Exercise Post- Headache?
 

Friends,

I'm sorry that I'm blowing up the boards here, but everyone here seems to be such a wealth of sound advice and knowledge that I'm almost more comfortable coming here for information than I am going anywhere else at this point LOL.

On Monday, I had what I think of as my first real migraine since my concussion. The pain was bad enough that I would have laid down in a dark room and stayed there for hours if I had not been at work when it hit. I also saw stars and spots... it was like everything around me shimmered. Since then, I have had a dull headache that seems to improve temporarily with rest and pain medicine, but it never seems to fully go away. I made the mistake of trying to exercise Tuesday evening, and I learned very quickly that I was pushing myself too hard too soon. Last week I was able to do my normal workouts with no exacerbation of headaches, but Tuesday night the pain was magnified about ten times while I was on an elliptical.

The thing is, I have lost half of my body weight from my highest point in the last year and a half, and I am terrified that I'll gain weight back if I stay away from my workouts for too long. I'm already fluffing back out a little from trying to go easier on myself in the three weeks since the concussion, and I have real anxiety about sliding too much further backwards.

I guess my question is: if you suffer from migraines post-concussion, how long do you normally wait before resuming physical activity? I don't want to make things worse by going too hard too soon again, especially since that dull ache still hasn't left me, but I don't want to keep going without my exercise either.

Thanks as always!

courtney,

First, congrats on your success at weight loss. That is quite an accomplishment.

If the work-out equipment does not have pulse monitoring, I suggest you get your own system to monitor your heart rate. Then, try working at 80% of you target pulse or even less. Try to find that pulse rate that allows you to exercise without causing symptoms. Then, slowly increase your target heart rate every two weeks or so always staying below your symptoms threshold. This is the basics of the Buffalo Protocol.

Keep in mind that some of the equipment may have a jarring effect that can cause a return of symptoms. Avoid any exercises that cause you to strain such a weights.

With some watchful experimenting, you should be able to find a workup level that does not cause symptoms.

My best to you.

Thanks as always, Mark! That makes perfect sense... I was already thinking along those lines but didn't want to be wrong lol.