POIS = migraine?

[dizzy]

I recently started to consider that my POIS may be related to migraine (even though I don't feel it as a headache, but more like tension and cognitive problems / speaking problems).

I found this page about sex headaches:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sex-headaches/symptoms-causes/syc-20377477

Sex headaches are obviously a kind of POIS, but the mayo clinic doesn't refer to it as such. So POIS may be actually more common than we think.

It turns out that sex headaches are more frequent with men.

I had migraines in the past as a child (the kind of migraines with visual aura/halo), but they stopped at age 20 or so. Now I have POIS. My grandmother suffered from migraine a lot.

My probably overly simplistic theory is that the cerebral veins have tiny muscles which contract/release to control cerebral blood circulation. Something might be wrong with the control of muscular tension causing tension headache (migraines), cognitive problems, anxiety, and tight muscles.

I've had some modest success with home-remedies for migraines, such as magnesium, riboflavin, and butterbur. Also, the Wim Hof breathing exercise helps, perhaps because holding breath for a while causes the veins to dilate (?)

Any ideas what to try next?

[Michael218]

Mindful breathing is definitely helpful. Watch your breath, feel the air fill your body and leave your body. Even a few of these are extremely helpful.

Paracetamol helps my post-sexual activity migraines. But I try to avoid taking them when possible. The main thing for me to avoid a full blown migraine (a headache cannot be avoided) is keeping a very relaxed body and mind the morning after. Watch the breath as often as possible which takes you out of thinking - thinking in general feeds my POIS-generated migraine.

[dizzy]

Thanks. Do you take paracetamol directly after O?

I can totally relate to your statement that thinking increases chances of migraine. The problem is that I have a job that requires a lot of thinking. I feel much better during the weekends, especially when I make a conscious effort to relax, with breathing exercises and by relaxing the jaw and cranium.

By the way, in my case the migraine seems mostly located around the ears and in the back of head. I'm wondering if that is the same for you, or others here.

[Hopeoneday]

Guys, whot i noticed about my migreis in pois specialy, in pois my body is in like hi senistive inflamatory state, and i figured out after meny years whot incriese my migrain atac in pois, i hawe so bad atac bihain my ayes that i evan hawe cloudy vision and after that sewere pain.

If am in pois and if i hawe wery cold ice drink in my mouth, then i will migrein atac
next day.
I find paracetamol is helped to calm pain and inflamation till it passed alone.

[Michael218]

Dizzy, I tried that a few times taking 1 after o. Didn't make a difference. So I stopped, and took it the morning after if I feel a headache coming. It helps I think. But if the mind is active, and you don't stay mindful (not thinking), for me no paracetamol stops the migraine. Mindfulness practice is primary, paracetamol does well to support that relaxed state a bit (for me anyway).

[Michael218]

Mine is all round the head by the way... never tried to pinpoint the exact spots.

[BoneBroth]

Dr Sergey A. Dzugan (MD, PhD) at Lifeextension.com claims that he cures 100% of his migrain patients with a nutritional and hormonal balance program. According to the reviews on his book at Amazon.com it seems to be working for most people:

The migrain cure, information: https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2006/12/cover_migraine/Page-01
The book "The migrain cure": https://www.amazon.com/Migraine-Cure-Forever-Migraines-Sonberg/dp/0938045709#customerReviews
More info on migrain: https://www.lifeextension.com/Protocols/Neurological/Migraine/Page-01

If it can cure migrain it might be working for POIS as well. I belive those are very related.

[Scrub]

Have anyone tried sumatriptan for POIS?

[dizzy]

Thanks, BoneBroth! 

It looks interesting, but it requires help from a doctor. And since it is not a proven technique, I'm not sure if my doctor would cooperate in prescribing bloodtests, and hormones.

[dizzy]

Just in case anybody missed it: taurine can also help with migraines. Cross-posting this link from the taurine thread:

https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=1430.msg25787#msg25787

Notice especially this link:

https://migraine.com/stories/taurine-miracle-cure/

[b_jim]

It seems keto diet / low sugar diet is a real cure for migraine...according some testimonies.

[dizzy]

It seems keto diet / low sugar diet is a real cure for migraine...according some testimonies.

I've been doing an 8/16 diet (aka intermittent fasting) for a few months, and I'm doing somewhat better. In this diet, you eat 8 hours and fast 16 hours, where (supposedly) ketosis is reached every day at the end of the 16 hour period. Perhaps this has something to do with that. I'm taking sugar in the 8-hour feeding window, though.

[b_jim]

Strangely I just post something about this. I try to fast 12 hours. But this morning it was too hard, I need to ate early

[demografx]

Strangely I just post something about this. I try to fast 12 hours. But this morning it was too hard, I need to eat early

[b_jim]

 
. I will tidy my yellow vest and enjoy Chrismas dinner

[Nas]

. I will tidy my yellow vest and enjoy Chrismas dinner

 

[demografx]

 

[b_jim]

That's it

[dizzy]

By the way, I found this very interesting paper (from 1976!), showing a relation between orgasm, the vascular system and migraines.

https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/jnnp/39/12/1226.full.pdf

[dizzy]

Interesting snippet:

According to the National Headache Foundation, orgasms can cause two kinds of headaches: The first type is relatively benign and is usually caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck leading to head pain. The second type—a vascular headache—is more troublesome. Described as a "very intense, severe headache," it usually happens just before orgasm and is known medically as orgasmic cephalalgia. Usually, the headache is in response to increased blood pressure in the brain, and the epicenter of the pain is located around or behind the eyes. Movement exacerbates the problem, and it may last for hours. Even more frighteningly, HSAs can also indicate a brain hemorrhage, stroke, or tumor.

"One of the most common reasons is what we call an acute migraine," explains Dr. Fayyaz Ahmed, a neurologist and trustee of the British Migraine Trust. "But if this is the first time this happens to you, we can't rule out a brain hemorrhage occurring."

If you experience a HAS for the first time, Dr. Ahmed warns, it's important you see a medical practitioner immediately. "We'll need to investigate what caused it, by doing brain imaging in an MRI scanner," he goes on.

But if you've experienced HRAs repeatedly, you're probably going to be okay. "You can't have a brain bleed many times in a few weeks," he goes on, "so if you've had a HRA a couple of times recently, it's just an acute migraine, or orgasmic migraine."

From: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/59znka/why-you-sometimes-get-splitting-headaches-after-sex