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Cant break through the headache from hell :(

tattoomary
tattoomary Posts: 44 Member
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Hi all looking for advice, every time I attempt Keto/low carb I get a headache/migraine from hell. Attempted again last week, doing fantastic all hunger went away, drinking loads of water and on day 4 headache kicks in.

I up my water and mix half a teaspoon of salt with it. By day two its a full migraine headache, cant read, watch tv, work or type. I work for myself and have 4 young kids to as you can imagine its a struggle.

Cant sleep with headache...get up 3 times through the night to drink 1liter of water with salt each time and take painkillers...nothing works :(


By day 3 I just want it gone, feeling sick with it. I go on a sugar binge to try and end the headache...it eases it but its still there. It takes another 2 days for it to go completely.


So I need a plan. I love the not being hungry feeling of being on Keto and how much simpler life would be if I was not on a carb rollercoaster.


Starting again today.....Please, please advice how i can avoid getting the damn headache again (I also had same response in Janary !!)


Im obviously very sensitive to sugar...need to break this cycle once and for all.
Anyone else been in the same boat and managed not to get the headache? Is there something i can start taking now.

Thanks in advance for any help :)

Replies

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    It's not just salt and water that you need to worry about. Keto helps your body to flush fluids so you need to be replacing ALL of your electrolytes which includes Sodium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium. I've not used it myself because I just supplement with the individual minerals, but a lot of people swear by the Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets because of their ease of use. I think that each serving has 1g carbs, so while not ideal, it's still pretty negligible, especially if helps to get you over the dreaded Keto Flu. Good luck!
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    You aren't logging your food, so this is a guess at best, but you need WAY MORE SALT. Don't wait for the headache to kick in, 5,000 mg of salt per day is recommended for keto, and you should start at that level day 1. Maybe some of the low/no-sugar electrolyte drinks would help too particularly if you add extra salt to them. Pickle juice, olives, broth, whatever it takes to get the sodium into your food/drink.

    Also, if it eases the transition, you don't have to jump straight from a million carbs to zero carbs all at once. You can drop 50-100g of carbs per week until you get to your goal level, and increase salt as you reduce carbs. This is a marathon, not a sprint, you can slowly ease into the race if that makes the transition more sustainable.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
    What's your calorie level? Because when I eat too little, I get a raging headache. I have a line and if it's crossed, BAM. :confounded:

    Try supplementing other electrolytes, like WholeFoods suggests, for a time. Once sodium is topped up it will preserve the others.

    Also, have you decreased your caffeine consumption? Or added a food you don't usually eat? Any of the above could provoke similar reactions. I have a friend who loves shrimp, but if she eats more than a few of them she gets migraines, which is likely due to the MSG used to flavor them. I have a friend who is on a migraine med who can't stand keto while on it. I can't do keto any more due to Sjogren's. Ketosis dries me out too well.

    I have 4 kids as well and headaches are NO BUENO for dealing with all we have on our plate. I'm hoping you figure it out soon.
  • tattoomary
    tattoomary Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks for replies :)
    WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »
    It's not just salt and water that you need to worry aboutquote] Thanks Wholefoods I've started taking Dioralyte so hopefully that will help this time.

    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    You aren't logging your food, so this is a guess at best, but you need WAY MORE SALTquote] Thanks tcunbeliever, your prob right. I wasnt logging due to lack of eating LOL. This is rougly my day, mixed avacado salad with 2 boiled eggs for bkfast and later same mixed salad with prawns followed by 2 squares of dark chocolate. So maybe its from not eating enough ?



    baconslave wrote: »
    What's your calorie level? Because when I eat too little, I get a raging headache. I have a line and if it's crossed, BAM. :confounded:

    Try supplementing other electrolytes, like WholeFoods suggests, for a time. Once sodium is topped up it will preserve the others.

    Also, have you decreased your caffeine consumption? Or added a food you don't usually eat? Any of the above could provoke similar reactions. I have a friend who loves shrimp, but if she eats more than a few of them she gets migraines,.
    Thanks baconslave (love the name lol) I dring a lot of tea and 2 cans of diet coke...I kept that up to try and avoid the headache. I was eating alot of prawns...think their the same as shrimp! I've started on my electrolytes from today..so day 3/4 will tell all :)


    Many thanks :)
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    It sounds like you’re drinking too much water and getting incredibly too little salt.
    The more water you drink the more salt you need and the basic advice is 2tsp minimum.
  • tattoomary
    tattoomary Posts: 44 Member
    Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
    It sounds like you’re drinking too much water and getting incredibly too little salt.
    The more water you drink the more salt you need and the basic advice is 2tsp minimum.

    Thanks Sunny Bunny might get some of those salt tablets as well. Really, really want to avoid it this time...or at least not have me lying in a dark room not about to function ! Cant wait for the carb hunger to go tho...its amazing how it works :)
  • KetoZandra
    KetoZandra Posts: 132 Member
    Hot water, a chicken cube and a tablespoon of cream. Makes a mug of chicken soup and a great way to get a salt boost that feels like a treat. I did this Every Day for the 1st 2 months.
  • tattoomary
    tattoomary Posts: 44 Member
    KetoZandra wrote: »
    Hot water, a chicken cube and a tablespoon of cream. Makes a mug of chicken soup and a great way to get a salt boost that feels like a treat. I did this Every Day for the 1st 2 months.

    WOW every day for 2 months....maybe that's where I've been going wrong. I take it when the headache is already there !
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    tattoomary wrote: »
    KetoZandra wrote: »
    Hot water, a chicken cube and a tablespoon of cream. Makes a mug of chicken soup and a great way to get a salt boost that feels like a treat. I did this Every Day for the 1st 2 months.

    WOW every day for 2 months....maybe that's where I've been going wrong. I take it when the headache is already there !

    By the time you feel symptoms you are already deficient.
    You have to stay ahead of it. You lose potassium once sodium gets low too. Sodium gets pulled from other tissues and your bones. You can’t wait until you have symptoms.

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