Headaches/migraines

Hollyhocks89

How do you deal with these when you have them?
How do you get the motivation to exercise with a headache when you just want to lie in a dark room?
I always get headaches especially when I start eating healthier (as I eat a lot less than when i'm eating crap) I drink plenty so it isn't that.
It doesn't always work if I take something for a headache so what do you do? Do you take the day off of exercising? what if it lasts more than one day? Do you just get on with it and exercise anyway?
Thanks

vanillacoffee

I get migraines, and headaches ranging from annoying to want-to-puke.
When it's 9/10 bad, I cant go to the gym. Sometimes, it helps, though.
I go to the gym & judge how bad they are. If I get there and its mild, I try to work out anyway. If it;'s worse, I do a light workout (stationary bike, some floor work).
I take Aleve for my headaches, its the only thing that helps. It rarely lasts over a day, though.

cindyroberto

I actually have to take meds for my migraines and I get em ALOT!!! It really depends...trying walking on tredmill in the gym or walking outside w sunglasses...it seems that the fresh air tends to help me sometimes. Again it depends if its one of those that I have to hide under covers w earmuffs and sleep....then not exercising one day has been ok w me. (just watch what you eat those days especially)

Hollyhocks89

Thank you both :-)

addmorecloud

I would stick to low impact things like swimming, walking or possibly yoga. I once tried to run off a migraine and every step made me want to puke.

More importantly though, I would try and find the cause of your headaches, lack of sleep and stress cause mine, so I make sure I get enough sleep. Also contraceptive pills can cause them, when I took Yasmin I had several migraines a week, but reduced dramatically when I stopped taking it.

Hope you manage to find a way to reduce them!

JustSammi

Chronic migraine sufferer here! To be honest I wouldn't work out at all with a migraine, I'm simply not well enough and the only thing that can fix them is drugs and time.

I've heard a lot of people get headaches when they start a diet though, maybe it's some sort of withdrawal from sugar? Can't be sure though as I've never experienced it myself.

Hollyhocks89

Thank you for the advice addmorecloud I will try something like swimming that sounds nice

cpede

I'm a migraine sufferer also. I can't do anything much less work out when I have one since I get blind spots and can't see out of my right eye. For the most part, I have no idea what causes my migraines with one exception. I get exercise-induced migraines. It's always when I over do it and don't drink enough water. So, at least I can do something about that. In general, a nap is the only thing that never fails to make my migraine go away, but here's what I do when I first get my blind spots and aura: 4 ibuprofen (800 mg total), a banana, and a coke zero. That covers most bases when it comes to over the counter migraine treatment: an antiinflammatory, potassium, and caffeine. Good luck!

knittnponder

It depends on the severity of the headache for me. If it's a full blown migraine I'm not working out. Some of the milder headaches will actually go away for me if I do a mild exercise. I don't get as many headaches since I've figured out some of the things I can't eat. My 13 year old son and my oldest daughter used to get migraines often until we went gluten free. They were so bad for both of them they'd often throw up. After we went gluten free they all but went away. My son was getting them every Monday-Tuesday for awhile until I pointed out that he was eating gluten at church on Sunday and would wake up with a migraine on Monday or Tuesday. He stopped sneaking gluten at church and hasn't had a migraine since.

All that rambling to say, you might want to think about what you're eating because it could be the cause of your headaches.

c_tap77

I suffer from migraines and generally depending on how bad the headache is, I will just take a day off.

This usually doesn't bother me because when my migraines are bad enough to skip the workout, I usually feel too sick to eat much of anything so it evens out in the end.

If it's just a mild headache and I don't have any sensitivity to light and sound, I usually try to work out as normal--most of the time working out doesn't make my headache any worse so if I can function normally (i.e. if I feel okay enough to sit on the couch and watch TV) I just go for it.

bergamese

Some days my migraines are so bad I can't get out of bed, let alone exercise. Listen to your body, treat yourself gently until the pain is past.

I_Will_End_You

I get chronic migraines (usually 20-25 days per month). I generally do workout when I have them. It sucks, but I don't really have a choice. I'm stuck with this condition, so I have to do the best I can to work around it. If I have a bad month, and don't work out on migraine days...that leaves me working out maybe 5 days out of the month. So unless it's a really bad, puking migraine, I suck it up and do it anyway. Sometimes it makes the migraine go away or less intense, sometimes it makes it worse. Mine are the most intense from 12:30PM till around 7:30 or 8PM. Most of the time I work out after 8PM. It's not ideal, but I do what I have to do.

I recently got botox for migraines....still waiting to see if it's going to help or not. It's supposed to take a few weeks to see any improvement. People seem to have good luck with this procedure, so if your insurance covers it, that is something to look into. (Although getting 30ish shots all over my head was one of the most awful experiences ever...if it works it'll be worth it.)

sheclimbsrocks

You say you get them when you eat healthier? Keep a food diary. That may help you figure out your trigger. My trigger is MSG. It's in salad dressings, honey roasted peanuts, vegetable bullion cubes, marinades, chips, etc., etc., etc. If you can avoid getting migraines, that's the way to go.

My cure is caffeine and sleep. I also take Vitamin B complex because people with migraines are sometimes Vitamin B deficient. But sleep is my only cure. The day after a migraine, I will often drink at least 1 redbull to bring me back to life.

I hope you feel better! I, too, was in misery and getting CT scans until I figured out my migraine trigger. Hang in there!

I_Will_End_You

A lot of migraine sufferers are also magnesium deficient, you can try a supplement for that and see if it works, too.

seltzermint555

Chronic migraine sufferer here! To be honest I wouldn't work out at all with a migraine, I'm simply not well enough and the only thing that can fix them is drugs and time.

I've heard a lot of people get headaches when they start a diet though, maybe it's some sort of withdrawal from sugar? Can't be sure though as I've never experienced it myself.

Same here, when I have a "serious" migraine there is no way I'd even think of doing anything like working out, or going outside (sunlight really makes it bad for me), or even being on the Internet or watching TV, reading, etc...is way way way too painful. Fortunately, I only seem to get them once a year if that but no way would I work out.

Bharrell414

I've suffered from headaches/migraines nearly my whole life. For the most part I try to change my diet based on my day. I try to avoid sugars on days where my head is the worst, and try to consume caffeine as soon as possible (this combined with pain relievers is my life saver). I've also discovered that carbs worsen my symptoms

Sallybally55

If you have a migraine (and take medication for it) you SHOULD NOT work out. I take Relpax for migraines and was told by my doctor that the medicine actually restricts the bloodflow to your brain and working out could cause a stroke. Yikes!

krm0789

If you have a migraine (and take medication for it) you SHOULD NOT work out. I take Relpax for migraines and was told by my doctor that the medicine actually restricts the bloodflow to your brain and working out could cause a stroke. Yikes!

I also take Relpax for my migraines. Triptans are the only meds that work for me & of those I've tried, Relpax is the quickest acting & longest lasting. I don't workout when I have a migraine. It's hard enough to get out of bed with them, so jostling myself around would not be good, & the Relpax sucks any semblance of energy out of me. If I just have a headache, I'll do very light cardio or a short pilates video.

KANGOOJUMPS

pound down the whiskey

exubesq

word to the wise. if you are taking a prescription migraine med that is a vasoconstrictor - DO NOT also take Advil COld and Sinus or anything else OTC that contains pseudophedrine. I did and I had a stroke as a result. Lost peripheral vision in my left eye and can't drive. So PLEASE don't!

BooBoo1264

How do you deal with these when you have them?
How do you get the motivation to exercise with a headache when you just want to lie in a dark room?
I always get headaches especially when I start eating healthier (as I eat a lot less than when i'm eating crap) I drink plenty so it isn't that.
It doesn't always work if I take something for a headache so what do you do? Do you take the day off of exercising? what if it lasts more than one day? Do you just get on with it and exercise anyway?
Thanks

I used to get them 5 to 6 times a month. Keeping this food journal should help you a bit. Mark the days that you have a migraine. Some foods are instantly a trigger. Avoid foods with MSG. I even found that soda and licorice were a trigger for me. Two of my fav things!

Could be your body going into a bit of shock if you're not slowly going off things like caffeine and sugar.

I take Relpax and Maxalt to help on my days. Both are fast acting. Just dont mix them!

Also something ive learned that helps. Put your hands and feet in warm water while having an ice pack on the back of your neck. It helps the blood flow and also stops the nauseousness.

marras117

Find out the cause of your migraines first, like hormonal imbalances, get off the pill, find out if your vitamin d is low, fix your gut bacteria with kefir and probiotics if you have stomach issues.

Have you tried to change your diet? I know that sugar, chocolate, alcohol are all triggers but for me its GLUTEN. When I cut out flour and I mean going totally gluten free, not just mostly gluten free, I feel a ton better and no longer need immitrex. An Alkaline diet works wonders too. Never ever ingest caffeine, an occasional excedrine migraine is ok but do not ever drink soda or coffee.

if you're entirely healthy and have adjusted your diet, add in feverfew once in a while. Wear glasses that block blue light, dim your computer screen.

If all of this fails and you still get migraines, do not work out. it makes it so much worse. Get some rest & feel better.

MissPatty584

I called out of work today for this very reason. Had a headache so bad I was up sick all night. Caffeine does seem to help a bit. And sleep. but the caffeine thing makes the sleep not so easy :ohwell: I get headaches a lot, most of the time I just work through them, and sometimes I feel better after. That isn't always the case though. Today is probably going to be one of the days where it doesn't work I agree with some of the other posters, if you feel that you must workout, do something 'easy'.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

If you have a migraine (and take medication for it) you SHOULD NOT work out. I take Relpax for migraines and was told by my doctor that the medicine actually restricts the bloodflow to your brain and working out could cause a stroke. Yikes!

Say what?! That's what I take, and it usually knocks my migraines out in about 20 minutes. I ran out, so I've been relying on Excedrin, and I'll work out when it feels like it's about to go away (lifting only, not cardio). It seems like that helps get rid of it once it's at that point. I have an appointment with my neurologist on Monday. I'll have to remember to ask him. That's good to know!

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I asked my neurologist about the stroke thing, and he said he hadn't heard of it, unless you're at risk for stroke. That doesn't mean he's right, but he also gave me a paper that discusses melatonin helping with migraines, so I thought I'd share. It's titled "OTC Supplement May Aid in Migraine Prevention" on medscape. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/781465

technobunny

I used to get debilitating migraines soooo often, but I started noticing a trend. Anytime I had wine, or store bought cheesecake, or extremely sweet ice cream....sure enough 30-1hr later I would get migraines that would make me lay in bed with a pillow over my head, sometimes I would get really naseous and have to throw up. Sometimes despite OTC pain medications my only relief was throwing up. I'm not sure if yours are food related or not, but through research I've read that a lot of people get food related migraines. Anyhow, nowadays I try to avoid the foods that give me the migraines but when I can't resist (someone else has yummy ice cream) I use other remedies of the "herbal" nature. One session and my once ELEPHANT sized migraine is diminished into a teeny-tiny mouse and I can keep doing whatever it is I was doing. Seriously, marijuana is amazing for my anxiety, migraines, and cramps that feel like early labor contractions! I would definitely look into it. It's the only thing so far to help when they do strike.

good luck!