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One of the worst days of my life

Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
#whitepeopleproblems up ahead

This has been the third ride in a row that has been immediately followed by a debillitating migraine headache. My migraines start with a full vision-impairing aura followed by a massive headache that wrecks me for about 6 hours, followed by 3 days of general head-y achey-ness. I hadn't had one in like 15 years and then recently they popped up again. I don't know what to do, it doesn't appear to be hydration or nutrition related, one ride was overcast the other was bright. I don't really know what else it could be. Has anybody encountered anything like this? I don't want to quit riding.
 
StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
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Try a night ride in cooler temps and with less sensory overload. I don't get similar symptoms when riding but I can get *very* sick when skiing.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
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When I was getting migraines, my doc told me most of them were diet related. I never really found my trigger but he gave me a prescription for Imitrex which, if I took it at the first sign, was like magic - it would kill the headache within 30 minutes and my migraine hangover was usually limited to just a little "yuckiness" the next morning.

I can't imagine it's specific to riding - do you run or swim or do any other extended athletic activity?
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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do you have any food allergies? regular allergies that are acting up? can you think of anything that's different these rides from previous ones?

is your helmet too tight? (no really, i had a bumpin headache post ride once because the adjustable retaining strap thing on the back of the helmet was too tight).
 
DaveW

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
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Also have you thought about body position while riding?
I used to get killer headaches from riding, made some changes to bike setup and largely fixed the problem.
 
jdcamb

jdcamb

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Feb 17, 2002
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Heparin treatment and TBI rehab have helped. But I still get pretty strong headaches when I ride or go anaerobic. Hot sunny days just kill me. I run blank tape sometimes.
 
4130biker

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
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Maybe just give yourself a few days with extra rest and hydration to see if your body can "reset" what it's pissed about. A nap in a dark room plus ibuprofen usually makes mine go away. Also, getting the ibuprofen down before the aura goes away can stem the headache portion altogether for me if you haven't tried that.
Finally, were you caffeinated to your normal levels on the days that this happened? My doctor told me withdrawal can trigger a migraine, though I've never directly linked that to my own experience. Caffeine withdrawal just triggers "run of the mill" headaches in me.
Migraines are nuts, because the exact triggers are mysterious to me, but I have found that very high levels of exertion can bring one on. Good luck man!
 
eric strt6

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
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I used to get those. Turns out I had a cracked root in an upper molar that led to the sinus and facial nerve. gels and electrolyte drinks caused bacteria to bloom and cause inflammation around the nerve triggering a migraine. dentist found it with an xray. yanked the tooth. no migraines last 10 years.
 
W

wiscodh

Monkey
Jun 21, 2007
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eric strt6 said:
I used to get those. Turns out I had a cracked root in an upper molar that led to the sinus and facial nerve. gels and electrolyte drinks caused bacteria to bloom and cause inflammation around the nerve triggering a migraine. dentist found it with an xray. yanked the tooth. no migraines last 10 years.
Click to expand...
make sure to write a review of your dentist experience on the internets!
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
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I get migraines occasionally (with auras similar to yours). Mine are triggered by an intolerance to fluorescent lighting (Sucks since I work in public schools that use it as their sole light source.) and sudden bright light or strobe lighting, who knows what else. I've taken imitrex and maxalt in the past and now I manage them without either. When I get the aura, I drink a full glass of water with extra strength rapid release tylenol and then I make sure to take in some caffeine immediately. Then I put on my darkest shades and prepare for the pain or shut myself in my walk-in closet and sleep it off. Mine make me sick to my stomach too :(

I hope you can figure out the trigger and control them!
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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Haha, thanks for the derps of encouragement.

Let's see...I did get a new helmet but it doesn't feel too tight. I have gotten migraines with both my old and gnu helmet.
I don't have any food allergies. My rides are usually around a non-food heavy timepoint, like breakfast or mid morning. I had pancakes one time and eggs/bacon another. I've gotten them totally isolated from food in the past.
I don't believe it's positioning as I've ridden multiple positions on the bike comfortably. Road bike, mountain, etc.
I'm not german.
I do plan on seeing a doctor to make sure it's nottatumah and get some imitrex/malox/vicodin/lobotomy. I've used imitrex in the past but it didn't really work all that well, this was 17 years ago though.

Right now my only guess is that it's from being fat and lazy, and pretending I'm not fat and lazy. It looks like that combo can trigger migraines. I'll probably start trying to build my base level of fitness up with a slow shuffle/yog a few days a week, and see if that translates?
 
HardtailHack

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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Don't you have a newborn, give it up for adoption? Lack of sleep, exercise and bad diet that go with a lack of sleep could do it?

I go from a good diet to energy drinks and nothing but carbs overnight and after about two weeks I'll develop a solid eye twitch and some nice short sharp headaches on the left side of my forehead, also gives me joint pain until I start sleeping and eating properly.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
I eat pretty normally/compared to what I did a year ago. The kiddo doesn't really contribute to lack of sleep, though I do get up earlier because of her.

Definitely lack of exercise though. I do stuff way less than back then too. Stuff is hard with a kid
 
HardtailHack

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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Sandwich said:
I eat pretty normally/compared to what I did a year ago. The kiddo doesn't really contribute to lack of sleep, though I do get up earlier because of her.

Definitely lack of exercise though. I do stuff way less than back then too. Stuff is hard with a kid
Click to expand...
If you eat a "normal" Murican diet that could be your problem, you people are freaks!
 
jdcamb

jdcamb

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Feb 17, 2002
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Nobody ever thinks its poisoning. Did you perhaps compliment your GF's best friend? Perhaps you had a clandestine conversation about her breasts or how awesome her ass looks in those Pink Sweatpants? Then your GF started to get jealous and began poisoning you with something you consume after a ride. How have you been getting along? Has the frequency of fellatio fallen off lately? Do you know any cops or someone who can perform a toxicology test and not let your GF find out?
 
ICEBALL585

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
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We're you riding a 29er? If so, then maybe it was your brain trying to grasp why anyone would think that 29ers are better.
 
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