I Changed My Diet & Eased My Migraines

Nothing could calm the agony in Sarah Ivens’ head – but then she did some research of her own…

- Sarah Ivens

It happened so quickly. one moment I was enjoying a snuggle with my six-month-old daughter matilda on the sofa, the next the right side of my skull felt like it was being chipped at by axes and lightning bolts. ‘Take the baby!’ I said to my husband Russell as I ran to the bathroom and threw up.

Hovering over me, clutching Matilda to his chest and our son William, then two, clinging to his leg, Russell asked if I was OK. But as the bright lights above me seared through my eyes, the sound of his concern only made my head feel worse.

When I went to see the doctor a day later in March 2014, he thought, from the description of my symptoms, I’d suffered a menstrual migraine, triggered by fluctuating hormones as I’d recently given birth. He also said psychosocial factors, such as stress or lack of sleep, could have played a part. I was so surprised – aged 38, I’d never even had a bad headache before.