What has changed about my body that I can't skip a meal anymore?

[Anonymous]

I don't make a habit of it, of course. But in the past, if I had a really busy day, I might forget to eat lunch and then eat a really big dinner. Or, there were so many days when I skipped breakfast and ate a big, early lunch. Now, if I skip a meal or even eat later than usual, I can guarantee that I will get a migraine.

I know it's not healthy to skip meals, and I am not doing it as a weight loss strategy or anything. I just used to be sort of lazy about food sometimes. I'm only 36 and this change is recent. Is this just getting old, or is something going on with my blood sugar or something? (I will ask the doctor, but since doctors don't recommend skipping meals, I figured she would just tell me to eat regularly.)

[Anonymous]

When this happens do you have any other symptoms of low blood sugar? Such as shakiness, cold sweat, nervousness, intense hunger?

Does the headache go away after you eat something?

[Anonymous]

I've always been a bit like you are describing -- never been able to miss a meal and not notice it. Sometimes I might go a little longer than I'd like to and not feel it much, but other times I would be crazy hungry and would know a headache was coming in.

Is it possible you've been drinking less water or drinking more caffeine? If so, it might be in part a reaction to this in addition to lack of food.

Have you lost or gained any weight recently? That could also affect it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When this happens do you have any other symptoms of low blood sugar? Such as shakiness, cold sweat, nervousness, intense hunger?

Does the headache go away after you eat something?

Sometimes, I do feel a little shaky, but not always. No, once I get the headache it's there for a while. But if I eat regularly, I won't get one to begin with. Just feels different these days, but maybe it just means I have to take better care of myself?

[Anonymous]

Migraineur here. I literally feel your pain.

Hmmm, interesting question. I wonder if hunger is simply a new, physiological trigger for you. I've always had sensitive hunger cues - when I was a very little girl, if I went too long between meals, I'd get queasy and have a bad stomachache. As a teen, I'd get noticeable mood swings when hungry...weepy or angry and now my hunger cues as a middle ager make me shaky and fatigued.

What's changed? Hormones mostly. I know I am heading into peri menopause. I've had my blood sugar and thyroid levels checked annually and all's well. I just have a metabolism that requires that I eat small meals throughout the day (fasting before a blood test is challenging for me).

Migraine triggers can change, too. I can't eat or feel like I can't when I'm in the midst of a bad migraine and have to force myself to eat. I've learned that too much of any one food, even something like carrots can trigger a migraine.