I don't normally troll the internet when I get physical symptoms, so it was my girlfriend who found cluster headaches for me while I was having an attack. She tells me "hey this sounds like you". Yes, it describes my pain precisely.
     I need to exercise regularly. It's my sustainable addiction. In my younger years I did lots of drugs. Now I get high through lifting weights and it makes me look vibrant and healthy as well. Good for me right? I don't think exercise is the cause of my CH, but it makes them come on much worse. Right now I believe I'm in the waning phase of my headache period. I don't get them while sitting or walking around, but if I do what I love (working out) then about an hour later there is the slow shadowy onset of pain. It's really depressing me.
     I drink tons of water before and after working out. I don't drink, smoke, and I'm way clean, I also eat very healthy. So my main questions to the CH community would be: Is there anyone else who has dealt with the exercise issue and headaches and have they found anyway to mitigate the pain and still workout?

You should have yourself formally diagnosed by a doctor to rule out anything more sinister before embarking on any treatment plan.

I agree with the prior poster.  You should definetly be seen by a neurologist who specializes in headaches.  Any severe headache pain needs to be treated and diagnosed by a professional to rule out more serious stuff.  All that aside... Most people are eposodic clusterheads.  This means they will get the ha's for anywhere from one to five months.  Then they will go away for awhile until they start up again at the same time again next year or latter in the year.  They typically show up in the spring and fall.  So I suggest you wait untill they go away before you go back to your exercise routine.  Also ask the dr. for oxygen.  See the yellow button on the left side of screen.  IF used correctly the oxygen will abort the ha within 15-20 min. and you can go back to your business.  There are also other medicines you can ask the dr for to prevent them if you get several ha a day.  Such as verapamil, lithium, topamax just to name a few.  If you are not getting alot of hits in one day you may want to abort them as they come with the oxygen, or imitrex injections or nasal spray (both are fast acting within 15 min).  Dont let the dr try to give you imitrix tablets.  They can take over an hr to kick in and by then your ha is usually done with on your own or else who wants to wait that long for relief.  Good luck in finding something that works for you and I hope you are able to find a good neurologist who is well versed in ch.    

Hello EJ,

Of course I do recommend the same as the prior, to see a specialist.  But, it is really up to you and how you feel whether you feel you can go back to exercising.  I had a month long cycle in May of this year.  the cycle began mid-May and ended Mid-June, but it was not until Mid July that I could get back to exercising.  The major pain was gone, but I felt like I had shadows for a month after that every day and even though I did not really have pain, my eye teared every day.  At the end of the day, even though I did not have pain, I was exhausted.  I could not exercise.  By mid-July I was back to myself.  so that is my story, I am sure it is different for everyone.  For some people, exercise keeps the beast at bay.   

Good luck. 

Quote:

I don't think exercise is the cause of my CH,

No, excersize is definetly NOT the cause of your headaches.   I'm with the rest ...go see a Dr. who specializes in this condition of ours.  CH is caused by a deformed Hypothalmus gland.

You really need to start reading around here.  There is decades of good advice here.  Some from sufferers...some from the Doctors who have chosen us,  to be involved in.  Dr. Goadsby, Dr. Rosen, Dr. Halpren etc.   Except for them none of here are Dr.s  BUT..together we have hundreds of years of experience in dealing with this condition of ours.

Knowledge is power.   Start with the links to the left of where you're  reading right now.  Ask questions here too.   We're more than happy to help.

Linda

The first thing you have to do is go see a neurologist or a headache specialist and get a proper diagnosis.  There are many far more serious things that can cause severe headache pain.  Those need to be ruled out.

Once, if diagnosed with confirmed CH, there is a myriad of methods to deal with the affliction.  It is not curable, but it is manageable.

Read everything in the buttons to the left of your screen.  Print out and take to your neuro.  Start, and religiously keep a headache journal of what day, what time of day, how bad it hurt (see "the Kip Scale on your left), what you ate, drank did, and take that with you to your doc.

Exercise does not cause CH, nor any other severe pain headaches that I'm aware of.  Exercise can increase the amount of pain that you feel in some people (it does me - others it does not).

Read, read, read.  Ask questions, but go to a neuro, now!  You definitely don't want to mess around should there be something more serious going in in that head of yours.

Sandy

I know you didn't aim to post your life history, but do your headaches ONLY occur when you exercise?
If so, that is quite concerning as significant exercise (particularly weight lifting) can raise your intercranial blood pressure while it's occurring.  If your headaches only occur during exercise, that may be a concerning sign that something serious is going on.

Please, let me add my voice to the others - please see your doc as soon as you can...

If it is diagnosed as CH....I'd not to worry about exercise. In my experience, a little exertion was helpful if anything.

Charlie

Definitely get to a decent neuro, get a formal diagnosis, and check out the latest and greatest in treatments people on the board are using. The old days of suffering thru 90 minute hits are a distant memory for me!

That being said, exercise is a funny one. It has never started an attack for me. Before I had a formal diagnosis, I would go for an all out 20 minute sprint when an attack started and it would reduce the intensity of the attack. For others on this board, exercise, especially if their bodies get over heated, will trigger an attack.

Joe