Headaches From Exercising After A Layoff...

[40something]

I am just starting to do cardio after a six month layoff. I have been doing the CTX series for the last two weeks and will also do it for the next two weeks but...yesterday I was feeling a little giddy so I put in Step Works (an hour long cardio) and although I was fine with the workout...about two hours afterward I came down with a horrendous pounding headache and I'm not prone to headaches. So, took Tylenol and figured that would be the end of it. Well, when I got up this morning as soon as I raised my head up the pounding headache was back. To the point that my eyes even hurt. H brought me two tylenol and I laid in bed for about 20 minutes before I got up and was better. Today I was back with 10-10-10 from CTX Series and I did start to get a headache towards the end of the cardio portion but it did go away by the time I finished the workout.

So, my question is...what am I doing wrong? Too much cardio too quickly with that Step Works yesterday? I stay hydrated, my diet hasn't changed and even during my exercise layoff I still walked every day and kept up with upper body work.

 

[booboo39]

I have had the same thing happen!! Not once but for the last 10 years. Everytime I let a couple of months go by without exercising and decide to resume, I have utter dread at starting up since it seems it is the penance I must pay for slacking off. On the first workout the headache arrives roughly 1-3 hours after the workout and it remains until the following day. Subsequent headaches usually arrive in the middle or towards the end of subsequent workouts. I have tried staying hydrated, tylenol and getting extra sleep and rest. The only thing that has really helped is to work out at low to middle intensity, staying closer to the lower end than middle (hope that makes sense!). It is after about 3 or 4 workouts that I can push a little more and usually by the third week I can go regular intensity w/no headache. Good luck!

BooBoo39