How a Soda Taste Test Led Me to the Cure for My Chronic Migraines
Exactly one year ago in late August 2025, I was perusing the international foods aisle at my local Publix and found a unique soft drink I had never seen before: Guaraná Antarctica. As a curious person who will try nearly any food or drink at least once, my interest was instantly piqued.
With no idea what Guarana is, how and why there’s an Antarctica soda in the store, much less in the South American section, or what Brazil has to do with the makings of any of this, I added it to my basket. I couldn’t wait to taste test it when I got home!
Guaraná Antarctica
Since I couldn’t share the fun with my husband, who was an hour away working on a video project, I thought I’d FaceTime my long-distance best friend instead for a fun little virtual taste test. Sadly, she couldn’t answer, so I decided to record a short, fun video taste-testing this “weird Antarctica soda.”
Little did I know I was about to record the worst allergic reaction of my life up until that point.
I cracked open the bottle, poured the soda over ice, and took my first sip. It was super sweet and tasted kind of like ginger ale. The second sip tasted more like ginger ale and cherry and like something I had never had before. That must be whatever Guarana is! I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it, but it was fine enough to sip on for now.
Vowing to finish this cup, but deciding Andrew could have the rest, I plopped down on the couch to relax and watch a show…until my face started getting hot.
And hotter. And hotter! And tighter?! And puffier???
Oh gosh. What’s happening to me?
I ran to the bathroom mirror to see a horrific, puffy red rash covering weirdly and specifically half of my face. I picked up my phone to film as partially evidence of a reaction and partially as an “oh crap” update to follow up the “hey this isn’t too bad!” video for my friend. Because apparently, things are bad.
I called Andrew to come home right away, popped two Benadryl since this clearly felt like an allergic reaction, and put my shoes on to get ready to take myself to the ER if needed. I poured out the drink, rinsed my mouth, and forced myself to drink so much water to try to flush whatever this was out of my system as fast as possible. Thankfully, within the hour, the tightness, puffiness, and burning were subsiding.
That was so strange!
I’ve never had a reaction like that to anything before. After sending the videos to my best friend, I decided to post them to TikTok. Here’s that video in case you’re interested! Commenters all agreed I’m probably allergic to the main ingredient, Guarana, which is a Brazilian fruit. They also shared it’s commonly found in energy drinks, which thankfully, I’ve always stayed away from since I have a heart murmur. (Saved by a murmur, I guess?)
I swore off trying new foods or drinks when I’m alone.
Then about two weeks later, when I was making dinner-for-one as Andrew was on a trip, I thought I’d munch on some celery as I was cooking. Just some classic, washed, raw celery. Then my mouth and tongue instantly went numb for the very first time. From celery!?!
What is happening!? I’ve eaten celery my whole life!
I did the only thing I knew to do. I rinsed my mouth out and called my mom, who said it sounded like another allergic reaction. I popped two Benadryl, stayed awake until I could feel my mouth again, and went to sleep.
The next day, I decided I was done with surprise allergies, especially when I’m home alone.
I promptly went online and made the first appointment for a local allergist who could see me soon.
At the allergist, we did a scratch test (mostly fine) and a contact patch test (miserable, I tell ya!) and found, essentially, the answers to all of my problems.
My skin? My skin is allergic to and bothered by so many things. I shared a little bit about that in an spring life update blog. So many ingredients are in some of my favorite things.
My food allergies? Besides pineapple and stevia (which I already knew), I found I am allergic to Guarana, celery, and... wheat?! What’s the allergic reaction to wheat?
I immediately cut wheat out completely to see what would change.
Turns out, I felt good! Much fewer headaches, and suspiciously, no migraines. For someone who’s routinely had at least 10 or more a month for much of life, this felt WILD. It’s hard to describe to non migraine sufferers, but I would wake up distracted and confused by the fact that I felt…good…and didn’t have the dread of taking my head from off the pillow to face the day with a migraine. Or living life with a pharmacy in my purse “for when the migraine hits.” It feels like a different life.
Then, on a trip to Disney in April, I made a rookie mistake while I was still learning about all the foods wheat touches. Unfortunately, the fact that wheat flour is in gravy hadn’t dawned on me yet. After ordering from Disney’s gluten-free menus all weekend, I defaulted to my old favorite and ordered the breakfast totchos at Woody’s Lunch Box.
BAM. Migraine.
It had been a record month without a migraine. Within 20 minutes of consuming that delicious, traitorous gravy, a migraine was creeping up on me until it began to make that terrible crawl from the base of my skull, squeeze up my head towards an ear, and threaten to take vision from my left eye temporarily. Classic.
Breakfast Totchos at Woody’s Lunch Box
Houston, we have a culprit.
It’s official. My lifelong migraines were actually triggered by my lifelong consumption of a food I was unknowingly allergic to. WHEAT!
Since finding out this is the allergic reaction I’ve been having to wheat, my life is both harder and so much easier. Food is less fun, and eating out is a bit more awkward and trickier. But I don’t wake up already dreading the day and what pain may come or is already happening before I open my eyes. I’ve been more clear-headed, productive, and energetic than ever before.
The only time I have headaches and migraines now is when I accidentally eat something containing wheat, like the wrong type of soy sauce, or if I’m served something that was supposed to be wheat/gluten-free and obviously wasn’t. Reliably, a migraine starts to work its way around my skull within 30 minutes of consuming wheat.
I’ve learned so much about food this year. And I have so much more grace, understanding, and empathy for people with celiac and severe, life-threatening allergies!
I'm grateful my allergies aren’t any worse than they are! I truly count myself lucky that if I ever have a headache or migraine triggered by something I was served, it sends me to a few ibuprofen and a pillow in a dark room rather than the hospital.
I truly don’t think I ever would have found an allergist, which led to the key to finding my personal cure for my chronic migraines, if it weren’t for a wild hair one year ago to taste test a random soda whose main ingredient I didn’t know I was allergic to.
I’m no doctor and do not give medical advice, but if you’re a migraine sufferer, may this be your sign to see an allergist!