Migraine Sufferers - Please Read

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  • ralevin
    ralevin Posts: 131 Member
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    The idea of working out through a migraine makes my head hurt thinking about it. About the only exercise I get during one is from rocking back in forth in misery. lol

    How about swimming? The jarring impact from everything else would kill me, but swimming is fluid and gentle. If not actual swimming, you could always use floaty weights to get a weight lifting routine in. The resistance from the water seriously works, even if you're not feeling like it is in the moment.. I always feel nice and good-sore the next day.

    I guess then the trick is getting from home to the pool without screaming/ sobbing/ writhing in agony. ;)

    I would love to try swimming, but I don't have a pool, and neither does my gym...
  • divalivious
    divalivious Posts: 213 Member
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    Feel your pain.
    Walking at a slow pace might want to try in a trail where your not having your feet pound down on a hard surface like concrete or pavement of a sidewalk. If your feeling alright then pick up the pace.
    Though your not into swimming doing some exercises in the shallow end of the water can give you a good work out without you thinking you are. Just walking in the waist high water gives really great resistance. Just want to toss that out.
    I have heard good things about hot yoga not necessarily on migraines but other things ,like joint pain, so you might want to check that out to see what the instructors say in regards to migraines.
    Maybe Pilates never done that but seems to be a good work out without a lot of impact

    Good Luck!
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    I get fewer migraines than you, so I usually let myself off until I get it under control. But, with a milder migraine, or once it's over the worst, I can walk, and if the sun isn't too bright, sometimes the fresh air is helpful. Gentle stretches are an option sometimes for me, but intense exercise or anything that involves bouncing or bending over so my head is lower than my waist -- OUCH. Be careful if your migraines leave you off-balance or shaky, don't hurt yourself worse.

    By the way, my chiropractors suggested a vitamin supplement that really helps me. It's high in a few vitamin Bs and some herbs. Sometimes when I'm just getting the warning signs, I can completely avoid the migraine... more often it just seems to reduce the symptoms or length. Your mileage may vary. I've had migraines for decades, and I'm still finding ways to avoid and reduce them. (When I was at a very low weight, not eating and low blood sugar seemed to be a trigger. Sadly that's a lesson that's rather irrelevant for me right now.) Good luck!
  • Darlene4prayers
    Darlene4prayers Posts: 148 Member
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    Hi, I had been dealing with migraines and bad headaches all my life. I finally got a MRI 5 yrs ago showing 2 bad disks in my neck. So after physical therapy and a good chiropractor I am doing so much better. I do have to take my medicine and try to relax because the body will tense up when in pain which can make it worse. I do stretches and exercises in bed if I cant do anything else. Sometimes light house cleaning like folding laundry helps but not too much bending over. Have you tried massages? I love to get a light facial massage or reflexology is great too and may help before exercising or after. I hope you find something that works. Goodluck!
  • andreajramsey
    andreajramsey Posts: 6 Member
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    I suffer from chronic migraines. I have for many years and a few years ago got one so bad I ended up in the E.R. by ambulance.The doctors thought I was having a T.I.A. (mini-stroke)
    Turns out it kind of was like I was having a TIA,my migraines are called complicated migraines,so severe that they can get me to the point where I cannot speak,move,raise my head up.
    My doctor prescribed Topamax. One of the side effects is loss of appetite,weight loss. I had no issue with that as I needed to lose lots of weight.
    I take Topamax daily and although I still get really bad migraines,I have not had a complicated migraine in 1.5 years. I also take Imetrex when I feel one coming on but that will cause drowsiness.
    I do the Walk at Home work outs by Leslie Sansone when I cannot do my normal work outs due to the migraines.
    You could ask your doctor about Topamax and see if its right for you. Migraines suck!
  • Darlene4prayers
    Darlene4prayers Posts: 148 Member
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    Hi, I had been dealing with migraines and bad headaches all my life. I finally got a MRI 5 yrs ago showing 2 bad disks in my neck. So after physical therapy and a good chiropractor I am doing so much better. I do have to take my medicine and try to relax because the body will tense up when in pain which can make it worse. I do stretches and exercises in bed if I cant do anything else. Sometimes light house cleaning like folding laundry helps but not too much bending over. Have you tried massages? I love to get a light facial massage or reflexology is great too and may help before exercising or after. I hope you find something that works. Goodluck!
  • BandForAlyAnne
    BandForAlyAnne Posts: 321 Member
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    my migraines are strange. sometimes random and other times brought on by stress, sound, or lights(like the tv). i can go up to 4-5 months without a migraine and then suffer them almost everyday for months. whats so frustrating about migraines is that nobody REALLY knows what causes them. i have tried many drugs that never worked. imitrex (awful pain afterwards), topamax, propranolol, muscle relaxers, anti-inflams, high doses of caffeine, but NOTHING worked until FIORINAL. my god-send. addictive but worth it to me. the butalbutol compound really saved me. the only thing that sucks is that i cant awallow the pill lap-band post-op, and i cant get it in liquid because asprin in unstable in liquid form. so i have to grind it up and try to swallow it real fast, but the caffeine makes it SOOOOO BITTER! its sooo bad. but not a bad trade off. :P if you havent tried it, give it a go. i hope you find something to give you relief. the only exercise i can reccommend is walking i guess. least stressful.
  • thepegasus
    thepegasus Posts: 54 Member
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    hi, so sorry for what your going thru.. i suffer from migraines due to my chronic back pain.. some of the medication i take for my back pain can give me migraines.. stupid hey!!!

    have you tried magnetic blanket? or magnetic pillows? i cant use them anymore coz of the neurostimulator implant in my back, but i do know a few people that use them and they do help... and also fish oil? taking them everyday helps with alot of different aliment including migraines

    with excersice i would recommend swimming, i go to the public pool here in my town twice a week to do laps, sometimes can be very busy and have 5 people per lane but doesnt matter i just swim around them..
    and also walking, i walk my son to and from school.. but maybe getting a treadmill would be better for you so you can do it at home and if your head gets to bad you can stop and rest abit....
    and yoga like others have mention would be good to try...

    good luck
  • Jess3kids
    Jess3kids Posts: 62 Member
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    I've gotten migraines for the past 17 years. I've had several last longer than 30 days straight - miserable! Mine are triggered by hormonal influxes. I was taking topamax, inderal, fever few, a daily muscle relaxer, along with many other rescue medications without much success. Since I started my weight loss/feel better journey almost a year ago, I have felt so much better. I was weaned off all my meds (they weren't helping anyway) and really tried to focus on eating better and exercising. My migraines went from 3-4 a month (with daily headaches) to 1 maybe every month to two months.

    I push myself as hard as I can to get through a workout whether it's a full blown migraine or just a headache. It's the only thing that helps me out. I'm currently doing TurboFire and while the jumping and constant moving is completely awful while I have a headache, once I'm done with the workout I feel so much better and it continues to improve throughout the day.

    I hope you are able to find some relief. Migraines suck!!
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
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    If you're getting them that frequently, I really think you should be seeing a neurologist about them. There are answers to be found, and this sounds like it's affecting your life badly enough that it's worth pursuing.

    A tension headache can also trigger a migraine for some people who are prone to them, so a physio might be able to help, too, maybe.... but I think a good neurologist should be your first port of call.
  • cazwillis99
    cazwillis99 Posts: 238 Member
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    I don't really know what to tell you for the exercise other than do what you can tolerate the best.

    I did want to ask though, have you considered food allergies as a source of your migraines? My daughter was getting them several times a month (which wasn't surprising since her dad and I both get migraines now and then). She was having some other issues that we were trying to figure out so we did a few eliminations to see what would happen. First she went dairy free for several weeks. To her relief, going dairy free had no effect whatsoever, not even when she added it back in. Then she went gluten free and it was like someone gave her a magic pill or flipped a switch. I won't list all the improvements she had but I will say that she hasn't had a migraine since. This wasn't something we expected so it was a lovely bonus.

    Our family is mostly gluten free now just because it's easier this way (though we're not as strict as she is outside the house). My husband and I haven't had a migraine since she went GF either.

    I don't know what you and your doctors have explored but if you haven't looked into a food allergy you might want to consider it. I didn't have migraines nearly as often as it sounds like you do but if I did I think I would be desperate to end them! That just sounds awful! I hope you are able to find a way to get relief and hopefully exercise without pain. :)

    Strangely enough I went gluten free four weeks ago after being diagnosed with an intolerence and I have not had a migraine since - previous to that I was getting daily headaches and 2 -3 migraines a week - still get the odd headache but I have had nothing that feels like it is going to turn into a migraine. Just reading this post made me realise this!!
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
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    If it is truly a diagnosed migraine, you shouldn't be able to get out of bed without a lot of prescription meds.


    See a doctor. It doesn't sound like migraines.

    You are mistaken. Migraines are a specific TYPE of headache, not an INTENSITY of headache. Without a description of the exact headache symptoms it's impossible to say they "don't sound like migraines."

    Agreed: my migraines can be completely pain-free, on rare occasions, but I go partially blind and can't speak clearly -- sounds like a stroke, I know, but it's definitely a migraine. However, migraine pain *does* tend to be more intense than other headaches, so it's not all wrong.
  • kokosowner
    kokosowner Posts: 6
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    i feel for you

    as a fellow chronic migrane sufferer i have been under the care of a neurologist/headache specialist for 10 years.
    Migranes 4-5 days a week, with headache in between. I have tried everything - maxat, topamax, imigran, epilim - you name it I tried it.
    now I take NOTHING on a daily basis - we stopped all meds in september 2011 to allow my brain fuzz to clear. The dr prescribed exercise at least 3 times a week - particularly swimming front crawl as it relaxes the muscles in the neck. If your neck is tense you will get headache - or be tripped into migrane. I find the rowing machine good too.
    I do take sumitriptan injections when i get a migrane - was prescribed the maximum 18 per month - now down to 6 per month - and last month used NONE. The sumitriptan can be felt working within an hour - the head & face goes tingly as it dilates the vessels in the head allowing the blood to flow through which reduces the migrane - it is not a pleasant feeling but only lasts a few minutes. I also have cyclizine injections to stop the vomiting and they are now barely used as within an hour I feel so much better.
    So exercise as much as you can - particularly to relax the neck muscles.
    In 10 years this is the best I have been!
  • cazwillis99
    cazwillis99 Posts: 238 Member
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    When I get a migraine exercise is the last thing on my mind - even carrying a shopping bag and walking makes my head throb and makes me feel sick so any sort of exercise would probably render me catatonic. I just lie down in a darkened room full of meds and sleep until it has gone. subject to how intense it is it can then take up to two more days for my energy levels to get back to normal and for me to feel "better". The only exercise I would even thin to attempt would be swimming because it is low impact and probably quite relaxing if done gently rather than competetively - but I wouldn't be able to get to the pool because I feel too ill to drive. sorry can't be of more help :-/
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    If it is truly a diagnosed migraine, you shouldn't be able to get out of bed without a lot of prescription meds.

    Not everyone experiences them the same, you know.
  • dtiff
    dtiff Posts: 27 Member
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    I don't have migraines anymore as I was able to determine which foods were causing them for me because I refused to take medicine everyday. But I strongly recommend going gluten free, the overall effects are amazing and I guarantee you will feel better all around. I think it will probably take about 2 weeks to start feeling the effects. Also I recommend a chiropractor if you havent already. As far as exercise I would say yoga, pilates and resistance bands. I hope you can get some relief soon.
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    If it is truly a diagnosed migraine, you shouldn't be able to get out of bed without a lot of prescription meds.


    See a doctor. It doesn't sound like migraines.

    You are mistaken. Migraines are a specific TYPE of headache, not an INTENSITY of headache. Without a description of the exact headache symptoms it's impossible to say they "don't sound like migraines."

    Agreed: my migraines can be completely pain-free, on rare occasions, but I go partially blind and can't speak clearly -- sounds like a stroke, I know, but it's definitely a migraine. However, migraine pain *does* tend to be more intense than other headaches, so it's not all wrong.

    I have to say, though, that I get both migraines and cluster headaches, and I would take the migraine ANY day.
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
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    wow, good on you for wanting to find a way around this.

    I sometimes suffer horrible throbbing headaches and kind of just alternate between lying in bed and vomiting and trying desperately to keep my painkillers down. On the pain scale of 1-10 I put them at 9... a surgeon stabbing an open, infected wound with no local anaesthetic is a 7. But often a dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen plus sleep is enough to calm them.

    I spent the last two years injured and unable to use my core or legs much at all, so some of what I did probably can apply to you. I was able to stop the weight gain, but did not end up finding a way to start losing.

    1. focus on creating your calorie defecit through diet, so that when you truly cannot exercise, you do not need to.
    2. short walks DO count. I took 3 ten minute walks per day.
    3. slow training with light arm weights or resistance bands may be something you can do slow enough without increasing your heart rate
    4. pilates-style bed leg exercises use gravity as resistance
    5. stationary bike...if you have the capacity to do it even slowly for a long time, it can burn a reasonable amount of cals.

    I also bought a wii to try to get my blood pumping through arm cardio.... extremely hard and fairly unsuccessful, but better than zero. Might not be an option for you though.

    If long walks are and option, they also have the potential to burn a lot.

    However, on a diet-based calorie deficit there is no dire need to work out, so I would suggest focussing on that. I only put on weight because i refused to eat less because if i ate less I would be hungry.

    Best of luck - I am so sorry to hear about your condition. I've often wondered how chronic migrane sufferers function. I only get bouts of bad headaches and i am grateful for that! Add me if you want.
  • Songbirdy
    Songbirdy Posts: 41 Member
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    In my high-school years And until my second child's birth (8yrs), I had doctor diagnosed migraines. As in I just wasn't saying they were. For me it was 5 years modified diet plus 2x's per week Bowen treatment for 1 year, bi-weekly for the next year, and 1nc per month after that for 2 years, and now I get maybe three debilitating migraine headaches a year. It has been 7-8 years since my last treatment.

    For exercise I'd get bands for stretching on days struck in bed. Yoga and pilates based routines based on a exercise ball for more mobile days. The ball will provide support. Slow workouts are fine and these will improve your core and the controlled breathing will help the migraine.

    I also found relief with biofeedback training. And a technique of putting my feet right over a bucket of boiling water and an ice pack on my neck.

    My naturopath, who administered the Bowen treatments also broke down my migraines into three types with three root causes. I now monitor these. When I now get a migraine I can usually tie it too ones of them.

    I sincerely hope you can find relief!
  • quink77
    quink77 Posts: 91
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    I am so, so glad I found this! I've had a daily headache since I was 15 and migraines a few times a month since my children were born. I started exercising regularly in January (for a few different reasons, not just headache relief) but I've found that, more often than not, the workout makes increases the intensity of the headache. Especially cardio. I've been doing a lot of yoga and Pilates workouts. But some days that leaves me feeling the need for more intensity.
    I'm hoping someone will encourage me to power through because it will get better! (Lie to me if you must! :wink:)

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