Getting Hungry with Migraines - feels different!

[Maria-Suessmilch]

This is a weird headline and I just can't think of anything better.

I feel like since having migraines getting hungry feels sort of odd to me. Usually I would get a rumbling feeling but I could easily go another hour or two without having to eat and still feeling fine.

Now though, I have about ten minuets from the first signs of hunger to the time I have to eat because otherwise I start feeling really dizzy, light-headed and weak. I get really quiet and just super focused on getting to the nearest source of food. I was wondering whether anyone else of you gets this extreme hunger feeling or whether that's just me...?!

[LouG]

That's definitely not just you, I've had this for a while as part of hormonal migraines. It's so disorientating. The best thing I have found is changing my diet to the three hourly starch diet, recommended by my doctor. It's been a bit of a breakthrough for getting back to a "steadier" me.

[Fran_in_California in reply to LouG]

Oooh . . . starch diet would thoroughly undo me . . . I'm 50 lbs overweight. I hope the hungry one isn't dealing with weight issues, too (things are hard enough, yo?).

[Fran_in_California]

I read (article by our excellent Headache Dep't. here at UCLA) somewhere that it's not clear if certain foods are triggers or symptoms, or both! If the hunger is a problem, definitely check out blood-sugar issues. Then, if it's not serious - just one of the many coping strategies we "Migraineurs" (it should be Migraineuses for us ladies!) have to develop to get thru our day - you'll feel better for having eliminated a concern!

[Vivante in reply to Fran_in_California]

I tried cutting out foods that may have affected me, after suffering from migraine since I was a child and having tried other remedies. I was prescribed Ergotamine, it did not work. In 2003 I was told I was born with a hole in the heart, A PFO. I had open heart surgery to repair the hole, No more migraines. Look more at exercise related migraine. The more Ipracticed the worse the migraines were and more frequent. As a teacher, I have passed on what I learned over the years.

I have your address, I will pass on info.

[Maria-Suessmilch in reply to Fran_in_California]

true, true. I should probably go to my GP and tell her. Thanks for the input!!

[Gambit62]

I get cravings for starch - potato, porridge, pasta - not really for sweet things ... for me they aren't always the precursor to a migraine but there's enough of a link ...

[weddinglady]

I've been saying for years that I seem to need to feed my migraines. I get really hungry and they are low-sugar type of hungers. Frustrating.

[WellTodayGirl]

I especially find Triptans make me even hungrier during a Migraine attack

[cupoftea1]

Omg iv been trying to find something about this online and that is exactly how I feel! The feeling of need to eat is so overwhelming.

I'm overweight and on a diet and I'm finding it so so hard my migraines are really bad and even when I don't have one (not often) the other days I have that hangover type feeling foggy head, nausea etc

X

[Maria-Suessmilch in reply to cupoftea1]

I've seen my GP now and she said it's probably not the β blockers (but not in a very convincing way...) but made me have a generic blood test to rule out any signs of diabetes... we'll see what the results say. but I am not impressed with the level of care I receive with my migraines....

[scarrott1971]

I get that and eating helps me a lot. Over eating that is