Headaches after skiing

[Doug Briggs]

No offense to anyone who needs these medications but who comes up with the names?

I was thinking the same thing. I'm imagining the chemical names thrown in blender and spewed out randomly.

 

[palikona]

I'm still using Aimovig monthly. Dropped off it for 2 months when COVID went through the house and efficacy went back up after that break. Been on it since March but I'm going to have to switch in January. My insurance is dropping it and picking up Emgality so I'll give that a try when we're back over our out of pocket max. When it's pay to play (copay like 20%) I just roll with the sumatriptan because it works well enough after an hour when they hit. But, Aimovig is the only thing in over 20 years that actually worked WELL to prevent them. I hope Emgality does too but not all that optimistic. Not paying $600+ a month for either though..

Where do they give you a shot? Any side effects? One thing I’d worry about is if you do have side effects, you’ll have to deal with them for a month…or maybe not?

 

[KingGrump]

No offense to anyone who needs these medications but who comes up with the names?

Ever Wonder How Drugs Are Named? Read On | Pfizer

IBRANCE. Xeljanz. Sildenafil. Viagra. Most Americans have heard of at least one of those drug names. But where do those monikers come from? Is it scientific? Metaphorical? Both?

www.pfizer.com

 

[crgildart]

Where do they give you a shot? Any side effects? One thing I’d worry about is if you do have side effects, you’ll have to deal with them for a month…or maybe not?

Tiny needle injector pin subcutaneous in the thigh. Side effects from the sumatriptan pills (sleeplessness, wired feeling) are worse than the monthly injection.

 

[Uncle-A]

One question for the OP do any of the products you eat or drink contain artificial sweeteners? I have heard that these can be a trigger for migraines. It might be a good thing to do away with anything that has artificial sweeteners and see if that helps.

 

[palikona]

One question for the OP do any of the products you eat or drink contain artificial sweeteners? I have heard that these can be a trigger for migraines. It might be a good thing to do away with anything that has artificial sweeteners and see if that helps.

Good thought. None that I can think of though.

 

[nightingale]

Good thought. None that I can think of though.

Nuun has Stevia but artificial sweeteners are not actually a very common migraine trigger. However, when you're doing something as strenuous as skiing, having sugar in your sports drinks is a refuel necessity (and can assist in preventing headaches, though that doesn't seem to be your problem) so you should probably switch to something with glucose in it at least half of the time. Electrolytes need carbs to be absorbed properly not to mention carbs being our bodies main source of energy and you need them to ski your best.

Anyway, for the question at hand: as someone who spent five years trying to figure out why I was getting migraines after exercising (annoying because I'm a professional athlete), most of the stuff that is being thrown at you is not very common or would cause symptoms when not skiing. The most common things that can cause headaches with skiing specifically would be lots of pressure on the head (helmet, goggles), hydration or not eating enough (seems you've thought that through but might wanna look at your carb intake), and the elevation. The last one is unfortunate because you can't do anything about it.

 

[Sibhusky]

I did end up with a headache per usual, the afternoon of the day after exertion,

Like Palikona, I'm getting the migraine THE NEXT DAY. So, doubtful if it's dehydration or altitude. As soon as I walk in the door I'm getting a late lunch and some beverage, plus dinner later, and I have water next to both my chair and my bed. And the altitude is no longer an issue as I'll have been back down to my living altitude for 18 hours or so. I guess a decrease in electrolytes is possible, but apparently the two meals before the migraine arrives aren't enough to fix this.

For myself at least, exertion just in and of itself, is a trigger. I'll get migraines in the off season if I do anything that makes my heart pound hard. Not while it's happening, but the next day. Walking the dog up a hill, carrying planters around, doing a lot of stooping and standing.

 

[palikona]

Nuun has Stevia but artificial sweeteners are not actually a very common migraine trigger. However, when you're doing something as strenuous as skiing, having sugar in your sports drinks is a refuel necessity (and can assist in preventing headaches, though that doesn't seem to be your problem) so you should probably switch to something with glucose in it at least half of the time. Electrolytes need carbs to be absorbed properly not to mention carbs being our bodies main source of energy and you need them to ski your best.

Anyway, for the question at hand: as someone who spent five years trying to figure out why I was getting migraines after exercising (annoying because I'm a professional athlete), most of the stuff that is being thrown at you is not very common or would cause symptoms when not skiing. The most common things that can cause headaches with skiing specifically would be lots of pressure on the head (helmet, goggles), hydration or not eating enough (seems you've thought that through but might wanna look at your carb intake), and the elevation. The last one is unfortunate because you can't do anything about it.

So I should add that I get these exertion headaches at my home altitude of Denver as well. For instance, if I do an hour long road bike, the same thing will happen.
Are you getting these headaches still or have you found a solution?

 

[palikona]

Like Palikona, I'm getting the migraine THE NEXT DAY. So, doubtful if it's dehydration or altitude. As soon as I walk in the door I'm getting a late lunch and some beverage, plus dinner later, and I have water next to both my chair and my bed. And the altitude is no longer an issue as I'll have been back down to my living altitude for 18 hours or so. I guess a decrease in electrolytes is possible, but apparently the two meals before the migraine arrives aren't enough to fix this.

For myself at least, exertion just in and of itself, is a trigger. I'll get migraines in the off season if I do anything that makes my heart pound hard. Not while it's happening, but the next day. Walking the dog up a hill, carrying planters around, doing a lot of stooping and standing.

You and I seem very similar! Has this happened to you all your life, where you get a migraine from your heart pounding hard? Or more recent?
For me, it’s been the last two years. I never had these symptoms before that.

 

[nightingale]

So I should add that I get these exertion headaches at my home altitude of Denver as well. For instance, if I do an hour long road bike, the same thing will happen.
Are you getting these headaches still or have you found a solution?

Okay, yes this will be a bit more complex then since it's all activity. More carbs helps a lot (has been the solution for most of my athlete friends too, carbs are so so so necessary and society loves to demonize them), especially because you seem to be pretty active. One hour is a long time, contrary to popular belief. Most sports dieticians will recommend anything over or equal to 60 minutes be fueled with carbs during the exercise and anything shorter should be fueled directly before and after.

After implementing proper nutrition and hydration, I only get headaches that have obvious triggers. I'm a figure skater which is a sport with a lot of spinning. If I spin too long, I get a headache. Because of this, I have a limit on the spinning I can do before moving onto practicing something else. When I'm in the gym, I get headaches from the pressure of the barbell doing heavy back squats (lighter ones are fine but there is no point in doing that). I modified my form so that the bar is a bit lower and the problem was lessened. Or I just do front squats but they kinda scare me so I prefer not to. Basically what I'm getting at is find your triggers and try to eliminate them. And don't worry about cutting out any foods unless nothing else has worked. Generally thats not a trigger of an exertion headache. If I gotta do something that I know is a trigger, I just take a painkiller beforehand. Find the one that works best for you. For me it's tylenol but it seems most people I know prefer advil.

Remember for finding triggers: nutrition/hydration, any pressure on the head, and the mechanics of the exercise are the common ones.

 

[nightingale]

Oh and see a chiropractor if you can. It's unlikely that there's an issue there but it's good for your back anyway.

 

[Sibhusky]

You and I seem very similar! Has this happened to you all your life, where you get a migraine from your heart pounding hard? Or more recent?
For me, it’s been the last two years. I never had these symptoms before that.

In the last three years it's started to affect my skiing, but it started maybe ten years back for my gardening which in spring involves carrying heavy planters around each day for 4-6 days. Exertion isn't the only trigger, pressure changes over a certain amount (up or down) are as well, especially if humidity is over 80%.

I've had migraines for close to 50 years and I no sooner identify one trigger and eliminate it than there seems to be yet another. I can't have red wine, hoppy beer (I try to check IBU's if I succumb to temptation, as I occasionally do), or too much chocolate, or almonds. I'm starting to think bacon and onions might be triggers as well. All of these things except the almonds have been tough to give up.

Denver, by the way, causes me to have 7% more likelihood to get a migraine.

 

[applecart]

My migraines are triggered by the usual stuff - bad dehydration, barometric pressure changes, some red wines - but mostly it's allergies like leaf molds in the fall and pollen in the spring. Might be something to think about. Maybe that is one of your triggers. I take Advil Sinus (which doesn't have speed in it) and that really helps.

 

[nightingale]

Denver, by the way, causes me to have 7% more likelihood to get a migraine.

One time I landed in Denver and both me and my mother had a migraine the next morning. And for the rest of the week there it continued. Wasn't doing anything different than usual. In face I was exerting my body less.

I wonder if Denver is a common migraine trigger haha.

 

[Sibhusky]

My migraines are triggered by the usual stuff - bad dehydration, barometric pressure changes, some red wines - but mostly it's allergies like leaf molds in the fall and pollen in the spring. Might be something to think about. Maybe that is one of your triggers. I take Advil Sinus (which doesn't have speed in it) and that really helps.

I take Zyrtec 365 days a year. Had allergy testing done and all the stuff is part of living in the woods. Ask me if I want to move.

 

[applecart]

Wow! The weird thing for me is that I live in Chicago and when I go up to the northern parts of MN, WI or MI, my allergies go away. Could be all the crap in the air here, too.
I'll trade ya! Looks like heaven where you are.

 

[palikona]

In the last three years it's started to affect my skiing, but it started maybe ten years back for my gardening which in spring involves carrying heavy planters around each day for 4-6 days. Exertion isn't the only trigger, pressure changes over a certain amount (up or down) are as well, especially if humidity is over 80%.

I've had migraines for close to 50 years and I no sooner identify one trigger and eliminate it than there seems to be yet another. I can't have red wine, hoppy beer (I try to check IBU's if I succumb to temptation, as I occasionally do), or too much chocolate, or almonds. I'm starting to think bacon and onions might be triggers as well. All of these things except the almonds have been tough to give up.

Denver, by the way, causes me to have 7% more likelihood to get a migraine.

Maybe it’s the damn air pollution here that keeps getting worse. Or the traffic
Your neck of the woods looks great.

Haha Nightingale…maybe Denver is the trigger

 

[palikona]

Oh and see a chiropractor if you can. It's unlikely that there's an issue there but it's good for your back anyway.

Thanks for the advice.

I do go to a chiro and he thinks I get the headaches from tension in my neck that affects blood flow to the head, from poor posture (both when working and when exercising and driving in the car). He’s mentioned the term vascular compression, so I had a few stretches that I try. They don’t seem to help though but what he says makes sense.
In terms of carbs, I’m lost because I’ve gained probably 25 lbs since Covid hit and my natural inclination is to cut most out of possible. These extra pounds are definitely affecting me physically and mentally. I eat pretty clean but not perfect and because of the headache shit, I haven’t been able to consistently work out or exercise harder to try and lose the weight. So it’s kind of a bad cycle I’m in. Any advice on what carbs to have, any other nutritional guidance or how to start back up with weights would be hugely appreciated! I used to be in decent shape and just feel lost now.

 

[nightingale]

Thanks for the advice.

I do go to a chiro and he thinks I get the headaches from tension in my neck that affects blood flow to the head, from poor posture (both when working and when exercising and driving in the car). He’s mentioned the term vascular compression, so I had a few stretches that I try. They don’t seem to help though but what he says makes sense.
In terms of carbs, I’m lost because I’ve gained probably 25 lbs since Covid hit and my natural inclination is to cut most out of possible. These extra pounds are definitely affecting me physically and mentally. I eat pretty clean but not perfect and because of the headache shit, I haven’t been able to consistently work out or exercise harder to try and lose the weight. So it’s kind of a bad cycle I’m in. Any advice on what carbs to have, any other nutritional guidance or how to start back up with weights would be hugely appreciated! I used to be in decent shape and just feel lost now.

Well I've had lots of experience with this as a figure skater (as much as I wish I didn't have to, the industry is a bit messed up). First of all, carbs don't cause weight gain. Excess calories do. If tracking your food would not adversely affect your mental health, I'd recommend it for a few weeks to gain some awareness about what you are eating, what is in what you are eating, and what you should be eating. Second, fuel your exercise the amount you need to with no regards to your weight goals, focus on performance. That means carbs + protein before, carbs during, and carbs and protein after. That's only three times of eating out of an entire day. You can make the cuts from your other meals. This doesn't mean skip meals. This means be more mindful about what you are eating then so that you can properly fuel your exercise. They should be balanced so that they satisfy you fiber, fat, and protein. As for what carbs, goldfish, fruit snacks, and teddy grahams are my go to. When I pack food, I kind of look like I'm packing food for a toddler. They're fast and convenient and they're a fast digesting carb which is the point. Bonus for the goldfish: they have lots of salt (electrolytes). However I could see that not appealing to most peoples nutritional goals. Fruit or dried fruit is great. If you want electrolytes at the same time, full sugar sports drinks can be great too. If there's too much sugar for what you're doing in them, dilute it. Or just don't finish it, but that can be kind of difficult to know when. Running forums (or other long distance sports) tend to have great advice on what carbs are good for workout fuel. TLDR: You only need the extra carbs to fuel your workout. All the other meals can be used for nutritional decisions that support weight loss.

As for weight training (I think you mentioned that): when I back squat, I move the bar a bit lower. Increases the need for a spotter a bit though, but that's because I suck at bailing safely. I still get a headache but its dramatically improved. Or I just front squat. That can be difficult if you have poor shoulder mobility, but it's a move that requires very little weight to have really great strength gains. Keep those elbows up. It does hit the hamstrings a lot less, so be mindful of that.

And the usual disclaimer: I'm not a dietician or personal trainer (working on that certification though). Just a figure skater who spend so long feeling lost just like you are so I did so much research and talked to so many professionals to figure it out myself.