Headaches - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

kmac1196 · 02-07-2010, 09:49 AM

I suffer from headaches. Bad headaches, migraine type. Some days it's worse than others, but everyday...a headache. When I start a diet it's unbearable and I give up within the day just for relief. I need help! In 2005 when I lost 80 + pounds, I did so by getting rid of sugar, salt, wheat, gluten, flour, and anything processed. I never felt so good after the first 2 weeks of **** (withdrawls were bad from this stuff but somehow then, I had the will power to get through it). Well after gaining the wait back, I've tried that diet (Fat Flush) again many times but couldn't get past 2 weeks. I'd get bored with food choices etc...So I keep coming back to WW. Which I love but I've never lost significant weight with it whether it's becasue I can't (don't) stick with it or it's really a gluten thing I have who knows? But I really want to do ww...my husband does it with me, my family can eat that way...we can go out, be in or have people over while still on it. So, how can I get through the headach phase when I start eating healthy again?? It always is worse on the days that I go to school (Tues and Thurs) and I'm there all day!!! By the time I get home I feel so bad but can't do much about it because I have the kid's homework to help with and dinner and CCD to drive and pick up and basketball, etc....you all know how it is!! And I have so far to go! Why can't I get motivated this time?

srmb60 · 02-07-2010, 10:09 AM

Have you experimented with food intolerances? My headaches are much better if I stay away from peppers of any kinds.

Also, have you discussed with your doctor some of the medications you can take every day to avoid getting a migraine? My Mom took something for years. Of course I can't remember what it was called

fitbyforty · 02-07-2010, 10:25 AM

Might be Inderol Susan.It is a beta blocker,I used to take it 3x a day to avoid migraines.Since moving here I don't have them anymore.Weight Watchers is a great plan.

kmac1196 · 02-07-2010, 10:31 AM

Yes, I took somthing for a few years and never really worked. I wake up with headaches, I go to bed with them I have them in the sun or in the house....(I sound like a Dr. Suesse book). The only time I ever NOT had them was when I got rid of all that food (see above post). But...I may be acting like a big baby but I don't want to live like that. I want to eat healthy foods but a variety and not be hungry or have headaches..I'm even looking into WLS to help control hunger and headaches so that I can stay the course with my eating plan. I'm just so discouraged.

srmb60 · 02-07-2010, 10:37 AM

My friend's son (13 y o) takes inderal. I used to use a nasal spray at the first sign of one but you can't be doing that every day. I also have a friend who uses an antidepressant. It's cut her frequency down to less than half.

srmb60 · 02-07-2010, 10:44 AM

Oh! we posted at the same time!

OK let's try ... what would be a 'normal" dinner at your house? We'll see if we can tweak it to help you.

kmac1196 · 02-07-2010, 11:57 AM

We eat a lot of soups...bean soups. Chicken breast, ground turkey, rice or potatoes, veggies...salads. We do WW and keep calories around 1400-1500. Lots of fruits and veggies in my days. Some nuts...healthy oils. I know HOW to eat...I went to a nutritionist years ago and she actually asked me if I'd ever thought of going into the business because I could do her job. LOL. It's not the what...

Jennifer 3FC · 02-07-2010, 03:29 PM

Are you asking for tips/support to get through detox? Maybe you could just cut out sugar and then cut out the flour... or would that just drag it on too much? Are you cutting out just refined sugar, or also fructose/naturally occurring sugar? When I did Eat to Live, I didn't really crave sweets at all because I had some really great fruit smoothies. (pure fruit and some dates) The lack of sugar and grains are definitely hard for me, also.

kmac1196 · 02-07-2010, 07:21 PM

Well, even when I start WW, I have headaches. So I'll still eat some bread and I eat fruits. Not sugar free per se, but less, you know?

choirgirlhotel · 02-07-2010, 09:00 PM

I suffer from migraines too. When I cut out cow's milk, all of a sudden the 3 times weekly migraines went down to once every three weeks!

HOWEVER, that being said they came back again with a vengence lately. I noticed I had been having cofeemate liquid to add to my coffee. So I quit four days ago and haven't had a migraine for four days. coincidence? I don't think so.

So what I'm saying is - it could be one little thing that is triggering your headache, but when you cut out everything, you don't know what that one little thing is. Maybe start by removing one thing at a time. That way, you can still be on WW, minus the thing that gives you headaches.

Try doing WW but cutting out dairy or at least cow's milk first, see if that helps. Dairy and wheat are the main culprits usually for migraines.

oh, another thing I just thought of - do you eat sugar substitute? I know when I started WW I ate a lot of "fat free" stuff, but it would have aspartame in it. Aspartame and me don't go well together....

~CGh~

kmac1196 · 02-08-2010, 07:13 AM

Thanks. I don't do artificial sweeteners. Ocassionally I do those water flavors but not for many months. Dairy is big on WW....What else could I have while I cut that out? Also, I'm not sure the lights at school don't play a part but it can't be all of it because I get them at home too. I may just need to try to barrell through those first few days!!! Thanks for the help, ladies!!

choirgirlhotel · 02-08-2010, 03:05 PM

Instead of cow's milk, I have soy milk or rice milk (or almond milk). At first I thought I could NEVER EVER EVER have soy milk in my coffee and be happy with it, but I learned to adapt, especially when I saw that my migraines went down so much.

I don't know how much milk you drink, but there are ways around it. However, I have one non-fat latte from Starbucks once a week with REAL milk.

Otherwise, I drink rice milk mixed with espresso and protein powder blended up or put this really good "Silk Soy Creamer for Coffee" in my coffee that's not too soy tasting, and nice and creamy.

I do eat other dairy though, like low-fat mozza.

dundun1021 · 02-11-2010, 11:11 PM

I suffered from horrible headaches for awhile too. I would keep a headache journal and write when the headaches occur. Write down what you ate, what you were doing, your mood that day, etc. Then I would take this information to your doctor so they can rule out whether you need to be going to allergist or another specialist. I saw a naturopathic doctor and when I did detox he said it would be normal to have a headache for maybe three days, anything after that would not be normal. Hate to ask this...but are you having regular bowel movements? Sometimes you can have less frequent bowel movements when you are dieting and they can cause digestion headaches. I know I get these if I don't go at least once a day.

constance21 · 02-14-2010, 09:51 AM

I suffered from horrible headaches....they were caused by my birth control pills. Have not even had one headache since I quit them over 2 months ago.
Just thought I would shared just in case your on the pill.

jigglefree · 02-14-2010, 09:59 AM

I had horrible headaches for the first few days, I drank lemon water. It helped tremendously!! I cut out all kinds of stuff as well as cut my calories down to a third of what I had been eating. I figured it was withdrawal and it's all good now.