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Caffeine Withdrawal Migraine

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My enemy, my allyCaffeine withdrawal migraine is yet another item on the long list of proofs that life is not fair. Caffeine is found in deliscious beverages like tea, hot chocolate, fizzy soft drinks and that other popular drink coffee. Caffeine is also found in chocolate and in certain over the counter painkillers like Excedrin (America) and Panadol (England).

Caffeine is a natural substance tht occurs in some botanicals like Kola nuts, coffee beans and tea leaves. Even decaffinated coffee and black tea contains trace ammounts of caffeine. Some scientists think mankind began the love-hate relationship with caffeine during the Sone Age (or Stoned Age, whichever you prefer). Back then, our species needed any excuse to get out of a nice warm pile of leaves and face the rigourous tasks of survival. Not much has changed since then, has it?

Over The Counter Drugs With Caffeine

Monitoring your caffeine intake is very important to keep healthy — and to prevent caffeine withdrawal migraine. I nicked this list from this site.

OVER-THE-COUNTER PREPARATION CAFFEINE (mg) per tablet
Stimulants
NoDoz tablets 100
Vivarin tablets 200
Pain Relievers
Anacin 32
Excedrin 65
Excedrin P.M. 0
Midol 32
Vanquish 33
Cold Remedies
Coryban-D 30

This list is for American over the counter drugs — sadly, I could not find an equivelent for UK drugs. Basically, if it is listed as a painkiller, check the ingredients — odds are, there is some caffeine in it. It is usually mixed with paracetamol.

The Pain, Oh The Pain

Caffeine withdrawal migraines are right up there in the pain department with stomach flu. You shake, you’re dizzy, your eyes have the distinct sensation that they are leaking hot blood (even though they are not), you cannot tolerate light, you are incredibly nauseasted, vomiting, rib and abdomen pains, you can’t tolerate sounds, light or tastes — basically, you wish you were dead.

I get these is I do not have caffeine at least once every 21 hours. I used to be worse — I used to get them every 12 hours. Ironically, cutting down on caffeine gradually reduces the frequency of caffeine withdrawal migraines. I say ironically, because the fasted way to get is of a caffeine withdrawal migraine is — you guessed it — ingest some caffeine.

People have successfully gone off for three or four days incapacitated in bed until the symptoms ease off, as reported by best selling author, Dr. Andrew Weil, (who is from the Philadelphia area like myself). Afterwards, whenever a migraine seemed to come about, a quick cure was a cup of coffee.

Quite frankly, I’m too much of a wuss too purposefully face a few days in agony. So, I worked on cutting my caffeine consumption. Instead of taking two Excedrin pills, I take one. Instead of drinking the equivelent of three liters of Pepsi a day, I know only drink four or five cups of black tea.

Yes, this is very complicated issue!


7 Responses to “Caffeine Withdrawal Migraine”

  1. Dealing With Headaches » Blog Archive » Tips For Cutting Back On Caffeine Says:

    [...] Back On Caffeine by Rena Sherwood Caffeine withdrawal is a major trigger for those of us with killer migraines. The best way to get rid of the frequency and intensity of these incapacitating migraines is to cut [...]

  2. Dealing With Headaches » Blog Archive » Looking At Ocular Migraines, Pt 1 Says:

    [...] ocular migraines are seperate from other migraines or are a symtom of a migraine triggered by caffeine withdrawal (for instance). I’ve been putting off writing a post about ocular migraines for a long time [...]

  3. What You Need To Know About Caffeine - Found in Says:

    [...] this has resulted into my body becoming dependant on caffeine to the point where I get a caffeine withdrawal migraine if I don’t have any in 20 hours. Since I am not a morning person, I appreciate the lift that a [...]

  4. Dealing With Headaches » Blog Archive » The Pros and Cons of Using Excedrin As A Migraine Preventative Says:

    [...] Cons of Using Excedrin As A Migraine Preventative by Rena Sherwood This post is going to focus on caffeine withdrawal migraines, since I know them so intimately. Hopefully, it will have some bearings on your migraines, but if [...]

  5. Dealing With Headaches » Blog Archive » Hangover Treatment Says:

    [...] or colas are not recommended to drink while you have a hangover. If you get caffeine withdrawal migraines, however, drink just one cup of coffee or a few swallows of cola and then drink water or the above [...]

  6. coffee lover Says:

    Yeah I can relate to your topic. I get headaches whenever I miss my daily cup of coffee.

  7. Freak of Nature Says:

    I am lucky I can quit caffeine without any withdraw symptoms, no headaches, no mood swings. I asked my Doc about this, he suspected something to do with my very high metabolism and the amount of water I intake along with Flax Seed & Omega Fatty supplements. Even with Alcohol, I drank about 10 beers every day for 13 years, and one day I just stopped and never looked back.

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