Originally Posted by
ijen0311
I always get a headache after a long ride. Why is this?
Do your headaches happen during the ride or after?
I occasionally get severe headaches after my longer rides--to the point I've talked to my doctor about them. He gave me imitrex for them (I haven't taken it yet). I'll finish the ride fine and I'll start to feel it coming on between my eyes. I usually spend the day chasing it--drinking water/tylenol. If I can catch it early enough, I'm good. But if I miss the opportunity, it may last well into the next day.
On hot rides, I take at least 4 bottles of liquid (first two gatorade, second two frozen water). I'd prefer 5-6 (I still have yet to figure out how to get the 6th bottle without going tri)--I stole a teammate's spare bottle today after the ride. He only went through two on an 80 mile ride--I went through 5 on a 60 miler (he lives 10 miles farther away from the start). I take 3-4 hammer endurolyte capsules before the ride, try to take some during the ride, and a bunch after. Last time I got the headache I spent the day trying to drown it with water. I think I made it worse by drinking so much water I flushed out electrolytes.
I was fully expecting a headache today. Happily, it didn't come.