Hunger Headaches

I have seen several persons post about the hunger headache during the pre-surgery diet. I did not have to adhere strictly to any specific pre-surgery diet, just low-fat, low-sugar, and no huge meals of any sort. The point is, I did not suffer any headaches prior to surgery. Afer surgery is a totally different story, by the end of the second day I had such a miserable migraine it was unreal! So word of advice, if you suffer migraines or frequent bad headaches...take your normal meds for this to the hospital with you! I don't know what made me decide to take a couple of doses with me but I am very grateful that I did. Luckily I take the type that is inhaled nasally so there were no problems with taking it. After effectively treating that, it has been fairly smooth. Good luck to those of you still awaiting your big day!

 As a long time migraine sufferer, I have to admit that I haven't had any headaches since this journey began so I am truly thankful, but I must expand on your previous advice.  

If you are a medicated headace sufferer, you must tell your surgeon!  Bringing the meds with you to the hospital is a good idea ONLY if you hand them right to your preop nurse.  Your surgeon is medicating you for pain, nausea, and blood clot prevention right off the bat.  There are drug interactions and/or side effetcs with nearly every medication  so it is up to the doctor and pharmacist to know which combinations are safe.  If your surgeon is completely aware of your history, and believe me, there's a ton of preop assessments in your chart, he or she will order your headache meds to be given as needed.  Some of the less common drugs are not readily available in small community hospitals so the doc can write a "may use own" order, but that doesn't mean you get to self medicate.  You have to tell your nurse and they will dispense it. 

I am happy all went smooth for you jwest, and I wish healthy success for all of those who are in this with us!

Des

I guess now would be a good time to point out that I did inform the proper persons of any and all medications I use on a regular basis as well as the "as needed" meds and was given the ok to bring them to the hospital with me. I also awaited my surgeons ok prior to using the migraine med as I knew it had the potential to interact with other meds.
Thanks Des for making those points, I really do not want to be the reason someone takes medications without knowledge of their doctors and nurses.