Maybe Ms. Maximus can help....
Originally Posted by ms.maximus
Well, I don't really know where to begin with the complications that migraines can cause men and women. They absolutely wreck havoc on your life if you get them frequently, and often don't respond to traditional medications.
They are much more likely in women, especially when we are "extra hormonal".
Common triggers include stress, lack of sleep, alcohol,

and certain foods. Another big trigger is skipping meals. HowG

ever, one thing that is guaranteed to bring migraines on in me is the traditional fat burners on the market today. There is not a single one that I can tolerate.
The worst thing you can do is become dependent on over the counter medications like Excedrin, because these types of medications (including narcotics, like Vicodin) have been shown to cause rebound headaches. Rebound headaches put you in a vicious cycle that often leads you to the emergency room. If you think you are stuck in rebound, you need to seek professional help to get out of it. It's very hard, I had to go through it myself.
If you get more than 3-4 migraines a month, it is worth considering taking a daily preventative. There are several now approved for use with migraines. Most are anti=seizure medications, and a few anti-depressants. Most cause weight gain
I know of one that typically causes weight loss.
Then you need to have a solid abortive medication for when you get a migraine. This is difficult because many of the "cures" are just as bad as the migraine. For me, I inject Toradol and DHE. That is the only thing that works for me now, but for years I had great success with the triptans. Any of these meds used in excess can cause either rebound/dependence or some pretty severe side effects.
As for working out with a migraine, I have never had any success. Cardio and weights both make my headache 10x worse. The absolute best is to try to sleep it off with ice on your head.
If anybody has more questions, or wants me to explain in greater depth, let me know.