Try stirring some sea salt into hot water.

Good luck !

Also could be detoxing? Were you a big tea/coffee/ caffeinated drinks drinker prior to starting on 5:2 or is there anything else that you’ve just ‘cut out’ for 5:2 that could be provoking a ‘cold turkey’ reaction?

The salt suggestion is a good one – I’ve been doing 5:2 for 2& half years now but I still occasionally have to have a dose of salt due to a random headache attack. I also get them on fastdays a lot because I’m a swimmer and my goggles sometimes set me off with one if I have a really long session in the pool or have them a bit too tight or something. When I get those I do have to hit the neurofen or paracetamol but if you find that one or the other doesn’t work on its own you CAN take both at the same time without overdosing. The active ingredients are different drugs doing different things, so you can combine them if you need to. I wouldn’t recommend doing it all the time or even often (and definitely don’t do it with other drug combinations – like asperin) but if you NEED to you can.

Sugar could definitely do it. I hope your headache passes today and don’t worry – your body will get used to it. If you need to today there’s always the option of a neurofen alongside the paracetamol. It does work a treat, as I said, you just don’t want to be doing it all the time.

I’m on my third week of 5:2 and am almost through my 6th fast day. On my last fasting day and today I have had a pounding headache. On examining my normal hydration routine I found that I was drinking almost double what I would normally drink….

Overhydration can cause headaches, wobbly vision and the attention span of a goldfish – all of which I have had on Monday & today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

I had to leave work early because I felt absolutely dreadful. Currently sipping a homemade rehydration solution (1 level tsp sugar, ¼ tsp salt, a pinch of lo-salt – for the potassium – and a drop or two of orange essence in 500ml water). 16 calories if you feel the need to count them.

HKW: Please, please don’t make a habit of taking neurofen on an empty stomach. Really bad idea: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Painkillers-ibuprofen/Pages/Side-effects.aspx

Will be looking to optimise my fluid intake next week and make sure I don’t overdo it and flush much-needed electrolytes down the loo (then come down with the banging headache!)

I almost gave up because of the headaches but have found a magic solution !Painkillers did not help so I began to look at other reasons for this and came up with the idea of glucose tablets. You can get them from Boots for 89p for 10.They are for chewing but tastes quite nice 15 calories per tablet [but I find half a tablet usually works.]I also keep some at the side of my bed because the headaches quite often come in the night and honestly it is like taking the best ever pain relief. I really hope this helps