Migrane onset on long climbs

aridShrub said:

Any advise for migrane sufferers? I've had some pretty bad episodes with a pattern of being set off by hill climbs, and some on pretty easy hills. A typical ride might be 40 miles with 3000 ft. total climb.

Once the migrane hits, I'm pretty well screwed, so I'm looking for prevention ideas (I resort to Imitrex injectable on bad espisodes).

Any other migrane sufferers? Has anyone else experienced sudden onset during hill climbs?

AridShrub

I guess my first question is are you sure it's "migraine"? I know, sounds stupid question but I suffer from 2 types of headaches -- migraines and another headache related to uncontrolled high blood pressure. Both hurt like hell but only the migraine has the visual disturbances etc. Does this "climbing headache" feel like, react like your other migraines? If not and there's an appreciable difference in the things other than pain, then maybe a consult with your doctor is in order. I know when my blood pressure is gone to hell in a handbasket, it doesn't take much to set off the pounding headache with very little physical exertion.

My resting BP is normal (125/80) but can't rule out that it shoots up on those hills. Once the migrane (or headache?) hits, it is with me for about a week or so, and I do get visual auras. But your suggestion is a good one, I have a somewhat portable BP machine that will fit in my backpack, so if I get an attack, I can pull over and check it out. Might get some funny looks but so it goes.

I did a 30 mile ride today with lots of hills and thankfully no new incidents. I did have some minor pain from a severe attack last Monday, and it was more noticable climbing, but still not very bad.

I'm not going to let this stop me from riding.

AridShrub

How long have you been riding, or been working out? I noticed that when I was not working out for long periods of time (months, or longer) when I jumped back into a sport and went all out, I started to get the visual aura's which are connected to migraines (sometimes with or without the intense pain). Some of the research I did lent that when your body is subjected to a lot of intense work out (and it's not used to it), the migranes couldbe triggered by the hormones and other chemicals that are flooding the body.

So, if your just starting out and have not been as active, maybe your overdoing it initially and you need to push yourself less in the beginning until your body is ready.