Excuses for chocolate, part MCLVI

"Migraine Chocolate, works safely with migraine, fatigue, lassitude and headaches."

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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andygates

Is drug-dosed chocolate a particularly German thing? Because they also had Panzerschockolade packed with yummy stimulants for tank crews…
- http://twitter.com/jensjreinke Jens Reinke
  
  You are probably thinking of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scho-Ka-Kola
  
  Must say that I like it, despite its historical implications.
  - mrtut
    
    No, he meant this:
    
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cXqSmO_AswM/TsKaZw4ByrI/AAAAAAAAA9o/Hij5T-NrFZ4/s1600/panzerschokolade.png
    It reads:
    Tank Chocolate
    - With laurel leaves and Pervitin (methamphetamine), hand-sifted in the Hermann-Göring-Chocolatefactories.
http://twitter.com/MadelineAshby Madeline Ashby

Cheaper than Imitrex, fewer side effects than Ercaf.
capnmarrrrk

To satisfy one’s ogreish lust for eating Choco-Bacon, Baby Bars?
kartwaffles

Mmmm, delcious Braunschweiger chocolate.
http://twitter.com/jensjreinke Jens Reinke

If this really worked (I doubt it!) it would probably be the best-tasting medicine ever.
http://profiles.google.com/jessethorn Jesse Thorn

Migraines are actually affected by chocolate – it has a lot of caffeine and some caffeine-like stuff in it. These are big migraine triggers, but thanks to the baffling chemistry of migraines, they are also migraine treatments.
- chgoliz
  
  Similar to how Ritalin helps many ADHD sufferers.
- http://evilbobdayjob.blogspot.com/ Deidzoeb
  
  Definitely baffling. They sell migraine remedies with caffeine in them, but I’m not sure if that’s an effective “treatment”, or just a way of relieving withdrawal headaches in caffeine addicts. I have fewer migraines ever since I stopped drinking coffee, tea & caffeinated soda. Still eat chocolate though, which I hope contains negligible amounts of caffeine.
  - ldobe
    
    From what I’ve read, the reason why caffeine may be effective at treating migraines has to do with vasoconstriction.
    
    One of the common working theories is that the pain is caused by dilated blood vessels pressing on nerves in the head, which irritates them. Caffeine raises blood pressure and causes vasoconstriction, reducing pressure on the nerves and relieving the irritation.
    
    Relevant article section http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraine#Pain
    
    Although, there is research pointing to central nervous system causes (cortical spreading depression).
    
    My crappy N=1 sample is that caffeine doesn’t work. In fact, I’ve never found a treatment that works other than sleeping, sometimes sex helps, but I haven’t seen any literature that investigates it as a treatment. The best I can do is be very careful to avoid my triggers.
chgoliz

“Migraine Chocolate, works safely with migraine, fatigue, lassitude and headaches.”

Actually, non-medicated chocolate works just as safely and effectively for lassitude.
http://www.nothinginside.net mindysan33

You need an excuse to eat chocolate? Other than it’s damn tasty?
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  A day without 100g of dark chocolate is a day when you probably want to avoid me.
  - http://www.nothinginside.net mindysan33
    
    Am I talking to myself here… you are preaching to the choir on that one, brother!
Boomer

Arrrrrggggg! (drool) Chocolate!
schlocktober

My lassitude is acting up.