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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Exercise - abortive or trigger ... or both?!
        
(Message started by: CJohnson on Dec 16^th, 2003, 2:45pm)

Title: Exercise - abortive or trigger ... or both?!
Post by CJohnson on Dec 16^th, 2003, 2:45pm

We all know that vigorous exercise can abort an attack for some, and trigger an attack in others. How can this be?? Perhaps cortisol plays a role in this phenomenon.
During a bout of sustained vigorous, or even somewhat vigorous exercise, cortisol levels increase immediately and produce an elevated cortisol to DHEA ratio. Around 3 hours after the activity has ceased, cortisol levels decrease to a level equal to or lower than the levels prior to exercise. Perhaps these cortisol levels, or some aspect of the process of dramatic increases and decreases in cortisol or cortisol to DHEA ratios play a role in aborting or triggering an attack.

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a natural, intermediate steroid hormone produced in our body by the adrenal glands. DHEA is called "mother of hormones", or prohormone because DHEA is further converted to generate 50 other essential hormones. For example, DHEA is converted to androgens (male hormones) or estrogens (female hormones) in the cells. DHEA is the most abundant hormone in our blood, and adequate blood DHEA level is critical for many vital hormonal and metabolic functions of our body.

PFDANs
-Curtis

Title: Re: Exercise - abortive or trigger ... or both?!
Post by justin on Dec 27^th, 2003, 11:32pm

i was working out and wasn't getting attacks (i'm chronic btw). stopped working out because i was busy at work and they came back. couincidence? who knows. i'm trying to find out by going back to the gym and seeing if they stop again. but i've been too beat up from attacks and not sleeping to make it there. and busy at work. hopefully i will soon and let you guys know.

Title: Re: Exercise - abortive or trigger ... or both?!
Post by ave on Dec 29^th, 2003, 5:27am

No time for a work out? Try a leaf out of Hannah Froukjes book. Run up and down stairs. Must be some staircases around where you live.

Title: Re: Exercise - abortive or trigger ... or both?!
Post by MAugust on Dec 29^th, 2003, 9:34am

I have been using exercise for the last two cycles to abort attacks. Last cycle (Jan-Mar. 2002) I used a combination of drug therapy and exercise. This cycle (began Nov. 4), I have been using exercise exclusively to abort. I had two imitrex left over from last cycle that I used in desparation. One about three weeks ago and one this weekend, but all they did was help me sleep.

My exercise is in the form of running. I wish I had access to the stairs in the old college dorm, because there were three flights and I could abort an attack without going outside. But now, I just run outside as hard as I can until I have to stop. Usually within 15 minutes, the attack is aborted before it reaches severe pain levels. Sometimes, I have to run a second time for a really adamant beast.

It's no fun having to get up in the middle of the night as many as four times some nights and having to go outside in the freezing weather and run in the dark. However, it is a great feeling to be able to control the CH's without any med's whatsoever.

I was told that it had something to do with beta-endorphins being produced by the body during exercise. These endorphins are apparently natural pain killers.