Road Cycling - Riding with migraines

I suffer from migraines.

I will sometimes ride during the early stages of one of these. About half the time it helps while the rest of the time the migraine wins.

I am not looking for remedies from anyone. I have some good medicine that takes care of 98% of these.

What I would like to know is if anyone else gets these and tries to ride with them. What happens to the migraine, the ride and anyone that may be riding with you?

Man, there is no way I can ever ride with a migraine. I used to get those, and walking alone was hard enough!

A few years back, I used to get migraines on a frequent basis. Last month, after a couple year hiatus, I had two in one week. So, I have some good advice.

What I have found works best, is as soon as you notice the symptoms (ie, vision difficulties), get your heart rate up and keep it up for as long as possible. I am leary when it comes to cycling with a migrane, mainly because I am a bit dizzy and unbalance, so I prefer fast walking, but cycling would work well if you don't fall over.

Whenever I get the heart rate up, my migraines are a fraction of what they would be otherwise. Laying down and waiting it out is the worst thing you can do. Think pro-active.

once I get to the one sided throbing
in my temple and behind eye all I can do
is sit up in bed in semidark room and wait
for the drugs to kick in. Any raise
in heartrate at that point in time is excruciating.
at first signs, (vision, mild headache etc.) increase
in heartrate seems to help when done in conjunction
with nsaids.
whenever I do feel one coming on I don't travel
too far from the house just as a precaution.

Marty

It is a pretty bad idea to ride a bike when you have a migraine. Migraines can cause blurry vision, seeing colored spots and all kinds of geometric designs. Not seeing well and being in pain while riding a bike seems pretty dangerous. Being nauseaus and vomiting while riding does not seem pleasant either. A small percentage of migraine sufferers also develop weakness or numbness of one limb or one side of their body (other neurological symptoms are possible too, such as vertigo and loss of consciousness). Most people with migraines prefer to lie down in a dark, quiet room. If you don't, you may not have migraines in the first place. SEE A DOCTOR and don't try to diagnose/treat yourself.

As a 30 year "victim" of migraines, I pretty well know the problems involved with this malady. I have many different levels that my headaches go through. I inject Immitrex when these things go out of control. Otherwise I try and do normal things when afflicted. What I am wondering is how people react to a migraine sufferer who has personality swings (sulleness, etc.). Also, what rides will do to the migraine. So far the answers to what happens to the migraine match my personal experience. How do people treat you when you ride this way...and do you let them know that you are suffering?