Missed meals=migraines ;(

phx92

Does anyone else have this problem?

If I go too long without eating, I get migraine headaches (nausea, photosensitive, throbbing pain on one side of my head) . I talked to my doctor in the past who said that 1) it sounds like migraines based on symptoms and 2) his wife has the same problem even though he never learned abt missed meals as a cause of migraine in med school. His wise advice to cope w them was to just not miss meals but sometimes life happens

Anyone who has experienced this have any suggestions on how to kick one once it starts?

I’ve tried an ice pack, ibuprofen, eating a meal/having sugar, and I’ve been in the dark for a couple hours but it’s still killing me. Just curious if anyone has Ny ideas that have worked for them

LyndaBSS

I've suffered from chronic headaches and migraines my whole life.

I find that drinking water helps. Excedrin, percogesic and tramadol all work. An ice pack works. Stretching your neck out, head rolls and, yes, the dark.

If yours are caused by missing meals, that's the easiest cure of all.

MikePTY

My wife has this. She has PCOS, and if she gets too hungry, and doesn't eat in time, it's usually rough, even several hours later.

cbihatt

I have headaches pretty frequently, (not always migraines) and I have several triggers. For the worst headaches, I use a combination of ibuprofen, aspirin, and Coke along with an ice pack and a dark room. For less intense pain, ibuprofen and ice alone will usually work for me.

I have also found relief from using a product called Motion Eze on my temples. It is actually a blend of essential oils used to help motion sickness, but I find that it can sometimes help with headaches when they are persistent. I am not sure exactly what oils are in it but I suspect eucalyptus and lavender based on how it smells.

ETA: I agree with your doctor to avoid triggers as much as possible. Also, the poster who suggested drinking water to stay hydrated.

Cahgetsfit

eat.

veganbaum

That's a fairly well-known trigger. In my experience, the average doctor is not knowledgeable about migraines and if you experience them with any regularity, you should see a neurologist.

Of course, the best plan is to not miss meals. Waiting too long between meals can trigger migraines for me, though if I have a larger meal I can usually go for longer between meals. If you know that's trigger, I think you should really do everything you can to avoid a missed meal.

In the event you do get a migraine, you have to experiment to find what works for you. Over-the-counter meds do not work for me. Sometimes coffee works, sometimes a soda works. Some people I've known have found that taking dissolvable magnesium citrate (like Natural Calm) helps theirs. The thing about migraines is that triggers and treatments vary greatly. Even for an individual, sometimes things work and sometimes they don't.

Also, while I still recommend seeing a specialist, I will share that my neuro, who has actually done extensive migraine-related work, told me I shouldn't use ibuprofen. I used ibuprofen more often than I would have liked when trying to keep a headache from becoming a migraine. He said that for migraineurs, it has a rebound type of effect. I was scared to be without it, but he prescribed a new abortive medication that was less expensive and more accessible than my old one, so I followed his advice. I have found that my migraines have decreased. Just something to consider, but again - consult your own doctor.

apullum

It happens to me.

The best way to kick it before it starts is to eat on a regular schedule.

Carry a protein bar or other snack with you. Don’t let yourself fall into the mindset of skipping meals when your body is saying it needs food.

emmamcgarity

Yes. I read a book several years ago that mentioned drops in blood sugar being a potential trigger for migraines. The book recommended trying a small glass of orange juice and rest. I typically try applesauce simply because I don’t usually have juice at home when it hits. Sometimes it helps. Other times not. I have several triggers. Excedrine is really helpful. I also find that an ice pack on the back of my neck helps. Imitrex and Zofran have greatly improved my quality of life firvthe really tough ones.

beulah81

Hugs. I can relate. If you are caffeine sensitive and don't consume it on a regular basis, I would try a cup of coffee. It helps me most of the time.

missysippy930

Logically, eat to avoid the issue. I would keep a snack with me at all times. I know that once it starts it’s hard to quickly relieve, but others have given you good solutions.

kristen8000

I have this issue too. I plan snacks to help keep everything stable. Also, I find keeping hydrated helps too. Because of this, intermittent fasting is something I'll never even try.

phx92

Thanks everyone for all the tips. I didn’t know that ibuprofen could potentially be a problem, it is my go to for headaches. I stopped taking excedrin when I cut back on caffeine but I found a travel pack in my old work bag last night which did help a bit.

I used to get them fairly frequently but now it’s mostly just one bad one around that TOM and if I mess up and miss a meal. Figuring out that was main the trigger really helped me reduce the frequency.

Yesterday I didn’t have much appetite and was pretty busy, so by the time I recognized I needed to eat something I was driving to an appointment and didn’t have time to grab anything until after the appointment. Keeping something on hand is probably a good idea to avoid that in the future

kq1981

phx92 wrote: »

Does anyone else have this problem?

If I go too long without eating, I get migraine headaches (nausea, photosensitive, throbbing pain on one side of my head) . I talked to my doctor in the past who said that 1) it sounds like migraines based on symptoms and 2) his wife has the same problem even though he never learned abt missed meals as a cause of migraine in med school. His wise advice to cope w them was to just not miss meals but sometimes life happens

Anyone who has experienced this have any suggestions on how to kick one once it starts?

I’ve tried an ice pack, ibuprofen, eating a meal/having sugar, and I’ve been in the dark for a couple hours but it’s still killing me. Just curious if anyone has Ny ideas that have worked for them

I get migraines so badly I end up in emergency sometimes where I get an injection in the back of my skull. They are absolutely terrible. Usually, if I feel one coming I'll take 2-3 dissolvable aspirins asap, Dr says it's because they're a blood thinner and It Really does help ease them immensely, you cld try that. If you get them chronically a Triptan medication can be prescribed. Poor thing, migraines are the absolute worst :-(

apullum

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Missing meals can trigger my “silent” migraines (the headache is minimal, the other symptoms are the problem, visual disturbance and nausea) having a protein bar with me at all times helps in case meals get delayed. I like the Trek peanut ones as they aren’t too sweet like a lot of bars can be ( just my personal taste)

My migraines always have pretty minimal pain; it’s the aura that’s the problem. I have hemiplegic migraines: numbness on one side, tunnel vision or blurry spots, trouble understanding written words, and something I can only describe as trouble making the words I want to say come out right. That lasts for about an hour, and then I get a dull headache on the side that didn’t go numb. I also get a postdrome of feeling wiped out for the next day or two. Fortunately I have figured out my triggers and this only happens about once a year. I do have to warn people who are around me often that if I seem like I’m having a stroke, it’s probably just a migraine.

kq1981

apullum wrote: »

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Missing meals can trigger my “silent” migraines (the headache is minimal, the other symptoms are the problem, visual disturbance and nausea) having a protein bar with me at all times helps in case meals get delayed. I like the Trek peanut ones as they aren’t too sweet like a lot of bars can be ( just my personal taste)

My migraines always have pretty minimal pain; it’s the aura that’s the problem. I have hemiplegic migraines: numbness on one side, tunnel vision or blurry spots, trouble understanding written words, and something I can only describe as trouble making the words I want to say come out right. That lasts for about an hour, and then I get a dull headache on the side that didn’t go numb. I also get a postdrome of feeling wiped out for the next day or two. Fortunately I have figured out my triggers and this only happens about once a year. I do have to warn people who are around me often that if I seem like I’m having a stroke, it’s probably just a migraine.

That's terrible :-( get postdrome and auras too. Mine are like looking through a kalidascope and it starts small and then takes up my whole Field of vision, Sometimes without pain though.

LyndaBSS

beulah81 wrote: »

Hugs. I can relate. If you are caffeine sensitive and don't consume it on a regular basis, I would try a cup of coffee. It helps me most of the time.

That's an interesting theory. Why would coffee, which has caffeine, be good for someone with caffeine sensitivity?

Coffee is actually one of my migraine triggers.

kshama2001

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Missing meals can trigger my “silent” migraines (the headache is minimal, the other symptoms are the problem, visual disturbance and nausea) having a protein bar with me at all times helps in case meals get delayed. I like the Trek peanut ones as they aren’t too sweet like a lot of bars can be ( just my personal taste)

Like on https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/ocular-migraine.htm ?

Bummer, the image used to be animated, and was exactly what I experienced, so a really nice visual to share.

Mine are usually triggered by flashing lights. I wouldn't know about missing meals, cuz I don't miss meals (It helps that I work from home.)

fitpal4242

I don’t get full-on migraines, but I do get headaches & nausea if I get too hungry. Trying to watch my calories, I don’t always want to have a full snack when I’m not undereating & I want to save my calories for dinner.

I find that sucking on a hard candy helps me (like the Werthers ones). Of course those do have some calories, so not too many. They do have sugar- free options, but I don’t believe in consuming fake sweeteners (& I know they give a lot of people headaches, anyway)

beulah81

LyndaBSS wrote: »

beulah81 wrote: »

Hugs. I can relate. If you are caffeine sensitive and don't consume it on a regular basis, I would try a cup of coffee. It helps me most of the time.

That's an interesting theory. Why would coffee, which has caffeine, be good for someone with caffeine sensitivity?

Coffee is actually one of my migraine triggers.

This article helped me to understand why caffeine works so well for me. I usually try to limit my caffeine(I try but not always successful)and use it as "medicine" when headache strikes. In my case it works quicker and better than 800 mg of ibuprofen. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/caffeine-and-migraine/

tracybear86

Here is a good article on rebound headaches caused by pain medication from the Cleveland Clinic.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6170-headaches-rebound-headaches