Dairy Connection to Headaches?

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Hi, I've been trying to get a handle on some "AM" headaches I've been having for a long time. I wake up with headaches occasionally. Today, I've had one for the first time in months. I had cereal and drank a glass of milk before going to bed because spouse asked me to help him drink milk he bought thinking I was using milk in my cereal. (I'm still using soy milk, even though I'm not a vegetarian but he didn't realize this.)

I'm wondering if dairy is the cultprit? I've noticed sometimes that after eating a pint of ice cream after a wicked night I've woken up with a headache.

But then there's been plenty of other times I've eaten dairy without a problem. And plenty of times I've stopped dairy (but only for brief periods of times) and I've had a headache.

My headaches seem to be sinus in nature, without congestion though, and almost always it happens while I sleep and I wake up with them.

Work was hell last night, but works been hell for 12 years. So I can't be stress can it? :)

Wonder if anyone with headaches can relate? I'm going to go into renal failure from motrin. :(

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

Hi, I've been trying to get a handle on some "AM" headaches I've been having for a long time. I wake up with headaches occasionally. Today, I've had one for the first time in months. I had cereal and drank a glass of milk before going to bed because spouse asked me to help him drink milk he bought thinking I was using milk in my cereal. (I'm still using soy milk, even though I'm not a vegetarian but he didn't realize this.)

I'm wondering if dairy is the cultprit? I've noticed sometimes that after eating a pint of ice cream after a wicked night I've woken up with a headache.

But then there's been plenty of other times I've eaten dairy without a problem. And plenty of times I've stopped dairy (but only for brief periods of times) and I've had a headache.

:(

Poor milk has been getting blamed for a lot of things lately. I've seen studies that even link something in it to a cause of Crohn's disease. Tweety, you are a third shifter is it possible you might be going through caffeine withdrawals. They cause some really nasty headaches, and you don't have to drink a great deal of it. You just have to be somewhat regular in your drinking habits - just a thought.

Tweety, just out of curiosity, do you sleep with a fan blowing on you? You said that your HA are sinusy in nature. Without fail, if I sleep with a fan pointed on me, I wake up in the morning with a Horrible headache, and aching sinuses to boot.

If you don't sleep with a fan, disregard this post.:D

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Originally posted by Speculating

Poor milk has been getting blamed for a lot of things lately. I've seen studies that even link something in it to a cause of Crohn's disease. Tweety, you are a third shifter is it possible you might be going through caffeine withdrawals. They cause some really nasty headaches, and you don't have to drink a great deal of it. You just have to be somewhat regular in your drinking habits - just a thought.

My "morning" caffeine withdrawal comes in the form of me being very sluggish and inhuman until I have my coffee. Not usually in the form of a headache. I usually have a cup of coffee late in the morning before leaving work. I pretty much have the same patterns.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Originally posted by proud2basn

Tweety, just out of curiosity, do you sleep with a fan blowing on you? You said that your HA are sinusy in nature. Without fail, if I sleep with a fan pointed on me, I wake up in the morning with a Horrible headache, and aching sinuses to boot.

If you don't sleep with a fan, disregard this post.:D

Hmmmm.....I always have a fan on the the room when I sleep. I like the noise. I've been sleeping that way for 20 or more years. I wonder though if sometimes it is weather related, in that the air is drier or the atmospheric pressure is different on some days. I noticed more headaches in Florida than North Carolina.

Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

Start watching the weather maps and begin to notice where the nearest fronts are in relation to your headaches. I begin to have screaming headaches about 48 hours before a major front comes through, low pressures cause worse headaches than high pressures. My head hurts now, but it's supposed to start raining tomorrow, so that's my main problem.

Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

My sis-in-law in England gets severe headaches when she eats cheese--certain kinds only...don't remember which. Doesn't suffer from headaches when she doesn't eat cheese. Must be some connection.

Good info in this thread. Headaches are a bytch aren't they...I've got sinus-y headaches too so hard to track down what the culprit is sometimes. Also get 'em real bad premenses so they seem hormonal too...

I will have to agree with 3rd shift guy. I get those AM headaches esp on the weekends when I sleep later.

Caffene is my culprit.

suzy, aged cheeses are notorious for causing migraines, if she stays with fresher cheeses, she should be OK.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I know after about 10 to 15 hours if you are used to getting caffinated beverages, and you do not have them you will get headaches. I wake up with one almost daily.

renerian

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

My "morning" caffeine withdrawal comes in the form of me being very sluggish and inhuman until I have my coffee. Not usually in the form of a headache. I usually have a cup of coffee late in the morning before leaving work. I pretty much have the same patterns.

If I were you I'd sure give caffeine some serious thought. I'm the same way when I don't get my coffee. Don't look at me, don't talk to me, and don't ask me any questions until I ingest a cup or two. I do know when I change my patterns on my days off and exclude the coffee I get some of the worst headaches imaginable until I make myself drink a cup. It's those third shifters that have the worst problems with this because of the constant changing around of our schedules. Try some Excedrin when you get that headache. It has some caffeine in it, and caffeine has been a part of headache cures for centuries. It's just a thought Tweety. I don't know do you have something to loose by trying my theory.

Tweety,

If your headaches keep happening in the morning it is very likely that they could be caused by dust in your house. Especially if it's in your sinus, make sure to clean all the dust and vacuum, or maybe you need to run a filter through your vents. Sometimes dust can build up in the vents. or it could be that the air is stuffy while you're sleeping. Also, if it's sinus, try having a hot shower in the morning to clear up your sinuses.

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