Scary Complex Migraine on Today's Ride

[colorisnt]

Gah. So, I have been doing a lot of miles. I came back to my hometown for cooler weather and flatter rides to build my confidence up. I had been doing AWESOME, despite a wasp attack and getting lost on a ride, but today, i did a simple 38 mile route and found myself miserable on mile 22.

The migraine came out of NOWHERE. I had just taken a break and while I know weather triggers thins, it wasn't pouring or lightning or anything - the storm was hours away. I usually get aura, but I didn't get it this time. No warning. I lost feeling in my hand and leg and had to call my mother to come pick me up on the roadside and drive me home. It was sad and embarassing and it's never happened before.

I am not sure about riding by myself right now. As is, I always have someone to call, but it still scares me. Is there another way to be safe in such instances? I try to do group rides when I can, but a couple of times a week I go out alone. It's NEVER been an issue before.

[Biciclista]

was your helmet too tight? were you drinking enough water?
if you get a lot of migraines, you can ignore my questions but it seems to me that this was unusual and shouldn't happen a lot! keep riding and stay hydrated!

[redrhodie]

Oh, that's scary. I've never had one on the bike, but I once had one in Midtown Manhattan, and I had blind spots in front of me and couldn't find the subway entrance, then couldn't see the stairs once I found it. I don't know how I made it home.

You did the right thing by calling for help. No matter what you were doing, if you were driving, or walking, you would have to do that, so don't be embarrassed. Just be glad for cell phones, and feel better!

[colorisnt]

Red,

Yeah, I was starting to lose my vision and I cannot speak well when they hit. I worried that people would think I had a stroke. Some people I knew did drive by, but I waited for my mother because i didn't want to have to explain stuff to them.

Biciclista,
I get them often, but only ride when I am feeling okay. Usually I know my body well enough to know when NOT to ride. I have no problem drinking enough. I had electrolytes and 2 pints of water on my stop, so I felt fine. Helmet was not too tight - I loosened it when it started to get hot, but now that you say that, I will be super careful to adjust it as I go in the heat.

This has been a particularly bad one. I am going on day two of this one. I've been in and out of sleep because of the pain and it gets better and then gets worse. Waking up at 2 AM to be sick is not cool either. I think at this point, it couldn't have been avoided.

[smilingcat]

my sympathy!! My migrane episodes have gone way down with HRT, but if I ever get one while riding, that will be it for me. Time to call someone to take me home. I can't make sense of what I'm looking, I read signs but it doesn't register correctly. "STOP" yes I know what it means but for me to stop then would be dicy... Not sure how to explain It's that you understand but you can't translate it into action.

Be careful and you should carry some sort of medical alert bracelet or Road ID. A lot of migrane suffer can be mistaken for stroke victim.

Don't feel defeated by the migrane, you did the right thing!!

[WindingRoad]

That's an awful long time to have a migraine. Are you sure you shouldn't call your doc?