Post ride headache

I ride 4-5 times a week mostly 1 -1.5 hrs on a trainer or road when I have time. Sat. rides is with a group ~50 miles with some hammering. I do my share of the pull specially on flats. My problem is post ride headache. I get a headache after a couple of hours after my Sat. ride. I made a point to eat within 2 hrs. after the ride and drink fluid constantly (Endurox immediately, sip Gatorade and water). But I still get that nasty headache. If I want to get rid of my headache, I take Excedrin; 30 min. and I'm good again. So what gives? By the way, I also consciously hydrate and eat during the ride. Thanks for any inputs you may have.

Dehydration? Eye stress? Others?

Drink more... Darker sunglasses... Others.

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Morphed Bianchi Camaleonte IV 2006, Ridley Damocles 2006, Garmin, Mac

ditto! more appropriate fluids, non dehydrating types. Also head covering, a helmet with better ventilation, short hair, all these will help.

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Cheers,
George.

What about your riding posture? Find yourself in the drops more when you are on your group ride? Could be that you are putting a kink in your neck and causing a little damage that is leading to your headaches. If not the riding a lot in the drops (different possition than when on the trainer) then it could be due to all the extra time/miles that bring the issue to the front.

-GN

Sugar levels could be to low or to high I find myself tweaking the amount of raw honey in my bottle for the temperature that day if it is cooler I don't drink so much so I add a little more your brain runs on sugar try to get optimum amounts.

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Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. http://www.earnharts.com/html/realau...cific.asp?id=3

I think wiredued is coorect. I also drink soda (Coke) to help rid of my headache. I ride more on the hoods, I keep myself cool with a shower of water once in awhile during a ride, etc. I will experiment in balancing the minerals in my body since I do really sweat a lot (a lot of salt on my skin after the sweat dries out). In fact Eddie Borysewicz (sp?) one of the top coaches in the early days wrote in is training book to put honey in your water bottle as a substitute for energy drinks. I'll post the results after another hard ride. Thanks for all your response

If you are omitting your usual/daily caffeine on the day of your ride your headaches could be from to caffeine withdrawal.

Is caffeine withdrawal really true?! I thought it was just some cliche. I do drink coffee but not regularly. In fact I'm trying to cut down on it specially in the office. But let me try drinking some coffee before my Sat. ride to experiment and see what happens. Thanks

Caffeine withdrawal is definitely a real entity. If you are a daily and long time drinker, then you'll definitely get it. Yet again, if you don't have any symptoms on weekends when you don't drink, then I suspect there may be other reasons for the headache. But is caffeine a banned substance in cycling? Worth a try though.

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Morphed Bianchi Camaleonte IV 2006, Ridley Damocles 2006, Garmin, Mac

Not only your neck. I get a pain between shoulder blade and spine. The muscles are rhomboid/trapezius. Causes shoulder tension then neck tension which produces a headache in the base of your head followed by a pounding headache all the way to the back of the eyes. Excedrin works in 20 to 30 minutes. All the other NSAIDS hardly touch it.

I had another had Sat. ride. I had 2 bottles of Gatorade and 2 bars of Oatmeal (forgot to bring Power bar) and a bottle of water with honey (about 3 tablespoons). After 70+ miles of hard riding (with 3 rest/re-group) anda total of 4 bottles of Gatorade and 2 bottles of water (one with honey). My legs were wasted. Got home and drank Endurox R4, took a shower, ate some pasta, and fell asleep. I was worried I was going to have a headache as soon as I wake up (which happened just the week before). Suprisingly, no headache! I know it's just my first experminet on putting honey in my water but I'm glad I did not have any headache. I will give it a try again this Sat. and again with honey in my water. So far so good.

A bit obvious, but is your helmet too tight? I used to get terrible headaches until I loosened by helmet straps a bit...

I did a century ride (111 miles) last Sat. and started getting a headache near the finish. I know I did not hydrate myself regularly but I can still atest that after loading up with sugar post ride, it helped me lessen my headache. I did have honey with my water but I guess I did not have enough for a century ride. I'll keep putting honey in my water bottle every time I ride and I think that is the solution for my headache problem.

Just guessing but I think that the total quantity of water is just as important as the amount of honey.

I think taking in fluids whilst exercising is somthing you have to condition the body for. After the event, its almost impossible to over hydrate (keep taking in fluids till you urine is clear). Personnally, I would reduce the sports drink in favour of water - I find a 1/4 gatorade:water mix works well and tastes better (not as sticky and cheaper).

I do exactly what you say - drink until my urine is clear. In fact I do that but I sweat so much that I am covered literally with salt after a long ride. I guess it's alos in my diet. If I drink plain water and not enough sports drink I tend to cramp after a couple of hours of riding. Spceially when the ride is hard