Headache after eating

[captainheadache]

I get intense, throbbing headaches 2 hours after eating food.  The more sugar content, the more intense the headache, and the longer the headache lasts.  If I eat something like a snickers bar or a piece of cake, the intensity is debilitating and the pain can last for days.  Just about anything with more than a few grams of sugar gives me a headache.  I've dealt with this since I can remember, and I've been physically and mentally drained for most of my life (ie, if I can go 2 or 3 days a month without having some kind of head pain, I'd be ecstatic).  

Here's some extra information:
I'm very underweight.  I am about 5' 10" and I weigh 120 ~ 125lbs.  The most I've ever weighed was 135, and I had to work very hard lifting weights at the gym for months to reach that weight.  I have about 5% body fat.

My mom is diabetic (type II) and her parents were diabetic (needed insulin shots, so type I?)

My half-sister has Grave's Disease.

I've been to the emergency room a few times because of headaches, but my blood sugar is always "normal".  MRI's have shown nothing abnormal.

I yawn incessantly after eating - especially during the afternoon.  I can yawn 20+ times a minute for over an hour depending on how much I eat.  After the yawning stops, the headache usually starts to kick in.

I wake up and have to go pee at least 1 to 3 times a night.

I've wasted lots of time and money seeing internists and specialists.  No doctor has ever run a test outside of standard "blood work", which shows my blood sugar as being "normal".  Every doctor is eager to treat the symptom, but the best "cause" I've heard is that "headaches just happen to some people".  The diagnosis is always given about 5 minutes after I say that I have headaches, and then I'm sent off to the pharmacy to pick up the latest prescription migraine medication.  I'm very frustrated by this.

Any recommendations?

[edithdell]

Hello,
I took Klonopin for two years and it almost made me kill myself. You should never take that medicine for more than two weeks. I developed a tolerance to it and went through withdrawal even though I was still taking the medicine. It drove me crazy. I put myself in the hospital and when I got out I stopped the medicine. I started a severe withdrawal and went to no less than 12 doctors and none of them diagnosed withdrawal from the Klonopin. It has been the worst nightmare of my life. If you go to ************.org website you will read about the many people suffering relentlessly from Benzo withdrawal. Klonopin is a Benzodiazepine. I am 9 months from taking my last klonopin and I am suffering from the same symptoms you mentioned. I know it is from the klonopin and am hoping that once my brain heals from the klonopin I will get better and be back to normal. Withdrawal can take up to 3 years. Taking klonopin was the biggest mistake of my life. Please be sure to do tons of research before you take that medicine for more than a few weeks. Good luck.

[holisticpsychotherapist]

Get tested for Celiac Disease. Anxiety is a symptom. Klonipin is a bandaid. Most meds stop working over time, so, keep looking for the root problem while you're feeling better.

[krasi0]

Hey, it's great that you have finally found a prognosis! Me having the same headache symptoms, It's been a while since I started trying to get rid of those. Anyways...
Are you sure that anxiety is the primary reason for the headaches and is not just another symptom to go along with them? It'll be interesting to know how you got the diagnosis.

[captainheadache]

Why hello again everyone.  It turns out I get extreme anxiety after eating, and have just been in a constant state if anxiety for most of my life.  I take about 2mg of klonopin per day, and I can eat whatever I want.  I am up to 140lbs now and feel amazing.  I take gingko to help with the memory problemside effects, but otherwise it is a good temporary solution.

[headachegrl]

Hi everyone, this was an interesting post and the comments were pretty interesting also.  I know the constant headache thing is terrible and only those who go through it can really understand how debilitating it can be.  Now I notice others have mentioned an elimination diet which I think is a great idea but you should also consider having an allergy test done.  You may be allergic to alot of things and its showing in this way.  I would also request to be tested for a gluten/casein sensitivity or celiacs disease.  Your inability to gain weight and difficulty digesting some proteins suggests some serious gi problems.  Some doctors are reluctant to look at food allergies as triggers as they always want to treat the symptoms, but what does it hurt to do the test?  You might find that something you never suspected is an issue for you.  Also, have you looked the paleo/primal way of eating, it's not a solution for everyone but some people have found some success.  And finally it sounds like you really should eat foods with a little bit more fat, more extra virgin olive oil, organic butter, coconut oil  things like that.  Fats and proteins combined keep you full longer at least that has been my experience and that may help keep your blood sugar more stable.  Remember the organs need a decent amount of fat to function properly.  I noticed personally when i cut out coffee and flour i reduced the number and severity of migraines and when i added them back the sluggishness and headaches returned with a vengeance.  I've decided that the biscuits and spaghetti are not worth the headaches, back to the diet for me.

[foodpain]

Thank you for you comments you sound like a doctor.  I never got headaches but about two months ago I started getting them real bad. when I get a headache in the past I would work it thru to avoid taking advil etc now I am popping 3 advil each time I get a bad headache about twice a day.  Trying to figure out what it might be, I told my doctor that maybe i have an ear infection he called in antibiotic 5 day pak. So see how thats going to play out. I been having pain from center on my head down to my temples and sometimes to my jar or gums. I get really tired then a get a bad headache, If the antibiotic does work I will start eliminating certain foods, completely like white bread, brown surgar, cookies homemade, etc. example this morning I had bran flakes with banana and half tsp of brown surgar and afterwards I felt very tired then for lucnch I had half of turkey sub and a cooky. got very tired again and very bad headache. Also let me know what you think of additives I normally eat organic but like with certain things like turkey and white bread on the sub could have additives etc.