Migraine Sugar Craving and Sugar Withdrawal Headache

One of the first signs that a migraine attack is coming is my migraine sugar craving. I have a lot of good habits that I follow every day to manage migraine. If I ignore the things I do to live preventively, I will probably be bedridden permanently. The list changes constantly, but I’m diligent and try hard. With all the healthy things I do, there is one bad habit that I CAN NOT break. It is my sugar addiction. I’ve read how bad it is, I know how fat it makes me, but I just don’t care. I do care, but the sugar withdrawal headache makes me resistant. I’m addicted to sugar and get sugar withdrawal headaches. Anyone who knows me knows this is a struggle for me.

My father-in-law has bought me shirts that say, “I’m embarrassed at what I did for a Klondike bar” and “I run because I like dessert.” He’s also gotten me, “Mama needs a cocktail.” All of the above are migraine triggers, but we must pick and choose our battles. It’s the truth. Although I can’t run much anymore due to migraine, I work out, partly because I know my day will end with massive amounts of sugar. I know that M&M gives me more frequent migraine attacks, but it does not stop me.

Migraine cravings are so confusing for me. Is food a trigger? Are cravings a symptom? Do I have cravings after a migraine in the prodrome phase? Food is so complicated when it comes to migraine. I can’t live with it and definitely can’t live without it.

Does Chocolate Trigger a Migraine Attack?

I have a sugar addiction. Sugar seems to be a trigger, but the more I have documented my cravings, the more I realize the cravings are a symptom of my migraine. I crave chocolate before a migraine. Cravings for sugar and eating distract my mind from the impending doom….migraine hell. I used to eat dessert, then woke up with a migraine attack thinking the chocolate was my trigger. The more research I’ve done, the more I have come to find out that cravings before a migraine are not the trigger but the symptom of what is coming. Everyone is different, and these are all lessons I’ve learned over my long relationship with migraine.

Sugar Withdrawal Headache

Although sugar doesn’t seem to be a direct trigger, sugar withdrawal headache is. Because of my sugar addiction, I get sugar withdrawal headaches, making it difficult to quit. A drop in blood sugar or sudden rise usually triggers a migraine attack for me. I need to be cautious not to drink too much coffee or overeat sugar to keep my body consistent. Significant increases, drop, or changes in blood sugar give me a headache. By gradually reducing my sugar consumption, I hope to lessen migraine symptoms.

Living with Migraine

Yet again, I’m not alone; I’m not crazy; I’m just living with migraine. I’m either feeling the effects of a migraine coming, a migraine in full force or coming down after a migraine. And the cycle continues.

During an attack, I mostly dry heave and am so nauseous I have to force myself to eat. After an attack, my body is weak and cautious with what I put into it. But before a migraine attack, it’s real chocolate and sometimes salty food extravaganza. I understand that I should be fueling myself with anti-inflammatory foods and things that will prevent an attack. Understanding what my body needs and craves is a mental battle.

I have already given up alcohol and many foods, so when I crave chocolate, I eat it. Battling my thoughts about food while knowing that my body will be facing physical pain soon is something I don’t want to do. I am gentle with myself. If I want to eat a bag of candy, I do. I have never been much of a guilty eater. I love food too much to be sad about what I ate. I make choices with my nutrition and give in to my cravings. Deep breaths, some dark chocolate, and some peace before my migraine takes me away.

I use an integrative approach to dealing with all of this.

Migraine Sugar Craving

I have had more than one passionate conversation about how much I love M&Ms, the different types, and how a diet coke with them is like euphoria. I look forward to each holiday so that I can have seasonal styles. Recently, I heard on the radio that M&Ms are the second most addictive food. I don’t remember what the first one was because they had me at M&M. M&Ms, which is only the beginning of my problem. Chewy candy and I go way back.

I remember for my 15th birthday; my friend gave me a balloon with like 3 pounds of chewy candy weighing it down. I had an ex-boyfriend challenge me to a Sour Patch eating contest. We never had the competition, but let’s get real….I would have won. I eat pretty healthily, and if I cut out sugar, I would lose weight and eliminate a trigger, but I just can’t. In part, because I would love to sit down and have a drink at the end of a stressful day, but it just makes me feel miserable at this point. I don’t smoke, I don’t eat fast food, I don’t gamble, and I don’t shop for myself. How do I relax at the end of the day…I eat candy.

Migraine Prodrome

I’m triggered by so many things and eliminating my one vice isn’t my priority. So what happens when I don’t have dessert and the next day I wake up with a migraine attack because of the weather change? Forget that. Could you give me my candy? If that’s the worst thing I’ve done today, I’m doing pretty good. All of this is not to mention the cravings migraine gives me. My husband and I were sure I would be a craving migraine lunatic when I was pregnant, but I wasn’t.

I crave sugar pre-migraine way more than any craving I’ve ever had. So my passions and my lousy habit are all the same. Sugar! I have tried to stop, but it just gives me a sugar withdrawal headache. As I said, I’ll get there one day, but it’s not a battle I’m fighting right now. What’s your bad habit or craving? I can’t be the only one!

Why do I Crave Sugar Before a Migraine Attack?

Understanding the phases of migraine before, during and after is essential to understand to get a handle on migraine disease. It’s complicated and way more than most people understand. My favorite graphic from American Migraine Foundation explains how long a migraine attack and symptoms may occur.