Headaches?

xerogirl
xerogirl Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, all!

I've recently jumped on the weightloss bandwagon after researching for quite some time. I feel fine, for the most part... but am suddenly dealing with headaches. Is this a common side effect?

Replies

  • MunchkinHawk12
    MunchkinHawk12 Posts: 434 Member
    Are you eating/drinking enough? I know if I don't eat or drink enough in the day I will get headaches...
  • stesodreams
    stesodreams Posts: 4
    my guess is that you havn't drunk enough water. Always drink during and after exercise.
  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
    A lot of times if you aren't drinking enough water it can cause headaches.... also if you are use to a lot of sugar and you drop it drastically that can cause headaches as well.
  • janarmac
    janarmac Posts: 45 Member
    It's most likely your body adjusting to your new and improved diet.
    When I started I had cut out pop, reduced my caffeine and over all cut back my sugar and I had brutal head aches for a few weeks since my body was used to having all of those things.
    Stick it out, it should get better in time. Try to drink lots of water, more than usual. I found that really helpful.
    If they last longer than a few weeks you may want to get it checked out by a doctor.
    Good Luck
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Hi, all!

    I've recently jumped on the weightloss bandwagon after researching for quite some time. I feel fine, for the most part... but am suddenly dealing with headaches. Is this a common side effect?

    Open your diary
  • GettingFit4Me2011
    GettingFit4Me2011 Posts: 112
    Yes. Especially if you are a dark soda, also Mountain Dew, or coffee drinker. If you truly want to get away from the caffeine, you will have to bear with the headaches for 3-5 days. Take something without caffeine to try to ease your headaches. Or......you, could wean yourself off of the caffeine by slowly cutting back and therefore will ease the headaches a little. Hang in there!
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    Eat a good broiled steak. It's the best thing for me. You might not be getting enough protein, and that always gives me headaches.
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    I agree with PP about getting enough water. Make sure you do. However, I also find that if I'm not getting adequate protein, I get headaches. I try my best to have protein at every meal and sometimes as a snack.
  • seehawkmomma
    seehawkmomma Posts: 815
    my guess is that you havn't drunk enough water. Always drink during and after exercise.

    Water water water. Headaches are commonly caused by a lack of fluids. (think of a hangover) If you are working out and you want to drink gator make sure you realize how much sugar intake you going to be obtaining. Usually your best bet as stated above is to drink during and after exercise and its good in your daily life just to have a bottle of water in hand.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you are eating different foods now, rather than just less food, it could be caused by one of the foods. Bananas, for example, are a common migraine trigger. You can ask your doctor or search the internet for common headache trigger foods, but if it is a food the only way to identify it may be systematically eliminating and re-introducing the foods to see which is causing it.
  • sbeisel1
    sbeisel1 Posts: 181
    If you are concerned you should see a doctor. but concider a few things that can cause headaches and see any match you.

    I am not a doctor or in the medical feild, I have however learned a lot from research and experiance from my own and others, the list below is not medical advice but my 2 cents.

    1. artificial sweetners can cause headaches and lead to migranes(myself and best friend, father and brother suffer) this is a biggie since a lot of people over do it or start consuming fake sugars when they try to lose weight. be carefull along with headaches if you eat or drink fakes, they can acutally cause you to gain weight. you body expect sugar (brain chemical triggar from the oral signal of sweet being consumed) and whend it doesnt get it it casues a reaction making you want more food especially sugar. google it. or ask a doctor, I did and she agreed.
    2. Caffiene withdrawls. Headaches are common withdrawl symptom of reducing or stopping caffiene, I quit and it was 2-4 weeks of withdrawls then it was over. totally worth it.
    2b. watch out for those pesky "energy drinks" guess what they have in them....
    3. low blood sugar and sugar spikes can cause headaches in some people if your eating in splurges not spreading it out through the day. its hard but find a balance and it will sort out. by brother suffers from this.
    4. stress
    5. over exertion. working out too hard too fast, ease into it.
    6 dehydration. caffiene and alcohol can aslo contribute to this if its all you drink, then withdrawls its a visious cycle.
    7. tired, being over tired can cause headahces
    8. pain killer withdrawls, yes really! my hubby became reliant on them by accident and when he had to stop taking them. then he got headaches among other things, the doc said "yup a withdrawl from painkillers like motrin, tylenol, naproxin or advil can cause headaches.. which makes you take more.... suck it up and tough it out drink lots of water and avoid caffiene" He did and is much better.
    9. preservatives. sulfites, sulfates, msg(this has many names), nitrites, nitrates etc, anyting premade, processed or preserved in a bag, box or at the deli(most deli meat, ask the attendant) has these. Oh and check canned food some do some dont. eat as much fresh as you can ( I have some suggestions if your interested).

    All things in moderation,

    There are so many triggers for headaches, and websites dedicated to them. my friend gets headaches from perfumes, a co worker from being near someone just after they had a cigarette. i get them from flouresent lights sometimes...
  • sbeisel1
    sbeisel1 Posts: 181
    If you are eating different foods now, rather than just less food, it could be caused by one of the foods. Bananas, for example, are a common migraine trigger. You can ask your doctor or search the internet for common headache trigger foods, but if it is a food the only way to identify it may be systematically eliminating and re-introducing the foods to see which is causing it.

    yes, my best friend had a test done her triggers are; Bananas, blueberries, any dairy and artificial sugar.
  • xerogirl
    xerogirl Posts: 2
    Well, I sit right beside the water cooler in my office, so I've always drank minimum 2L of water, a day. I have cut out sugars and am only allowing myself 1 coffee/1 diet coke a day, compared to my 3-4 a day.

    Thank you all for the feedback, its much appreciated.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Probably caffeine then.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Ditch the diet coke and open your diary.
  • KIMBERLYV123
    KIMBERLYV123 Posts: 22 Member
    I got headaches when I first cut out soda/sugar. But it is worth it in the long run.
  • sbeisel1
    sbeisel1 Posts: 181
    Well, I sit right beside the water cooler in my office, so I've always drank minimum 2L of water, a day. I have cut out sugars and am only allowing myself 1 coffee/1 diet coke a day, compared to my 3-4 a day.

    Thank you all for the feedback, its much appreciated.
    caffiene and fake sugars. dont drink the diet coke at all. if you quite caffiene you can expect a few weeks of withdrawls or less, but it is worth it.

    I gave up coffee 6.5 years ago and it was hard! it still is, i crave it all the time. but that just makes me realize how dependant a drug like cafiene can make you. There is controversy over whether or not cafiene can help with weight loss or hinder it, for me it makes me hungry when I crash so it was a gain.

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