The Migraine Trigger I Never Saw Coming

When I was 34 and visiting my sister, I was hit with the worst headache of my life.

It dropped me completely. I couldn’t function, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but endure it — until she gave me half a Percocet. That took the edge off just enough to get through it.

At the time, I had no idea that moment would mark the beginning of years of near-daily migraines.

When nothing over-the-counter worked, I went to my doctor. He said what I would hear many times after that — that it was unusual to suddenly develop migraines like that at my age. While the Percocet helped, he warned me it wasn’t a good solution. Your body can actually start producing migraines just to get more of it.

So we tried other medications — something I could take when a migraine hit.

And they did. Again and again.

You develop a kind of tolerance for pain over time, but a blinding headache — especially one made worse by stress — is impossible to ignore. It seeped into everything. I remember trying to teach my 15-year-old daughter to drive, only to cut lessons short because the pain was too much. She used to complain that I always had a headache.

She wasn’t wrong.

It’s hard now to piece together the exact timeline, but I know we tried a lot.

The first migraine medication eventually stopped working. The next one worked faster, but made me so nauseous that I avoided taking it unless I absolutely had to.

At one point, I was prescribed Prozac. It didn’t help the migraines at all. What it did do was flatten everything — every emotion, every bit of joy. It also came with the added problem of making me feel like I might lose control of my bladder at times. Not exactly a worthwhile trade.

I also tried Chantix. I don’t remember the side effects — just that it didn’t help.

I had a contrast CT scan of my brain. It was reassuring to hear I had a “normal-looking brain,” but it didn’t answer anything.

Eventually, I was referred to a neurologist. What I remember most about that visit wasn’t insight — it was how dismissive he was. He told me my problem was my jaw, and that if I just dropped it and breathed out a “hah,” it would fix my migraines.

It didn’t.

At some point, I saw an allergist — not for migraines specifically, but to try to understand some ongoing stomach issues and other symptoms. He told me I had rhinitis and nasal polyps and recommended Flonase. According to his testing, I didn’t have any allergies.

That didn’t line up with my experience.

When I asked about oral allergy syndrome or something similar, he dismissed it. His main suggestion was to keep a food diary.

And so it went.

Then one day, almost by accident, I came across an interview with a nutritionist talking about elimination diets. That idea stuck with me. It felt more intentional — more like a way to actually find answers instead of just documenting symptoms after the fact.

So I decided to try it.

I started cutting out common allergens. A few days in — before I had fully committed — I decided to finish off a two-pack of Greek yogurt in the fridge.

Almost immediately, I had upper respiratory symptoms.

That was enough for me. I threw it out and started the process for real.

Some results surprised me. Lactose-free milk made no difference, which led me to realize the issue wasn’t lactose — it was cow’s milk itself. Something that hadn’t shown up in allergy testing.

Other things I expected to be a problem — like shellfish — weren’t.

And then came the day I tested sodium/potassium benzoate.

I made sure to test it on its own. I found a pineapple soda that contained benzoates but didn’t introduce other variables. I followed the process carefully: a small amount behind the lip, then spit it out. Thirty minutes later, a tiny serving. Then gradually increasing the amount each hour.

Everything seemed fine.

Until it wasn’t.

About two hours after the final dose, I developed the worst migraine I had ever experienced.

And just like that, after years of searching, I finally had an answer.

Years earlier, when my doctor told me to cut out full-sugar sodas, I switched to diet. I didn’t like it at first, but I got used to it — especially Diet Code Red Mountain Dew. It became a regular part of my routine. Something I drank when I was tired. Or stressed. Or just because.

Looking back, I don’t know if I developed an intolerance over time, or if something in the ingredients changed. But if the migraines had started immediately after the switch, I might have connected the dots much sooner.

Once I eliminated benzoates, the migraines mostly stopped. The only times they came back were when I accidentally consumed them.

For a while, I avoided soda completely. Eventually, I tried Zevia and was relieved to find something I could tolerate.

But benzoates didn’t stay neatly contained in sodas.

The first time I noticed something was off, it was after eating a donut from a local shop. A few hours later, my joints started hurting. I didn’t connect it right away — until it happened again. When I asked about ingredients, I learned they used canned pudding in the filling.

It contained benzoates.

Another time, I had a thin slice of cake and ended up with full-body aches for days. It felt like the flu — every joint, every limb hurting.

That’s when I realized how common these preservatives really are.

So after all of this, my recommendation — pending your doctor’s approval — is to consider trying an elimination diet. It might lead you to answers you wouldn’t expect.

I know I plan to do another round myself, with a few adjustments.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of this, it’s that sometimes the answer isn’t obvious.

Sometimes, you have to find it the hard way.