Any Experience with Migraines associated with Exercise?

dkui

I started working out on the biggest loser workout with my lovely wife this week. Diet is going well and exercise is great. This morning I had a serious migraine that started right before the workout and lasted most of the day. This is hereditary, but seems to be associated somehow with exercise. I just wonder if anyone has any experiences you have to minimize these? The diet and workout in week one has resulted in 6 lbs weight loss, so its working and I'm feeling so much better already!

mistress8956

Drink more water it work for me

bridgegetsfit

Are you drinking enough water? and stretching? whenever I get a migraine its usually from lack of coffee, or water.

sally_jeffswife

I haven't gotten them as a result of excercise but I did suffer from really bad migraines which is one of the reasons I started really excercising more. I had been getting electric shock like migraines where I would get a shock by my temple and my head would feel numb to touch and you could be laying down and feel like you were falling or gonna pass out when you were stationary. I was put on Gabapentin that controlled the migraines but I gained like 45 lbs in 3 months. It was alarming and really rapid weight gain that is what brought me originally to the my fitness pal website. I talked with my Dr about getting off that med cuz I had never been one to gain weight super fast and I didn't wanna buy new clothes and I was gaining rapidly. So she switched it to Verapamil.That medicine is a Godsend I hardly ever get migraines any more and it doesn't cause weight gain. It took me about a full yr to be to about where I was before the weight gain. I have lost about 40 of the 45 lbs I wanted to lose to get bk down to my normal size. Now I am working on losing about 20 more and picking up some extra muscle. My guess if you didn't start getting them till you started working out is maybe either you are bit dehydrated from working out hard and you need to up the amount of water. Or I have noticed if I drink diet sodas or diet drinks things with aspartame in them sometimes it will trigger a migraine. Coke Zero is better for me by far than Diet coke with Diet coke sometimes I get migraines. Water is best yet. Sometimes if you are low in magnesium you can get them too. If you eat almonds or something of that nature that is high in magnesium that can sometimes really help.

cmriverside

The trigger mechanism you are experiencing is vasodilation. It is due to your increased heart rate from the exercise. Really common to experience this.

Try to hydrate really well for an hour beforehand, and all during your exercise. I have heard it helps.

Good luck. I had migraines for twenty five years. Exercise became impossible for me for a lot of those years.

IronmanNYC

On occasion I get "excercise induced optical migraines" which occur right after exercising. Doesn't sound like that's what you have though. But, migraines are so complicated so doesn't surprise me if exercise increases migraine risk at any time.

As an aside, my daughter gets migraines and we finally figured out it was due to gluten. And the more she exercised, the worse her migraines would become, especially after hard workouts. But gluten-free, and she's fine. So, also consider other habits that might have changed as a result of your exercising more. Like perhaps you stop and get a bagel after the gym.

Good luck.

SapiensPisces

Normally, I only get migraines when I'm not eating enough to support my workouts. Otherwise, I usually don't get them. Make sure you're fueling yourself sufficiently.

SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222

I started working out on the biggest loser workout with my lovely wife this week. Diet is going well and exercise is great. This morning I had a serious migraine that started right before the workout and lasted most of the day. This is hereditary, but seems to be associated somehow with exercise. I just wonder if anyone has any experiences you have to minimize these? The diet and workout in week one has resulted in 6 lbs weight loss, so its working and I'm feeling so much better already!

Do you have high blood pressure? did you make any drastic changes to your diet? are you off caffiene, sugar etc? And maybe it's just your body getting used to the changes... Idk but go to your doc and ask for migraine meds - they are non-narcotic and it'll help.

dkui

Thanks a lot, I'll try your ideas. I've tried meds years ago and they knocked me out. I'm thinking maybe not enough water as well. I sure appreciate you sharing all of your experiences!
Just healthy improvements to diet so yes changes starting this week, though the exercise induced migraines only happen after intense workouts (like heavy cardio, basketball).

dkui

Ironman: "On occasion I get "excercise induced optical migraines" which occur right after exercising."
Actually I saw a doctor today and he pointed to an optical component to the migraines. Again, these have been going on for years. The first time around in my 20s the docs thought it was a stroke, then when they couldn't find any evidence of it, they dug into hereditary and found out I received it from my Dad and up the line. Anyway, I am going to manage it because being unhealthy and overweight is not an option for me, migraines or not.
Interestingly enough, generally since a single blood artery feeds both eyes, if the problem is vision issues in both then it appears to be migraine associated, if only one eye then it can be stroke and several other nastier problems.

grapaj

I've noticed an increase in my ocular migraines over the past 2-3 months, which coincides directly with my workouts becoming more intense. I get a migraine about 30 minutes after my workout is complete. This week alone I have had 2. It's becoming pretty irritating, and also disheartening. I'm starting to really enjoy fitness and weightlifting and now this.

I drink a ton during my workouts, never been much of a water drinker other times during the day. I will try to up my h20 before hitting the weights and see if that helps. Also, if I am remotely hungry before starting I think that may trigger it too.

Bummer to all the migraine sufferers out there, I commiserate.