Friday, April 6, 2007

Frindy

WOD for 040607

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes of:
10 thrusters (65#)
10 pullups

SS 7
BL 7
KL 10

Fucking terrible. Pretty well dashed my hopes of working out tomorrow.

Mostly notes for myself (BL), but if the Doctor has anything to add, I'd be interested. The last few workouts have been accompanied by what I think are exertional headaches: they come on rapidly, usually during or just after peak heart rate, starting on the right side, and spreading bilaterally. Seem to radiate from just behind my right eye, and I involuntarily close my right eye with the sharpest pain (which is synched to my pulse). So for today's WOD, the headaches came in waves, one following each round or thrusters. Persisted after the workout and required some ibuprofen, which helped. Lately, they've also recurred in the mornings following a workout. Not sure what to do, but there is information here, here, and here.

I hope I don't have a subarachnoid hemorrhage!

8 comments:

kenny g said...

Brian, certainly sounds like it could be an exertional/effort headache, but the things I'd like to know:
- has this happened in the past?
- any reason why it might be developing recently, like increased workload?
- any history of migraine?
- how bad is the pain?

Medicine in general, and me in particular, tends to be defensive about these things and think of worst things first. This really does sound like an exertional headache, but the thing to rule out is a recurrent subarachnoid bleed, which can be a symptom of an aneurysm.

brian said...

If it's happened in the past, I don't remember it.

It may be developing recently due to increased heavy lifting? I think the workouts are getting fairly intense, moreso than say three months ago.

No history of migraine.

Pain is bad, but not terrible, I do actually continue working, so it can't be that bad. Certainly very irritating, maybe a 5/6 on a scale of 1-10. Would not categorize it as the "worst pain of my life".

brian said...

How do you rule out a bleed? I assume I would need an MRI? Please god, no spinal taps.

kenny g said...

OK, Brian, I don't really think you have a bleed. In any case, it's not the bleed you worry about as much as what underlying pathology it may indicate - aneurysm or AVM. There called "sentinel bleeds" often for that reason.

I think CT without contrast is the initial diagnosis, should be able to see the blood, and more importantly, any underlying abnormalities.

A spinal tap is realtively easy and cheap - we can even do it in the lab!

brian said...

Dude ...

kenny g said...

I think I *seriously* underestimated this workout. 65# just seemed so light when we've been squatting 2-3x that weight. The dynamic movements and metabolic overdrive really took it's toll, it was like hitting a wall after about 6 sets - everything felt so much heavier, even just lifting my arms above my head.

Wonder if smarter pacing might help - I blew out fast early (2 sets at 2 min, 3 at 4 min, 6 at 10 min) and my body started shutting down. I just watched the last minute tick away.

brian said...

Nice work! I felt the same way; I tried some windmills and planks afterwards, and a 25# plate felt like it was going to rip my arm out of socket.

kenny g said...

Think the next time I would aim for a pace of 1 set per 90 secs and stick to it as long as possible.

It's very telling that the next twenty minutes I spent cursing Gristedes for putting the chocolate milk on the top shelf.