headaches

Jane-D

Full Member
Hi everyone,

I seem to have the awful headaches one gets on this low carb diet for 11 days now. I tend to be fine when I go to bed, but wake up with a dreadful fuzzy head which gets worse until I take some pain killers. I am enjoying all the other benefits like feeling more energetic, and not being hungry, better skin and hair, but the headaches are a pain....(scuse the pun....lol)...

Would love to hear if anyone else has had them for so long...

Jx
 
Hiya Jane, boy it's quiet around here at the weekends isn't it? :)

I only got headaches for a couple of days in my first week of Atkins and I reckon it was mostly caffeine withdrawal. 11 days is a long time to be suffering with them! Are you sure you're drinking enough water? Conversely, I do still sometimes get headaches if I drink too *much* water in too short a space of time, which for me is more than about 3.5 litres between 9am-4pm.

I'm not sure what the W8 diet entails but if you're restricting certain veg and dairy and also flushing through a lot of water, you may need diet supplements. It could be a mineral deficiency causing the headaches? Potassium is a common one on low carb diets.

HTH. x
 
Hiya Jane, boy it's quiet around here at the weekends isn't it? :)

I only got headaches for a couple of days in my first week of Atkins and I reckon it was mostly caffeine withdrawal. 11 days is a long time to be suffering with them! Are you sure you're drinking enough water? Conversely, I do still sometimes get headaches if I drink too *much* water in too short a space of time, which for me is more than about 3.5 litres between 9am-4pm.

I'm not sure what the W8 diet entails but if you're restricting certain veg and dairy and also flushing through a lot of water, you may need diet supplements. It could be a mineral deficiency causing the headaches? Potassium is a common one on low carb diets.

Hey Lady marmalade

Thank you for replying. W8 for life is 2 meal packs a day, with 3 snacks and one freshly cooked meal. The meal packs are meant to have half the nutrients I need. I am making sure to have plenty of veg with the main meal. I have tried all sorts intake on the water from less to more etc...and it doesn't seem to help.

I have had a headache for the whole day today as the painkillers haven't helped at all. I know it must be the diet as I didn't get these until I started it.

Will try the potassium, thank you...Jx
 
No advice here really, but I did have a killer headache for about 5 days once I stopped the caffeine intake Jane.
 
Thanks anyway Jim. I wonder if perhaps I tried to do too much all at once. Before I started this diet, I was drinking 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day, as well as 2 cups of tea, then in the evening I had at least 2 glasses of wine everynight, and my eating habits, were carbs, carbs and more carbs... I have just given everything up at once...caffeine, alcohol and carbs...Have I done too much at once I wonder!!

I don't want to stop this, but feel dreadful again today, the painkillers are not doing their stuff!! I don't really know what to do.

Will try some of the minerals and vitamins suggested to me and see if they help...

:sigh: :confused:
 
That is jumping in at the deep end Jane. I'd do what laura suggests love, try a cup of Coffee
 
I'm on it the kettle is on....lol..x
 
Well if anything the coffee made it worse. Have been to Holland and Barrett to get the minerals needed, and have taken those just now. I did feel slightly dizzy earlier, really feeling dreadful....not sure whether to just have some carbs to see if it is that, but not sure how quickly I will see a change...
 
How are you this morning Jane?
 
Hey Jim, thank you for asking. I was in tears last night with my headache, but managed to get to sleep. Woke up at 6 and it was still bad so went back to sleep got up at 8:30 and it is so much better, it still feels fuzzy and I am scared to eat incase something sets it off. I am going to introduce more fruit, because I really want to lay off the starchy carbs, like bread, pasta, potatoes etc....

So about to try some melon. Heres to a pain free day.

I am never ill so I hate it when I am. Now I can really sympathise with those who suffer from migraines (I never have before).

You go on these diets hoping to get and feel healthier so a bit of a bummer when I feel so crap....:(

Jx
 
Hmmm, well I hope you're OK today love.
 
How much liquid are you drinking each day roughly? I always get a headache when i start a diet, i think its the addiction to food and the withdrawal that does it. I dont know if you have a counsellor or leader for W8 - maybe you can ask them if they've heard of this?
 
Thanks Jim..

I am having more than enough water Bad Jar, and have tried playing around with different amounts and it has made no difference. I just don't understand it. I don't have a W8 rep in my area, but have contacted head office so will wait for a response from them, I am wondering if it is their mealpacks I am having a reaction to. But then again I am worried now about everything that goes into my mouth. I was ready to go to the Doctor today, given how I was feeling last night, but feel better today and I know he will probably tell its the diet. I don't want to start on the carbs again, I love not craving which is what I do if I just cut calories!

We shall see how it goes. Watch this space..

In the meantime I am terribly sad about the death of Patrick Swayze "nobody puts baby in the corner" hopefully he still has his dancing shoes with him...RIP..

Jx
 
I read about that as well Jane, it's sad and only 57 as well.
 
Keith Floyd too.
 
I know love, I really liked him and his programs.
 
And his food...yummy...

Right I have just looked back at my food diary for the past 2 weeks and am wondering now if my headaches are perhaps due to low blood sugar...I thought I would look at the calories I have been having, and I really don't think I am eating enough....correct me if I am wrong..

I am not following a VLCD, apparently with the meal packs, 3 snacks and a healthy meal I should be eating about 1200 cals a day, whereas it looks as though some days I have just reached a 1000...doh...I wonder if that is it?

Any thoughts on that...
 
Morning Jane, I can't comment on the calories really I don't know enough about that. So how are you today?
 
Morning Jim, I am still a little fuzzy and can feel the headache in the background, but it is better, I managed to hold it off all day yesterday, so fingers crossed. I hope it stays away for the next few days, as I have an interview for a job I really want tomorrow....

Keep meaning to say I love your before and after pics Jim, they are very inspirational...

Jx
 
Have you tried having a cup of tea with half a sugar? I know it's naughty but liquid plus sugar - it's better than a chocolate bar and you can see if it would help? I wouldn't normally recommed this!
 
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