Kreismith Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Ugh! Day 6. Eating loss of good things: eggs/fruit or sweet potato hash w/bacon for breakfast, chopped salad, fruit & nuts at lunch, fish/chicken or pork w/grilled veggies for dinner, drinking water and some green ice tea or herbal teas. But I have a constant strong headache. I do have a long history of chronic migraine, which is the main reason for trying out Whole30. What am I doing wrong? I've uped my water intake & an eating starchy vegetables. I feel good except this strong headache. Sharp/pulsing in my temples, behind my eyes & forehead mostly. Diet before : protein shake /fruit/Greek yogurt for BF, lunches were salads, left over dinners (pasta, meat w/rice, veggies or salads. Dinners were pretty similar to know except pasta/rice 1-2 x weekly. Always drank water & Tea. Occasional soda..... Help! I don't want to give up! I'm very determined! . Just hard to live my daily life (work/kids, etc) with these headaches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted October 17, 2014 Administrators Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is quite common during the first couple of weeks, especially, I think, if you are already afflicted with chronic headaches. It's your body switching over from being a sugar burner into being a fat burner and it is very uncomfortable to say the least. I've been doing some research on menstrual migraines and one of the things that they recommend for migraines (especially in women) is to supplement with magnesium. I don't relish taking it internally so I have started doing Epsom salt baths, can't tell for certain yet if that's going to help, but can't hurt! Keep on with the water and the starchies...and maybe hit up your aromatherapy store in the mall, they might have a headache roll on...or even just get yourself some peppermint essential oil (and lavender for a pleasant and relaxing aroma) and rub that in a continuous line around your entire hairline. It's a combo of misdirection of sensation and the peppermint/lavender smell being good for reducing anxiety/pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreismith Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Thank you! I'll try the magnesium, keep up water & starchy veggies. Can't do aromatherapy... actually makes my headaches worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlaccini Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Ginger and Mint teas help take the edge off too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted October 17, 2014 Administrators Share Posted October 17, 2014 The teas are a great idea...I'll remember that, I find that when I get a bad one my desire to drink water (or open my mouth for anything, really...talking, eating, drinking) goes way down....which probably doesn't help the overall recovery process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreismith Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Thank you ladies! I'll pick up some ginger tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Also, W30 may not do anything to alleviate your headaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted October 17, 2014 Administrators Share Posted October 17, 2014 Haha Kirkor, that's optimistic, LOL. You're right though, not EVERYTHING is fixed by what we eat. We can't go wrong giving our bodies the absolute best possible shot at dealing with and recovering from ailments though. So it might not cure her headaches...but maybe it'll lessen the duration or the severity or the frequency. Maybe it'll do squat all...but maybe her body will have more resources with which to fight it and recover from it, thereby not being affected as badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Agreed. But new folks get a double-whammy from [a] shout-from-the-rooftops success stories of people in post-W30 bliss and over-analyzing every bump and knock during W30 is fed by [a] and, in my opinion, is contrary to the overall mindfulness goals of the whole9life philosophy. The placebo effect works both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreismith Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 I have had headaches since childhood & chronic migraines since my mid twenties (I'm 39 now). I have tried every medication from Imitrex to alzheimer's & seizure medicines that also work as preventive migraine meds. I'm tired of all the meds. Read a book 4 years ago "Heal your Headache" that really made me realize what I was putting in my body was really effecting my headaches (processed foods, aged cheese, alcohol, etc). Changed my diet by eliminating those foods. No recommendations from my neurologist - he just wants to try another new medicine or inject me with botox. I've learned that I have to be my own health advocate. I know Whole30 may not "cure me", but I'm looking for just a little more relief. If I find out it's gluten or dairy through whole30, then I'll eliminate it from my diet. & hope for the best. Never gone this drastatic & my body is freaking out, but in the end I hope I figure out a few more things that can help. For me it's more than a philosophy of food, it's for my well being. Trying to live a normal life with chronic migraines has been a huge & frustrating challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanrenee Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 The whole30 helped my headaches. I had a LOT for the three weeks and then they all but stopped. I now only have migraines as a result of my monthly cycle and they're not nearly as severe as before. I used to waken every day with a headache of some sort - not always a migraine but sometimes it developed into one. Now that I'm 'off-plan' I definitely notice a difference when I'm not eating well. Sugar, gluten and dairy are definite triggers for me. I completely avoid gluten and dairy, but sometimes sugar creeps in. Keep going on the whole30 and hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreismith Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 Update: headache seemed to finally dissipate 2 days ago. I increased my water intake, increased starchy veggies & increased my protein. I feel really good. I hope I am one of the lucky ones too! I too would awake every day with a low grade headache that would turn in to a migraine fairly often. Some days once I got up & drank a glass of water and ate breakfast - it would often go away. Crossing my fingers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rackap Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I am a life-long migraineur, started with pediatric migraines at age 8 or 9, and never moved on. Like some of the other noters, I've been on and off cocktails of (non-narcotic) preventatives for the past 13 years. I've tried pretty much everything possible over the years, from IV magnesium infusions to homeopathic medications to a revolving door of medications. I've read and tried the Heal Your Headache method, too. I had high hopes for this diet, but while it's done wonders for my physical health overall, it has not changed my migraines. In fact, I often use a sugar + caffeine "bomb" to ward off an oncoming migraine and without that crutch, I've been having more migraines than usual. I was very hopeful that this would be the perfect thing to free me from my medication regimen, but oh well. For people with migraines, please be sure to see a migraine neurologist. Best quality of care for this condition. My doctor listens to me, and doesn't force medication on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EatingSun Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Me too, me too, me too: I am a life long migraine sufferer, they got worse in my 40's and I've taken every medicine known to mankind. Some work, some don't. I get regular migraines, vestibular migraines and PMS hormonal migraines. I've been gluten free (celiac) for 15 years, stopped dairy (did help a little) and have been almost grain/sugar free for a long time. Whole 30 was one more leap towards hoping diet would help as nothing else seems to. I am on day #5 (would have been #12 but a girls weekend included some wine and a do-over) and what I am experiencing is a low grade headache every day. I had a dizzy spell (freaky, the ground was rolling) that turned in to what I think was a pain-free vestibular migraine. The next day I had floaters and since then I've been battling a general feeling of being "off". I feel light headed, kinda dizzy/woozy and "not all there" a lot of the time. I am upping what I eat, adding a sweet potato, etc but I think I am eating enough and I don't feel hungry - just "off" in a way that is starting to become a little worrisome. Is this normal? Does it go away? I was strict paleo for 6 months a few years back (no dairy, no sugar) and never felt this (or don't remember) I swear I am gaining weight and feel like something is off... anyone else experience anything similar? How long did it last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rackap Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I also experienced two extreme dizzy spells, which was very unusual for me. I chalked it up to my exercise routine, but I'm starting to wonder if it was W30, and not the exercise. Still, I've been off W30 for about a week and a half, and I feel like crap and my eating is sliding, so I'm going to start a Whole 20 (till Thanksgiving) tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted November 3, 2014 Moderators Share Posted November 3, 2014 Dizziness on a W30 is not normal, but it is common enough that it's been addressed before -- google Whole30 dizzy to find previous discussions. Things to consider: Are you eating enough in general? (Feel free to post a few days' worth of food, water intake, and exercise, either here or in the Troubleshooting section, for feedback on that.) Are you getting enough carby vegetables (sweet potato, winter squashes, root veggies)? Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting enough salt? If it continues you should really consult a doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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