Calorie increase but Migraine is a hurdle

ChiragSharma

Friends,
I'm a 21 year old boy, 63KGS fat with 178cms height. I have been 'thin' all my life but I was highly active during pre teen and lazinesswas not in my dictionary. But when I went to high school, my lifestyle changed and I skipped meals. It's been 9 years now and I'm a chronic migraine patient. If I get an attack at morning or noon, I sleep throughout day and eat nothing because of nausea. My medication is going on though and I'm getting better and better.
Now,I want to be fitter. Today I have a pot belly and cannot even run 100 meters at a stretch.

Problem is everyone told me to gain weight, I must work out and increase my calories content. So I started working out at home and increased my food intake. But if I eat a lot, I get gas and I get migraine attacks cos of gas. Current consumption normally is 1500 calories.
Also, if I eat a lot, I go to the loo immediately after the meal, so I guess I will not get any nutrition from that, right?

Pls somebody tell me what to do.

heatherlas

It may be that you get migraines from certain foods, not how much you eat. I have suffered from migraines since I was 15 years old. Back then there were not a lot of drugs to help, but now there are. There are medications that can help prevent as well as treat once you get one. I don't know if you have talked to a neurologist or not, but I would start there. I also got less migraines after I tracked what I ate and found that there were some foods that were trigger foods. As well as most alcohol. Track what you eat and what type of weather is out side and when you get a migraine from start to the worse part of it. I have also found that weather is a huge factor for me. I can usually tell 24 hours before a big cold front comes through when I start getting a migraine. I found real help with my neurologist as he knows a lot about migraines and what to look for. I would start there if you haven't already. Good luck.

ChiragSharma

It may be that you get migraines from certain foods, not how much you eat. I also got less migraines after I tracked what I ate and found that there were some foods that were trigger foods. As well as most alcohol. Track what you eat and what type of weather is out side and when you get a migraine from start to the worse part of it. I have also found that weather is a huge factor.

Oh yes friend, been there done that. I have researched a lot on my body and today I know what foods cause migraine and what part of the day migraines come but yes, in my case, quantity does matter a lot.
So to conclude,I have already started that, so what now?

frommetobetterme

First, at 21, you are not a boy, you are a man.

First, you have to find ALL of your triggers. They can vary a lot. Mine are:

Milk chocolate
Too much red meat
Perfume
Too much stress
Too little sleep
Not eating enough (i.e. skipping breakfast and barely eating for lunch)

I said them just to show how all encompassing they can be.

Find ways to mitigate those things. If too much gas gives you migraine, eat more fibre, take medicine against gas (I use one, but can't remember what it's called. It's like Ovol for babies but for adults).

Talk to your doctor about your migraines, as another poster said, if they are frequent (or even if they're not) there are preventative medicines and medicines that help once the attack starts.

That's pretty much all you can do. Avoid triggers as much as you can, and treat them when they come.

Also, I find migraines exhausting. It's normal to be tired after one. In the throws of the migraine though, it helps to put cold compresses on your forehead and the nape of your neck and keep the rest of your body warm. It doesn't do miracles, but it helps the throbbing.

Have you ever tried eating when your nauseous. I know it's the least appealing thing to do, but I find that when I eat when I'm nauseous from a migraine, I eat a little (even if I've just had a big meal) and it actually seams to help alleviate the nausea a bit and to help me be less tired when I finally wake up. Might not work for everyone, but it's something you might want to try.

brraanndi

Take something for the gas.

Or take Maxalt for the migraines.

Better living through chemistry, my friend.

magdalen13

Friends,
I'm a 21 year old boy, 63KGS fat with 178cms height. I have been 'thin' all my life but I was highly active during pre teen and lazinesswas not in my dictionary. But when I went to high school, my lifestyle changed and I skipped meals. It's been 9 years now and I'm a chronic migraine patient. If I get an attack at morning or noon, I sleep throughout day and eat nothing because of nausea. My medication is going on though and I'm getting better and better.
Now,I want to be fitter. Today I have a pot belly and cannot even run 100 meters at a stretch.

Problem is everyone told me to gain weight, I must work out and increase my calories content. So I started working out at home and increased my food intake. But if I eat a lot, I get gas and I get migraine attacks cos of gas. Current consumption normally is 1500 calories.
Also, if I eat a lot, I go to the loo immediately after the meal, so I guess I will not get any nutrition from that, right?

Pls somebody tell me what to do.

Migraines are different for everybody - Sleeping is the cure for me often, too, but I cannot sleep throughout the day or I would not be able to do my work, take care of my family, etc. What I do instead is take my migraine medication and nap for 1 hour, then get up. If yours is the kind that knocks you out all day, maybe ask your doctor for a different kind?

The nausea is sometimes helped by drinking tea or water (which is good for you anyway)... If eating a lot leads to migraines for you, I would avoid doing that. Maybe smaller meals, more often? Timing is so important when you get migraines. I know if my schedule changes too much I can expect a migraine.

Keep working on a solution though... a regular habit of healthy eating and exercise WILL help the migraines, eventually.

1alicia3

Talk to your doctor about your migraines, as another poster said, if they are frequent (or even if they're not) there are preventative medicines and medicines that help once the attack starts.

That's pretty much all you can do. Avoid triggers as much as you can, and treat them when they come.

Also, I find migraines exhausting. It's normal to be tired after one. In the throws of the migraine though, it helps to put cold compresses on your forehead and the nape of your neck and keep the rest of your body warm. It doesn't do miracles, but it helps the throbbing.

Have you ever tried eating when your nauseous. I know it's the least appealing thing to do, but I find that when I eat when I'm nauseous from a migraine, I eat a little (even if I've just had a big meal) and it actually seams to help alleviate the nausea a bit and to help me be less tired when I finally wake up. Might not work for everyone, but it's something you might want to try.

This^ When im nauseated I can *usually* eat citrus things like mandarin oranges, cranberry sauce, or lime/orange jello. Just an idea, everyone is different.

"My medication is going on though and I'm getting better and better." sounds like you have been to a doctor? if not i would reccomend it! They are great people (:

One of my triggers for a migraine certainly is eating too much, luckily this one doesnt happen too often (usually only when I visit my mom and she makes all my favorite foods!)

I find any significant changes with my body seem to be a trigger, if you want to increase your calories I would do it very slowly so your body doesnt freak out and trigger any. Maybe start with increasing your calorie intake just 100-200 day for a couple weeks and then up it another 100-200 calories for a few weeks til you are where you want to be.

..Also I think you taking a dump shortly after eating just means your healthy! Of course you are still getting nutrition "waste" is the garbage your body doesnt need and thats why we flush it down (:

magdalen13

Oh, I neglected to mention -- this is important -- it sounds like you also have some kind of digestive issue, maybe talk to your doctor about what is normal? Yes, eating to much can cause gas and upset stomach/bowel ... but it shouldn't be every time you eat a lot? If your digestion is that sensitive it may be that you have to just eat different things, or it may be something your dr. can clear up.

frommetobetterme

Oh, I neglected to mention -- this is important -- it sounds like you also have some kind of digestive issue, maybe talk to your doctor about what is normal? Yes, eating to much can cause gas and upset stomach/bowel ... but it shouldn't be every time you eat a lot? If your digestion is that sensitive it may be that you have to just eat different things, or it may be something your dr. can clear up.

I agree.. wanted to mention it and forgot it in my long post. If you also get cramping, it could be an intolerance to certain foods or something like IBS.