So today I am reminded of a question I wanted to ask our Community. How do you eat when you're having a migraine? I am most curious about eating before nausea starts, because if it progresses to the nausea stage, I just stop eating altogether.

While having a migraine, but before the nausea sets in, I find an inclination to want to eat a little more than usual, no matter whether it's on or off the program. I'm kind of wondering if I"m just fooling myself and looking for an excuse to eat a little more or if, during a migraine, it makes good sense to feed yourself a little more. Because every migraine attack has physical effects that are detrimental to health (cellular death, etc.) I am thinking that, if I am feeling hungry and can eat a little extra, I should. I feel it can sometimes aid in getting the train turned around and headed out of migraine land but judgment is obviously impaired and, while on Jenny, I am suspicious of any ploy my own psyche can generate to eat more.

I am having a migraine right now so I apologize for an inability to ask this more clearly but I know the migraineurs out there will understand.

To put it in a nutshell, how do you eat while on Jenny, when you're having a bad migraine and not yet nauseaus?

Thanks
DD

Okay I am going to answer my own inquiry so that those of you with migraines who might stop by, can see how I handled a migraine day on Jenny.

I decided that, since I manage to follow the program well when not having a migraine, that I was probably not looking for an excuse to eat off the program, in feeling as if I needed more food during the migraine. So I ate what sounded good, although, just enough to satisfy the feeling of "need". I didn't have much available, since the fridge is stocked to support Jenny, so I had some orange juice, a piece of string cheese and a piece of toast with a little jelly on it. Seemed to help a little and the migraine began to fade within a few hours.

Oh, how I wish I could eat away a migraine! I am on a low dosage of high blood pressure meds to help prevent them, and it has worked a miracle for me. When I do get one to break through I have to take Fiorinal (prescription meds). If I wait to long to take this I will get sick of course. I must eat something to take this medicine, so at that point some kind of cracker is about all I can stomach. It's so little I really don't worry about it. I know my triggers and chocolate is one of them, along with alcohol. With Jenny we don't get much of either, so that is a very good thing. Check with your doctor about possibly taking a high blood pressure med to help prevent them.

Hi Dancing, I don't mean to be the angel of doom, but I am going to be frank with my opinion, I think your eating more is simply and excuse to come off plan and eat more sugary things. I have suffered from migraines due to various reasons for 37 years and my youngest son has suffered for 8 years from them (he's 15). Anyway, If OJ helps there is an OJ out there that is only 50 cals and very very yummy look for it, it's about 2.99 a 1/2 gallon and can't remember the brand it's well known. that way it's a fruit serving 1 8 oz glass.

You may want to have some some Jenny type comfort foods, like mac/cheese or the baked potato in the house. I know I've had numerous surgeries during my journey and I've looked at the available Jenny foods that fill the comfort food needs.

I think when we are sick we tend to want comfort foods, migraines are making you feel ill and you turn to old habits and comfort foods.

Just my two cents anyway.

I agree with the statement made about "eating away a migraine". however, there is some medical literature to support what she is saying.

first, i must say i've suffered with migraines for 7 years now. i went on topamax for prevention because they are so severe. I also take an abortive medication: maxalt, when i get a migraine. it's the only way out of one, for me. if i dont' take the maxalt early enough, i start vomiting and then i'm down for the rest of the day/night.

that being said...this is taken from maxalt.com (the website for the migraine medicaiton I take)...
Preheadache:
An early warning sign, as many as 20% to 60% of migraineurs experience preheadache (prodrome) hours or days before a migraine. Symptoms of preheadache can include:

Food cravings (eg, chocolate and other sweets)
Mood changes
Muscle stiffness (especially in the neck)
Yawning/fatigue

so, there is literature supporting the prodrome where one can get food cravings. i've expereicned this before - but it usually happens a day before I get the beadache and it typically conincides with my TOM. however, this is not to say that giving in to such cravings prevents a migraine - it's simply a sign one is coming.

just thought i'd throw that out there - it was new news to me when I read it but it did explain a lot. when i have a migraine, i eat as usual. the only difference, is that i may drink a gatorade or sprite or something to make the mild nausea better until my medicine starts working.