Diet, Migraines and Prolotherapy
A Case History

History: Michelle is a 56 year old female who came to Caring Medical in January of 2008 with complaints of migraines and neck pain that have been occurring for 25 years. Her most severe migraines often require her to go to the emergency room to receive shots of pain medications to stop the pain. Michelle stated that she spent a lot of time in bed due to her migraines. She had also steadily gained weight over the years and wanted to lose weight. She had tried Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and a low-carb diet.

After reviewing the Hauser Diet online, Michelle believed that she should be a Hauser Giraffe but she was currently eating like a Hauser Monkey. However ,she stated that she always felt cold despite living in the hot climate of Texas.

First Visit:
On Michelle’s first visit she told us of her migraine history. She was taking a number of medications as well as Synthroid for low thyroid, Ogen for hormone replacement, Nexium for GERD, Cymbalta for panic disorder, Dolgic Plus for headache, and Soma for a muscle relaxer. Dr. Hauser met with Michelle and ordered a number of tests: Diet Typing, food allergy testing, Metabolic Profile, Blood Hormone Profile, Cortisol level, IGF-1 level, and C - reactive protein

Her Diet Typing questionnaire showed that she was heavy on the Giraffe/Monkey side; however her lab results showed otherwise (see below): she was a fast oxidizer with acidic blood pH. Therefore she was placed on the Bear Diet to increase her current protein intake and raise her blood pH. Michelle also loved coffee and drank it all day. Another favorite drink of hers was sweet tea, a very high sugar beverage. Besides increasing her protein intake, Michelle would need to significantly cut back on her coffee and sweet tea intake.

Her body measurements were as follows:
Weight: 176.6 pounds
Body Fat% (scale): 43.9%
Arm: 13 inches
Hips: 43.5 inches
Waist: 35.1 inches
Thigh: 21.5 inches

After Diet Typing, Michelle received her first Prolotherapy treatment to her neck. She was also placed on Armor Thyroid 1 grain per day and a hormone cream for her low hormone levels.

Follow-up Visits:
Michelle returned a month later for her 2nd Prolotherapy treatment and reported that her headaches had been relieved for 3 weeks and then returned. Once her headaches returned it was difficult to follow the Bear Diet because she spent a lot of time lying down. However prior to the headaches she was very dedicated to the Bear Diet. She increased her protein and felt more energized; she quit drinking sweet tea and she decreased her coffee consumption to only a few cups per day. She had lost 7 pounds on the diet, but then gained it back. Her thyroid medication was increased to 1.5 grains per day and she reviewed her food allergies with the nutritionist. Michelle’s next big diet change would be to avoid her food allergies: eggs, dairy, gluten, garlic, pineapple, ginger, alfalfa, beef, and water chestnut.

Michelle returned for a 3rd Prolotherapy treatment a month later and reported that she was still having headaches. She also met with the nutritionist to review her diet and food allergies. She had lost 3lbs, 0.6 inches in her waist and 2.6 inches in her hips.

Her body measurements were as follows:
Weight: 173.2 pounds
Body Fat% (scale): 43.4%
Arm: 14 inches
Hips: 40.9 inches
Waist: 34.5 inches
Thigh: 22 inches

She also reported feeling less bloated. Her food diary revealed that she had been successfully avoiding all food allergies except gluten. With minimal improvements over 3 months, the nutritionist was curious about the degree of change in Michelle’s blood pH. She recommended that Michelle retest her blood pH to determine if the Bear Diet was truly changing Michelle’s physiology. Her pH came back as even more acidic than before: 7.399. The Bear Diet was not enough to increase Michelle’s blood pH, therefore Michelle was instructed to switch to the Otter diet to consume more protein and to avoid gluten.

Michelle was started on Meditropin, a supplement that helps with soft tissue healing, aids in deep sleep, and supports the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

Email Update
Through correspondence via email, Michelle reported that the Otter Diet was working great for her. She is headache free and feels better on the Otter Diet. She also likes the Meditropin supplement. She reported that she doesn’t know what to do with herself now that her headaches are gone!

Summary:
Michelle’s story is great example of how the food a person eats can affect their whole life. Michelle had severe migraines for 25 years and she could not find the cause of them. She also struggled with weight and tried a number of different diets. She, like a lot of people, was unaware of how food made her feel. When she came to Caring Medical she believed she would be a Giraffe or a Monkey. However she ended up being an Otter, the complete opposite of what she thought, and felt great on it. She always remained positive throughout the course of treatment which also helped in her healing. The right combination of Prolotherapy, correct diet, balancing hormones, and a positive attitude helped relieve Michelle of a condition that had plagued her or years.