I'm 50. In my entire life I've NEVER had a headache. Nor have I had heartburn.

[cherokeeprogressive]

Am I alone? Yesssss, I've had hangovers, but those aren't headaches so much as pain caused by dehydration.

I simply can't relate to the person who rubs their temples or back of their head and says "Oh damn, I'm getting a headache". I can sympathize, but I can't relate.

On the heartburn thing, I can't even begin to understand the feeling people describe when they have it.

My ex-wife told me I never got headaches because I didn't care about anything, and various people of course have told me my head is empty, ergo no pain is possible.

Am I strange? I haven't had a cold in probably five years or more.

Most people I tell about the headache thing think I'm lying, but I'm not.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I'm way older than you

and I've never had heartburn. I have had sinus headaches from time to time, but not really bad ones, like migraines. A hangover is a headache, it's just not caused by an underlying disease or disorder. And at least in my experience, it's usually worse than a sinus headache.

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. LOL I even ate NAVY food for 10 years. No heartburn.

I've had hangovers where my head didn't hurt at all, and hangovers where my head hurt only when I was moving it. The worst was in Mombasa, where the beer has formaldehyde in it due to lack of refrigeration.

I woke up one morning feeling like I had been embalmed.

I don't count those as classic headaches though. I'm talking about the middle of the day "oh my head hurts" kind of thing. Haven't had that experience.

[RebelOne]

4. I am probably older then both of you.

The only time I ever had heartburn was when I was pregnant with my son, and that was in 1962. And the only time I ever had a severe headache was on the day of my divorce. which was in 1965.

[seabeyond]

2. heartburn most my life. rarely have headaches. i believe it is all genetic

and good for you. feel lucky.

not that heartburn has been a huge hurtle. 3 tums and i am set to go

[rurallib]

5. Also older - occasional sinus headache, very rare heartburn

but that damned gout.....

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. The only thing I now about gout is that its sufferers carry around huge beakers of green fluid.

I'm sorry, not making light of the affliction just commenting on the ULORIC commercials. Not really sure what gout is or entails.

Is gout like arthritis? Because I DO know about that. I have two reconstruced knees that are horribly arthritic and will eventually need to be replaced, and have chosen to live in a place that gets VERY cold.

Imagine that... blessed with GQ good looks, quick wit, great health, and $0.98 knees. Dog laughed when he put me together... "I'm gonna fuck with this one..."

[Generic Brad]

7. I've had both, but I can successfully avoid them

Don't want heartburn? Don't wolf down sweets, avoid alcohol, and don't eat after 7:00 PM. Don't want a headache? Make sure to get enough sleep, regular exercise, and do not become too obsessed on any one thing.

I'm 50 as well and I feel great -- better than I did when I was in my 30's when I had poor health habits.

[SwampG8r]

8. me either

i notice your name
i am an eastern band member
do you think its genetic?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. My dear cherokeeprogressive!

You're damn lucky!

I've rarely had either headaches or heartburn, but I have had them. They usually go away, sometimes with medication.

Not having headaches is NOT indicative of not caring about anything. Really...Your ex-wife sounds vindictive.

I don't think you're strange at all.

:hi:

[yewberry]

10. Oy, I started chewing a pack of Tums a day at age 12.

Turned out I have faulty muscle at the top of my stomach, and I burned the heck out of my esophagus, all the way up to my Eustachian tubes. Now I have to have biannual biopsies because I destroyed my esophagus... I didn't understand that everyone didn't feel like that all the time.

Der. I was kid, what did I know? :eyes:

You ever vomit, and felt like your insides were burning up, through your stomach and throat? Yeah, that's what it feels like.

[suninvited]

11. I have had headaches

but not heartburn. I eat anything I want. I have never in my life had a tums or a rolaids or a zantac but know that both my mother and my father used them, primarily my father. My sisters get heartburn, I assume so because when eating out they will say, "oh, I like that but it doesn't like me" or something along those lines.

I don't know if heartburn is hereditary, but I seem to have missed that trait.

[DebJ]

12. I bet you haven't been downing lots of coffee and caffeinated

sodas and the like much of your life.....that will create some heartburn.

[DebJ]

13. I bet you haven't been downing lots of coffee and caffeinated

sodas and the like much of your life.....that will create some heartburn.

[Orrex]

14. Obviously, you're a carrier for both of those conditions

[HopeHoops]

15. That's okay - I've had all of yours in addition to all of mine.

[Iggo]

16. You're probably a superhero, then...

...which is nice.

[pink-o]

17. I last had heartburn and acid reflux when I became a vegetarian for the second time.

It was when I was 22 in 1977 (I first tried it at 16, but I think my diet consisted of Fruit Loops and coca cola--besides, teenagers can usually eat anything!).

I've not eaten meat since then, and within the healthy, veggie framework I can process anything from hot peppers to broccoli to nuts and beans and copious amounts of Pinot Grigio and Cafe Latte without consequence.

Headaches: whole 'nother story! I was diagnosed with migraine-related syncope around age 7. It is totally affected by hormonal changes, so I was crushed during menopause. However, a month or so away from B'day 57, the headaches have lessened. Thank god: all migraine sufferers know what hell it is to deal with.

And I do have a friend, just a year younger, who like you has never had a headache or heartburn. She never had any peri-menopause problems either, but she's about 50 pounds overweight so there's always something! Once you reach a certain age, you're gonna find yourself with a chronic condition, regardless how well you've taken care of your health. I just contend you do whatever you can to stay away from Pharma solutions. never took prescription medication for menopause or the headaches, I'd rather deal with the pain than give a penny to Pharma!

[Iggo]

18. I'm 50 also.

When I quit dope, I got fewer headaches. When I quit cigs, even fewer. When I cut my hair, they stopped almost entirely.

I also haven't had a cold in years.

I used to think I had occasional heartburn. Then I got it for reals once. Good gawd, I never want to experience that again.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

19. I hate people like you

just kidding...


I have spent the last 20 yrs with a migraine every day. Going back in time from there it was several times a week, a month.
It's genetic. My dad also has them and my mom had them. We also have many others in the family tree that had them.
It royally sucks, believe me.

[Shagbark Hickory]

27. OMG. I'm so sorry.

I am not the headache-free OP but I've only had one migraine that I recall and I thought I was gonna die.

[valerief]

20. I'm older than and I've never gotten them either. nt

[WinkyDink]

21. You have no idea of your good fortune! Migraines can include even vomiting!

[kentauros]

22. I believe you.

I'm also 50, though I do get heartburn. It's just bad eating habits mostly.

I have had "headache" pain, but it never lasts long enough to bother with an aspirin. It's usually gone in seconds, if not minutes. Can't say I've had a sinus headache, either, or nothing at all like other people describe. Dental pain on the other hand...

Sounds like you're just really healthy. Keep it up! :hi:

[Phentex]

23. Only headache I ever had was from my concussion...

and then I finally understood what so many people go through. THANK HEAVENS, it was temporary.

I never had cramps either. So when I was pregnant and the doctor said this and such would feel like cramps I had no idea what that would mean.

I also have an unbelievable story for you. My son's pediatrician FIRED US because in a five year period, I had only taken my son in for well check-ups. In all fairness, it was the practice and not the actual pediatrician. They made no money off us, so they had to let us go.

He's 16 now and still has not been in for anything except a well check up.

I absolutely do not think you are lying! :)

[Arkansas Granny]

24. I'm 65, have never had heartburn and rarely have headaches.

My headaches are usually related to my sinuses. My record on colds is not as good as yours. I usually have one a year that makes me feel bad enough to take a day or two off work. I can't remember the last time I had flu.

[trackfan]

25. One down side to that:

My in-laws both were about 60 years old when they first experienced indigestion. They both, being unfamiliar with this new sensation, were sure they were having a heart attack - in one case even checking into the hospital, in the other, undergoing months of tests. It turned out that neither had any heart problem; they just had never felt that pain, which, for others is very commonplace.

I suppose that there is also the upside in that they would not have the situation that might happen to a lot of people who are used to indigestion, i.e. ignoring an actual heart attack thinking it was heartburn.

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. Thanks for the heads-up.

I never even considered that should I suffer from indigestion or heartburn, I might mistake it for a heart problem.

Now I know.

[Curmudgeoness]

26. Please tell us your secret. Besides an empty head.

My heartburn is so bad that I went to the doctor for it----and he ignored it. I guess too many people complain of it. My problem is that this is new to me---started at about 55 years old and has gotten progressively worse to the point that I am up 3-4 times a night and have to take more Tums. Nothing I have tried works.

Years ago, I read an astrological book, and the section on Virgos said they are prone to stomach problems. I remember laughing my ass off, because I never had problems. So...what is your secret?

[cherokeeprogressive]

29. Well I guess I'll call the empty head a blessing LOL.

I'm sorry to hear about your heartburn problem. I really couldn't imagine.

I dated a Lady about a decade ago who suffered from something called GERD or something like that. She suffered greatly because of it and even had to sleep sitting up.

Why I don't have problems, I don't know. I eat Frank's Cayenne Pepper Sauce like it's going out of style and on my salads I put so much fresh ground pepper that the salad is actually black on top. People sometimes laugh at the amount of pepper I put on eggs, scrambled or fried. Spicy, greasy or whatever, it doesn't matter and doesn't affect my digestion in the slightest.

And if the choice is between an empty head and headaches; make mine a vacuum.