RResidents in Japan

Really bad migraine

Since I came to Japan I have been getting more migraines from usual, also I’m on antidepressants which makes me more prone to dehydration.
But yesterday I was starting to feel a bit tired and I exhausted from the sudden change of temperature and since this morning I’m experiencing a migraine I’ve never had before on the upper central part of my brain it’s even giving me nausea and I don’t even know if it’s due to this japanese heat or do to my recent stress.

I rested a bit and I’m feeling better of my nausea but my throbbing pain in the brain won’t go😭 I wonder what is this? Someone please.

UPDATE: It got worse this morning to the point I’ve been having chills like when your sick and with fever but you don’t have a cold(also still with nausea and slept bad) . I ate some yogurt with mango and a toast with jam and been drinking tea and aquarius non stop as well as taking some buferin my boyfriend gave me yesterday, thank you for all your comments, right now I’m so bad I cannot get out of my home specially with this heat but I really appreciate everyones recommendations and I’ll be buying some pocari sweet and going to the doctor when I’m feeling better.

25 comments

  2. Atmospheric pressure changes are a known trigger. Sudden change of weather will fuck you up.

    In any case, visit a doctor and get checked. They might get you something that works.

  3. Hope you find a way to deal with it. This time of year my legs basically stop working properly, I get all kinds of weird pain that disappears once summer settles in. Hopefully.

  5. Don’t just drink water, get a sports drink now and then or eat salt candies. You lose a lot of salt and electrolytes when sweating here. Every summer I start to complain of headaches and migraines until my bestie reminds me that I’ve forgotten that only water isn’t enough. Some sports drinks have other vitamins and minerals added that help too. Personally I like the flavour of pocari sweat best and find a 500ml bottle in addition to loads of water helps me a lot.

    I also will use an ice pack or cooling pads on my neck, head and/or eyes to help with the pain. Don’t be stingy with the AC at night either, I often get sick thinking “it’s not that hot” because it’s night. I also found peppermint or lavender oil can help if dabbed on the temples (peppermint dabbed on a mask when I have to wear one helps a lot too).

    Good luck!

  6. Hey. I’m a migraineur too. Been having them for four decades. Mine got worse after I came to Japan. It didn’t take long to realize a few things. The easiest one being that I was able to track my migraines to mostly happening during the rainy season and typhoon season.

    So I hear you. Bit of background. Migraines run in my family. No medication touch my migraines. I get aura. I’m getting on for 50. I was on anti depressants at one point in my 20s and 30s. A neurologist here in Japan decided to try me on a few different antidepressants and against my better judgement I tried them out of desperation. They did nothing for my migraines but felt like they messed up my mental health.

    If it’s helpful, I can share what helped me be able to control my migraines.

    The sources I learned from where, first of all, josh turknett. From his work I learned his version* (*there are a lot of different schools of thought) of what migraines are, where they start and his idea of what to do to prevent them. In short: when you cross a threshold, a migraine starts. What gets you there can be considered as your triggers. Let’s agree to disagree as to what they are. But basically: food, hormones, sleep, hydration (and note here – hydration is water and electrolytes! – more on this later) weather/barometric changes, stress/emotional issues. I think food is the number one trigger but I’ve nothing but anecdotal evidence to back this up. The big take away here was that turknett talks about lowering your carbohydrate intake (without a great deal of explanation) to low levels or even to ketogenic (the keto diet) levels. Keto gave me 100% relief whilst I maintained the diet. But a day or two after coming out of the diet, I’d be getting a migraine again.

    So a friend put me on to Stanton protocol/Angela Stanton. Her work talks about electrolytes being the key (sodium and potassium being the key ones). Her work gave me a better insight in to why carbs are such a disruptive influence. I learned to not only cut carbs but to also supplement my water intake with electrolytes and to make sure I have a plentiful supply of them and that I keep them in balance.

    There is a lot of info on YouTube and online if you search for it. I recommend the interview on bisu. Are sure you educate yourself if you decide to try any of their recommendations and of course, check with a doctor before you do anything. Low carb is not for everyone.

    A good place ot ease in gently is to just switch the first meal up from a carb meal to a protein meal. Eat any combination of these for breakfast: eggs, avocado, meat/fish, tomatoes, yoghurt, almonds/walnuts/pumpkin seeds/seaweed/pumpkin seeds/olives/spinach/green leafy salad/cabbage/daikon/cauliflower.

    Feel free to ask anything.

    Good luck. I hope things get getter for you soon.

  7. Hi! I also have migraines, triggered by either hunger, and/or low barometric pressure, and I use an app called 　頭痛ーる　to keep track of any changes in the weather. I also learned to notice the early signs of an oncoming migraine, like pressure behind my eyes, or head, and take pain medication before it turns into full blown pain.
    The timing for medication was the key for me, to control the pain.

    I used to get headaches so bad, I’d be bedridden for a few days, and any noise or light would just compound the throbbing. I also would throw up from the pain.

    We might not have the same triggers, but you’re not alone, I hope you find the right solution for yours.

  8. As others have posted, electrolytes are important. Drink Pocari Sweat in the interim, until you can find one that works for you. Also, take a daily multivitamin with minerals. Lastly, some antidepressants can cause headaches/migraines as a side effect. Check yours to see if this might be the case and speak with your provider.

  9. Eve quick is a really strong paracetamol type drug that you can buy everywhere even konbini. I had what you describe once and my Japanese friend recommended it. I’ve only had that once in my life and yes it was around this time of year. Obviously Evequick is just a short term fix. It’s most likely stress and dehydration

  10. I also have migraines this week. Already took 2 loxonin pills in a week and still felt a bit pain the next 3rd day. The worst ones get some nausea. My doctor gave me some expensive migraine pills (マクサルト RPD). Haven’t try yet but you should go make MRI and have some consultation.

  11. Simple quick tips I can give you that seem to be universal in helping a little or preventing them:

    Food: eat enough food at roughly the same times everyday. Missing a meal or not eating enough triggers them every time for me.

    Water: drink regularly, or switch to a sports drink when you feel one coming on.

    Sleep: go to bed at the same time everyday and wake up at the same time everyday.

    Stress: this is my number one trigger. Breathing exercises, yoga, preventative care, and therapy helped ease the adjustment of moving here.

    Coffee: caffeine can help only when the migraine is at a certain stage. For me, it’s when it’s a light one and on its way out but lingering.

    Pressure points: for me, there are two that help significantly. If it’s behind an eye, there is a small dip in the bone above your eye (it’s towards the direction of your nose) lightly place your thumb there and gently rub it. Second, take your thumb and two middle fingers with about 2 inches space between them and rub vertically up and down the back of your neck. This area is connected to the parasympathetic nervous symptom, and can help your body relax when it’s stressed.

    Good luck, and I hope you feel better. It took me a long time to adjust and get them under control when I moved here, but it will happen for you too.

  14. I say when migraines are with unusual symptoms it is worth having it checked at the ER.

  15. As a migraine sufferer, dehydration is not always the reason. If you have been eating and drinking liquids then you most definitely have enough electrolytes and it’s not the cause.

    When I have a very bad migraine it generally involves nausea and vomiting so those symptoms are not necessarily something unheard off and actually very normal in many people (just saying to give you some comfort and relief some worries)

    As for medicine, I would say Bufferin does nothing to my migraines. I would recommend Loxonin S premium which is the strongest type. They sell it without prescription but you need to ask for it at the counter/register (the boxes in the shelves are empty).

    In my case I only take prescription medicine which is a game changer honestly. Sometimes my headaches wouldn’t go away for days but with prescription meds the pain goes away much quicker. However, I only recommend this solution if you are someone who really suffers from strong migraines often.

  16. I have found that my migraines are also triggered by spending time outside as the sun here is brighter and stronger than in Northern Europe. Thus I spend most of my time outside with a hat and sunglasses on. I even wear shades to put out laundry.

  17. Get the nasty OS-1 drink at the pharmacy, if it tastes good you probably have dehydration. If your piss color looks like cola might as well go to the clinic or hospital for treatment.

  18. Is there a possibility that your sinuses might be the culprit? I wrote on here before about my sinus problems and others have done too, I feel the humid weather might be a part in it.

  22. Idk just wondering here because something similiar happened to me- do you also have neck pains/feel for some reason, the nausea is connected to your neck? If yes, did you change pillows after coming here/ is the mattress you sleep on very different from the mattress you had back home/are you subconsciously hunching over because of the furniture heights here?

    I developed very bad nausea and migraines when I first came here and had a feeling that it was connected to my neck pains. A ton of googling, neck/back exercises, conscious posture correction, a new mattress later I don’t get them anymore, and when I do it goes away after some stretching.

    Good luck to you, migraines can really make everything feel like shit

  23. My migraines also got worse ever since I moved here. I recommend going to a specialist, there is a headache clinic near Yoyogi (Tokyo Headache Clinic). Give them a call and make an appointment, one of their doctors is fluent in English. D
    Drink lots of water and rest. Good luck!

  24. My first two weeks here were insane. Temperature differences to a large degree will knock you on your back. Take it easy.

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