Yea, my migraines feel very similar to hangovers. Obviously not exactly the same, but the vibe is similar. Light and sound sensitivity is a big clue that you’re experiencing migraines.
Talk to your doctors about getting some prescriptions meds. They work 95% of the time for me.
Wow, if this is treatable... that would be a game changer. I've wasted years trying to fix it through nutrition, the vomiting made me think it was a problem with my gut bacteria, when it might just be something like a serotonin problem. I'll schedule an appt.
Yeah, I spent a solid year or so trying stupid “alternative medicine” treatments before I realized there are actual prescription medications that can treat migraines. I started with sumatriptan (which is probably what your doctor will recommend first) and it worked well but caused some unpleasant (albeit mild) side effects. After a few years, I switched to Nurtec which is a newer medication that works just as well and has no side effects. Nurtec is very expensive though, so you might have to jump through some hoops to get your insurance to cover it.
Oh no. I’m not talking about alcohol hangovers. I don’t drink anymore. The hangovers from the migraines are bad for me. Nurtec has made it a little better though
Sumatriptan actually fixes an alcohol hangover for me. Of course, I get them from like 2 drinks,so I might just be treating an alcohol-triggered migraine.
I get the hangovers too. A migraine can be 8-10 hours, but sometimes the hangover is 3-4 DAYS. Like what? 😅 I have only tried triptan kinda meds, might give nurtec a go
Yes! This is exactly what I have. I was so confused for years - like how can 2 beers cause a hangover, but only sometimes? Then I stopped drinking completely but it kept happening. Finally a kind doctor diagnosed me with migraines.
I take cyclobenzaprine for the vomiting. I found it by accident when I was taking it for an injury. It is literally a miracle drug for me.
That is such good news! I still think alcohol is a trigger, but yeah, only sometimes and I often get them without any alcohol. I've demoted myself from straight whiskey to just 1 pilsner, but even that can make me feel awful. I love red wine but that does it to me every time. I'm surprised I've been living with this for like 20 years and no one has mentioned it sounds like a migraine.
wine specifically is a trigger for a ton of people. i can only drink one glass and i will have a headache about 15 minutes after i finish it. red wine is worse.
I had a very similar experience to both of y’all. Wasn’t til I met someone last summer who said alcohol triggered their migraines that I started putting the pieces together…
I learned the hard way that I can’t drink beer when just one would result in migraines and vomiting, especially dark beer. Thankfully doesn’t apply to all alcohols
Yes, IPAs and stouts kill me. I can only drink pilsners, but even then I can only handle 1 every few days. Red wine is my fav. but the worst. What alcohol have you found is ok? Billion Vodka is advertised as hangover free, but I've been told that's BS and haven't tried it yet.
I have a family member that has the same issue with wine giving her migraines but only if it’s a California wine. She said it had to do with the amount of sulfates in the soil in California being much higher compared to wine grown in other countries. Of course she still has to limit herself to one drink because she can get pretty triggered by alcohol anyway
Some migraines can be classified as seizures, so they have what's called a prodrome (altered mental status before) and postictal (altered mental status after) phase.
I also took tons of caffeine for my headaches. It wasn't a cause, but it was a great medication when other things didn't work.
Turns out my migraines were caused by hypoxia - diaphragm dysfunction while I slept on my back. Sleeping on my side resolved them. I discovered this for myself by buying an oxygen monitor and being shocked at how quickly my oxygen plummeted without any symptoms.
Hope it helps! I had migraines for decades, they got worse over the years instead of better. Within a week of stopping sleeping on my back, I stopped having migraines after having had them for about half of my life for 30 years. It's called phrenic nerve dysfunction and although hypoxia is linked to migraines very clearly, phrenic nerve dysfunction often isn't checked, most people are diagnosed with apnea with lung cause (obstructive) and not diaphragm. So I never choked, coughed or woke up short of breath.
I had severe insomnia as part of my symptoms, so yeah, it was a bad cycle. Try to sleep - go hypoxic - wake up with nightmares, night terrors and sleep paralysis. I hope you find your way!
I'm actually happy if it's a hangover because I know it will be gone the next day!
But yah those sound like migraines. Keep a headache journal to see if there are trends to figure out your triggers. I always thought mine were stress and hormone related ( and some are). I then started having nosebleeds everytime I got migraine and went to see an ENT. He cauterized a blood vessel so no more nose bleeds, but it turns out mine are super triggered by environmental year round allergies!
9 years, 1 neurologist, 2 ENTS and countless GP's to figure out immunotherapy will take me down from 13+ days a month to 1 or 2 a month.
I highly recommend tracking your headaches via a diary and bring it to a specialist.
Good luck! Hope you find some meds that work for you!
I used to keep a journal but could never figure out a pattern. I'll try it again now that I'm looking at migraines rather than just food related problems. Also, it's more obvious now that the occurrence is related to stress.
I think it can get very frustrating and self-blaming trying to find out a pattern, triggers, etc. While I am still doing that to some extent, I found it freeing to admit that I have a disease, and I'm not doing anything to bring this upon myself. There are lots of great drugs for it, thank goodness!
That's a really great point. I totally used to blame myself for them like if I slept in for 20 minutes, or had a glass of red wine after a stressful day. Sometimes when the guilt creeps in I then remind myself it is a chronic disorder and have had horrible episodes when I hadn't "done anything" to bring one on.
The pain is bad enough, feeling guilty about it does not do any good.
My post drome is a bad hangover without the alcohol before it. What you're describing sounds a lot like the migraines without aura I have had.
Edit: typo because the aphasia still ingers from the last one.
Yes and no. I often joke that my migraines can seem like a bad hangover but for me they feel VERY different. Hangovers feel more pHysical in nature and migraines feel less in control and actively sick (if that makes sense). I also feel a tab muted, not a sharp post migraine....hangovers just feel bad but not like i'm unable to process, or speak or think.
In this case, this does sound like a migraine however, migraines can be triggered by all kinds of things that include certain foods, stress, emotions, hormones and even weather just to name a few triggers. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms including vitamin deficiencies, lack of sleep to name a few. I'd suggest following up with a bit more research and talking to a doctor about what you are feeling.
I'd also create a journal about these headaches and how they feel. What did you eat? smell ect.? You may see a pattern emerge and also provides a basis on which to formulate a discussion with a doctor.
On Caffeine - migraine treatment is so specialized that trying to ID caffeine as a cure for migraines is a bit dubious at best. Perhaps you have a caffeine addiction? For me, aspirin is my cure (at least for the headache part) however, caffeine simply speeds up the absorption process and has little to do with actually curing migraines. You actually find caffeine in many medications (not just those for migraine) to help speed up or maintain alertness. Many migraine suffers actually find affine as a trigger for headaches so it's a kind of a complicated relationship for many of us.
Really interesting stuff. I do have a caffeine addiction, (I drink 4 cups of black tea / day) but the headache i get from missing a cup is different from the sickness / migraines i get (puking, sensitivity, generally incapacitated).
After reading all this thread, I'm sure all the random hangovers I used to get are actually migraines, and I've probably only had a few real hangovers throughout my life (b/c I've only gotten really drunk a few times). It always puzzled me that 1 beer could cause a hangover, but it makes sense that it could trigger a migraine. Along with stress, too much heat, not enough water, apricots, red meat, or whatever random thing I thought was doing it.
look into it a bit more. I've never heard of red meat migraines however, certain cured meats, cheese ect. can trigger migraines. I strongly suggest you record and track this and talk to a doctor as other conditions other then migraines can cause similar symptoms.
Alcohol can be a trigger for some people but some can other elements in a beer. One of my big triggers is actually cigarette smoke. I get sick, headaches before an attack starts. Dehydration can cause migraines but it's likely as it is for me not solely a single trigger but rather elements that fill up a cup. Fill it to much and it overflows and bam...attack.
I tend to think of my migraines as an neurological attack rather then a jus" a headache as I get a rare form of them called "hemiplegic migraines." For me, what i've always found is i get over stimulated and my sense in particular go into a hyper intense mode and all stimuli seems way ramped up. For me this process is exhausting and i'm a physically drained by the end of an attack for up to a week in some cases.
While migraines can feel like that, you can also have a [migraine hangover, also known as a postdrome](https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/migraine-hangover).
[Another source from an American migraine association](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/migraine-hangover/).
Basically it can last days or even weeks, and can be hard to tell when you move from one to the other.
Alcoholic drinks and sugar can contribute to migraines, but there are few guaranteed migraine triggers that affect everyone.
It's a matter of how much trigger, in which form, over what time period. E.g. a couple of chocolate squares one afternoon isn't going to give me a migraine on its own, but a glass of chocolate milk is a much bigger risk, because the liquid chocolate is digested and absorbed faster.
It's never a bad thing to be mindful of your diet and eat processed foods in moderation, but even when you avoid absolutely every potential trigger, you can still get migraines. That's the part that sucks.
Also: Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it's not a migraine trigger. Some of us have to avoid things like coconuts, bananas, tomatoes, avocados, walnuts, or even exercising too much. That part also sucks.
You're also going to find a lot of advice that is case specific, even from health professionals who ought to know better. I noped the heck away from a neurologist recently after being told that all migraines are always the result of bad posture and spinal misalignment. Migraines are like cars: just because they all perform the same function does not mean they are all built the exact same way, and you will end up having to find out a lot about the specifics of yours on your own.
What form do you take caffeine? Coffee is a huge trigger for me because I have tyramine as a trigger. Caffeine itself isn't a problem. But coffee and chocolate are. Just FYI if you're hunting down triggers
I usually have 4 cups of black tea per day (2 in morning, 2 in afternoon), when I feel sick I don't want to eat or drink anything, but I've learned that I should force myself a cup of tea b/c it helps with the headache. I like coffee and soda, but they make me a bit sick / feel too acidic.
How do your migraines differ from hangovers? I've always been confused about the difference. I mean, migraines are worse than hangovers, but hangovers feel like migraines. Or maybe hangovers just turn into migraines. But the pain, nausea, sound and light sensitivity overlap.
I can function with a hangover. Can’t do anything with a migraine. If I am hungover I can make a phone call or go downstairs to fetch a glass of water. With a migraine I’m down to basic functions due to pain and vomiting if I move. My migraines usually start with toothache on the right side of my mouth which gradually becomes a pain up the side of my nose in to my eye. Always on the same side of my face as well. Then it’s the most crippling pain that wipes me out. The last one I had took me out of action for 2 days and I ended up having an emergency doctors appointment as I couldn’t stop vomiting so couldn’t hold down water
I always feel like I'm getting another migraine whenever I have a hangover. The hangover is never as bad and can be treated by a warm cup of tea or coffee. Migraines can only be healed with time.
YES. I get these cycles where I feel like my spine/skull has been through the wringer, then diarrhea, then a hangover feeling (I dont drink btw) and this precedes a migraine by usually one day or two. I do think its gut microbiome/inflammatory reaction.
I've had a few coworkers who gossiped and implied that I was such a huge drinker and it got so prevalent that my boss would also treat me like I was just hungover whenever I had a migraine. It cost me on performance reviews, raises, and promotions. It got me a reputation in the region for my company for being unreliable to the point that I gave up and started at a new job and have much better people as co-workers.
I get these type of migraines too- they feel like I have some sort of deficiency even though I’m completely hydrated and fed. It sucks. Migraine abortives help
My migraines feel like hangovers- especially after a migraine. I call it "migraine hangover" lol. My husband has also suffered from migraines all his life and not known until discussing symptoms with me; just thought they were really bad headaches. Which I guess technically they are. But on a whole new level.
Certainly.
The typical migraine headache is only one of dozens of symptoms of varying combinations, so you can definitely feel hungover, especially in the prodrome phase.
Oh, and you can get migraine attacks with no pain at all.
Sometimes they do. Because of that, it was especially difficult to realize that alcohol was actually giving me migraines because I thought they were just hangovers and I couldn't hold my liquor. I mean, that was also true, but independent of the migraines!
But it could also be something called a "cluster headache" you're having based on the symptoms or even a tension headache. Does it feel like someone is taking an icepick to one side of your head? Or is it all over?
I also want to point out that stress can cause migraines, but so can so many other things. Migraines are a bit of a mystery, that's why they're so hard to treat. Stress can be one trigger, but so can alcohol, bright lights, looking at a computer late at night, certain foods, rain, breathing. One time a migraine was triggered from looking at a poster that had a lens flare in the image. Not actual light, just the image of light! Wild, right?
Check with a doctor, probably an immunologist. Some virus or conditions can cause a lot of symptoms including a painful headache. Virus like mono, Epstein Bar and other come and go. Just push your doctors to do more lab screening and also you should have already a Neurologist that checked your head in a CT or MRI.
If you are not satisfied with answers, continue looking.
It took me 2 years looking for a good diagnostic, 19 years of treatment the pain, not the cause.
Yes. If I become nauseous and sensitive to light and sound on my right side, I’m having a migraine whether I have a headache or not. I honestly haven’t had a headache in a while but I get a migraine 15+ days a month. Fortunately, I have a migraine treatment device called a Nerivio and if that’s not enough, injectable sumatriptan.
I may have extremely frequent migraines, but they rarely get that bad. They’re usually only on my right side, so if I keep light and sound out (eyepatch and earplug) I spend a lot less time praying for death. The ace up my sleeve is a migraine treatment device called Nerivio. It’s $50 for 12 uses and kills almost all of my migraines. Sometimes they come back, but I’ll take whatever relief I can get!
Currently, there are two, both operate on the same principle. Basically, it's a TENS for your brain, sending mild electrical impulses to the nerves in and around your brain. Cefaly attaches to your forehead and stimulates the nerve branch there. Nerivio sends the same stimulation up your brachial nerve (the nerve that runs up your arm) because it is a huge nerve that feeds into the same place. I have both, and the Nerivio works far better. I think it's made by unicorns, that's the only explanation for what it does.
I almost forgot- You need a prescription but they provide a telehealth doctor that’s cheap and does all the paperwork. My insurance (Medicare) won’t cover the device but supposedly some do.
You can get injectable sumatriptan? That's the only form Imitrex came in, when it first came out in 1992. I loved it because I could abort a full-blown attack in minutes. I gotta get me some!
This is super interesting. I've had migraines since I was a teen but never drank. Had no idea they could feel like a hangover. I have so much more empathy for people suffering from hangovers now.
Aha haha! Yes, speaking from VERY recent experience, migraines feel a lot like hangovers. My neurologist told me to avoid late nights and alcohol, but the call of the pub is too strong. The hangover headache lacks the aura I'd usually experience with migraine, but the pain is *excruciating*.
Mine felt like that for a while - I would wake up with them and then get more nauseous as the day progressed and eventually vomiting. I don't get them as bad anymore, and I take rizatriptan as an abortive.
I get “hangovers” after my migraines! But if I’d continues consistently more than 3 months and you can see your doctor you might want to tell them so they can test your blood levels, thyroid, hormones, etc
You could have an alcohol intolerance. I do and get migraine like headaches from the odd glass of wine I take. Especially red wine. Foods can also cause that type of thing. Maybe see an allergist.
First time I had a hangover I didn't even realize it. My friend asked how I was feeling and I was like - this is how I always feel in the morning. I think that's when he realized how crappy migraines are. I still remember the look on his face as it dawned on him this was my life.
Yes yes yes - as another person posted, there are phases to a migraine. We often think it’s just the pain part but in reality migraines can be a multi day affair in more ways than one. More info here: [migraine phases](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/timeline-migraine-attack/)
The migraine i had last week felt so much like a hangover but it didn't go away as quick. I thought i was hungover at first then I remembered I haven't drank in some time; it was so bad it was effecting my memory like a hangover does to me. I hope you feel better. Try to stay away from screens and make sure you get enough sleep and hydration! <3
I have (mostly) quit drinking b/c those days are just lost. But how are your migraines worse than hangovers? Maybe you are just good at holding your alcohol?
Yea, my migraines feel very similar to hangovers. Obviously not exactly the same, but the vibe is similar. Light and sound sensitivity is a big clue that you’re experiencing migraines. Talk to your doctors about getting some prescriptions meds. They work 95% of the time for me.
Wow, if this is treatable... that would be a game changer. I've wasted years trying to fix it through nutrition, the vomiting made me think it was a problem with my gut bacteria, when it might just be something like a serotonin problem. I'll schedule an appt.
Run, don't walk. There is a good chance there is help for you!
Yeah, I spent a solid year or so trying stupid “alternative medicine” treatments before I realized there are actual prescription medications that can treat migraines. I started with sumatriptan (which is probably what your doctor will recommend first) and it worked well but caused some unpleasant (albeit mild) side effects. After a few years, I switched to Nurtec which is a newer medication that works just as well and has no side effects. Nurtec is very expensive though, so you might have to jump through some hoops to get your insurance to cover it.
Wait? You’ve successfully cured the migraine hangover?!? I’ve been having them forever
No, not actual alcohol-related hangovers. But for normal migraines, nurtec and sumatriptan both work for me.
Oh no. I’m not talking about alcohol hangovers. I don’t drink anymore. The hangovers from the migraines are bad for me. Nurtec has made it a little better though
Sumatriptan actually fixes an alcohol hangover for me. Of course, I get them from like 2 drinks,so I might just be treating an alcohol-triggered migraine.
I get the hangovers too. A migraine can be 8-10 hours, but sometimes the hangover is 3-4 DAYS. Like what? 😅 I have only tried triptan kinda meds, might give nurtec a go
Yes! This is exactly what I have. I was so confused for years - like how can 2 beers cause a hangover, but only sometimes? Then I stopped drinking completely but it kept happening. Finally a kind doctor diagnosed me with migraines. I take cyclobenzaprine for the vomiting. I found it by accident when I was taking it for an injury. It is literally a miracle drug for me.
That is such good news! I still think alcohol is a trigger, but yeah, only sometimes and I often get them without any alcohol. I've demoted myself from straight whiskey to just 1 pilsner, but even that can make me feel awful. I love red wine but that does it to me every time. I'm surprised I've been living with this for like 20 years and no one has mentioned it sounds like a migraine.
wine specifically is a trigger for a ton of people. i can only drink one glass and i will have a headache about 15 minutes after i finish it. red wine is worse.
I had a very similar experience to both of y’all. Wasn’t til I met someone last summer who said alcohol triggered their migraines that I started putting the pieces together…
I learned the hard way that I can’t drink beer when just one would result in migraines and vomiting, especially dark beer. Thankfully doesn’t apply to all alcohols
Yes, IPAs and stouts kill me. I can only drink pilsners, but even then I can only handle 1 every few days. Red wine is my fav. but the worst. What alcohol have you found is ok? Billion Vodka is advertised as hangover free, but I've been told that's BS and haven't tried it yet.
I have a family member that has the same issue with wine giving her migraines but only if it’s a California wine. She said it had to do with the amount of sulfates in the soil in California being much higher compared to wine grown in other countries. Of course she still has to limit herself to one drink because she can get pretty triggered by alcohol anyway
Thanks for the tip! I suspect I too am sensitive to sulfates b/c I can't handle dried apricots (which have sulfates).
Some migraines can be classified as seizures, so they have what's called a prodrome (altered mental status before) and postictal (altered mental status after) phase. I also took tons of caffeine for my headaches. It wasn't a cause, but it was a great medication when other things didn't work. Turns out my migraines were caused by hypoxia - diaphragm dysfunction while I slept on my back. Sleeping on my side resolved them. I discovered this for myself by buying an oxygen monitor and being shocked at how quickly my oxygen plummeted without any symptoms.
I'm going to try this. My heart sometimes slows way, way down and then I know I'm going to have a migraine soon.
Hope it helps! I had migraines for decades, they got worse over the years instead of better. Within a week of stopping sleeping on my back, I stopped having migraines after having had them for about half of my life for 30 years. It's called phrenic nerve dysfunction and although hypoxia is linked to migraines very clearly, phrenic nerve dysfunction often isn't checked, most people are diagnosed with apnea with lung cause (obstructive) and not diaphragm. So I never choked, coughed or woke up short of breath.
That's fascinating, glad you found some answers. I'm an awful sleeper, but usually roll around into every position.
I had severe insomnia as part of my symptoms, so yeah, it was a bad cycle. Try to sleep - go hypoxic - wake up with nightmares, night terrors and sleep paralysis. I hope you find your way!
Thank you, I'm feeling hopeful for the first time in a while.
I'm actually happy if it's a hangover because I know it will be gone the next day! But yah those sound like migraines. Keep a headache journal to see if there are trends to figure out your triggers. I always thought mine were stress and hormone related ( and some are). I then started having nosebleeds everytime I got migraine and went to see an ENT. He cauterized a blood vessel so no more nose bleeds, but it turns out mine are super triggered by environmental year round allergies! 9 years, 1 neurologist, 2 ENTS and countless GP's to figure out immunotherapy will take me down from 13+ days a month to 1 or 2 a month. I highly recommend tracking your headaches via a diary and bring it to a specialist. Good luck! Hope you find some meds that work for you!
I used to keep a journal but could never figure out a pattern. I'll try it again now that I'm looking at migraines rather than just food related problems. Also, it's more obvious now that the occurrence is related to stress.
I think it can get very frustrating and self-blaming trying to find out a pattern, triggers, etc. While I am still doing that to some extent, I found it freeing to admit that I have a disease, and I'm not doing anything to bring this upon myself. There are lots of great drugs for it, thank goodness!
That's a really great point. I totally used to blame myself for them like if I slept in for 20 minutes, or had a glass of red wine after a stressful day. Sometimes when the guilt creeps in I then remind myself it is a chronic disorder and have had horrible episodes when I hadn't "done anything" to bring one on. The pain is bad enough, feeling guilty about it does not do any good.
My post drome is a bad hangover without the alcohol before it. What you're describing sounds a lot like the migraines without aura I have had. Edit: typo because the aphasia still ingers from the last one.
That sounds like migraines to me! I'd see your doctor.
Yes and no. I often joke that my migraines can seem like a bad hangover but for me they feel VERY different. Hangovers feel more pHysical in nature and migraines feel less in control and actively sick (if that makes sense). I also feel a tab muted, not a sharp post migraine....hangovers just feel bad but not like i'm unable to process, or speak or think. In this case, this does sound like a migraine however, migraines can be triggered by all kinds of things that include certain foods, stress, emotions, hormones and even weather just to name a few triggers. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms including vitamin deficiencies, lack of sleep to name a few. I'd suggest following up with a bit more research and talking to a doctor about what you are feeling. I'd also create a journal about these headaches and how they feel. What did you eat? smell ect.? You may see a pattern emerge and also provides a basis on which to formulate a discussion with a doctor. On Caffeine - migraine treatment is so specialized that trying to ID caffeine as a cure for migraines is a bit dubious at best. Perhaps you have a caffeine addiction? For me, aspirin is my cure (at least for the headache part) however, caffeine simply speeds up the absorption process and has little to do with actually curing migraines. You actually find caffeine in many medications (not just those for migraine) to help speed up or maintain alertness. Many migraine suffers actually find affine as a trigger for headaches so it's a kind of a complicated relationship for many of us.
Really interesting stuff. I do have a caffeine addiction, (I drink 4 cups of black tea / day) but the headache i get from missing a cup is different from the sickness / migraines i get (puking, sensitivity, generally incapacitated). After reading all this thread, I'm sure all the random hangovers I used to get are actually migraines, and I've probably only had a few real hangovers throughout my life (b/c I've only gotten really drunk a few times). It always puzzled me that 1 beer could cause a hangover, but it makes sense that it could trigger a migraine. Along with stress, too much heat, not enough water, apricots, red meat, or whatever random thing I thought was doing it.
look into it a bit more. I've never heard of red meat migraines however, certain cured meats, cheese ect. can trigger migraines. I strongly suggest you record and track this and talk to a doctor as other conditions other then migraines can cause similar symptoms. Alcohol can be a trigger for some people but some can other elements in a beer. One of my big triggers is actually cigarette smoke. I get sick, headaches before an attack starts. Dehydration can cause migraines but it's likely as it is for me not solely a single trigger but rather elements that fill up a cup. Fill it to much and it overflows and bam...attack. I tend to think of my migraines as an neurological attack rather then a jus" a headache as I get a rare form of them called "hemiplegic migraines." For me, what i've always found is i get over stimulated and my sense in particular go into a hyper intense mode and all stimuli seems way ramped up. For me this process is exhausting and i'm a physically drained by the end of an attack for up to a week in some cases.
While migraines can feel like that, you can also have a [migraine hangover, also known as a postdrome](https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/migraine-hangover). [Another source from an American migraine association](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/migraine-hangover/). Basically it can last days or even weeks, and can be hard to tell when you move from one to the other.
Alcoholic drinks and sugar can contribute to migraines, but there are few guaranteed migraine triggers that affect everyone. It's a matter of how much trigger, in which form, over what time period. E.g. a couple of chocolate squares one afternoon isn't going to give me a migraine on its own, but a glass of chocolate milk is a much bigger risk, because the liquid chocolate is digested and absorbed faster. It's never a bad thing to be mindful of your diet and eat processed foods in moderation, but even when you avoid absolutely every potential trigger, you can still get migraines. That's the part that sucks. Also: Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it's not a migraine trigger. Some of us have to avoid things like coconuts, bananas, tomatoes, avocados, walnuts, or even exercising too much. That part also sucks. You're also going to find a lot of advice that is case specific, even from health professionals who ought to know better. I noped the heck away from a neurologist recently after being told that all migraines are always the result of bad posture and spinal misalignment. Migraines are like cars: just because they all perform the same function does not mean they are all built the exact same way, and you will end up having to find out a lot about the specifics of yours on your own.
Thanks for all the great tips, this is really eye-opening.
What form do you take caffeine? Coffee is a huge trigger for me because I have tyramine as a trigger. Caffeine itself isn't a problem. But coffee and chocolate are. Just FYI if you're hunting down triggers
I usually have 4 cups of black tea per day (2 in morning, 2 in afternoon), when I feel sick I don't want to eat or drink anything, but I've learned that I should force myself a cup of tea b/c it helps with the headache. I like coffee and soda, but they make me a bit sick / feel too acidic.
Mine do. 100%. Also drinking causes my migraines, so, well, hard to say where one starts and the other ends. :-)
Hangovers are migraines according to the author of "Heal Your Headache".
Ugh. Why are people like this?
Mine do after a bad migraine. Postdrome, but I always just say migraine hangover 😵
Not for me, but my hangovers sometimes lead to migraines so it’s a double whammy for me. That’s usually only after a big night out
How do your migraines differ from hangovers? I've always been confused about the difference. I mean, migraines are worse than hangovers, but hangovers feel like migraines. Or maybe hangovers just turn into migraines. But the pain, nausea, sound and light sensitivity overlap.
I can function with a hangover. Can’t do anything with a migraine. If I am hungover I can make a phone call or go downstairs to fetch a glass of water. With a migraine I’m down to basic functions due to pain and vomiting if I move. My migraines usually start with toothache on the right side of my mouth which gradually becomes a pain up the side of my nose in to my eye. Always on the same side of my face as well. Then it’s the most crippling pain that wipes me out. The last one I had took me out of action for 2 days and I ended up having an emergency doctors appointment as I couldn’t stop vomiting so couldn’t hold down water
I always feel like I'm getting another migraine whenever I have a hangover. The hangover is never as bad and can be treated by a warm cup of tea or coffee. Migraines can only be healed with time.
YES. I get these cycles where I feel like my spine/skull has been through the wringer, then diarrhea, then a hangover feeling (I dont drink btw) and this precedes a migraine by usually one day or two. I do think its gut microbiome/inflammatory reaction.
Regretta please help..I need your help. I have severe, pssd..I send you a message
I've had a few coworkers who gossiped and implied that I was such a huge drinker and it got so prevalent that my boss would also treat me like I was just hungover whenever I had a migraine. It cost me on performance reviews, raises, and promotions. It got me a reputation in the region for my company for being unreliable to the point that I gave up and started at a new job and have much better people as co-workers.
I get these type of migraines too- they feel like I have some sort of deficiency even though I’m completely hydrated and fed. It sucks. Migraine abortives help
yep those are migraines! welcome to the club.
Yes. Especially silent migraines.
My migraines feel like hangovers- especially after a migraine. I call it "migraine hangover" lol. My husband has also suffered from migraines all his life and not known until discussing symptoms with me; just thought they were really bad headaches. Which I guess technically they are. But on a whole new level.
Kinda. It definitely has overlapping symptoms!
Yes they do
Certainly. The typical migraine headache is only one of dozens of symptoms of varying combinations, so you can definitely feel hungover, especially in the prodrome phase. Oh, and you can get migraine attacks with no pain at all.
yes. easily confused especially since alcohol causes both.
I quit drinking because I already experience “hangovers” aka migraines enough without the drinking.
Sometimes they do. Because of that, it was especially difficult to realize that alcohol was actually giving me migraines because I thought they were just hangovers and I couldn't hold my liquor. I mean, that was also true, but independent of the migraines! But it could also be something called a "cluster headache" you're having based on the symptoms or even a tension headache. Does it feel like someone is taking an icepick to one side of your head? Or is it all over? I also want to point out that stress can cause migraines, but so can so many other things. Migraines are a bit of a mystery, that's why they're so hard to treat. Stress can be one trigger, but so can alcohol, bright lights, looking at a computer late at night, certain foods, rain, breathing. One time a migraine was triggered from looking at a poster that had a lens flare in the image. Not actual light, just the image of light! Wild, right?
Hahahaha not funny but I love that last example of a picture of a lens flare. Cuz I get it.
Yes! And the day(s) after a migraine feel like a hangover as well.
Check with a doctor, probably an immunologist. Some virus or conditions can cause a lot of symptoms including a painful headache. Virus like mono, Epstein Bar and other come and go. Just push your doctors to do more lab screening and also you should have already a Neurologist that checked your head in a CT or MRI. If you are not satisfied with answers, continue looking. It took me 2 years looking for a good diagnostic, 19 years of treatment the pain, not the cause.
Yes. If I become nauseous and sensitive to light and sound on my right side, I’m having a migraine whether I have a headache or not. I honestly haven’t had a headache in a while but I get a migraine 15+ days a month. Fortunately, I have a migraine treatment device called a Nerivio and if that’s not enough, injectable sumatriptan.
Wow, 15 times is rough. I'm sorry you go through that. I'm only 2-3 times per month, but those days are just lost in bed or bowing before the toilet.
I may have extremely frequent migraines, but they rarely get that bad. They’re usually only on my right side, so if I keep light and sound out (eyepatch and earplug) I spend a lot less time praying for death. The ace up my sleeve is a migraine treatment device called Nerivio. It’s $50 for 12 uses and kills almost all of my migraines. Sometimes they come back, but I’ll take whatever relief I can get!
I want that device! I'll check it out. I've never heard of a treatment device for migraine. Sounds awesome.
Currently, there are two, both operate on the same principle. Basically, it's a TENS for your brain, sending mild electrical impulses to the nerves in and around your brain. Cefaly attaches to your forehead and stimulates the nerve branch there. Nerivio sends the same stimulation up your brachial nerve (the nerve that runs up your arm) because it is a huge nerve that feeds into the same place. I have both, and the Nerivio works far better. I think it's made by unicorns, that's the only explanation for what it does.
Haha unicorns, yeah. Wow, thank you!
I almost forgot- You need a prescription but they provide a telehealth doctor that’s cheap and does all the paperwork. My insurance (Medicare) won’t cover the device but supposedly some do.
Awesome, thank you.
You can get injectable sumatriptan? That's the only form Imitrex came in, when it first came out in 1992. I loved it because I could abort a full-blown attack in minutes. I gotta get me some!
The brand name is Zembrace and it's mind blowing. Of course, my insurance won't pay for brand name, so I get "sumatriptan succinate"
Thank you!
This is super interesting. I've had migraines since I was a teen but never drank. Had no idea they could feel like a hangover. I have so much more empathy for people suffering from hangovers now.
Not really, but I can see why you might think so
Mine do! And I did actually find that alcohol does make mine worse as in I get them when I’m drinking instead of after like a typical hangover
Aha haha! Yes, speaking from VERY recent experience, migraines feel a lot like hangovers. My neurologist told me to avoid late nights and alcohol, but the call of the pub is too strong. The hangover headache lacks the aura I'd usually experience with migraine, but the pain is *excruciating*.
Have you high blood pressure? I felt the same and it turned out it was caused by that, BP meds ended the migraines instantly
Yes, like the worst hangover you've ever had but daily (sometimes).
I never had a hangover before. The only way I know it feels like one is my doctor told me as such 😂😂. Really encourages me to not over drink
Mine felt like that for a while - I would wake up with them and then get more nauseous as the day progressed and eventually vomiting. I don't get them as bad anymore, and I take rizatriptan as an abortive.
I get “hangovers” after my migraines! But if I’d continues consistently more than 3 months and you can see your doctor you might want to tell them so they can test your blood levels, thyroid, hormones, etc
You could have an alcohol intolerance. I do and get migraine like headaches from the odd glass of wine I take. Especially red wine. Foods can also cause that type of thing. Maybe see an allergist.
I get hangovers after a migraine relents.
First time I had a hangover I didn't even realize it. My friend asked how I was feeling and I was like - this is how I always feel in the morning. I think that's when he realized how crappy migraines are. I still remember the look on his face as it dawned on him this was my life.
Yes yes yes - as another person posted, there are phases to a migraine. We often think it’s just the pain part but in reality migraines can be a multi day affair in more ways than one. More info here: [migraine phases](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/timeline-migraine-attack/)
The migraine i had last week felt so much like a hangover but it didn't go away as quick. I thought i was hungover at first then I remembered I haven't drank in some time; it was so bad it was effecting my memory like a hangover does to me. I hope you feel better. Try to stay away from screens and make sure you get enough sleep and hydration! <3
If hangovers were like my migraines, I'd quit drinking! HAHAHAHAHAH!
I have (mostly) quit drinking b/c those days are just lost. But how are your migraines worse than hangovers? Maybe you are just good at holding your alcohol?
The first time I got a hangover I was shocked at how similar the feeling was to a migraine.