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Anja (46): from chronic migraine to radiant again

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Woman smiling in warm sunlight, eyes closed

The name is a pseudonym. This story is published with the client’s permission.

Before and after

Before the programme

  • 10 migraine days a month, plus 5 extra headache days
  • About 30 painkillers a month: constant painkiller use
  • Constant symptoms: tense muscles, restlessness, sleep problems

After 10 weeks

  • About 4 migraine days a month: the lingering headache is gone
  • 8 to 10 painkillers a month: a drop of more than 65%
  • Calm and relaxation: no more tense muscles, no more restlessness

1. The starting point

Anja (46) had lived with chronic migraine for years. She had an average of ten migraine days a month, plus five extra headache days. A lingering headache had become her constant companion. Her trapezius muscles were permanently tense and she was taking almost thirty doses of painkillers every month. Earlier treatments with antidepressants, Botox, physiotherapy and osteopathy had brought little or no lasting result.

On top of the migraine, there was a pronounced hormonal problem. Anja had extremely painful periods with heavy bleeding. She could not get through this time without medication. A laparoscopy for endometriosis brought no confirmation, although the suspicion remains given how severe her symptoms are. This monthly cycle of pain and medication use added considerably to her total painkiller use and put a structural load on her body.

As a secondary school teacher and mother of two, she had been in survival mode for a long time. Sleep problems and a constant feeling of restlessness completed the picture.

2. The approach

The programme worked on several areas at the same time:

  • Metabolism: metabolic flexibility addressed through dietary changes
  • Gut health: targeted attention to the gut as the foundation
  • Supplements: filling deficiencies and damping chronic inflammation, based on lab results
  • Hormones: oestrogen breakdown and reducing inflammation around menstruation
  • Mind: deep-rooted patterns around anxiety, perfectionism and hypersensitivity addressed

“I feel so much better. The lingering headache is gone and I no longer have the tense muscles. I’m much calmer than I used to be. That ever-present feeling of restlessness is gone.”

Anja, client of the clinic

3. The result after 10 weeks

The transformation is remarkable. The lingering headache has disappeared completely. The tense muscles are a thing of the past. In December, Anja had only four headache days despite the busy holiday season. At her check-up in mid-January, she had not had a single migraine attack in the first two weeks of that month. Over the six weeks of the programme, her frequency went from an average of ten to about four migraine days a month.

There is clear progress on the hormonal side as well. During her period in December, for the first time, Anja no longer needed heavy painkillers. The month after, she did need a little more medication, but still considerably less than before. Her total painkiller use has dropped from almost thirty to about eight to ten doses a month.

She feels much calmer than before and the chronic feeling of restlessness has ebbed away. Even her hypersensitivity has become easier to manage. We have continued working on getting the menstrual symptoms under control and look forward to further improvement.

Does this sound familiar?

Anja’s story is not unique. Many people with migraine recognise themselves in this pattern:

  • Years of going from specialist to specialist without lasting results
  • Using more and more painkillers as the only way out
  • Hormonal symptoms that make the migraine worse
  • The feeling of living in survival mode

By addressing not just the symptoms but the underlying factors (metabolism, gut, hormones, inflammation and mind), a fundamental shift can take place. No miracle cure, but a targeted, science-based approach tailored to you.

Recognise yourself in Anja’s story? The Building Block Analysis is a good place to start mapping your own building blocks.

This article is for information only and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your doctor before you change your medication or treatment. The Functional Migraine Clinic offers complementary guidance and does not make medical diagnoses.

Barbara Van De Keer, Clinical PNI & Orthomolecular Therapist

About the author

Barbara Van De Keer

Clinical PNI & Orthomolecular Therapist · Founder of the Functional Migraine Clinic

Barbara is a clinical psycho-neuro-immunology (cPNI) and orthomolecular therapist who specialises in migraine, and a former migraine patient herself. She is the author of the book HEADSTRONG and helps people find and address the underlying factors behind their migraine.

More about Barbara →

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