Hi
I've been watching this board since back in I believe 98 or 99. I've tried a lot minus the busters and some medicines.

I just wanted to say that working out has been the wonder of my life. Ironic as it is, I use to stop exercising when I was in a cycle, thinking that I needed the rest.

This cycle stared about three weeks ago. I have not had more than a shadow so far. I have to take melatonin to sleep through the night still, but only 1-2 mg.
If anyone tries exercise for the first time, understand that if you are aborting a headache, you have to be intense and stick to it until it is gone. Also sometimes while I'm running I'll start to feel shadows, no biggie. I mostly work out with free weights.

Also I read about people rubbing, massaging, or pushing on pressure points around their head where the pain is. I firmly believe that this can trigger a CH for me. I know this may sound stupid, but I always touch the opposite side of where I am drawn to. Like if I really want to push on my (I'm a lefty) temple cause the shadows are annoying me, I will push on the right side and focus on that. This distraction saves me a lot of times from long shadows.

  Good luck to you all
  John

Glad you found something that works for you, John. But...any exertion is a no-no for me when a CH is near. It will either bring on the attack or intensify it. Still, quite a few have reported the same as you...rigorous exercise at the point of attack has helped them. To you and them, I say, God bless! Keep the beast away. lance

Over three years ago I went from a desk job to a far more active one.  The last two years began the easiest to manage since first contact.  Maybe the change helped me.

I used to go for an all out sprint when an attack started. Would ratchet the pain level down a few clicks but never aborted it. I'm a work out nut year round, on or off cycle. Has never seemed to have an effect on my over all cycle.

Then I found oxygen. If you haven't tried it you owe it to yourself to give it a whirl. An attack starts, instead of the old 90 minute rides I used to take I huff 02 for 6-8 minutes, the beast is gone.

Joe

Just another one of those paradoxes which define our life with CH! Both responses (exercise and don't exercise) are valid. Over the years, we have discussed this question and always get folks who find benefit either one.

When I was first diagnosed, there were almost no meds
of value and breathing O2 had not been uncovered as a response but my doc suggest hard walking to abort an attack, i.e., increase oxygen.

But we have medical reports of elevated body temperature (working, etc.) being a trigger.

I love to exercise but found that the one time I tried to abort a CH by doing so it did indeed abort it - I was elated!  But then 15 minutes later it came back with a vengeance!!  Decided not to do that again.  But I'm glad it works for you John, and the others who are lucky to that end.  A couple of times I've been able to abort them by stretching super tight muscles in my back and neck but then when the next one came on - forget it, stretching had no effect & I had to run back home to Mama Imitrex.

I know that many if not most don't find relief with exercise.

The intensity that I use is extreme and I suppose most would rather not go this route.

The freedom that I feel since I started this is beyond words. After being a slave to pain, missing promotions, even losing friends, I find myself thankful for all of this as it has made me a person that can appreciate and understand better what is important.

If this helps just one person, that's good enough for me.

I have tried the O2, but the exercise works better for me.

Take care
John

Good on ya mate!

Hi all,

I am new to this forum ... nearly 50 years of these headaches and I'm relieved to have a place to explore some treatment options as well as commiserate ... you all are great!  Learning lots I think, including some lingo I have never seen before.  Can someone tell me what is meant by "shadows"?

Tnx in advance!! 8-)

K 

Kristin wrote on Feb 27^th, 2011 at 11:34pm:

Can someone tell me what is meant by "shadows"?

It's a nickname we use for low-grade cluster headaches that never develop into full-blown attacks.  That's all we mean by it. 

Some also use the term "shadow" to describe the dull, aching bruised feeling that lingers after a bad hit--but I like the term "afterburn" for that.  Just to distinguish between the two.  ;)

Best,

George   

Bob Johnson wrote on Feb 25^th, 2011 at 9:32am:

Just another one of those paradoxes which define our life with CH! Both responses (exercise and don't exercise) are valid. Over the years, we have discussed this question and always get folks who find benefit either one.

If the cause of CH is humidity, exercise is good.
If the cause is heat, exercise could make it worse.
Please check to see if it is right.

Humidity could be seen with some of these: Fat, cool, hi cholesterol, stomach problems, worried, not active, no motivation, heavy, not angry, dreams of water

Heat: warm hands, red face, heart problems, motivation, active, easily angry, bloody dreams, back pain, kidney problems, energetic

Thanx George ... I know those shadows well ... in fact I had em as I posted last night. And now they have a name! :)

K

John, I know your post is old but I only recently stumbled on the this site now that I'm in the midst of a cycle.  I too am from KCMO.   I'm a 20+ year veteran of ch but it wasn't until about 6 years ago when I too discovered physical exertion/exercise to abort an episode.  My doc had perscribed zomig but it was useless once the hit was in full swing so I got on the elliptical and it shortens the episode and decreases the intensity almost immediately.  I still keep the zomig for occassions when I catch a deamon early enough. 
After I discovered exercise, I mentioned it to my doc who said he had never heard of it as an abortive.  Nonetheless, he said more power to you. 

Question: Did you stumble on exercise for this purpose or did a physician suggest it?  Perhaps we have the same doctor. 

John and Sampsonite,
Exercise also does wonders for me, most of the time. I actually ran off a CH this morning in about 31 minutes at 7 minute miles or so. I also have a super set regime of 4 exercises that I do for 4 minutes if running is not practical. Both work about 80% of the time unless the headache is already raging. When that happens, I just turn to my giant O2 tank and let it do the work!

Hey John I am a mixed bag myself. I do Crossfit year around which is pretty extreme. The last two times I did it (I have since stopped working out for now first time in 6 years) I have gotten major attacks that night from being too hot. Now the irony is once I feel an attack coming on I run down stairs and start doing bench press or upright rows etc. Very intense mega sets until I cannot do them any more and this aborts a CH about 80% of the time. I wish I could still workout but the fear keeps me from doing so. I have a 1/2 marathon coming up in 2 weeks that I pray I get to run.

Take it easy ...

I too used to do pushups, non-stop, to lessen the attacks.... Then I discovered how well Oxygen works and don't feel the need. I'm gettin' older and don't know if I'd be able to keep up the pace I used to....  ;D

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Works for me.

tgdurst wrote on Sep 17^th, 2011 at 6:18pm:

I do Crossfit year around which is pretty extreme. The last two times I did it (I have since stopped working out for now first time in 6 years) I have gotten major attacks that night from being too hot. Now the irony is once I feel an attack coming on I run down stairs and start doing bench press or upright rows etc. Very intense mega sets until I cannot do them any more and this aborts a CH about 80% of the time. I wish I could still workout but the fear keeps me from doing so. I have a 1/2 marathon coming up in 2 weeks that I pray I get to run. Take it easy ...

I too am a crossfitter two times a week year round for the past 5 years.   I haven't noticed an association of the crossfit to my episodes.  I do enjoy the thought that at least an abortive tactic can include a productive act like exercise.  As I write, I need to pause and start some pushups to combat an episode.

Woke up last night 2 hours after I went to bed with a Kip 9. Opted to skip O2 and go right to exercise to attack the most painful CH I've had in weeks. Did two sets of tabata workouts and knocked that Son of a B Kip 9 down to about a 4 or 5, much more manageable. I'll be honest, hoping for a tabata set with a Kip 9 is not fun at all, but a minute or so after I completed the sets it dropped the pain level significantly. The CH actually got worse during the set but the relief after the set was over was worth the pain.

I too used to do exercise like push-ups, to lessen the attacks. you all are great people. I love to exercise but cant do much.  Ghiassi i like your post i will research on it.

If Carbon Dioxide buildup acts as a vasodialator to our trigeminal nerve, i'm thinking cardio exercise year round would help minimize cycles.  Thoughts?

Might be coincidental, but I personally notice my cycles begin when I am most lazy, without regular exercise in my daily life.

LasVegas wrote on Oct 8^th, 2011 at 1:27pm:

If Carbon Dioxide buildup acts as a vasodialator to our trigeminal nerve, i'm thinking cardio exercise year round would help minimize cycles.  Thoughts? Might be coincidental, but I personally notice my cycles begin when I am most lazy, without regular exercise in my daily life.

I'm with you on that.  Ever since my cholesterol came in high, I've been running and exercising 4-5 times a week for the past 8 months.  I haven't had a cycle, shadow or any warning signs that I usually get when cycles start.  I quit smoking in 2005 which I truly believe has reduced the severity of my cycles.  I'm going on 1.5 years PF which is my longest remission since this crap started 18 years ago.  Who knows, maybe it's the seeds, exercise and quitting smoking in a nutshell.

Exercise is known to increase the pituitary signal for more testosterone production...so for those of us where low testosterone is the trigger, exercise can be very beneficial.


Paul