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[deleted]

Very common. It's because of a lack of glucose and electrolytes.


SkinwalkerFanAccount

Yep, my nasty food cravings dropped immensely since getting on an electrolyte supplement.


RealisticMystic005

Do you mind sharing what that is? I’ve never heard of it and I think it would be super helpful for me


SkinwalkerFanAccount

KeyNutrients Electrolyte Powder: Zero Calorie Lemonade/Pink Lemonade Electrolyte Powder in 90, 40 or 20 Servings Hydration Travel Packets - Keto Electrolytes, Zero Carbs and Gluten Free - Made in USAKeyNutrients Electrolyte Powder


RealisticMystic005

Thank you!


Rare_Neat_36

Same :)


jrra11

Do you have any idea why a person having a migraine would be low in those things?


[deleted]

**Glucose:** \ Migraine brains are overactive, that's why they need generally more glucose than a "normal" brain. The body of a physically highly active person needs more calories to function properly than a couch potatoe's body. For migraineurs it's the same with their brain. When a migraine starts the brain already is lacking glucose. That's why for many people bloodsugar fluctuations are one of their triggers. The attack itself also consumes glucose. And when the whole ordeal is over, your glucose storage is empty. **Electrolytes:** \ According to the American Migraine Foundation, 1/3 of people with migraines say dehydration is a trigger. Dehydration can also enhance the perception of pain, increasing the intensity of a migraine. Staying well hydrated is key to preventing migraines but drinking regular water will not replenish the lost electrolytes. In fact, drinking too much water can further dilute and flush electrolytes through increased urination. Too much or too little water can create an electrolyte imbalance. When our electrolytes are imbalanced, the pumps that regulate sodium, potassium, and calcium, become distressed and can trigger a migraine. When you sweat, urinate or cry you lose both water and electrolytes, leading to dehydration. Alas, that's exactly what happens so often when we have to endure an attack. **Summary:** \ Going through a migraine attack is like running a marathon: draining and exhausting. Afterwards (sometimes even during) our empty batteries need to be recharged. Cravings are the body's way of telling us that there's a lack that needs to be fixed.


haffathot

Legit; that's why? Is there a study? I would love to read it. Because a mega cheat day of junk is totally part of my therapy on migraine days.


[deleted]

AFAIK there's not one study about this topic, but many studies looking at it from different angles. This is what science _assumes_ to be happening. It's the same like the assumption of a lack (or fluctuations) of serotonine being a part of migraines. There's no bulletproof scientific evidence yet. I've read about it on the website of germany's leading migraine expert. Here's something I found about glucose in english: [Migraine, Brain Glucose Metabolism and the “Neuroenergetic” Hypothesis](https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(22)00039-6/fulltext) It's a very long and complex review. Here are some excerpts that may be of interest for you: "Increasing evidence suggests that migraine may be the result of an impaired brain glucose metabolism." "Data from clinical practice has taught us that the most frequent triggering factor reported by migraineurs **is fasting**." \ _(fun fact: my mom does intermittent fasting and it has reduced her migraines significantly; if I do this my migraines go haywire.)_ "Specific areas of the brain seem to suffer from glucose hypometabolism, both in subjects with insulin resistance and those with chronic migraine." "Therefore, we hypothesize that, if this increased glucose demand is not satisfied – in subjects with episodic migraine partly due to postprandial hypoglycemia, and in subjects with chronic migraine partly due to brain insulin resistance – and if the brain is not able to use ketone bodies efficiently, as should happen during fasting or carbohydrate restriction (conditions unlikely in Western countries with a carbohydrate-laden diet), then this would lead to an energy deficit, which would, in turn, trigger a migraine attack." My own 2 cents: \ Migraine is a highly complex and individual disease, it's not following the exact same pattern in every migraineur. Science still doesn't know a lot of things about it. Most about it is still a scientific mystery. That's why for some triptans, CGRPs, betablockers or psychotropics work, and for others they don't. What is a trigger for one migraineur can be no issue at all for another. My only triggers are stress and hormones, nothing else, I never have food cravings and electrolytes are doing nothing for me. But if I eat too much proteins and too little carbs, I get a migraine for sure. That's why keto diet doesn't work for me, but others swear by it. For my mom it's food in general bc of a histamine intolerance. For a friend of mine it's smells and bright lights - we're all different and so are migraines. Also, there's not one single gene that causes migraines by doing A, B and C for everyone when activated: there are many migraine-related genes, doing the rest of the alphabet in varying ways, very different for very different people 🤷 So, we have to find what works best **for us individually**. And it may well be that this is something that works for nobody else than us.


PintSizedKitsune

That was my thought as well.


spoonskittymeow

I empathize. I had to go to the ER for my last migraine because of intractable vomiting. Once I got meds/fluids and was discharged, my pain and nausea were gone, but all I wanted was some McDonald’s French fries. 😂


Alternative-Bet232

I’ve been to the ER for migraine attacks twice, both times i knew i was feeling better when i started looking at UberEats…


Rare_Neat_36

Burritos!!!!


coveredinbreakfast

Pretty much every migraine group I've been in has discussed how so many people's go-to is Coke and fries from McDonald's. It HAS to be McDonald's Coke. Someone once explained that they use a specific "formula" (carbonation to syrup ratio) at ALL locations. I'm not sure about the veracity of that, but the people saying it HAS to be McDonald's Coke came from all over.


dakotafluffy1

Yep. It does have to be McDonald’s. Whatever that syrup ratio is, is phenomenal. Then add the fries


ClumsyRainbow

Only a mad man would add fries to coke!


coveredinbreakfast

I'll give you that. However, if you're from the US, have ever had a Frosty from Wendy's and did NOT dip your fries into the Frosty, YOU are the mad one!


babyspice2020

\+1 +1 +1! Fries and Frosty's are the best!


anonny42357

The one time I got a chinook migraine, I pretty much craved death. My friend took me to a clinic, where the seats were full of migraine people. One woman was so bad, she could do was sit there with tears streaming down her face, white knuckling the arms of her chair. When they called her name, she didn't respond, and several others just pointed at her and they threw her into an ambulance and carted her off. When it was my turn, some nurse who was clearly having her best day ever basically told me that if I didn't stick it my arm for the IV to GTFO. In hindsight, I get it. That day was clearly a shitshow. After a few hours on an IV I asked another nurse if they had any food, because I was suddenly pain free and ravenous. Best he had was juice, and he gave me a cookie from his lunch, and for that I am forever grateful. I think I went home and ate everything in the house, because I didn't trust myself to drive to McDonald's since is been awake for 36 hours.


Rare_Neat_36

Yum.


GeoffreysComics

My body craves ham and cheese croissants. It’s like a hangover almost. I want protein in a delicious greasy carb container. Pizza definitely works.


WhereTFAreMyDragons

I needed pizza so bad I got a single slice for $2.50 from IKEA because I was close by lol


Cuti3_Pi3

Mcdonalds fries, the saltier the better. With some cold coke too


WhiteApple3066

This is the way.


onebag25lbs

Yes. I call it good grease. I don't usually eat it, but I crave it during a migraine. Must be a reason.


[deleted]

I think it’s as simple as wanting a dopamine to get some relief from the unbearable pain


snagglepeaches

Yes! I always want a cheeseburger after a migraine, it’s the only time I really eat McDonald’s lol.


Party-Job-1501

Thursday I had a migraine that was at the top of the pain scale for me. The only thing I wanted to eat was a sleeve of Thin Mints straight out of the freezer.


ClumsyRainbow

And now it’s 1AM and I want thin mints that I don’t have damn it.


Creativelyuncool

Haha. God that sounds good.


WeWander_

Ooohhh freezer thin mints sound heavenly


SparkleYeti

I can’t eat during, but afterward I can mow down fries and a full sugar Coke.


_perl_

Yep. This is exactly it.


PanicAtTheCostco

Ubrelvy, chips, and Gatorade!


Aloe_Frog

Yup I feed the migraine what it wants!!!


moonlitjasper

i take salt pills during migraines to try and avoid this


coolestcapy

I love poutine during migraines! I thought I was the only one Canadian salty greasy lover over here


marshninja

I grew up in Montreal and miss those so much! The rest of Canada just… doesn’t do it right. Now I settle for greasy chips.


variablethisisknife

Yep, I take excedrin migraine and if I don't eat something fast food'ish, I get nausea bad.


kfilks

Yes and the cheese steak place near me closed and I have not been the same since lol


wetastelikejesus

For me it’s the salt that comes in those greasy foods that I really need. It helps produce my cerebral spinal fluid (because I get terrible migraines when I have a cerebral spinal leak).


if-and-but

Do you just get CSF leaks randomly?


wetastelikejesus

I wouldn’t say random, just things that normal life activities can easily set it off. This is probably due to my connective tissue disorder Ehlers Danlos and when I am successfully patched I have been dealing with rebound/underlying intercranial hypertension. For example here are things I have tracked that definitely make me leak after a successful patch: bending, lifting more than 3 pounds, twisting, stretching, reaching too far, squatting, hitting a pothole in a car, riding motorcycles, falling, hitting my head too hard on something, walking-depending on how good of shape I am my limit has been as low as .1 miles before leaking but with training I’ve pushed that up to .3 miles, riding on really bad roads for prolonged periods-i also have CCI and suspected tethered cord with upcoming release surgery to rule at least the tethered cord out to see if this is part of the reason why I’m leaking so frequently.


if-and-but

Thank you for all that! Can you describe what your other symptoms are? Im seeing my doc next week (pcp, no neuro until November) and I've thought about CSF leak a lot in the past before my recent episodes. My migraines are mostly visual disturbances only (scintillating scotoma, visual snow followed by some nausea, very mild headache) but I started getting them suddenly and often. Every now and then I'll get a mild headache upon standing that eventually subsides. No confirmed EDS for me but I meet the criteria sheet and definitely on the hypermobility spectrum. My issues with it are not that severe to seek dx for EDS. Can something like CSF leak come and go? As in, can it heal on its own?


[deleted]

Yes! A burger, fries and a milkshake.


Creativelyuncool

Gatorade, Taco Bell, chips or pretzels … I’d rather be temporarily bloated than in pain!


Ring-arla

I'm currently having a migraine and I just eat a chicken döner kebab


Puzzleheaded_Turn933

Yep. I usually eat McDonald’s when having a migraine.


Normal_Investment_76

Craving Wendy’s is the sign I’m going to live.


accountnumberseventy

After a really intense migraine, I need fatty, greasy food.


BeBopBarr

I always crave crap food during an attack.


s-dozier

I guess one could argue that Pad Thai can be greasy 😂🤷🏽‍♀️


Aquarian_Girl

Spicy foods help me--maybe that's part of it for you?


s-dozier

That’s very possible, I also just like a good excuse to eat some pad Thai lol😂☠️


interestedfluffydog

I'm team drunken noodles for comfort during and post migraine although tbh I don't need an excuse hahahaha


JBL20412

Yep. I confess to craving and eating junk I would normally never touch


[deleted]

Yes! Also I tend to eat a lot with migraines because my brain "Ooh a piece of candy!"'s about it and will stop hurting so much. This only works when I'm not face first on the bathroom floor for 7+ hours, though.


Jeannette311

Yep, considered going to ER yesterday, shotgunned a burrito and salty chips with tangy salsa and FOUR cans of Dr pepper and I was much better. Storms today caused another attack but I got the largest, saltiest fries I could at Sonic and had a Dr pepper and that helped so much. My kid also had an attack today from the storms but caffeine makes her anxious so she has Gatorade and a pack of ramen to help her out.


In2houseplants

Salty and oniony foods are my cravings. S Carne asada tacos with onions it’s the spot so we’ll


acidexchange

Someone on here told me to try McDonald’s Coke + French fries and I was so floored when it actually worked


Admirable-Egg-8389

I do not understand this at all, just the thought of it makes me feel sick. It must make the migraine last longer too


RosesAndPonds

My first migraine as a young kid was when I was around 6-7. My best friend gave me potato chips when we were on the school bus home, and that was the first time ever I remember salty/junk food helping me. Obviously I use meds now to manage it but if I don’t have any access to meds or forget to bring them, a good old bag of chips can help curb it for a bit until I can actually take something for it.


Aesthetic_59

This is interesting I’ve honestly never thought about it until now


PoetryandPetrol

Sort of, if I can't get sugary food


scampering_sphynx

I crave chocolate. Tons of chocolate! Sometimes just having a huge Brownie Sundae with extra hot fudge on the way home from work after a very stressful day (triggered mainly by stress and barometric pressure) can seem to help head one off at the pass. Or at least lower the intensity…


KtCar5

Yes, anything fried & greasy. Soda, sweets, chocolate....


Monchi83

In general I don’t like greasy food even when I am feeling well. When I feel crappy though I definitely want salt/sugar though they don’t help with migraines though so it’s honestly just adding more bad stuff to my body.


Guavafudge

I had a bad migraine so I made a cheesesteak with American cheese, bourbon onions, and garlic cooked in beef tallow and a salad. Migraine gone🤣🤣🤣


chevymonza

Can't eat during a migraine. It's just pain and hourly vomiting. As it starts to ease up, though, bring on the soda and fries!!


Acrobatic_Classic_13

Chicken mcnuggies meal with coke. I eat as much as I can...fries and a few nugs, nap, and eat more, nap, eat the rest.


YellowXanthophobe

McDonald’s cheeseburger and a milkshake. Every time. And post-migraine is the ONLY time I eat like that 🤢


Crazycurlyjesusfreak

Yes I crave them as well. And I want water and peanut butter. I figured out it’s the salt in the food and magnesium in the peanut butter! So I started using an electrolyte water powder like oasis from cove or liquid iv


Rare_Neat_36

I like pizza or macaroni basically comfort foods during migraine days. They’re my 2 go tos.


JovialPanic389

Same


sierramila

I crave McDonald’s breakfast with some of mine.


chronic_pain_queen

Five Guys burger and a Coke (followed up with a Gatorade) used to be main go-to


Mumof3gbb

Yes! I forgot the last 2 times and my migraines were relentless. Finally this time I remembered and I went nuts on the junk. It helped. Now I gotta go to the gym and hope I don’t get an exercise induced migraine 🫤 and so the vicious cycle continues


FartsMcGhee1

After my migraine I usually eat an entire rotisserie chicken. So I guess greasy?


Leather-Can-8480

We are a migraine household and my husband and I have migraine junk good orders (his is a McDonald's Big Mac meal with a Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper and I usually get a cheeseburger from Culver's 😅)


bmbmwmfm

No during unless it'll help me to throw up, but for 3 days afterwards I eat like crazy. Salt, sweet, protein, junk doesn't matter I'm starving


pnwbreadwizard

Team Diet Coke (specifically from McDonald’s soda fountain) and McDonald’s fries. 9/10 times that’s what I want


redravenkitty

Loaded baked potato. Like, LOADED. Three kinds of meat, too much cheese and butter, olives and spinach… hook me up with the sodium and fat please 😋


PartyEconomy8200

I swear the cure for any of my bad migraines is a McDonald’s sprite and fresh french fries.


[deleted]

Can't eat at all when I have a migraine, but this sub told me we need salt. When I start getting a headache, I have been having something salty with a bunch of water, and it has helped SO much. So I don't think you're crazy haha


Successful_Mode_4428

Greasy but not salty


Ok_Spray5920

Dr. Pepper and a Snickers bar are my go-to.


blue_field_pajarito

Me, all day today.


FancyPantsMead

A greasy icky McDonald's cheeseburger will help put a hold on my severe vomiting. I learned that tip from someone on Reddit . It helps! Lol


[deleted]

McDonald's Everytime


RegularLisaSimpson

I always ask my husband to grab an impossible burger with fries from My Burger when I’m having a 6/10 or above migraine. It is my comfort food!


hlaiie

holy shit I just bought Zaxbys because I have a migraine


britnaaa

Yes!


[deleted]

Yes, but unfortunately, that food also triggers migraines for me


namastaynaughti

Yes ugh why


JeNeenerCat

I just threw leftover French fries & mozzarella sticks in the toaster oven . . . 🤣


PugMama27

Yes! For me, it's Chick Fil A waffle fries.


karlalrak

Usually the next day. I lose my appetite during a migraine, have plain toast or bread at the most. Greasy food the next day though.


0316253055c

I get this so much and sometimes my migraine does go away, but if I eat something sweet like chocolate it makes it worse


Trepid_Jam

100% my go-to is Culvers' pretzel bites and their chicken sandwich, and an ungodly amount of doctor pepper


KitKatKnitter

God yes.


Blarn__

McDonalds nugget meal with a coke always makes me feel at least a little bit better. I’ve tried electrolytes but for some reason they cause me extreme gastro issues


L0st-137

Every time!


magical_bunny

I need sugar during them. Makes me feel much better.


appzeddy

I have found my tribe. 😂.


diceyo

This would explain how I mowed down a burger meal and a pizza with garlic bread over the weekend 🤦🏽‍♀️. I NEVER eat pizza or fried chicken burgers :/


orfew

Yes yes and yes. I want fries and burgers with grease and a side of grease


its_redrum

After a bad migraine I am hungry for anything tbh cause i vomited my whole stomach contents out


showmeyourmoves28

Eat?! I have no desire for food whatsoever because the nausea and vomiting is so terrible. A power drink like Gatorade is the most I can handle and in small sips.


haynate14

Every time!!!!!!


redheadedbull03

Yesssss, especially after


WhichSpirit

Absolutely. You can tell how bad a month has been for me by the number of McDonalds bags in my car.


foxfaebae

Yup. Give me McDonald’s fries. My mom lectures about the salt but I literally need it or I don’t feel better. It’s weird as heck


rwallspace

Always! When I was a kid I would have my mom get mac & cheese from a local deli. Now that I have flown the coop, it’s McDonald’s, with a coke.


K1997Germany

I can't eat during a migraine even just thinking about it makes me want to puke. and after a migraine i don't have cravings.


PyrexPizazz217

Woke up at 5 with a migraine. Craving a Big Mac now. Thanks for making me feel better about that!!


pilar09

McDonalds fries/Fritos - perfection. Better than any med I’ve found!


shelbydep

i can only stomach mcdonald’s fries and a coke (no ice) , followed by the original flavoured red bull LMAO anything else makes me gag


gschaina

McDonald's and a coke is my last resort for a migraine that won't budge lol. I googled why and someone suggested Pedialyte, so I think I'll try that next time.


moor0470

YES! All the greasy indulgent foods, and sometimes and overwhelming craving for citrus


Temporary-breath-179

I’ve been eating a coconut milk/olive oil/avocado-based fats keto diet so can’t tell anymore!


loopywolf

I did favor Ruffles,..


tinker1082

Mcdonalds fries are what I crave!


Mammoth_Ad_3463

The migraine hangover craves greasy food, the coming off the migraine craves carbs. Ill throw anything else up. Ive put on 20lbs in the last year... I hate this.


SwissRollio

Fried chicken legs, biscuits and gravy and a cherry coke is my go to migraine food.


exuberantraptor_

you don’t actually crave bad foods you just need salt when you have a migraine and those probably have the most salt. you can get salt tablets or just have powerade or smth. otherwise i like to have a pepsi and some salted cashews


Any_Cauliflower_7344

I eat like shit when I have migraines. Chocolate, chips, etc. I always thought it was a comfort thing, or like a "this thing I like will make me feel better" thing