[Everlasting]

Not sure which topic to post this under but I have a question...

I ate breakfast this morning before class about 9:30, and I have been drinking plenty of water throughout the day, so I know I wasn't dehydrated.

Got back from class and at about noon decided to put in my workout dvd since my roomie wasn't home to be bothered by me jumping around, so I did that. It was hard, yeah, but I made it through just fine, though tired at the end. Popped into the shower and got dressed, but then afterwards I had bent down to pick something up and this AWFUL wave of dizziness came over me. Like everyone gets that "kinda dizzy" feeling every so often when you stand up quick, but this was bad. I had to hold onto the wall for a good three minutes, and then I felt all shaky.

I came to sit down, and after a little bit got something to eat and had more water, but I still feel a bit off and it's an hour later. I was starting to get a little hungry by the time it happened, but I certainly wasn't famished. I did take some Excedrin before I worked out because I was starting to get a migraine.

I feel like this is something usually caused by dehydration, and though I was working out hard, I had taken a lot of water that morning, and was sipping throughout my workout, and even had some afterward.

Just wondering if anyone knows which of these things could be a probable cause for the dizziness. Did not like it and don't want it to happen again.

[WarMaiden]

Could be post-workout hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). If you are working out hard, you should have something to eat which includes both carbs and protein, immediately after the workout. Chocolate milk is beneficial.

Another possibility is low blood pressure. If you have only recently started working out consistently or intensely, your body may need to adjust.

[abreezies]

If you are and have been drinking plenty of water, then I doubt it was from dehydration. Dizziness, is one of those things that can be brought on by numerous things. It could have been anything honestly, maybe the excedrin on the empty stomach mixed with exercising and getting heated. Maybe you are coming down with a little bug. Are you close to getting your period? Was your breakfast full of enough nutrients to really sustain you? I would say, just keep drinking your water, it's good that you ate something. If it gets worse.......call your doc. If it goes away, just chart it down and try not to worry about it. I had a friend once who kept getting this on and off for approx 2 months. Doc's couldn't find anything so they diagnosed her with Vertigo (which means dizzy). After approx 3months it went away....really weird. Well, I hope yours go away and it doesn't happen to you anymore.

[edesjarlais]

If it persists check with your doctor. I experienced similar problems and my doctor found out my dieting had caused low blood pressure. I had been drinking a ton, but it was water or crystal light and my body got rid of it immediately. I do WW and they stress low-sodium, so that's largely what I had been eating. Being too low in sodium lowered my blood volume and therefore pressure upon standing. He had me add some more salt back into my diet and consume gatorade for the electrolytes and I immediately started feeling better.

This is only one of a number of reasons this can happen, some of which can become serious so if it keeps happening definitely get to a doctor to rule out anything major.

[JayEll]

Try eating something, preferably with protein, 30 minutes before your start a workout.

You were already hungry and starting to get a migraine--maybe a hard workout wasn't the best idea at that point...

Jay

[Everlasting]

Yeah, I'm slowly figuring out how my body is adjusting to this exercise thing. Thanks for the advice everyone. I like to do my workout in the morning usually right when I get up, and I don't like to eat before it because it upsets my stomach. If I'm moving around with a bunch of stuff in there.

What I've been doing lately and I haven't had this dizziness problem since, is cut a banana in half and take the first half before I run, along with a couple drinks of milk or kefir from the fridge. Then I'm usually set for a run or whatever, and when I come back I'll eat the other half of the banana right after with some water, then shower and a little while later have an actual meal. I think the dizzy thing was just me figuring out when I needed to eat in proportion to working out.

[Palestrina]

What did you have for breakfast? I have similar dizzy spells but only if I eat just carbs in the morning, and I avoid the spells by eating protein and carbs together. It keeps me fuller longer. Eating at 9 and then exercising at noon means your body needs more food, at least it does with me.

So what's your breakfast?

[ubergirl]

excedrin has caffeine in it, so maybe that had something to do with it.

[xooma]

The fact that the dizziness happened after you bent over makes me think that you experienced a intense bout of orthostatic hypotension.. Like you said, people tend to get dizzy when they change positions abruptly (its caused by blood pooling & low blood pressure). Like someone else mentioned, it can also be caused by low sodium intake.

Personally, I've noticed these these "dizzy" bouts are more common when I'm on a diet. I guess it's just because my body is working hard shedding the pounds. In the past, during times when my caloric intake has been too low (for example, 1200 a day) and my exercise has been too intense, I have gotten a really intense form of dizziness like you described. Like, blacking out of sight for a minute (it's really scary!) and then this huge "head rush." When I eased up on the diet and exercise a bit it got better. Sounds like you did the same by adding a banana to give your body a little "boost."

So yeah.. it's probably related to orthostatic hypotension. It happens no matter what, but the effect is magnified when you're on a diet (probably because your body is working so hard).