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My husband gets a pretty severe headache when in the sun for only 4-5 minutes, sometimes even with a baseball cap on but definitely when he is hatless. Today he was outside for about 4 minutes for a fire drill at work and his headache formed in 4 minutes of sun exposure.
20 or more minutes causes nausea and an hour, even with a baseball cap, can cause vomiting. Our summers are pretty hot and sunny (yay for me, nay for him!). I am wondering why this extreme reaction to sun happens? He did not grow up in a place with hot summers but I didn't either and I don't have this problem.
Anyone have any ideas?
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I agree with your methods Jelena. It's nice to hear that we are all not crazy! I feel so stupid about being sensitive to the sun and heat! I have lived in So. California all my life and in the last couple years have discovered this problem. I am also in my forties and have noticed alot of changes. However I have always gotten headaches from certain foods, wine and if I am too hungry. Now I seem to have added headaches when I'm on my period and from the heat/sun. I too think this has something to do with blood vessels and capillaries that do not react quick enough to remedies such as drinking water, eating or getting in the shade. If I am in the sun for a few minutes, I can feel the headache coming on, I immediately jump in the pool or take a cool shower, this helps as long as I get my head cool. It's not as bad if I wear a hat, but I think the heat and barometer change is something migraine sufferers deal with and I have not yet been to a doctor about that. I don't think there is anything we can do but take ibuprofen and be careful. I am also low on Vitamin D, just started taking supplements. I am going to try acupunture and magnesium. Thanks everyone for your posts! There must be a cure!
October 2, 2011 - 4:09pmThis Comment
Sounds like you are on the right track and you really know what your talking about. Lots of good advise that I think I will try! Thanks for your comments.
September 22, 2010 - 8:15amThis Comment
Are you sure it is a sun issue? For me it is heat, period. Most of the time yes, that is the sun, but a hot room can also do it. I cannot take heat on top of my head for even shorts amount of time. It can be nice and cool outside, but if the sun is shining on my head, I'll end up sick. Hats have not seem beneficial unfortunately (they just seem to trap in the heat). The heat sets off a migraine headache, followed by vomiting, ending with me sleeping it off in a cool dark room. I have had this problem ever since I can remember, but this summer it seems worse than ever. Someone mentioned it feels like your brain may boil... I have thought the very some thing. Sometimes, if I can get out of the heat quickly and get a cool shower it will minimize the affects. Also if I have to be out in the sun, keeping my head wet has helped -even to the point of avoiding issues.
August 2, 2010 - 5:42pm*M
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i have the same problem ever since I was little. I am outside ten minutes even in the shade and a fan and my head is pounding. My family say all i do is complain and that i cant handle the heat. I cant help it. I get migraines bad during hotter months. During the winter i rarely get them. I am also sensitive to the barametric pressure change. Nice to know I am not the only one. I have three kids and this really puts a damper on my life.
June 5, 2011 - 9:34amThis Comment
Wow! I thought I had some rare brain disorder! I grew up in south Texas my entire life and never had problems with the sun until about four years ago. I too can only be in the sun for a few hours before the headache and brain boiling begins. I am for sure going to try the vitamin D. Just came back from a water park with the family and spent the afternoon in a cold dark room trying to sleep off the pressure. Also same thing happened on a camping trip a week ago. My family spends alot of time outside and this has really effected the time I spend with them. My husband just thinks I'm not keeping myself hydrated. Not the case since I drink water all day non stop (always 8 glasses a day) Please keep posting advise. I'm willing to try anything.
August 16, 2010 - 9:54pmThis Comment
I as well get really bad headaches when exposed to sun but mine don't really happen till about 1-2 hours of being exposed to sun. I too get an over heating feeling like I can't keep my self cooled down and a sick stomach, but I have never thrown up. I was thinking it could be more serious myself, but I can exactly pin point that they only happen when in intence sun. Cloudy days and lower temps around 23-25 degrees are usually the hottest I can stand until the temp gets hotter and I'm pretty much doomed. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread seeing as I'm quite a young person and tend to worry about my health. These syntoms have also only started maybe 4 months ago or so, so my biggest question is if it's normal that it just arised out of no where, or if it was something I never noticed, building up?
July 31, 2010 - 9:25amThis Comment
I just found your website and boy, am I glad I did! I read every single comment here and I may not have found a solution really but I'm thrilled to see I'm not crazy (as my husband thinks). I even read to him some of the comments of the exact same things I've been saying to him now since I've developed this problem.
I take my dog out back to pee and am back in the house within 3 minutes. I'm now sick at my stomach. For a while now I keep my blinds closed and truly only go out to take my dog outside. I won't even go out to get the mail. I won't go to the grocery store, post office, etc. Of course, now my husband thinks I may be becoming antisocial. I live in Florida and will eventually get back to San Francisco. I never had this problem there. It's much cooler.
July 30, 2010 - 10:01amAnyway, thanks to all of you who have been commenting here. I will keep coming on to see if there are any new posts.
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Mine is a much more mild case. I haven't vomited, but it gives me a headache and leaves me tired and achy all over. It happens every season of the year so it is definitely not heatstroke/sunstroke. It is a light thing because it seems to help when I close my eyes and it gets better when I can get into the shade. Some days the sun won't affect me at all, and other days I can't go out for more than five minutes. One thing that came to mind is a vitamin D overdose. Wikipedia says that sunlight exposure does not normally cause vitamin D overdose because the body has a built-in system for limiting vitamin D production, but maybe in some people this system is faulty in some way.
July 9, 2010 - 2:10pmThis Comment
I'm the same poster as above and just wanted to add that it's now nighttime and my body is still recovering from today's "sun event." I was only out in the sun an hour or so, but I'm still feeling the effects of it eight hours later. It'll be gone by tomorrow, but right now nothing is helping. I drank lots of water, took some multivitamins and took some aspirin for the headache achey body and nothing is helping. I guess I'll have to rely on the old standby that has worked for me in the past, a good night's sleep.
July 9, 2010 - 8:36pmThis Comment
I have been reading about this online and it sounds like these could be a couple of symptoms related to sun allergies... If he has these symptoms accompanied with an itchy rash on sun exposed skin (especially around the neck, chest and shoulders), then this could be the answer. I also suffer these symptoms with just a few minutes after sun exposure and I have diagnosed myself with PMLE. However, I haven't really looked into any treatment as it is likely that these symptoms will disappear as we go further into the spring and the summer. These symptoms begin early spring for most people, and the body is desensitized to the "sunlight" as the spring and summer go by.
March 26, 2010 - 12:33pmRemember to use sunscreen on all exposed parts of the body, including the face, and especially when planning on spending the day outdoors. Keep hydrated not only with water but also fresh fruits and chilled treats. Have some aloe vera handy just in case he gets an itchy sunburn-like rash.
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