Migraine Sufferers - Please Read

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  • HoosierMomma1
    HoosierMomma1 Posts: 76 Member
    i usually can't work out with a migraine ... either my head hurts or my body is too tired from the effects of the triptans

    depending how the type and dosage of the medication, it could be rebound headaches. at least that was my issue before going on triptans

    Exactly- once the I tired or maxalt start working, the pain is better but I'm left so exhausted its difficult to exercise.I can't think of anything low impact that I would suggest except maybe walking
    Theresa
  • marigold8g
    marigold8g Posts: 51 Member
    I have also suffered from migraines for ages-that got progressively worse to the point where I went on a preventative just to cope with daily life (and my young kids!)
    Then that stopped working as well...
    I also had IBS-D and had tried going gluten-free to see if it would help that-well it didn't help my ibs-d but it *did* help my migraines!!
    I definitely recommend trying the cutting out of gluten for sure.... I still get migraines but not nearly as often.

    Also if I have one, but have taking medicine so it's not *too* horrible, I can go on my recbant bike and it actually helps while I'm on it (I don't go really fast but still!) sometimes it feels worse when I get off though....
    I hope you find some relief soon!!
  • SandyMilton
    SandyMilton Posts: 130
    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.

    Be so very careful with fiorinal/butalbitol - When I was first "officially" diagnosed with migraines by a neurologist, it was from one of the worst episodes in my life. That was the drug I was prescribed and it worked WONDERFULLY! I started getting migraines more often, and more often until I started having low grade migraines almost daily. That is the "addicting" quality of the drug - apparently my brain/body loved the fact that it could dissipate my migraine like a charm, it apparently loved whatever else it did that it started this rebound effect to keep giving me more and more migraines. I had the most migraines of my life when I was on that drug.

    Fast forward to recent years - one drug that seemed to work perfectly for me was Midrin. Sadly they discontinued it. I don't know why and honestly didn't really look into it. I was just the most concerned over finding something that would work.

    Today, I keep Excedrin migraine on hand to always take at the first sign of any headache, and if the headache doesn't let up in about 2 hours (if I have the luxury of the time), I'll take an Imitrex. It does work, just not as well for me. It makes me a little more nauseus than I already am, and just really feeling like crap so I'll go lay down. Oddly enough, the migraine does not go away wen I'm laying down. I'll actually "give up" and get back up in a couple hours.... THEN it starts to fade. I don't get it really.... I'm not really looking into any other drugs, because 95 percent of the time the Excedrin will work. I now get migraines once every few (6+ weeks), and REALLY bad ones maybe once every few months.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Back to the original question about exercise though - out of all the ideas shown, the one I could seriously envision myself doing is a recumbent bike, dark room, put "blinders" on my eyes, and an ice pad around my neck/shoulders.
  • CharliSue
    CharliSue Posts: 81
    I have gotten migraines since I was a child. Mostly from being just a little overheated. I always say that my internal thermostat is broken. I do have a script for meds but I tend to try my best to avoid getting one in the first place. One thing I can tell you is when I have one I feel like I am literally about to die. Most of the time when I have a migraine I am in tears, throwing up or knocked out. The absolute last thing on my mind would be exercise.
  • emmaonamission
    emmaonamission Posts: 117
    I'm having the same problem recently, and I get visual disturbances with my migraines so when that happens I just can't stand exercising. Though recently I exercised through it (no visual stuff though, I can't see properly when that happens and I don't think it'd be advisable to exercise through that!) and felt a bit better for doing that and for drinking loads of water. It sucks though, and I know everyone suffers differently from migraines - just wanted to wish you luck and hope that you feel good whatever you choose to do!
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Re exercise possibilities, how about a FitDesk? I use one at work. There's no impact, no jarring, and you could do it in low-light quiet room to reduce pain from light and noise. Look on Amazon if you're unfamiliar with FitDesk. I love mine!

    Re the migraines, after decades I finally got a great doctor who figured out what was causing mine and helped me find solutions. In my case gluten and dairy were causing about 95% of my nearly constant migraine symptoms. I couldn't believe it! But eliminating those foods has made a huge difference for me. The few migraines I get now are hormonally triggered, and doctor gave me some ways to deal with those too. So now I can almost always stop it at the *headache* level instead of being slammed into full-blown migraine mode.

    Hope you can find similar help.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    I would second (or third) the suggestion of gluten-free diet. It is the only thing that has helped my dad with his, and I know a lot of other people online who have had the same experience. Let me know if you need any help or suggestions. There is also a gluten-free group here.

    I am vegetarian, grain-free, dairy-free and the only migraines that I get now are hormonal.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    I haven't had a migraine since I had my heart fixed last June, but I did get them frequently for over twenty years, though not as frequent as you OP. I couldn't imagine doing any exercise that required any kind of jumping around. I agree that you should look into yoga. There is a yoga workout on netflix called Candlelight Yoga that is really relaxing and not super intense. What about swimming? Indoors the echo may be too much and outdoors the sunlight may be too much, but it may be worth looking at.

    Thru a minor stroke, they found the 3mm hole in my heart. I went 6 months migraine free post surgery and thought I was M free after 40 yrs. Once i came off the plavix they came back:ohwell:

    Last year I had a nerve ablasion at c4/5 which did something to the occipital nerve, causing my first 2 month long migraine:sick: I thought once a month or 2 was bad. How you all do it for 3-4 days a week...........well hugs is all I can say. The dr said I could have botox injections (boy at 50 and recently divorced that was tempting:bigsmile: ) but couldnt bring myself to get them.

    As to OP question. I find that when I first start up exercise after a hiatus I get a migraine the first few times. The neuro said it has to do with the chemicals released from high heart beat. Then after a few times the Elliptical is the one for me. Also, I find that I keep my HR in the fat burn zone, it helps a LOT.

    I have been working my way out of nitrates and MSG, and now just read some awesome stuff about GF on a M forum. I am doing it! Funny not one doctor, and I too have seen every kind imaginable, as far as the Cardiac Sx that swore I would never have another when the hole in my heart was fixed:brokenheart: (was the most disappointing)

    Will let you know if it helps.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    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.

    You would think, but not so much. Neurologist, Physiatrist, Chiropractor,Psychiatrist, Counseling,ER, Hospital overnight, Sleep Study, Orthopedic, GP of 30 yrs, Massage Tx, PT, nerve ablation, Occipital nerve block, Nutritionist, Podiatrist, Gastrologist, CT scan, MRI with contrast, MRA, Cervical MRI, Meds of every sort.

    I was sent home from 1st yr of highschool and expelled for taking LSD because I told the teacher I was seeing colors and could not stand up. I was having my first (remembered) aura migraine.

    Got an aura migraine yesterday from a hot shower. Still can't see right:ohwell:

    I am telling you, there is no answer for most of us. None. Not to be negative, but unless you have lived my life you cannot imagine what we go through trying to find answers.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I used to get chronic debilitating migraines with extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Turns out, it was a side effect of my congenital heart defect. Since I've been under treatment, I rarely get them.

    As far as exercise goes, I couldn't even open my eyes without excruciating pain during them so I never even tried to workout.

    I highly suggest talking to your doctor and having a physical done. Having headaches like that all the time is not normal.
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 559 Member
    If I'm at all able to function, light walking and yoga are all I can bear. If you have a stationary bike, that might be useful – you could close your eyes and rest your head on your arms, but still work out your legs.
  • ARMom8251
    ARMom8251 Posts: 194
    My sister-in-law had severe migraines for many years, and they couldn't find out what was causing them...ran every test you could think of before they decided she had celiacs....after she started eating gluten free is has been amazing how much she has changed..hardly an problems with migraines and no other health issues that she had prior to that. It was amazing the changes that it made!
  • Stefanie7125
    Stefanie7125 Posts: 462 Member
    I get migraines as well and I hate taking drugs, even prescription. I go to a chiropractor on a regular basis to keep them at bay and it works. I only get the really horrible ones about twice a year now. You may want to check into them! As far as exercise, I have no suggestions.
  • birdieintx
    birdieintx Posts: 298
    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.

    That's not at all true. I've been a migraine sufferer since I was a young teen. I get out of bed and funciton with them all the time. Otherwise how would I live my life. And I'm not on any prescriptions for them because the medicine makes me more incapcitated than the migraine. I've also found that cutting chemicals out of my diet and regular exercise has helped tremendously.

    To the OP, when I have migraines I find a pilates or yoga workout can actually help me feel better. It's not a huge calorie burn but it's something and it seems like it helps the headaches.
  • Halcyon3608
    Halcyon3608 Posts: 28 Member
    I suffered from almost daily migraines for about 6 years before I finally hauled my *kitten* into the doctor. I kept a headache diary for a little over a month before going in, and out of 35 days, only 5 of them were headache-free. You're not a girl, so you won't be able to regulate your hormones with a strong whack of birth control, but see if your doctor will put you on a daily preventative medication. I'm on 25 mg of nortriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant) every day and it's made a huge dent in my headaches. Now I only get a major migraine every few weeks or so, and the daily headaches are virtually eradicated. I take sumatriptan for the breakthrough migraines and it works within an hour, after which I feel kind of lethargic but perfectly capable of functioning.

    Also, one of my triggers is heat / warm weather, so I try to limit my exercise to cool times of the day, or else I exercise inside an air-conditioned building. The same may be a good idea for you.
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
    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. :)

    Since I've had them nearly 20 years, I've tried TONS of things: no caffeine (not even a drop) for 9 months, food allergies (a while ago, before "gluten free" was a common phrase), more sleep, less sleep, same sleep schedule 7 days/week, (I could go on and on).

    However, the one thing I haven't tried is gluten-free. I've actually considered trying this (and now I'm more likely to do so, now that I've heard a migraine success story about it). It kind of intimidates me, because EVERYTHING i LOVE to eat has gluten. Do you remember how long it took into the gluten-free diet to see results?

    Thanks!

    I haven't read past this post because I don't want to forget what I wanted to say, so I apologize if more has been discussed that I am not taking into account at this moment.

    Let me be another gluten free migraine person for you. I had also been having migraines - weekly for about 3 days per week. Some were accompanied by halos, some not. I had noticed my diet would affect them, but the neuro I had seen when my PCP first caught them (I just thought I was stressed or something and never thought about being a migraine pt until I was in for a yearly check up, she did the eye thing and I yelled at her for how bright her light was...) kind of dismissed the food thing. Later on I went in to the neuro and had a resident checking on me, but I had started trying to eat better (hi SoBe diet!) and my migraines weren't as bad/frequent. Follow up 6 mos later, fell off of eating better, migraines back, got put on topiramate (Topomax) and that didn't help much at all. Eventually I figured out I had a gluten sensitivity, from other health issues, about a month into being gf the migraines really subsided. Now, I have a migraine about every 6 weeks, sometimes longer between, but definitely not the weekly 3 day stint of awfulness. Last time I went to the neuro, the attending agreed that the gluten stuff can be related to migraines. I haven't been to the neuro in almost 2 years now since being gf has pretty much controlled the migraines. But that's me, so YMMV.

    So, hi, I'm Jessy and gluten free diet made my head better too.

    And for the working out, I couldn't work out when I had my headaches either. Definitely made them worse. Although sometimes I was able to work out when the painkillers had just started working. The increased bp with working out just excluded intense workouts for me, as well.
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
    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.

    You would think, but not so much. Neurologist, Physiatrist, Chiropractor,Psychiatrist, Counseling,ER, Hospital overnight, Sleep Study, Orthopedic, GP of 30 yrs, Massage Tx, PT, nerve ablation, Occipital nerve block, Nutritionist, Podiatrist, Gastrologist, CT scan, MRI with contrast, MRA, Cervical MRI, Meds of every sort.

    I was sent home from 1st yr of highschool and expelled for taking LSD because I told the teacher I was seeing colors and could not stand up. I was having my first (remembered) aura migraine.

    Got an aura migraine yesterday from a hot shower. Still can't see right:ohwell:

    I am telling you, there is no answer for most of us. None. Not to be negative, but unless you have lived my life you cannot imagine what we go through trying to find answers.

    Actually, I -am- a migraine suferer, and there -are- answers for -many- of us, and if a GP isn't helping, a neurologist is usually the next port of call. I'm lucky: a hormonal contraceptive helped a lot, and for me the aura develops before the pain, and I can actually largely head it off with a big whack of caffeine and paracetamol. Other people I know have wound up having anything from epilepsy drugs to surgery, and most have found a partial solution at least.
  • ralevin
    ralevin Posts: 131 Member
    Thank you to everyone who replied. While there were really only a few ideas for exercises I could do during a migraine (the original question), unfortunately those won't help. Swimming isn't an option, as I don't have access to a pool, and yoga I won't do because there's a yoga portion in the warm up for Power 90, and it triggered a migraine every time (the change in positions).
    I think I will try gluten free, though. Thank you all for that.
    And, just a few notes to "settle" some of the discussions (arguments??) that have come up throughout this thread: (Keep in mind, this is just my story about my migraines. These may or may not apply to other migraine sufferers.)
    1. They are migraines, as diagnosed by multiple NEUROLOGISTS.
    2. I've tried every classification of migraine meds, both for prevention and for treatment; none have helped.
    3. Migraines don't have to keep you from living your life. If every migraine I had kept me home, I'd probably be unemployed, divorced, and homeless. Life has to go on, pain or not.
    4. (Along the lines of number 3) - It is possible for me to exercise when I have a migraine. It usually makes it worse, but occasionally it helps. I understand that endorphins can be a natural pain killer, so I'm just looking for other ways to get those endorphins (through exercise) while not exacerbating the migraine.
    I think that's it. :-) Thanks again for all the advice.
  • FlynnMacCallister
    FlynnMacCallister Posts: 172 Member
    1. They are migraines, as diagnosed by multiple NEUROLOGISTS.

    Awesome -- but also awful that you haven't found an answer. : ( A lot of people don't go past the GP option, I wasn't sure in your case. I'm really glad to hear you've actually tried rather than going "wah wah wah I get migraines nothign I can do" ;p
    2. I've tried every classification of migraine meds, both for prevention and for treatment; none have helped.

    Have any of your neurologists given you a CAT scan during a migraine? I know a couple of people who actually ended up on epilepsy meds (off-label but apparently not totally uncommon use) for frequent migraines because of some characteristic thingies I don't actually understand....

    Has stationary biking been brought up? That's minimally head-jolting, can be done quite gently, and if you have one of your own, can also be done in a dark room if that helps you at all....
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    yoga!

    i have chronic headaches - mostly cervicogenic headaches, that were misdiagnosed as migraines for almost a year (which apparently happens often) -for a while i was getting them all day every day
    occasionally i get a migraine as well
    i've done a ton of research since i find doctors do not have a lot of information - you can gather much more from talking to people who actually have them
    if you ever want to discuss preventions & treatments let me know!
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
    I get migraines a couple times a month and I also have arthritis, so when I have those days when I am in a ton of pain I just do yoga. It always makes me feel better. Try to find a gentle yoga dvd, you can even find some on youtube that are specifically for migraines and just about every other ailment. It might not seem like a lot, but it's still exercise burning calories and muscle toning. Hope that helps :)
  • k0nfyo0zed
    k0nfyo0zed Posts: 313 Member
    i get migraines quite frequently - thank you mom. i would get them 3x-4x per week, maybe once or twice a week the whole shebang with the nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, shooting stars, feeling like my left eye was going to pop out, bad enough to make me stay in bed with a cold rag over my eyes until it goes away. the maxalt usually helps, if it doesn't then i know it's probably a tension headache which presents in a very similar fashion.

    however, since i started taking melatonin to help me sleep at night, the frequency of the migraines has gone down by a significant amount. you can get a bottle with 100 doses for like $5 at walmart in the vitamin and supplement section. i don't know if it's because i'm getting better sleep, or because of the melatonin... but i read that it helps.

    http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20040909/melatonin-may-help-prevent-migraines

    good luck to you... i know migraines are horrible things!
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    sorry didn't see your last post till after i replied

    try just exercising 10 minutes at a time

    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51909


    p.s. i know you said you get migraines when you do yoga but have you tried yoga once you have one? there are specific poses for headache relief- you can give that a try http://www.myyogaonline.com/about-yoga/yoga-anatomy/top-yoga-poses-for-headaches
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I'm thinking maybe the recumbent bike - you could put one in your house and just pedal away but relax back against the seat.

    Try gluten free. MOST people need to be off something for about a month before they see good results but it can take longer - give it a good solid try for 3 months and if you see no change then you can switch back.
  • happydays2525
    happydays2525 Posts: 109 Member
    Botox injections worked for me. I was in a study for them and my migraines improved greatly.
  • mkkloote
    mkkloote Posts: 1
    Ralevin - I am currently in the same boat...this past week (Thursday and Friday) I spent Thursday night into Friday morning in the ER, my headache went away with 2mg of Dilaudid intramuscular, then it came back less than eight hours later, and I spent 3 hours of Friday afternoon in Urgent Care where I received 1.5mg of Dilaudid and 1 liter of fluids IV.

    I'm also VERY frustrated with the weight issue...before I started getting migraines (15 years ago) I was the person everyone hated...I was naturally skinny and could eat basically anything and not gain an ounce. Then when I got migraines the weight slowly started adding up. Vigorous exercise triggers headaches in me sometimes, and I was sort of desperate as well. I see these "studies" saying that weight gain causes migraines, and that migraine sufferers are just lazy people who need to get off their butts, but if these "researchers" ever had a migraine, they would realize that migraines are the culprit of weight gain.

    I see a headache specialist in Philadelphia, and told her about how I want to lose weight, but too much exertion triggers headaches, and she said walking and yoga. So I walk 30 minutes every day, and have been for about the last twp weeks. I'd like to lose about 50 pounds, so only being able to walk and do yoga is making me crazy...since I started with my fitness pal, I've only lost 1 pound in the last two weeks.

    Even though walking is low impact, it is touted as one of the best exercises for cardiovascular health. Another thing I'm doing is calorie counting...luckily this program makes calorie counting easy.

    As my neurologist tell me, I have to be patient....I'm not going to have to settle for slow weight loss. One thing that comforts me is that by reading this thread, I discovered I'm not the only person in this situation.
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