Migraines after a workout?

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ballen2013
ballen2013 Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello there!

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar. I have noticed that if I take a day or two off from working out (usually 30 mins on the elliptical) that I get an immediate headache right after. Starts out light but then by the next morning it is a full on migraine. I make sure to drink water during my workout and then have a full glass of water after. Does anyone know why this might be happening and how to avoid it?

Thanks a lot!

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  • bfinup
    bfinup Posts: 47
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    Happens to me a lot usually the night or day after a long run when it's really hot... I find that I have to drink a ton more water than normal
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
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    I would say to be sure you are well hydrated all the time. Heat can do that to me; if you are working out at home, look at a fan to keep your temp down.

    Afterthought, warming up-cooling down might also help.
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
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    Also stress and holding your neck and shoulders differently or tight could cause a tension headache/migraine.

    Sometimes for me, clenching my jaw due to stress or whatever can cause a migraine.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
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    Thank you for this topic. I have had a mild virus for around a week, so didn't exercise for a couple, three days. When I did, on Wednesday, the next day I had the first real migraine since I started this program. I have been on it over six weeks, and doing well!

    Now, it's after midnight, so Sunday, and the headache continues. A real bad siege. (I was diagnosed by a neurologist last year using an MRI.)

    I am now afraid to return to exercise, but I went over the red line today!

    I will workout on my indoor bike as soon as possible, and drink A LOT before and after.

    After reading this, I realize I may have been dehydrated. And I probably pushed too hard. Right now, I cannot exercise: I am in serious pain and have nausea. I am also on antibiotics.

    After continuous success, this is very dispiriting.

    How long after a serious headache and illness do you go back? And any other related advice would be appreciated.


    I don't want to quit!

    All the best. (Oh, anyone who suffers from migraine is most welcome to friend me.)
  • mcclellan82
    mcclellan82 Posts: 18
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    Ah good ol' migraines. I suffer from barometric migraines, which is super annoying. I will def skip a workout day if I am suffering from one because of the medications I have to take for the severe ones.
    I see a neurologist who has been tracking my more exercised triggered headaches/migraines. They started out as what seemed as cluster type of headaches, but gradually got worse and more intense. So it turns out for me, if my bp goes anything above about 160 ish it will push me into a migraine every time. I have also learned that if I do work outs that are 30mins or less...or 10-20min increments throughout the day I do better. Everyone is different, and its very frustrating, but I am learning to deal with it.
    Hope you have relief soon <3
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Hello there!

    I was wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar. I have noticed that if I take a day or two off from working out (usually 30 mins on the elliptical) that I get an immediate headache right after. Starts out light but then by the next morning it is a full on migraine. I make sure to drink water during my workout and then have a full glass of water after. Does anyone know why this might be happening and how to avoid it?

    Thanks a lot!

    Yup, I was super low on magnesium.

    What happens is that I sweat a lot when I'm at maximal effort. It leads to quickly imbalancing my system, I can drink a lot, but I'm still imbalanced, and that manifests as a migraine.

    I have found through about 6 years of experimentation, that supplementing 450mg+ daily, has completely killed off all migraines.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
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    mcclellan82 wrote: »
    Ah good ol' migraines. I suffer from barometric migraines, which is super annoying. I will def skip a workout day if I am suffering from one because of the medications I have to take for the severe ones.
    I see a neurologist who has been tracking my more exercised triggered headaches/migraines. They started out as what seemed as cluster type of headaches, but gradually got worse and more intense. So it turns out for me, if my bp goes anything above about 160 ish it will push me into a migraine every time. I have also learned that if I do work outs that are 30mins or less...or 10-20min increments throughout the day I do better. Everyone is different, and its very frustrating, but I am learning to deal with it.
    Hope you have relief soon <3

    I didn't see these replies 'till now. (It doesn't tell you when there are replies to a thread to which you have contributed.) Thank you. My migraine turned into Status Migraine, and I was ill all last summer. It was a nightmare. I went off of MFP, got my strength back during the autumn and over the holidays, and went back on it in January. In the past year, since I started, I have lost 14 pounds - didn't gain during the time I was ill. I am more than halfway towards the goal.

    I don't want to jinx this run of good luck, but I am taking my exercise VERY carefully - I won't add more time until I am totally comfortable and not worn out - I wait until I hit a plateau until I go for more time. The effort is just what I feel comfortable doing: I follow the rule that you should be able to talk while you bike or power-walk. (I don't run; it's tough on the joints.)

    I haven't taken magnesium supplements although I might, but what I did do during the siege is to kick diet sodas and ALL artificial sweeteners. In other words, if I want a cookie, I eat a real cookie and log it. I just try to keep disciplined and not eat rich desserts or soda pop. (I drink iced tea instead of diet soda now.) When I would exercise last year, I drank around 3 cans of diet soda before, during, and after the exercise session - as though it were water! I treated it like water because it had no calories and no caffeine. Boy, was I wrong. It causes withdrawal symptoms, including headache, but I did it, and I'm glad!

    rjm

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