Exercising through how much PAIN??? Migraines, knee, and shoulder injury

LizzieMercado

Hi there my name is lizzie, i'm 28, and I grew up fairly fit (soccer, used to run half marathons, go to the gym at least 3 times a week and eat 90% whole foods since 2015), not “fat” but not “skinny” either…because I’m short, I’m borderline overweight according to the BMI index, but I think my muscular legs from playing soccer majority my life contributes to that. I’m 5’-1” and 136 lbs.
I’m currently 6 lbs away from my goal weight (what I used to be in high school) but I honestly don’t care if I lose it or not anymore bc now my biggest goal is to get to 24% body fat. I’m currently at 26.5%. I used to be 31% body fat after I gained 20 lbs in 2014 and lost most of it within a year, except those last few pounds or should I say last 1-2%.

So I figured, I finally invest in personal training and boot camp I lost 1% body fat, 2 lbs (138 to 136) in 3 months. But my biggest dilemma on trying to lose that last 1-2% is that I know I need to challenge myself, lift heavier, intermittent fast/cardio fast, and stay in a caloric deficit… which I know I CAN DO all those things since I’ve done them short term in the past…but the reason why I say SHORT term is because they cause me PAIN!

I’m not talking muscle soreness, because I embrace that type of pain and change in my body!
I’m talking PAIN from my MIGRAINES, KNEE TENDONITIS, and PULLED TRAP MUSCLE.

I typically love to work out first thing in the morning….but I would say 2-3 time a week I wake up with a headache and sometimes a full on throbbing/nauseating migraine. I have tried pushing through the pain during a migraine and go to bootcamp sesh….but every time I’ve done that, the migraine is 10x worse afterwards. I ensure I drink all the water I can get before/during/after and I eat only foods that don’t cause my migraines…but I’m still struggling to find my cure. But I feel like my personal trainer doesn’t understand…he keeps telling me I should push through the pain, that there’s no excuses, that working out more will make me stronger and have less headaches….do you agree? Or does anyone have experience with that?

Plus, I get migraines after I do a upper body work out…I really want to be able to do 1 pull up in my life unassisted….but I pulled my trap muscle really good (loud pop and my shoulder spasmed to be about 2 inches higher than the other my doc thought I dislocated it) back in 2015 and every time I do a back or lifting workout….i feel that intense knot in my back afterwards that eventually triggers my migraine. I’ve done physical therapy and I lift light weights like 15 lbs now…but it’s so sad to me because I know that I can physically lift heavier (since I won’t feel any pain if I do lift 20 – 30 lbs during my work out) and hopefully burn more fat…but I’m so scared to create that knot/pulled muscle feeling in my back again bc it happened every time I did lift heavy…so I take it easy…which sucks!

And to top it all off…I miss my hard cadio hiit sessions and soccer…about 4 months ago…right when I first started personal training, I went for a run on my own and did sprints/suicides…and then squats/lunges with kettlebells and my knee turned into a balloon..even though I didn’t feel any pain during those work outs….so now I can't even do a tough/heavy weight lower body workout like I used to without being scared of flaring up my knee again….so both upper and lower body and my head keep me so unmotivated to move…I thought exercise was supposed to make you feel better, not worse…. I don’t like biking or swimming bc I get so bored so quickly which is why I like team sports like soccer or team settings like bootcamp.

How do you get to your fitness goals with pain? Just push through?

T__Queen

Girl, as someone who suffers from migraines everyday, stop pushing yourself through, for now, and please get yourself to a doctor.

I'm 28 as well. Woke up one day when I was 26 and had a migraine - it has yet to go away, nearly 900 days after it started.

I'm so glad you're 6lbs away from your goal and you love fitness. I want to encourage that. But, as someone who suffers daily and has symptoms worsen over time: please make an appointment with your doctor! Please!!!

LizzieMercado

Thank you queen! I see my doctor, physical therapist, and neurologist regularly... they just prescribe medications (which i decide not to take) and tell me to stop... just walk and yoga... which i do the days i feel crappy but i wish i could do what i was once able to do and get stronger to reach my goal. But i appreciate your response!

TavistockToad

I get the impression from your post that 'pushing through' isn't working, so why not try the advice given you by your doctor?

FitGamerSmoak

As a migraine pro at this point (I was diagnosed with them when I was 5, I’m 32) working out through a migraine is not the best advice. Like the others said, rest.

There are options for migraines and people do get injections for them. Maybe look into that. Also I take a decongestant too which seems to help (even though I never had allergies this one was a shocker tonactualky work) but it’s all a personal experience.

Too much strain in the neck area can definitely lead to them so you might want to figure out if you’re breathing right and relaxing afterwards. Maybe try a new trainer as well. Otherwise see your doctor or another doctor maybe a chiropractor.

Sostee

How frustrating. I lost a lot of muscle in my legs after a knee injury . My first physical therapist taught me how to move in a way that minimized using my quads, and as a result they atrophied. I recently switched therapists, and this one is helping me regain strength. The trick is to tolerate small amount of pain, but not so much that I re-trigger the injury. I wish. I had switched sooner, but I liked my first guy and didn’t realize there was a problem with what I was doing. So maybe get a second opinion even if you like your pt.
I got horrible migraines when I was your age. They went away permanently after I got pregnant. Wish I had better advice on that (Ha,!) but know that something unexpected might change those for you. Migraines suck and they are such a random piece of bad luck. (Personally, I can’t imagine pushing through one. Only someone who has never had one would insist on that.)
Good luck avoiding having to become a swimmer. That is my goal too! and keep us posted on how it goes,

cmriverside

I had debilitating migraines through my thirties. I can't imagine "pushing through" a migraine. All I could do is lie down in a dark quiet room with a cold washcloth over my eyes and wait for my medication to kick in.

You may have to keep trying different meds.

thisPGHlife

As someone who suffered through migraines all through puberty that have recently resurfaced at 35, I totally feel your pain. This might sound bananas, but have you thought about getting a massage or several? You said the trap muscle triggers the migraines because of the knot. I used to have a know in my back because I was a comp sci major with a laptop that had a touch pad mouse. That seems ridiculous but after years of the same repetitive Norine, the knot was intense! The back pain it caused me was debilitating sometimes. Massages, in conjunction with yoga, worked wonders.

NorthCascades

cmriverside wrote: »

I had debilitating migraines through my thirties. I can't imagine "pushing through" a migraine. All I could do is lie down in a dark quiet room with a cold washcloth over my eyes and wait for my medication to kick in.

You may have to keep trying different meds.

I took Beth camping on a remote and beautiful lake. She woke me up the next morning at around 5 am, saying she had a migraine and has been throwing up. It took a few hours by boat, then we had to hike to a steep trail back to the road. Finally, more hours in the car, stuck in construction traffic, etc. That was a day of infamy.

cmriverside

NorthCascades wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

I had debilitating migraines through my thirties. I can't imagine "pushing through" a migraine. All I could do is lie down in a dark quiet room with a cold washcloth over my eyes and wait for my medication to kick in.

You may have to keep trying different meds.

I took Beth camping on a remote and beautiful lake. She woke me up the next morning at around 5 am, saying she had a migraine and has been throwing up. It took a few hours by boat, then we had to hike to a steep trail back to the road. Finally, more hours in the car, stuck in construction traffic, etc. That was a day of infamy.

Yeah, that was my experience with migraines too. Vomiting to the point of dehydration was not unusual. I ended up in the ER a couple times unable to cope. TURN OFF THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS!!!!!!

lorrpb

I'm sorry you are faced with so many physical challenges. Since your solutions don't work and your pain is debilitating, I would encourage you take the medications prescribed.
You could also try some different workout routines that don't aggravate your conditions as much. There are lots of cardio besides running, which is one of the worst things for your knees.Swimming, elliptical, rowing, biking. Perhaps try various full body workouts rather than focusing an entire workout on upper body only. Also consider whether trying to be like you were 10 years ago in high school makes sense. You were still growing and developing back then, and didn't have these harsh conditions to work around.

YvetteK2015

I'm not sure why you don't want to take medication for it. Migraine is a neurological condition. It's not going to simply get better by not doing anything about it. Strenuous exercise during a migraine is definitely not recommended.

Some people who get migraines infrequently may chose not to treat them with medication, but realistically, the way you are describing yours, you may not find any relief unless you start taking some form of preventatives and abortives.

LizzieMercado

Thank you all very much for the insightful responses! I have taken various prescriptions (preventatives and medications) in the past but none worked for me and i didn’t like the side effects they did to my stomach. I’ve also tried acupuncture and chiropractic care and it also didn’t help much after 6 months of treatment... I’m currently working on getting regular massages and got a massage chair so i use that after i work out.

But I’m really happy that everyone said that i should not exercise through the pain, bc i was thinking the same which is why i missed sessions regularly but the main trainer really threw me off and making me doubt myself... i think it’s with good intent bc he can tell how fit i was before i started and really wants me to help me push myself to reach my goal and since i am committed individual as well i wanted to do the same... but i have to listen to my body in regardless what he says.

I think i just really have to accept the fact that I’m not 18 anymore and I’m just unfortunate to get migraines regularly and tone it down on my activity. I guess i always had this dream to be as strong and lean like the bootcamp trainers...so even typing that makes me a bit sad that maybe it’s just not for me and at minimum I’m healthy with everything else (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose all normal) which is most important and really focus on my diet more. I sure hope my migraines go away after i have babies bc i have heard that before!!! Lol

Other question: has anyone ever exercised with a headache? Not necessarily a migraine (no nausea), but that annoying little throb in the front or side of the head?

LizzieMercado

craziedani wrote: »

As a migraine pro at this point (I was diagnosed with them when I was 5, I’m 32) working out through a migraine is not the best advice. Like the others said, rest.

There are options for migraines and people do get injections for them. Maybe look into that. Also I take a decongestant too which seems to help (even though I never had allergies this one was a shocker tonactualky work) but it’s all a personal experience.

Too much strain in the neck area can definitely lead to them so you might want to figure out if you’re breathing right and relaxing afterwards. Maybe try a new trainer as well. Otherwise see your doctor or another doctor maybe a chiropractor.

Which decongestant did you try?

lorrpb

I’ve exercised with lots of headaches and aches and pains. (Not saying you should just responding to your last question ) We each have to figure out when to push through and when to back off. It can take some trial and error, and it changes over time. Hope you can find some relief.

YvetteK2015

LizzieMercado wrote: »

Thank you all very much for the insightful responses! I have taken various prescriptions (preventatives and medications) in the past but none worked for me and i didn’t like the side effects they did to my stomach. I’ve also tried acupuncture and chiropractic care and it also didn’t help much after 6 months of treatment... I’m currently working on getting regular massages and got a massage chair so i use that after i work out.

Can I just ask, about how many medications have you tried? There are literally dozens and dozens of medications that are used as preventatives. I know from past experience that some neuros stick to a specific few and don't branch out from there. If you doctor hasn't tried youon more than 6 medications, or you've been told that's all there is to try, you need a new doctor. There is plenty out there that shouldn't cause you stomach problems.

I'm just saying this because no one should have to suffer through debilitating migraines. There are so many treatment options out there, unfortunately so many doctors don't know about them, including neurologists.