Migraine Tips

KaraForeman
KaraForeman Posts: 19
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
I suffer from frequent migrains.. around 2-4 a month and I dont know if this happens to anyone else, but when I have one my body is so hungry ! I could eat anything in sight. I crave things with sugar like pop and chocolate and also carbs. I also find when I eat these things it helps with the intensity of the migraine.

Does anyone have similar experiences or any suggestions on what to eat during my attacks so I dont fall off the wagon?
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Replies

  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
    Fruit is my go-to food for when I really want sweets during a migraine. I'd say throw together a fruit smoothie and add some greek yogurt and stevia (or your sweetener of choice). It'll give you that sweet flavor with less calories.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    You can eat? My stomach won't keep anything down. Have you been medically diagnosed, or are you making an assumption that it is a migraine?

    Migraine is accompanied by severe nausea. You may be having monthly cycle headaches, not migraines. They are often accompanied by food cravings.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
    I crave bagels, breads and crackers when I have a migraine because they're heavy. I find that if I let my stomach feel empty, then I'll get nauseas.
  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
    You can eat? My stomach won't keep anything down. Have you been medically diagnosed, or are you making an assumption that it is a migraine?

    Migraine is accompanied by severe nausea. You may be having monthly cycle headaches, not migraines. They are often accompanied by food cravings.

    Not always true. I have been diagnosed, and I don't get nausea. Ever. I also rarely get auras. Everyone is different.
  • KaraForeman
    KaraForeman Posts: 19
    yep i have had them since i was little. i have been diagnosed and have a prescription for relpax, which i find helps the headache but doesnt take the food cravings away.

    a often get the auras without the migraine, ive read lots of books about it and understand why it happens. there is also advice to exercise when you have them to get blood circulating more.. but who can do that!??!?
  • KaraForeman
    KaraForeman Posts: 19
    I crave bagels, breads and crackers when I have a migraine because they're heavy. I find that if I let my stomach feel empty, then I'll get nauseas.

    yes me too ! i always want something fast and heavy. i make kraft dinner or pizza pockets or fast food. im so desperate for it that ill eat anything before thinking. i was impressed today, i stared at mcdonalds for a few minutes and then decided against it, it was super hard!
  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
    I crave bagels, breads and crackers when I have a migraine because they're heavy. I find that if I let my stomach feel empty, then I'll get nauseas.

    yes me too ! i always want something fast and heavy. i make kraft dinner or pizza pockets or fast food. im so desperate for it that ill eat anything before thinking. i was impressed today, i stared at mcdonalds for a few minutes and then decided against it, it was super hard!

    Good Job! That is a big step towards changing your habits! Protein and fiber help to make you feel full, so anything high in both would be a good start.
  • KaraForeman
    KaraForeman Posts: 19
    You can eat? My stomach won't keep anything down. Have you been medically diagnosed, or are you making an assumption that it is a migraine?

    Migraine is accompanied by severe nausea. You may be having monthly cycle headaches, not migraines. They are often accompanied by food cravings.

    Not always true. I have been diagnosed, and I don't get nausea. Ever. I also rarely get auras. Everyone is different.

    yep i have had them since i was little. i have been diagnosed and have a prescription for relpax, which i find helps the headache but doesnt take the food cravings away.

    a often get the auras without the migraine, ive read lots of books about it and understand why it happens. there is also advice to exercise when you have them to get blood circulating more.. but who can do that!??!?
  • rosieef
    rosieef Posts: 57 Member
    My mum and sister both get horrific migraines - I am lucky I don't, I have seen for my whole life how horrendous and debilitating a "true" migraine is! Both of them get very hungry, especially for sugars, in the day after the migraine. I guess it's a body repair thing, both of them don't let it throw off their gym/jog routine and just factor the extra calories into the rest of the week.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    I can't even think about food when i have a migraine, all i want is a dark room, ice water and silence! LOL
  • KaraForeman
    KaraForeman Posts: 19
    My mum and sister both get horrific migraines - I am lucky I don't, I have seen for my whole life how horrendous and debilitating a "true" migraine is! Both of them get very hungry, especially for sugars, in the day after the migraine. I guess it's a body repair thing, both of them don't let it throw off their gym/jog routine and just factor the extra calories into the rest of the week.

    yeah i think each individual suffers differently. Ive read a lot of literature about them and there are so many kinds and so many reactions. I'll do the same and just factor the bad day into the rest of the week and keep going. I wont let 1 migraine make me give up and eat bad all week.
  • KaraForeman
    KaraForeman Posts: 19
    I can't even think about food when i have a migraine, all i want is a dark room, ice water and silence! LOL

    haha everyone is so different. i could sleep in a bed of rolls and chocolate .. its not noise that bothers me when i have them , its light and my muscles get very very sore like im tensing for hours at a time. the next day i feel like ive done a total body workout from the migraine. theyre definetly not fun!
  • craftylatvian
    craftylatvian Posts: 599 Member
    I used to get migraines all the time and it was a hormonal issue. Now I am on Depo, hence no TOM and my migraines have decreased significantly. I get what I call sinus migraines now, bad pressure and pain in my forehead that turns into a migraine.

    After revocering, I always want some sort of junk food. Sometimes its McD's chicken nuggets, or a Whopper, lately its a Jimmy John's BLT.

    I only take Excedrin Migraine for them now, and I think my body shuts down from the pain because I lay down and 5 hours later it feels like I have not slept even though I have. I also stay in the same position when I lie down, unlike when I normally sleep.
  • jmruef
    jmruef Posts: 824 Member
    I don't get auras and rarely get nausea *or* munchies! I'm super sensitive to light and sound, though, and have been known to beg people to throw me in a dark, quiet closet for a day or two when I have a migraine.

    One thing my neurologist told me (which I never knew before) is that migraines aren't just headaches - they really do affect the whole body, which is why people *do* get munchies, or feel nauseous, or have muscle fatigue/soreness (I get that too.)

    Relpax and the drugs in that family (Imitrex, etc) don't work for me. What usually does is Naproxen and a heavy dose of caffeine - it might not kick it completely but it takes the edge off and makes it bearable.
  • LeeLeeTunk
    LeeLeeTunk Posts: 84
    I used to get Migraines alllll the time!!! Doc said its partly due to diet.... MSG, Chocolate and Nuts are triggers for migraines! Ive cut those out of my diet and have seen a major improvment!
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    yep i have had them since i was little. i have been diagnosed and have a prescription for relpax, which i find helps the headache but doesnt take the food cravings away.

    a often get the auras without the migraine, ive read lots of books about it and understand why it happens. there is also advice to exercise when you have them to get blood circulating more.. but who can do that!??!?

    Sometimes I get the auras without the migraine too, it scares the crap out of me EVERY time even though I know what's going on. It's just so unsettling!
  • stacygowler
    stacygowler Posts: 4 Member
    My dad always got really bad migraines, and then he started taking fish oil for something else...and the migraines stopped. It would be worth a try!
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    I started getting them more frequently, accompanied with strange period cycles, intense auras, nausea/vomitting and stuff. At first it was cutting out caffeine like the heavy weight, Dr. Pepper. Like you said, everyone's different, but ALOT of people get them from fake sugar so try to avoid the diet soda and crystal light crap that they have out. Even that MIO stuff gives me migraines, even though it 'claims' to have natural sugar or whatever. >:( That was the whole reason I tried it!
  • SDSMarvin
    SDSMarvin Posts: 1
    I was diagnosed with migraines when I was young and now get a couple different kinds of migraines, including complicated migraines. I get the food cravings before the migraine starts, sometimes a day or just an hour before I feel the pain starting. Once the pain starts I get so nauseous I can't eat. Any suggestions on what to eat that won't ruin my diet but satisfy the cravings? I have a hard time sticking to the diet because even with medication to prevent and to treat I get 7-10 migraines a month
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    Watch your Potassium intake.
    Watch your cured meat intake.

    I used to get migraines sooooo bad. Like 2 a week. the kind that knocked me out and made me throw up for HOURS.
    I used to have imitrix in needles because the pills didn't work fast or strong enough. I had to take a daily preventive medicine on top of all this.

    You know what got rid of my migraines? Cutting out all forms of dairy. No milk, no cheese, no butter.
  • laciemn
    laciemn Posts: 77 Member
    Do you eat low carb? Headaches and migraines can be caused by too little carbs over an extended period of time. Try having a little bit of caffeine (especially tea) or do the downward facing dog yoga pose. Other than that, excessive squinting can cause headaches, household chemicals, smoke, dehydration--there's a lot of things that can cause severe headaches, even simple stress. When you have the headache, definitely eat some carbs. Don't go carb crazy or anything but have some carbs.

    A tip I heard recently and I haven't had the chance to try it is to put your finger in some very hot water (not hot to burn but maybe your finger turns red). Migraines and headaches are caused by increased blood flow to the brain and by soaking your hand or perhaps even feet in very hot water, the blood will flow to that area instead. It's worth trying!
  • gfedex
    gfedex Posts: 226 Member
    I get migraines with partial paralysis, flashing lights and difficulty speaking coherently. Not fun.

    No food cravings, though. Now when I feel one coming one I take a massive dose of ibuprofen (1000mg+). It makes the headache bad but not excruciating, but I'm still useless until it passes.
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    I never had food cravings with migraines. In fact, once a migraine came on, I didn't want to see, smell or eat food of any kind. The only thing I wanted was a dark, quiet room with close access to a toilet in case I needed to vomit.

    However, I did find that not eating would trigger migraines. If I noticed that weird-head feeling coming on and immediately ate some protein, it would sometimes (not always) lessen the migraine symptoms.

    Oddly enough, once I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on my meds, my migraines went away. Blessed relief!!
  • rachealmiles
    rachealmiles Posts: 15
    I suffer from frequent migrains.. around 2-4 a month and I dont know if this happens to anyone else, but when I have one my body is so hungry ! I could eat anything in sight. I crave things with sugar like pop and chocolate and also carbs. I also find when I eat these things it helps with the intensity of the migraine.

    Does anyone have similar experiences or any suggestions on what to eat during my attacks so I dont fall off the wagon?

    Yep, that's me! Had them since the age of 12 yrs and can eat any amount of crappy food that I can get my hands on :bigsmile:
  • rachealmiles
    rachealmiles Posts: 15
    yep i have had them since i was little. i have been diagnosed and have a prescription for relpax, which i find helps the headache but doesnt take the food cravings away.

    a often get the auras without the migraine, ive read lots of books about it and understand why it happens. there is also advice to exercise when you have them to get blood circulating more.. but who can do that!??!?

    Exercise? The person that said that has never had a migraine :noway:
  • tina711x
    tina711x Posts: 51
    my mom gets Severe migraines.. i remember when i was really little making her ice packs and bringing it into a dark room for her. it's horrible. shes always laughing and joking and full of life but when she has a migraine shes really quiet and cant talk alot n has to be in a dark room laying down, it scared me because i worry about her so much. im 25 now and she still gets them. i found out they started for her when she was in her early 20s and then a month ago when i was pmsing i got the worst head ache! i couldnt talk, barely could move n it felt like someone was squeezing my head. light hurt, sound hurt, my boyfriend thought i was having an anuerysm and wanted to take me to the hospital. i called my mom n she said it sounded like one her migraines. i finally began to understand the pain she goes through. and its so sad to me now how often she suffers. i really want to try something to help her i feel like doctors just want to give her pain meds but i would love to give her some things that are natural. if anyone has any suggestions they would be most appreciated, thanks
  • rainghirl
    rainghirl Posts: 203 Member
    Not me, the last thing I can do is exercise as I find it affects my limbs and they feel really heavy. I do find that going for a walk helps and getting some fresh air so maybe that gets the blood circulating?

    I get them with auras, I used to get nausea and vomiting, but as I got older than stopped and I just get the headache and feel like someone has removed my brain and stuffed my head with cotton wool.

    I also get food cravings since I stopped the vomiting, when I was trying to lose weight (I'm on here trying to maintain the lost weight) I would just write off the migraine day, it seemed more important to me to deal with the migraine and get that sorted out. But I find that a cup of tea and a slice of toast will work pretty well to take the cravings away. It's usually something high carb that I tend to crave.
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
    I can't even think about food when i have a migraine, all i want is a dark room, ice water and silence! LOL

    Me too! I get the aura before the time - blurred vision and my right arm goes numb. As soon as I get the aura, I take my medication and then all I can think of is getting to a dark place and lie down. I don't ever get food cravings, not even the days after an attack. The headache is overwhelming and I can seriously not even think about food, let alone eat it!
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
    yep i have had them since i was little. i have been diagnosed and have a prescription for relpax, which i find helps the headache but doesnt take the food cravings away.

    a often get the auras without the migraine, ive read lots of books about it and understand why it happens. there is also advice to exercise when you have them to get blood circulating more.. but who can do that!??!?

    Exercise? The person that said that has never had a migraine :noway:

    Yes, with a true migraine, you won't be able so stand up straight!! I can't even keep my eyes open!!
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I used to get horrible migraines about twice a week, but luckily I only get them roughly once a month now.

    I have been diagnosed and sent to a specialist.
    She told me to use birth control to extend my cycle, so I would only have my TOM once every three months. Some of my migraines are hormone related, so I always get them during TOM, without fail.

    She also told me to keep a food diary, to see if there are any dietary triggers. She gave me a list of common migraine triggers to look out for:
    caffeine
    fatty/fried foods
    food additives, esp. MSG and aspartame
    full fat dairy
    citrus fruits
    dried fruit
    peanuts
    chocolate
    pork
    alcohol, esp. ones containing sulfites.

    For me it was food additives, peanuts, dried fruit and processed pork.


    She also told me that migraines become less frequent and less bad if you take better care of your general well being.
    So eat healthy foods and exercise. Don't exercise when having a migraine, because that only makes it worse.
    You should also make sure you get a steady blood sugar level. So eat several small meals with protein, instead of three bigger ones. Having your blood sugar levels rise and then drop can cause migraines.

    A lot of migraine sufferers have been found to have less magnesium in their system, so you should also take a magnesium supplement. This could help lessen the attacks as well.
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