twizzlers cured my headache

20carrots
20carrots Posts: 279 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
I had a very bad headache all day, right around one eye. I took some med, tried laying down, cold compress, etc. I ate well all day and drank a ton of water. Nothing was helping. I felt awful. I just had some (OK, a lot of) twizzlers and my headache's gone.

Is there any reasonable explanation for this? Was I going through sugar withdrawl since I had been candy free for a while?

Replies

  • Ms_Natalie
    Ms_Natalie Posts: 1,030 Member
    lol...what are twizzlers? I'm from the UK! I would tell yourself that the painkillers had kicked in by then...lol, but if you had been without sugar for a while..then this may have been a possibility!

    I was waiting for a train today, and there is this cute little "pink shop" that sells amazing pic n mix...I was so proud...I just looked at it, tutted and drank my water! But oh my...I was gagging for a sugar fix xx
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
    I don't know about sugar withdrawal, but maybe you had a low blood sugar. Some people get headaches from that. If it happens again, try eating fruit instead and see if the same thing happens. You might also want to get a glucose tolerance test if this is a regular occurrence. This will help your doctor decide if you have diabetic tendencies or other sugar-related issues.
  • katythemommy
    katythemommy Posts: 437 Member
    When I start eating healthy after a long period of eating crap (lots of sugar, processed food, etc) I get the WORST headaches ever unless I eat some sugar. Of course last week I just started my new lifestyle change and I dealt with the headaches and this week I have felt amazing!!
  • 20carrots
    20carrots Posts: 279 Member
    hi Natalie! Twizzlers are a red licorice candy here in the US.
  • newbierun14
    newbierun14 Posts: 23 Member
    Most likely it was low blood sugar. Have you been eating low amounts of carbs and sugar? Your body has to work extra hard to make glucose if you aren't ingesting enough of these. Like weaklink said, try some natural sugar next time, a piece of fruit or even some simple carbs, like a glass of milk and it'll probably have a similar effect. If not check with your doctor.

    Another possibility is that it was slightly psychosomatic, if you've been cutting out everything you've been eating, like twizzlers, just by eating them you might have emotionally felt better, which helped the headache go away. Just a thought.
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
    Could be low blood sugar, but it could also have been the chewing. If you were stressing out all day you may have been clenching your jaw causing the headache to hold on. You just relaxed it by chewing :wink: I notice I clench when stressed and it can give me a headache, either way, I'm glad you feel better :bigsmile:
  • snookeroo
    snookeroo Posts: 2,068 Member
    What if? I mean WHAT IF Twizzlers were the undiscovered, miracle, cure all?
    Sign me up!

    I LOVE Black!!!
  • 20carrots
    20carrots Posts: 279 Member
    You all have really good insight! It's so great to get other perspectives on my situation, see if from different angles.
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    If you had been eating well all day, it probably was not low blood sugar...reality is that you DO,in fact, physically withdraw from refined sugars and one of the symptoms is headache.

    "During the first few sugar-free days you may experience headaches, fatigue, depression, drowsiness, skin eruptions, and mucus or throat discomfort.

    Some of these symptoms, especially the mood swings, fatigue and drowsiness, probably occur on a daily basis when you're still eating a high-sugar diet, as the blood sugar rises and falls - but you don't usually blame it on the way you eat. When you kick the sugar habit you will be very aware that these symptoms are being caused by your recent dietary change, and you should look forward to the day when you will be completely free of them."

    also look at

    www.princeton.edu/pr/news/02/q2/0620-hoebel.htm
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
    I know this might sound crazy, but licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizinic acid, which causes increased sodium and water retention (which increased blood pressure) and increased excretion of potassium. It is used as a "supplement" in alternative medicine. How it relates to getting rid of your headache is beyond me, just thought I would throw in my two cents! ;)
  • 20carrots
    20carrots Posts: 279 Member
    I know this might sound crazy, but licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizinic acid, which causes increased sodium and water retention (which increased blood pressure) and increased excretion of potassium. It is used as a "supplement" in alternative medicine. How it relates to getting rid of your headache is beyond me, just thought I would throw in my two cents! ;)

    interesting! Well, I probably left out a bit of data which is that it's that TOM. Somehow the water retention thing seems to go along with it all.

    Today, the twizzlers are gone and so is my headache! And I was still down .2 pounds from yesterday. :happy:
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    What if? I mean WHAT IF Twizzlers were the undiscovered, miracle, cure all?
    Sign me up!

    I LOVE Black!!!

    I would seriously rejoice. I almost bought some at CVS at a snack run a few months ago and saw how many calories it was for ONE string and seriously wanted to cry.
  • snookeroo
    snookeroo Posts: 2,068 Member
    What if? I mean WHAT IF Twizzlers were the undiscovered, miracle, cure all?
    Sign me up!

    I LOVE Black!!!

    I would seriously rejoice. I almost bought some at CVS at a snack run a few months ago and saw how many calories it was for ONE string and seriously wanted to cry.

    Just had 4 black: 150 calories. I could eat the whole bag...but didn't. I USUALY try and stay to what a serving is. In this case it's 4. I know in the days before MFP, I would sit with the whole bag and just keep going!
  • jurgitafit
    jurgitafit Posts: 112
    When I start eating healthy after a long period of eating crap (lots of sugar, processed food, etc) I get the WORST headaches ever unless I eat some sugar. Of course last week I just started my new lifestyle change and I dealt with the headaches and this week I have felt amazing!!

    Yep, body is going through detoxing once we make the healthy changes in our eating. Especially if we were eating really bad foods for a long time. I've happened to had some withdrawals like that too. I suggest either waiting if possible and drinking lots of water like you did, or having a piece of a real dark chocolate instead of any artificially flavored stuff. It helps! :wink:
  • Ms_Natalie
    Ms_Natalie Posts: 1,030 Member
    not a liquorice lover myself...ew ew ew! :sick:
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    Had a 'crash' last week. Was on monday, 7th day after starting my diet, started with a headache, ended with a fever and nausia.

    I had a Mango smoothie in order to 'control' it but it didn't help much, I was better the next day however I felt a bit wobbly all week. My Flatmate suggested it was a '5 day crash' and as it didn't develop into anything else I can only believe her.
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