Is this normal?

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Faery_Dust
Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it normal to get a headache if you don’t eat every 2-3 hours?

I get up on a morning usually between 5 and 6am and don’t have my breakfast until I arrive at work just after 8am. And that is fine. But after breakfast and for the rest of the day, if I don’t eat every couple of hours I get a horrible headache. This morning for example I had a bowl of cereal and some pineapple at 8am and by 10:45 I was starting to get a horrible headache. I ate a banana and it seems to have eased off.

I don’t want to go to the doctor and waste their time for them just to say “yeah that’s normal, just eat every few hours”. Does anyone else get this or can it be a sign something is lacking in my diet?

I spend a lot of my calories on snacks so was wanting to cut back to allow me to eat 3 bigger meals a day but it doesn’t seem like my body likes that idea!

Replies

  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 209 Member
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    I get headaches if I don't eat within a certain number of hours, but not as quickly as you are explaining. Also, make sure you are drinking enough water too, I get almost sick with an awful migraine if I am not staying hydrated.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
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    sounds like a blood sugar issue maybe. To answer your question, no it is not normal. You should be able to go more than 2-3 hours without eating and be perfectly fine. I'd suggest a doctor's visit.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    I get hangry if I don't eat for a few hours, but never a headache.
    Could be dehydration, depending on your water intake, or like GauchoMark said, could be a blood sugar problem.

    I don't think you should ever be concerned about inconveniencing a doctor. That's what they are there for!!!
  • PunkinSpice79
    PunkinSpice79 Posts: 309 Member
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    sounds like a blood sugar issue maybe. To answer your question, no it is not normal. You should be able to go more than 2-3 hours without eating and be perfectly fine. I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    Agree. My husband has hypoglycemia. I keep granola bars in my purse just in case his sugar drops. He gets a headache, but he also gets real irritable.
  • mp_deep
    mp_deep Posts: 85 Member
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    I get headaches too.
    It happens when i eat below my BMR for 2 days or more.
    My solution: Binge ( one day a week ) , action to restore the reserves of my body sugars.
    Unfortunately, the brain can only metabolize glucose, and therefore lack of it, it is in pain.
    If it persists,I'd suggest a doctor's visit.
  • melham
    melham Posts: 233 Member
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    "Normal" varies from person to person; however, I would say that it's probably not common for someone without medical issues to get headaches solely because they haven't eaten in a few hours. I think a visit to your doctor would be wise. If you want to try something else first, try drinking more water. Dehydration will definitely cause headaches. Even if you don't feel thirsty, sip on water. I'm one of those people who hardly ever feels thirsty, but if I don't make myself drink water anyway I'll get nasty, violent headaches. Good luck on figuring out the trigger and getting rid of your headaches!
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    sounds like a blood sugar issue maybe. To answer your question, no it is not normal. You should be able to go more than 2-3 hours without eating and be perfectly fine. I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    Agree. My husband has hypoglycemia. I keep granola bars in my purse just in case his sugar drops. He gets a headache, but he also gets real irritable.

    ^^^This, my daughter is also hypoglycemic, and if she doesn't eat either complex carbs or every 2-3 hours she gets headaches, light-headed, and has upon occassion passed out. She typically starts her day with either wheat crackers with peanut butter, or apples and peanut butter plus a normal breakfast. It seems to make a HUGE difference when she does that. The rest of the day can typically be managed ok with a handful of crackers (I get her the mini ritz with peanut butter so they are easy), raisins or nuts in between meal times.

    All this being said, it doesn't mean that is what is going on with you.... you really should talk with your Dr.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I get headaches too.
    It happens when i eat below my BMR for 2 days or more.
    My solution: Binge ( one day a week ) , action to restore the reserves of my body sugars.
    Unfortunately, the brain can only metabolize glucose, and therefore lack of it, it is in pain.
    If it persists,I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    isnt a better solution to not eat below BMR in the first place?
  • Faery_Dust
    Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
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    Thanks everyone, think a visit to the docs is in order then. I drink more on a morning than even the rest of the day. Between 5 and 10am I must have drunk a litre of water and 2 cups of tea so don't think it's dehydration. Will call up for an appointment. Guess it's best to get checked and err on the side of caution. Thanks for the replies :)
  • Faery_Dust
    Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
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    I get headaches too.
    It happens when i eat below my BMR for 2 days or more.
    My solution: Binge ( one day a week ) , action to restore the reserves of my body sugars.
    Unfortunately, the brain can only metabolize glucose, and therefore lack of it, it is in pain.
    If it persists,I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    isnt a better solution to not eat below BMR in the first place?

    My calories have been on the light side the last couple of days but this seems to be something that's with me even when they aren't. But I'll still make sure I am hitting at least BMR each day until I get an appointment.
  • mp_deep
    mp_deep Posts: 85 Member
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    I get headaches too.
    It happens when i eat below my BMR for 2 days or more.
    My solution: Binge ( one day a week ) , action to restore the reserves of my body sugars.
    Unfortunately, the brain can only metabolize glucose, and therefore lack of it, it is in pain.
    If it persists,I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    isnt a better solution to not eat below BMR in the first place?

    No it is not a solution. Now I dont eat below BMR.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    no, see a doctor
  • drojen
    drojen Posts: 203 Member
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    Do you also exercise in the morning? I ask because I used to run in the morning - anywhere from 5 - 10K - and even though I would have a decent breakfast and drank lots of water, I often ended up with a headache. I was also much hungrier the entire day. I believe I likely wasn't eating or drinking enough for the calories/energy expended first thing in the morning. I now exercise in the evenings and don't have this issue - possibly because I've hydrated and fueled all day long.
  • Shari325
    Shari325 Posts: 196 Member
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    I agree a doctor visit is in order.
    I think it sounds like a blood-sugar issue also. I have reactive hypoglycemia. Which means if I eat something carb heavy my blood sugar will go up, and then drop suddenly. If I were to eat a bowl of cereal with fruit, about 3 hours later I would have similar issues when my blood sugar dropped. Then a banana would cause another spike and three hours later a drop.

    Try adding more protein to level out your blood sugar and reduce the subsequent spike then drop. An egg or peanut butter for breakfast, a cheese stick or some almonds for a snack. The protein will also help keep you feeling fuller longer.
  • sassymanatee
    sassymanatee Posts: 102 Member
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    Yep, I also have hypoglycemia and this is what it sounds like. However, you should check with a doctor. It's never safe to self diagnose and it might be another issue. It's easy to live with, so don't panic if that is what it turns out to be.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I get headaches too.
    It happens when i eat below my BMR for 2 days or more.
    My solution: Binge ( one day a week ) , action to restore the reserves of my body sugars.
    Unfortunately, the brain can only metabolize glucose, and therefore lack of it, it is in pain.
    If it persists,I'd suggest a doctor's visit.

    isnt a better solution to not eat below BMR in the first place?

    No it is not a solution. Now I dont eat below BMR.

    eh!?
  • Faery_Dust
    Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
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    Thanks for your replies. I do sometimes work out on a morning before work but haven't this week as I did a charity trek that I'm not yet recovered from lol.

    While I wait for an appointment (they are rubbish at giving you an appointment at my doctors!) I'll make sure I am hitting a minimum of BMR each day and try and have a less carby / higher protein breakfast and see if it makes a difference. Guess it can't harm anyway, I just tend to go for fruit and cereal as it's pretty easy for in the office.
  • lovetotravel04
    lovetotravel04 Posts: 29 Member
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    Thank you for sharing this, I think I have the same problem. Two to three hours after I eat, I am hungry (especially if I have cereal or even Greek yogurt) and I always wondered why. I'll be hungry even after a protein-only meal too. Other people can eat five hours later and be fine, but not me. My grandmother had hypoglycemia and diabetes runs in my family. Thanks for this, I am researching this right now.

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