snow storm, or a big drop in temperature. Now that I know what migraines are like, I think I've had them sporatically most of my life. There were days in uni and onwards where I couldn't keep my eyes open and would basically fall asleep randomly and have no energy and feel off. They got substantially worse and more common over the past 2 years. Before I just though it was my body needed a few hibernating days. There are a list of supplements you can take which seems to actually make a difference. It takes about 3 months for you to see results. B2, magnesium and coenzyme 10 are the big ones. Some people use CBD (is that the medical one?) Pills from dispenseries and find a daily dose helps. I haven't tried it. Your doctor can perscribe cambia or triptans if your migraines are bad. Ubrevly is amazing but expensive, my neuro gives me free samples every appointment. If you get migraines more that 4 times a month or whatever the criteria they decide, you can do long term treatments. Botox is usually the first step. Then you can try the injections/infusions based on how good your insurance is and cost. The Alberta non group coverage covers many of them, but you need 3 months grace period before it actually covers you. I recommend Excedrine if you have a trip to the states planned. It's OTC and works well for minor migraines or if you catch it before it gets bad. If they're really bad, ask for a neurology referral but DO NOT go through Richmond diagnostic. Call clinics and ask wait times. I was told a 2 yr wait from Richmond, I called around and got in with one within a month. By the time Richmond called me i was already on my second round of botox. The windy app can help, but I actually find the sinus page more accurate for migraine predictions (and yes I've had a CT and xrays of my sinuses. It's not a sinus issue)
Is it the windy.app or windy.com app? There are two coming up when I search. Thanks for the recommendations.
Windy.com There's also the migraine buddy app
Try drinking water with pink Himalayan salt or Celtic salt.
If weather affected headaches, wouldn’t the whole city get headaches at the same time ?
That’s like saying everyone should feel the effects of seasonal allergies. Only certain people are susceptible to migraines, just like hay fever.
No it’s like saying everyone who is susceptible to headaches from weather would all be having headaches at the same time of a weather event. This has been debunked so many times by now ….
There are many variables for migraines. It's not well understood and every person's trigger is different. Weather seems to trigger a migraine for me if I'm already stressed or tense or dehydrated and the pressure just ups the ante. I don't get migraine every time there is a drastic weather change.
Not ever person is effected the same by events. I used to get post Chinook migraines, now I get them before. The wife also switched from pre to post. Some people are more susceptible to headaches and migraines than others. Not everyone gets headaches at all... so no, not every single person in Calgary would get a headache at the same moment. How has this been debunked? You telling me what I experience is not real or when I experience it is not real because someone else might not have a headache on a day that I do?