Migraine

Looking for some input here... I'll start with a little background (which if you've read my other posts... you might have figured out that my gift is making a short story long...) Before my head pain started, quite suddenly, I was SUPER active. At the gym, or working out at home 5+ times a week, martial arts for 6 hours a week on top of that. I had never been more active before in my life, and I loved it. I was right in the midst of training for my brown belt, which in our school is the most physically demanding belt test. I was lovin' life... and when the headache pain basically ended all my physical activity. I tried to keep up with some of it for a while, but in the end it was clear I couldn't.

I recently decided I really didn't want this to control so much of my life... my MA class really isn't an option anymore because I feel it's doing too much damage to my joints, so I thought I'd get back to the gym. The problem is, I went three weekends in a row. First week, no problems--I loved it, felt good to get back in the saddle... the next two weeks I came home and promptly got HORRIBLE migraines (quite sure that's exactly what they were, even if I don't know what if migraines are what my constant problem is). I went again, but had to shorten my workout considerably, then took an abortive, drank a ton of water and just laid in the downstairs exercise room for 30 minutes or so. I felt as if I was on the verge of one for about 2 hours and just kept guzzling water and avoiding all sunlight (things I felt might have been factors before) but I felt paranoid! It also didn't really feel like a workout really... I didn't get my heart rate up, work up a sweat...

I'm dying to get back to the gym--but not at so great a cost!! Both of the previous weekends I tried out other abortives--of course, once I got home and was in the throes of pain... not that I'm sure they would have worked if I tried them earlier... not that I'm sure the Relpax worked (or if I managed to stave it off with water/not full exerting myself) Thoughts? I read that blood pressure is a factor with exercise induced migraines... I have VERY low blood pressure... I am almost always 100/60... if that matters... I try my best to stay hydrated, always drink water when I work out, and I usually use an elliptical, as it's easier on my knees than running...

Candace, I worked at a gym as a fitness instructor for at least four years and practically lived there. Even during all four of my pregnancies I was the oddly shaped woman at the gym trying to reach my physical goals.

Although I've had migraines for years, recently I've not made it to the gym for the same reasons you mentioned in your post. I was thinking yoga would be a good start back.

I'm sure others will probably have better suggestions for you, but it's a start.

Liz

Hi Liz!

Thanks for the response. I'm pretty much forbidden from yoga... over-stretching causes some pretty serious problems for me, although I can do Pilates if I focus more on strengthening than I do stretching. (I'm hypermobile) My problem ends up being that I live a little rural town with one semi-real gym (not really real) and the Pilates class isn't an option for me at 8:30-9:30 (I work!) So I have thought about doing some videos at home, but it's hard to get the motivation together! Plus, what I really miss is the adrenaline rush!!

Candace- I can relate. I've been a runner for a considerable number of years, and have had to cut back because of my migraines. What has worked for me has been on certain days taking a frova 1/2 hour before I go running- I don't know what kind of abortives you take, but you might try taking them before your workout instead of after. Obviously, you can't always do this, but it may give you a few days of "relief". Personally, I don't care for Pilates either- I like the endorphin rush of getting my heart beat up-it's a stress reliever for me. It's been hard for me to give up one of the few things I enjoy for these stupid headaches - so I really can relate to your frustration!

Valerie

Hi Valerie,

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely try that. I've been trying different abortives... and haven't felt really confident so far in whether or not they were effective, just because I didn't know if I was trying them soon enough, or if I took them earlier, was I actually staving off a migraine, or was this just the bad day that I was going to have anyways (since I'm in constant pain).

I've re-read the article on MOH and maybe someone can clarify for me a couple of things... first off, I have some Naproxen 500mg that my neuro gave me to take in the place of Darvocet, and I realize that this can cause MOH (I didn't want to take it regularly in the first place to protect my stomach!) just as a triptan or something like Darvocet. Does it do so just as easily?

Secondly, if I were to discover that I could work out with no ill effects if I were to take EITHER Naproxen or Relpax beforehand. Could I then, switch off and then work out 5 days a week again since I would only be using each of those drugs 2-3 times a week? Or is that not how it works?

I think that naproxen can cause MOH as easily as anything else. I'm to take 1,100mg of naproxen with my Imitrex as an abortive. My doctor and I didn't talk about separating them. But I'm limited to 3 days a week on the abortives.

I hope Teri will chime in on this topic. She used to have daily migraines, and took triptans and painkillers. I think I remember her saying that she could take triptans two days a week and painkillers two days a week, and she had to suffer untreated the other 3 days a week. It was in a post, not an article, and I can't tell you a good way to search for it. Perhaps use "medication overuse headache" or "rebound."

Gretchen in Mississippi

Hi Gretchen,

I think I will repost my question elsewhere... since I'm also totally changing the subject of my original question... I'm still looking for ideas as to how to get back to the gym and enjoy some raised heart rate! Thanks!