Headaches

Options
medbery
medbery Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started watching my calories three days ago. I am keeping them around 1300, down from a whole lot more. I am feeling good except that I have had an intense headache for the past 2 days. I get headaches a lot but this one will not go away, even with medicine. Is this related to my calorie cut-back? If it is will it go away as my body adjusts to fewere calories?

Replies

  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
    Options
    you may be going through withdrawl. Sugar is same as any drug you can be addicted to.
  • TheGreenEyedMonster
    TheGreenEyedMonster Posts: 562
    Options
    Without knowing your current weight I can't say for sure but 1300 seems borderline unhealthy. Minimum for females is generally 1200 from my understanding. You may want to get closer to 1500. Something else is make sure you are getting plenty of water. Usually when I'm even a little dehydrated at all I have a nasty brain melting headache that wont go away.
  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
    Options
    I agree with the other posters--you're probably re-adjusting to a different diet. Depending on what you're eating you might be shorting yourself on nutrients as well as calories (ie. if you're eating very little amounts of junk food rather than lots of fruits and veggies to make up your 1300/day). I'd suggest upping your calories for a little and gradually lowering them, and of course, drinking lots of water. Hope you feel better soon!
  • paniolo5
    paniolo5 Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    Might be calories, or less sugar or caffeine. I don't know where you cut calories, but as an example, chocolate has caffeine. I had a dull headache the first few days because I didn't eat any (and I don't drink coffee or much soda). It also could be just the calories. I was very grumpy for about a week as my body reacted to the new healthy eating plan but now I feel better than I have in a long time. Give it a few more days and see how you feel. I think you'll adjust regardless of which issue is causing the problem. Hope you feel better soon!
  • thefallguy
    thefallguy Posts: 23
    Options
    Have you recently given up caffeine? I know soda has a lot of calories, so generally quiting it gives you the extra calories to use elsewhere.... but it's not healthy to quit cold turkey.

    From experience, I had a nurse friend who would drink Dr. Peppers with every meal, all the time. She quit it cold turkey and ended up in the hospital with complaints of chest pain, headaches, and thinking she was having an MI. Doctor said she shouldn't quit caffeine cold turkey and wean it off to avoid the anxiety and the symptoms she felt.

    I use to drink a coke with every meal and every snack. I cut it down to 1 coke a day.... and now I do 1 coke every other day. There are caffeine pills, and B vitamins help a great deal, too. I tried B complex, and it takes a few weeks to really work, but you get the bursts of energy you get from caffeine, but healthier.... Of course if it's not the caffeine withdrawals, it's something else.... but there's not enough info to really draw conclusions.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
    Options
    I get migraines after I do weights, not enough caffeine, not enough sleep, dehydrated, stress, starting at a computer screen too long. Could it be a combination of those?
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    Options
    you may be going through withdrawl. Sugar is same as any drug you can be addicted to.

    Agree! It's probably withdrawals, this first days will be the worse then it will get better! Hang in there.
  • DancingDreamer
    DancingDreamer Posts: 520
    Options
    it could DEFINATELY be a low blood sugar headache. what it means is that you need to eat. i had one yesterday which seemed weird because i didnt think i was that low in the middle of the day. but then i had dinner and caffeine and felt 100% better. sounds like you need to be eating more. i suggest going to tools and calculating your BMR and setting your calories at that instead of 1300, thats pretty low for someone starting out. i have my caloric intake set at my BMR and i am still losing weight. good luck with your headaches, i hope they go away soon and good luck with your weight loss journey as well, welcome to MFP! :flowerforyou:
  • DancingDreamer
    DancingDreamer Posts: 520
    Options
    Have you recently given up caffeine? I know soda has a lot of calories, so generally quiting it gives you the extra calories to use elsewhere.... but it's not healthy to quit cold turkey.

    From experience, I had a nurse friend who would drink Dr. Peppers with every meal, all the time. She quit it cold turkey and ended up in the hospital with complaints of chest pain, headaches, and thinking she was having an MI. Doctor said she shouldn't quit caffeine cold turkey and wean it off to avoid the anxiety and the symptoms she felt.

    I use to drink a coke with every meal and every snack. I cut it down to 1 coke a day.... and now I do 1 coke every other day. There are caffeine pills, and B vitamins help a great deal, too. I tried B complex, and it takes a few weeks to really work, but you get the bursts of energy you get from caffeine, but healthier.... Of course if it's not the caffeine withdrawals, it's something else.... but there's not enough info to really draw conclusions.

    if its soda caffeine and you quit it to get rid of the calories you are WAY better off having a diet soda, they actually even have more caffeine in them generally to make up for the lack of sugar. if i was coffee/tea caffeine you might want to try green tea with no sugar and milk (since green shouldnt have milk and sugar in it anyway) much less calories, usually even zero. :) and you still get the caffeine your body needs.
  • brittany7621
    brittany7621 Posts: 4
    Options
    I know I get headaches when i consume too many artificial sweeteners. That may have something to do with your headaches as well.
  • medbery
    medbery Posts: 6
    Options
    Thanks for all the great information. I think it might be a little bit of everything or just a normal headache. I already feel a whole lot better today but will keep an eye on it. I am very impressed with all of the great advice I was given, makes me like this process (& this site) a whole lot more.
  • canbecanbe
    canbecanbe Posts: 44
    Options
    coming off a sugar is a lot like coming off drugs also salt in high amounts and a lot of (202) (220) additives. Coffee is bad to come off as well processed food is like a super hit with 2 or 3 of these at a time, give it a week with out them I know it seems like a lot but you will feel heaps better drink more than the ""required'' 8 glasses of water Really cold it helps burn cal and keeps the headache at bay

Categories