Severe headaches after hockey.....

[Rustpot 1]

I get headaches like you describe when I play hockey and don't sugar up at some point during/after. Sounds like Nuun doesn't have any sugar in it, so it might be something you need that you aren't getting.

I usually drink a good deal of water (maybe 3-4 12/16oz glasses) an hour or so before heading to the rink, a 32oz bottle during play that I sometimes put gatorade powder in (there may be 4 oz left at the end that I gulp on the way to the lockers), and then refill the bottle with water and drink it after the game or buy a gatorade from a machine if I didn't do the mix.

On days where the water thieves are present or the goalie forgets his bottle and I give him mine I feel a lot more exhausted on the bench. Afterward I'll be dying for water and I'll down 64oz, usually too fast and get cramped up and cause nausea problems.

If I don't do the mix an don't have the dollar for the 20oz bottle I'll get home feeling lightheaded, and an intense headache will set in if I don't have a bagel and a soda or something similar.

The powder gatorade uses sucrose and is like $7 for several gallons worth, while the bottled stuff uses HFCS and is several dollars to the gallon, so I usually try to throw 4 scoops of the powder in my bottle at home and fill it at the rink. G2 and Propel, the low-calorie Gatorades do NOT help with my headaches, they just quench the thirst and do nothing for lightheadedness.

[#44wannabe 4]

Ermm.... Please go and see a doctor... You have just described the symptons of diabetes.

[Rustpot 1]

I'm kinda hypoglycemic with hockey and other heavy activity being one of the triggers. Only other time I get low blood sugar is when I don't properly watch my watch my intake for a couple of days in a row. Not saying Fletch has the same thing, but heavy activity causing a slight drop in blood sugar from increased consumption that doesn't get replenished could be a cause he can easily try to rule out.

I am at risk for diabetes, hockey is one of the changes I've made in my life to try and turn things around for me. But yeah, I got it covered, thanks.

[biff44 0]

Could be a blood sugar problem. If you are diabetic, you have too much blood sugar because you can not process the sugar. So if you play a full hockey game, you use up whatever sugar your body can absorb, and your brain is starved for nutrition, even though your blood is full of sugar. People with bad undiagnosed dibetes are often thirsty all the time, drinking gallons of water or soda all day long, and going to the head every 30 minutes.

You can do a quick at home test by getting some of these test strips at your pharmacy, pissing on them, and checking the color. If there is a lot of sugar in your urine, you have to go see a doctor:

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp...amp;catid=11645

There are also strips that only test for glucose, but I could not find them online. That is all you need to test--glucose. The strips that test for glucose AND ketones are more expensive. Maybe the local drug store has the cheaper ones.

You can be glycemic, which basically means you have very low blood sugar, and again your brain has no nutrition to work on. I think you need to go to a doctor for a couple hour long test where they give you some food and check your blood sugar every 30 minutes.

If could just be that you are sweating too much and drinking too much water. There have been a couple recent cases of people dying from water poisoning! Too much water, and your body gets swept clear of all of its electrolytes. Without them, everything just stops working. Try taking two salt tablets before a game and see if it helps.

Some people get into some weird eating patterns on a game day--eat a big breakfast and starve the rest of the day so they do not have a full stomach at game time. For some, that would be a recipe for disaster, as there is no fuel in the tank when the game starts.

Experiment around and see if you can find something that works.

[Fletch 219]

I just had my blood sugar tested at my work's health fair in October - It was perfectly normal. In fact, my cholesterol and all of my other lab work was excellent as well, which surprised the hell out of me because I hadn't been able to work out in basically a full calendar year.

I've also had a brain MRI and other tests and everything is normal....

Where can you buy salt tablets?

[biff44 0]

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp...nit1=thermotabs

I use these when I am out in the woods hiking during the summer. Each person has his own metabolism, but if I hike all day without taking the salt, I am just completely spent by the end of the day.

[Chadd 916]

Anyone know just how much water hockey players should drink per hour/game?

You should be drinking something after every shift and that comes from Gary Roberts, not me. There were some stories from some of the young guys when he was with the Penguins where they mentioned he was always getting on them to drink more over the course of the game.

[biff44 0]

Hockey players, in general, have mineral deficiencies. You might have a low magnesium or calcium. Easy to take some pills for a few days and see if that is it too.

[Fletch 219]

Anyone know just how much water hockey players should drink per hour/game?

You should be drinking something after every shift and that comes from Gary Roberts, not me. There were some stories from some of the young guys when he was with the Penguins where they mentioned he was always getting on them to drink more over the course of the game.

Well, that's what I was doing the other night....I was taking big gulps after every shift. I'll just try to drink more next game, I guess.

Hockey players, in general, have mineral deficiencies. You might have a low magnesium or calcium. Easy to take some pills for a few days and see if that is it too.

Funny you mention Magnesium - I spoke with my Aunt tonight, and she has migraine free for over a year since she started taking magnesium supplements, recommended by her Doctor. I am going to buy some of what she takes and try it out. Here's the product -

http://www.magox.com/

[biff44 0]

Yeah, I am not an expert by any means on the issue, but I hear from professional sources that your body needs minerals to function properly. For example, Calcium is needed to fire your muscles/nerves--if you don't have it, all the off-ice workouts you can do will come to naught during the hockey game, as your muscles just flap around inefficiently.

[Fletch 219]

Well, my muscles do that anyway....haha.

[rebel96 0]

Fletch,

I know a few guys who get severe headaches eve after games and it all really comes down to hydration. There have been some pretty good guidelines for liquid consumption prior to playing in this thread which are probably worth following.

It's worth sipping water all day on the day of a game. But my doctor told me on one visit that before sports you should try and take around 2 litres (sorry I'm from europe dunno what that is in oz) before playing and around 4 litres if you're anyway ill ( i.e. diahorrea etc.) and to eat a banana or two after playing for potassium.

Also, one friend who used complain of this headache problem came up with a good drink to have just before during and after playing. Basically get any diluteable drink (orange, blackcurrant, I prefer lemon) and make up a fairly weak solution with water. Then add a small bit of salt. Only a tiny bit. The sodium will help with your body's uptake of water while playing. It's definately worth tinkering around with this drink before you play though (with the amount of salt and flavouring). Too much salt will have you gagging, and too little you may as well just be drinking water.

Then after playing eat the bananas to get potassium. Hopefully no more headaches!!!

[BMcDonald19 0]

i get the same problems... bad pains behind my eyes tho.. then my vision goes blurry. it isn't as common as before. my mom said it could be a bunch of things, low blood sugar, glare off the ice, not even water. i tend to drink as much water as possible on game days, it has helped me over the years

[djosbun 0]

I used to get severe headaches, and the next day felt hungover. I then started drinking a whole bottle of water on the way home after a game and it helped tremendously!

[starsfan71 9]

I used to get some when I played peewee hockey and I didn't take care of my body here are a few things that caused headaches for me.

If you consume caffine on most days and not game days it could be caffine withdrawl I used to get it all the time.

Also try eating something after a game it seems to stop headaches.

[texspeleo 0]

I have a herniated disk at C5/6 that causes headaches just like you describe. It took a head/neck CT scan to figure that out.

[maxamillion 3]

I get migraines that are related to dehydration all the time. It usually happens when some asshole drinks my water on the bench. I get occular migraines too, which impair your vision in certain spots, and it's actually kind of scary when they occur while driving.

[HkY_GuY 2]

do this eat something small like banana or protein bar just before the game and after the game, during the game drink as much watter as you feel you need to keep hydrated. after the game don't drink watter drink something with sugar like juice, gatorade and when you get home eat a meal.

how many hours before the game you eat your meal? and how many hours you go without eating during a game day?

[biff44 0]

I used to get severe headaches, and the next day felt hungover. I then started drinking a whole bottle of water on the way home after a game and it helped tremendously!

Actually, the best time to drink a bottle of water is BEFORE the game.

[OTHockey96 0]

Take magnesium supplements. May sound weird, but trust me, the headaches will dissapear.

[2panther 2]

I was getting headaches after being on the ice for about 20-30 minutes, finally determined that it was the helmet. I was wearing a medium CCM 692, after trying other helmets on and buying a large Reebok 6k which felt great but I had issues the cage fitting my face properly I ended up with a Bauer 5500 in medium and it fits perfectly, headaches are a thing of the past.

[indaslot 0]

Check out exertional migraines. My friend had this and had all the major tests which found nothing. I found the info on the internet and he now pops 2 Advil before exercise and it has solved the problem. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor.

[Fletch 219]

Take magnesium supplements. May sound weird, but trust me, the headaches will dissapear.

I'm working on that right now, but I keep forgetting to take them everyday.

[chuckg 0]

I had a similar experience about a year ago. Twice about 45 minutes after playing a game, my vision became extremely blurred (hit me traveling at 60mph on the highway!). I had two MRIs which showed everything as normal. My doctor suspected that it was migraines triggered by the extreme physical exertion of a hockey game, only without the pain. He suggested that I hydrate well before a game, and take two Ibuprofen before playing. I've done this ever since and it hasn't happened again.