The FastDay Forum

[carieoates]

I've had a two day head ache.thought that I drank plenty but was obviously wrong. Is it really a sign of carb deficiency too? Started on Monday with today being my second fats.

Have you given up or cut back on caffeine? It could be caffeine withdrawal. Lots of people figure that since they can't have their lattes on fast days they will just cut out coffee entirely on those days, then resume them the next day. That can cause headaches.

[carieoates]

Thanks mummybunny2005. I'm not a big coffee tea drinker at all. Just have one maybe two a day usually. So a bit confused. I'm wondering if my fast days will bring me headaches as having very little or no carbs. Will have to see how it all pans out my body may adjust over time.

Of course we could have entirely different physiologies, but I got headaches for the first few weeks of fasting.

I haven't had any caffeine in about four months (no caffeine withdrawal headaches), but I do get fairly cyclical migraines (if you know what I mean).

In the last few weeks, though, the fasting headaches have disappeared.

I'd say be sure you are drinking enough fluids during fast days just to be sure they aren't from dehydration.

I had headaches for my first few fasts but nothing too bad. I had a migraine last week on a fast day and assumed I had not been drinking enough but have realised it is actually do to my HRT (when I start taking progesterone) rather than 5:2. Good thing I keep a note of bad headaches in my diary as my GP suggested,

If it starts on a fast day then one cause might be low sodium. Since you've only just started, then your initial weight loss will be a water weight loss, and it may be flushing out and adjusting your levels. Try eating just a few grains of salt and see if that sorts it out.

It's OK to take a paracetamol to take off headaches. You may get them for the first few fasts as your body has become so used to using carbs for energy needs and now it needs to re-learn how to burn fats. I got headaches for the first couple of weeks but not very often now as my body is much better at moving between burning carbs and fats. I will say that this way of life has definitely cured my carb addiction, but it didn't just happen overnight. Stick at it, it's well worth the effort.

[carieoates]

Thanks everyone for the advise. No headache this morning, Yipeeee

Great Carieoates!

It happened to me for the first few fasts too, but I'm happy to say it hasn't happened in a long while! I just took some painkillers or had a nap when it happened.

Carieoats I am having same problem and I have been doing fasts since march but I have changed the style of fasting. They are severe and not touched by paracetamol, caffeine and water. So I commiserate with you. Interesting to read your threat thanks for raising the issue. Hopefully for us both they will fade away

Fasting today and my headache has struck again.
Am tucking into a freshly brewed coffee right now so hope that helps, have also had my Asian broth and a miso earlier. Fluids are up to date.
I noted above No_More_Mrs_Michelin mention that the body has to learn to switch between burning carbs and fats so why does that cause a headache. Can anyone tell me.
I may have to have paracetamol - very frustrating!

For me I was a carb addict before I started 5:2 and that's what my body craved. If my blood sugar went low then I started with headache. Basically I was probably on the verge of developing diabetes.

If you've always been a bit of a grazer and not having big gaps between meals then your body just gets used to always having quite high blood sugar levels and will burn carbs more or less all the time and hardly ever burn fats. Your body properly balanced should be burning a mix of carbs and fats. If your body mainly burns carbs, then once you start having bigger gaps between meals you'll get a bit of a crash (resulting in the headache) while your body relearns how to access your glycogen and fat stores for energy. It took me about three weeks of 5:2 before the headache levels dropped and I would say four months before I finally conquered my snacking habit. I don't get the carb cravings any more now, and eat a much more balanced diet.