tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8751567873953633168..comments2024-03-29T04:01:31.445-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Electrolytes and Migraine? An Accidental Discovery Velouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-19197069434438238692016-10-04T03:19:15.978-04:002016-10-04T03:19:15.978-04:00Good that you found something that works for you. ...Good that you found something that works for you. I had frequent migraines and cluster headaches -- often weekly -- until I was in my 50s. Then the migraines became less frequent, but the cluster headaches persisted although somewhat less often since I resumed cycling last year.<br /><br />Imitrex injections worked for me, but they're expensive and caused an irregular heartbeat. Depakote, valproic acid, Wellbutrin and similar prescriptions may help prevent or minimize the discomfort of migraines in some folks -- possibly linked to a serotonin imbalance. I no longer take those either because of elevated liver panels.<br /><br />I've found some relief from over the counter melatonin and valerian root (reportedly both affect the serotonin imbalance that may be involved in migraines). For cluster headaches, those plus sudafed (the original pseudoephedrine, not the substitute phenylephrine) work in some cases. Cluster headaches may be related to trigeminal nerve pressure from swollen sinuses, but researchers appear to still be guessing at the causes for cluster headaches and migraines. The neurologists I've seen couldn't agree either.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01426789505315245048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-68572119241888124282016-08-30T13:40:27.902-04:002016-08-30T13:40:27.902-04:00Hi, kind of a late reply. I used to suffer from ca...Hi, kind of a late reply. I used to suffer from calf cramps on all long rides, even when my conditioning was good. Endurolyte capsules totally changed that...I can go all day now with no or little cramping. Unless I forget the capsules....mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15205886521439943636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-81082995131952487162016-08-20T09:17:12.057-04:002016-08-20T09:17:12.057-04:00The strange thing is, I already eat foods that con...The strange thing is, I already eat foods that contain these ingredients. Especially foods rich in potassium and magnesium. So either (a) I need more of that stuff than the average person (in which case, eating more food is not a good solution, unless I want to gain weight), or (b) it does not get absorbed probably in whatever manner or combination I normally consume it in. It's complicated, all this stuff. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-55292778273607023812016-08-20T06:59:41.371-04:002016-08-20T06:59:41.371-04:00{imagines hordes of women running out to get pregn...{imagines hordes of women running out to get pregnant after learning it relieves migraines}<br /><br />I dunno... Quite a few mommies I know might disagree with you there.<br /><br />Also, you have to be careful about the assumption of taking a break from the cycle post-birthing. I know several gals whose kids were born <12 months apart because the docs ASSURED them their cycle would not return for as long as they were breastfeeding. <br />Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-45531749747799177132016-08-19T05:47:38.231-04:002016-08-19T05:47:38.231-04:00Why do you need to take these capsules while cycli...Why do you need to take these capsules while cycling - 2 capsules every hour? I have seen these electrolyte drinks and special concoctions in my local bikes shop but just assumed they are for those taking part in extreme cycling endeavours - not for recreational/commuter cyclists. I have never taken anything but water with me, but if out riding my bike all day I will stop somewhere and have coffee and cake, at least once.<br />spokeswomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05003029599627697118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44940595901512330332016-08-18T15:08:48.342-04:002016-08-18T15:08:48.342-04:00Ha! Well pregnancy is an interesting solution - bu...Ha! Well pregnancy is an interesting solution - but then, of course, you'd have a kid to deal with, and that's pretty much guaranteed to give you headaches! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-4975821797062846142016-08-18T15:07:24.405-04:002016-08-18T15:07:24.405-04:00Ha! I doubt it! Probably means plant derived rathe...Ha! I doubt it! Probably means plant derived rather than chemical derived. Just a guess though.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-84504861869307930052016-08-18T10:19:36.851-04:002016-08-18T10:19:36.851-04:00Banana seems to have the potassium, manganese and ...Banana seems to have the potassium, manganese and magnesium covered. I bet also they deliver the elements slow release!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523194765070877553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-38264805107055010632016-08-18T08:43:23.302-04:002016-08-18T08:43:23.302-04:00I also suffered from migraines for most of my life...I also suffered from migraines for most of my life. Never of the curl up and die kind, just the pain in my eyeball making me want t0 not do anything kind, whch used to sort of mess up my life when they came.<br />A year or so back the doctor prescribed Sumatriptans (one of the 'triptans') and they have changed my life, i.e. they totally work when I feel a migraine coming on. I would suggest asking your doctor about them and trying them.<br />That said, I remarked to my partner recently that since I started cycling more seriously I have noticed I hardly ever use the triptans as I hardly ever feel the start of a migraine.<br />I've always been aware that my migraines are closely connected to stress and felt that cycling took a lot of that stress away.<br />Anyway, whatever the reason, cycling seems to be a good prophylactic against migraine.ivanpopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08370238943551786692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-75018995456416561222016-08-18T05:34:22.159-04:002016-08-18T05:34:22.159-04:00I was just looking at the marketing blurb for some...I was just looking at the marketing blurb for some of these products and several refer to being "naturally flavoured".<br /><br />Is "natural flavour" the same as "no flavour" in marketing speak?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12826498172261997737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48738686440752990092016-08-17T15:10:32.377-04:002016-08-17T15:10:32.377-04:00If hormonal triggers are implicated, pregnancy mig...If hormonal triggers are implicated, pregnancy might do the trick, too :-)<br /><br />Again, not a solution for everyone, but if you time it right, you can get up to a two-year break from The Cycle. Not sure how long a break from the bicycle this would require, though?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-2155344486439833432016-08-17T14:32:06.132-04:002016-08-17T14:32:06.132-04:00So... one more thought on the migraines. Mine, too...So... one more thought on the migraines. Mine, too are VERY connected to the dreaded monthly cycle. Apparently what causes this is that your estrogen levels plummet during your cycle. Anyhow, I've had great luck supplementing with evening primrose oil (which contains natural plant estrogens) during the dreaded week. It makes a HUGE difference for me!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-85379062842426894342016-08-17T14:29:33.910-04:002016-08-17T14:29:33.910-04:00Well, my point was not that I crave flavoring, it&...Well, my point was not that I crave flavoring, it's that if you put the salt mixture into plain water it tastes... well, it tastes a bit like salty water, which I can't stomach. <br /><br />So do you carry some other sort of sugar or carb on a long ride, or are you one of these lucky people who doesn't start to fade after a few hours without a boost of carbs?EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-70867233304400415592016-08-17T12:04:07.006-04:002016-08-17T12:04:07.006-04:00Very interesting. I thought I had simply "out...Very interesting. I thought I had simply "outgrown" my migraines. I stopped getting my prescription filled about a year after I took up cycling. I never thought about a correlation. I was aware that my chronic back pain was vastly improved by cycling; I went from ibuprofen nearly daily to once or twice a month. I recently damaged my MCL and cycling is the only thing that makes it better. Of course, the biggest difference is the mental one. I just feel better when I ride and even one day off (or the thought of missing a day) disrupts my mood. Whatever endorophins/hormones are affected by cycling, it makes a huge difference. Best pain control ever.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06901259036097133771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48616057675257240692016-08-17T11:56:37.275-04:002016-08-17T11:56:37.275-04:00Glad to hear you're back on your bike.Glad to hear you're back on your bike.Jon Webbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02944939117507730995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-112777886118515242016-08-17T10:25:45.159-04:002016-08-17T10:25:45.159-04:00EcoCatLady….Thanks for the recipe!EcoCatLady….Thanks for the recipe!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-68253172444366391662016-08-17T06:27:50.578-04:002016-08-17T06:27:50.578-04:00I am one of those people who doesn't crave fla...I am one of those people who doesn't crave flavour in their drinks. In fact, the hotter it is and the more thirsty I am, the more I just want my water to taste like plain water! So being able to finally drink WATER while still getting my electrolyte fix on the bike, has been fantastic.<br /><br />As somebody else has mentioned in one of the comments, it seems that many LBSs are not aware that plain electrolyte tablets exist (or else don't sell them, and therefore deliberately do not inform their customers - but I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt!). As a result, many cyclists believe that flavored drinks are their only option, even though it's not.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-64981220341659215802016-08-17T06:13:21.275-04:002016-08-17T06:13:21.275-04:00I've tracked mine (but only fairly recently) a...I've tracked mine (but only fairly recently) and they are definitely hormonally triggered. In fact, once I did this charting I was kind of stunned to notice how much my physical and mental state was captive to The Cycle. Looking forward to my 50s!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42590763754080926852016-08-17T06:05:02.071-04:002016-08-17T06:05:02.071-04:00The ingredients suggest that yes, and fairly easil...The ingredients suggest that yes, and fairly easily. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-33548676125838253192016-08-17T05:26:22.584-04:002016-08-17T05:26:22.584-04:00http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id...http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=254434587Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523194765070877553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-60172264505197066572016-08-17T05:21:25.898-04:002016-08-17T05:21:25.898-04:00I see you have the branded Ibuprofen Nurofen there...I see you have the branded Ibuprofen Nurofen there, the generic packs of Ibuprofen are the same for about 10% of the cost, if that's helpful. (less the gloss packaging and pink coloured tabs of course!)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523194765070877553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-35132584682229121032016-08-17T04:03:09.058-04:002016-08-17T04:03:09.058-04:00Nicely done! Is there anyway you could reproduce ...Nicely done! Is there anyway you could reproduce the effect through eating foods?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523194765070877553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40858517024802487302016-08-17T00:17:53.856-04:002016-08-17T00:17:53.856-04:00I learned about this years ago through a chiroprac...I learned about this years ago through a chiropractic physician colleague. I like to use Elete Electrolyte and always add it to my reverse-osmosis filtered water. It helps tremendously. It's not flavored, and just gives the water a more alkaline taste (probably due to the magnesium, which most people in the US are deficient in.) I used to use Nuun, which I liked, but I prefer the flavorless liquid instead. I add quite a bit, and hate the taste of water without it. <br /><br />I think it works in part by increasing blood volume. Migraines are vascular headaches.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72220997003187032572016-08-16T17:17:15.277-04:002016-08-16T17:17:15.277-04:00Another anecdotal solution that won't work uni...Another anecdotal solution that won't work unilaterally: menopause. No more migraines, mood swings, or what my mother euphemistically called "the mess." My migraines (and my periods) were never of the curl-up-and-hope-to-die variety — more wonky vision than blinding pain, especially after 40 — but still, nice to be free of them.<br /><br />Sadly, life w/out estrogen has other consequences as well, and not all of them are pleasant or even benign, so I can't recommend ditching your ovaries just to stop the headaches. On the other hand, it might be worth tracking the migraines for a bit to see if there is a hormonal trigger, no? In addition to the usual dietary suspects, chocolate, oranges, red wine, whatever.<br /><br />I have long resisted the idea of special drinks etc, especially as the few sips I have had of things my husband and sons drink have bordered on the revolting. But I have noticed this summer, as I am increasing my daily commute to about double the distance I used to do, and it is hot, hot, hot! outside, that I am craving salty things (and not just sea salt caramel chocolates). Had to buy a little bag of potato chips/ crisps the other day. Might have to look at these flavourless tablets.<br /><br />As always, thanks for an interesting post.<br /><br />Best,<br />Lil BruinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-70042041770950087692016-08-16T14:41:38.630-04:002016-08-16T14:41:38.630-04:00Very interesting! I have several thoughts...
Firs...Very interesting! I have several thoughts...<br /><br />First - Fellow migraine sufferer here. I haven't noticed my electrolyte tablets helping migraines, but the ones I take (Thermotabs) only have sodium (sodium chloride) and potassium (potassium chloride). I'm wondering if the effect you're seeing is from the magnesium. There is documented evidence that a large percentage of migraine sufferers are magnesium deficient. Magnesium has a muscle relaxing effect, and in addition to taking it regularly, I have successfully used it to abort migraines.<br /><br />Second - in terms of the drinks... I make my own. I make an electrolyte powder by mixing equal parts sea salt (contains trace minerals in addition to salt), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and Morton Lite Salt (which contains salt, potassium chloride, calcium silicate, magnesium carbonate, dextrose and potassium iodide). I then add about 1/8 teaspoon of the mixture per water bottle. I can't stomach the stuff without some flavoring, plus I need sugar on a long ride. So I generally mix it with homemade lemonade or watered down juice. Tastes much better than the powdered mixes.<br /><br />Finally - in terms of the powdered mixes, I have found the offensive ingredient to be the artificial sweeteners. If you get the kind made with real sugar, there's no horrible taste.<br /><br />That's my two cents! Or maybe it was three... :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.com