Tips for preventing heat and dehydration triggered migraines abroad?

[Mumbythesea1]

Help me with migraines. I’ve had migraines for years and go through periods of having several a week :(
I have tried sumatriptan and zolmitriptan and they do work but make me feel sleepy after.
I know one of my triggers is heat and dehydration. Problem is I never feel thirsty. In my whole life I can remember only a few times I felt thirsty. So I have to force myself to drink. Got hot today and had a migraine. Would electrolyte drinks help? I’m going abroad soon and worried as last year I ended up in bed due to migraines a lot. Any tips?!

Surely the answer is to drink more? You need to come up with some sort of system. Can you get one of those water bottles with marks on it which encourage you to drink so much per hour? Or just set and alarm every hour to drink a small glass of something?

You need to drink more. I live in a hot country - the kind brits come to on holiday a lot - and in the summer you need to be drinking closer to 3 litres, to feel well on a daily basis. Drink drink drink. And eat light! No heavy cooked dinners, no cream or heavy sauces or highly caloric foods in the afternoon and early evening when it is still extremely hot. Do your eating during cooler hours and have lots of fresh and light foods. Lots of fruit like watermelon and icy drinks help! Salads, steamed vegetables, fish / seafood / meat without fatty sides make for good meals in the heat.

Get up and drink at least a pint of water immediately. It will replace any fluids you lost overnight and put you on the front foot. Then make sure you get your blood sugar up within an hour or waking.

I'm a bugger for not fancying much in a hot climate, but you need to eat something small and light frequently IME.

Then just keep drinking small amounts regularly.

electrolytes would help but you still need to be drinking 2ish litres of water a day.

You don't have to feel thirsty to drink, you can do it because you know it's essential and because you don't like having migraines. Set an alarm every hour and drink a medium sized glass of water each time. You will soon feel better in all sorts of ways. If you can't bear water, add some squash or juice.

I’ve got the Waterllama app on my phone which sends reminders every hour to drink. Also get a water bottle that you absolutely love so you always carry it round with you. I’ve got a black leopard print 950ml one from SHO.

Every drink you have follow it with a water and wear sunglasses and a hat

Brightness is also a big trigger for my migraines, guarantee I get one on the first sunny day I spend outdoors in spring. A wide brimmed hat (not just a cap) and sunglasses help.

4head helps me relieve tension when it starts building, and a cooling eye mask (get one that cools the back of your head as well as the eyes).

Something to consider if you usually drink multiple cups of tea and coffee at work but stick to water when away on holiday, headaches could be caffeine withdrawal

Print this list. It’s pretty good. https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-safe-foods-by-category/

I would also add if you are looking at seafood, stick with plain white fish with no lemon. Also, no chocolate.