relentless headache - lower carbs?

[poppym12]

I need to lose some at least 3 stone weight . My diet is vegetarian (but no eggs) and on paper looks really healthy - apart from the ridiculous amount of bread cake and biscuits I eat.

I stopped eating refined carbs 3 days ago but the migraine from hell I've developed is even preventing me from sleeping. I drink plenty of water anyway so I'm not dehydrated and I've tried adding a pinch of salt to it.

Has anyone experienced this type of headache? Is there any way to ease it without stuffing my face with lots of crusty bread? Painkillers aren't helping either.

I get carb withdrawal headaches too. Stick with it, it will pass. I usually feel better after about 4/5 days. What painkillers are you taking? Normal paracetemol and nurofen don't usually touch it for me, I take Solpadeine which is paracetemol & codeine. They are strong and shouldn't be taken for longer than 3 days due to the codeine becoming addictive, but they do work. You can buy them over the counter in any pharmacy. Don't give up now! Good luck!

Yep carb/ sugar withdrawal, should be gone soon, codeine recommended..

I don't get this, no, I suspect it's to do with sugar withdrawal, I'm not sure, but I do know others get it and also flu like symptoms. Stick with it, it will pass, usually by about day four or five when you're body has adjusted.

Thank you poptart. So the headache is probably caused by lowering carbs? I'm not cutting out carbs altogether (lovely mashed potato for tea tonight) but I'm hoping less bread etc will help .
I've been taking co codamol. This afternoon I resorted to my prescription strength ones (I never usually take them unless I'm at climbing the walls in pain stage) and it has eased a bit. Hopefully it's going now and not just eased temporarily by drugs or mash.

Not strictly the same, but I've done 3 days without coke (the drink!) and I have the worlds worst migraine today. Watching this with interest

Wonder why it happens? And will it happen again if I have a bit of rice/pasta/bread at the weekend then cut it out again

I suspect something to do with the sugar your body is used to getting.
Massive pain though!

I've been teetotal for years but I don't recall ever having a hangover headache as bad as this one has been. Maybe I should give up bread and replace it with Jack daniels.

Just be careful you manage your calorie intake, as youre eating carbs like mash the weight won't drop off as it would if you were low carbing, so you need to calorie control instead.

I read that the flora and fauna in your gut are basically starving and decaying (and giving you a headache), now their primary food source has reduced. You need to work through it so that a better colony of gut flora can replace them.
Dunno if it's true tho...

I don't expect the weight to drop off quickly bluntness as for me, that wouldn't be sustainable. I'm very limited exercise wise because I have ME. my weight has gradually crept up as the lovely menopause looms so realistically, there's no magic formula for me apart from try to create a calorie deficit and with bread, pasta, pastries and biscuits being a big part of my vegetarian diet I figured cutting out the refined foods would help in some way. I bloody hope so anyway as I dont want these headaches for nothing .

Maybe a silly question but are you eating enough protein? I got headaches when I drastically changed my diet and more protein was the answer. Cocodamol may be making it worse too, codeine can cause headaches.

This is an issue I have been wondering about for a while queen. Quite frankly, I don't really know.
I eat spinach, peas, cabbage, almonds, pumpkin seeds, soya milk and yoghurt and various pulses and grains. I also eat cheddar and halloumi sometimes. I've eaten a vegetarian diet for over 25 years, for most of which I was healthy, slim and active. I had a serious accident a few years ago and have developed ME. The weight gain has been over the last 4 or 5 years.

I've tried to like quinoa, I really have, but it makes me wretch. Also tried hemp protein shakes..... Oh dear oh dear.

I pretty much just added nuts and olive oil to everything and drank a milk substitute which seemed to help. I was mostly getting protein from meat, eggs, nuts and seeds at the time. My usual intake didn't seem to quite do the trick with cutting out all the processed carbs, I guessed it was to do with the dairy in those products but couldn't say for sure.

Definitely be wary of the codeine based painkillers though. I get killer headaches from cocodamol and some brands are worse than others. I suspect it's an additive that causes it for me as I only get withdrawal headaches from straight codeine makes no sense but that's my experience.

Fortunately the headache has subsided today so no codeine needed. I've ordered some vegan protein powder to add to food too.

Glad it's gone