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Exercise intolerance

Hello

I'm new here and I am soaking up all the information.

One of the things I think triggers my migraines ( silent with aura, ocular, vestibular ) is exercise.
I can feel sort of ok and do a very short or slow bike ride ..or walk..and I get nauseous , dizzy , feeling sick. My legs go weak and I feel like I've been poisoned.

This especially happens when its warm outside.

Would anyone be willing to share ?

I have only been diagnosed recently . Since my migraines are silent , nobody ever thought of it .
I have gone through so many specialists..from gastro to eye doctors to...you get it .
Till a neurologist thought of this.

Its all falling into place and I'm trying to learn as much as I can.
It is chronic by now snd I don't really ever have a day where I feel ok .

Thanks for reading

Annie

  1. Welcome to the community, Annie-T! I'm glad you found your way here. What a long journey you had to diagnosis! That can be such a frustrating process. Exercise and heat are triggers that do affect many in the community and can be especially miserable when combined! I thought you might be interested in perusing some of the articles we have on each topic while you wait for others to stop by and share with you:
    https://migraine.com/?s=exercise
    https://migraine.com/?s=heat
    Know we are always here to listen when you need support or a place to vent and ask questions. I hope you are slowly beginning to find treatments and techniques that help you manage your symptoms. Much like diagnosis, find the best treatment(s) for you can also be a process! Please keep us posted on how you are managing. Wishing you a gentle day. ~Allyson (Migraine.com team)

    1. I am sorry Annie, that you are feeling this way. I have a bad time too. My migraine isn't classic either, it's weird.
      I get exercise intolerance, and it's hard for me to grasp because I always loved to walk miles.
      Now, even when I'm not getting the other symptoms, I do get profound exhaustion and it can start when I get moving in the day and take a short after breakfast walk (less than a mile)
      That often triggers symptoms to come back, and now they seem focused in my ears and head, like lightheadedness and buzzing and weakness generally, and feel like I'm catching the flu. If that happens then even coming home and lying down won't stop it.
      It's hard because I have always been an outdoors person who loves to walk

      1. This is happening to me as well. This is the first year I’ve ever had health issues of any sort and my migraine attacks don’t have headaches for the most part. Silent migraines I suppose. One of the first attacks was after an outing with my kids with us all on scooters. It was a typical spring day with a warm breeze but a light coat was needed. Like you, I feel like I’m suffering from mono hours later and it can last for days. I never fully recover. I’m permanently weak. Yesterday we all went on a family bike ride and the weather was warm with a slight breeze. I felt great but hours later, was dreadfully ill. My attacks are accompanied by electricity in the face as well. I didn’t feel ill when I tried using an elliptical trainer in our basement but I only had enough energy to be on it for 4 minutes. I can’t do the fun activities I used to do any longer and with two young children, it’s especially complicated and upsetting. I hope you’ve come through this since 2020. It would give me hope. 🙂

        1. Thanks for sharing, . Just thinking "out loud" here. I know it's probably unusual to develop late onset, but I'm wondering if you are having allergy-triggered migraines since the 2 attacks you described happened after spending time outdoors. I have had allergies and asthma since my childhood but developed migraines in my 30s after having suffered headaches even longer than my allergies. Some of the things you're describing are what I experience as a result of my allergies. Also, my allergies and asthma definitely trigger my migraines. Just curious if you and your doctors have explored this possibility? ~Liz, Moderator

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