Terrible Dizzy Spells
 

i recently upped my exercise. now up to an hour and a half for moderate exercise three days a week and a half hour of moderate followed by a half hour of intense cardio one day a week. I have only had problems with dizziness once before and that was months ago but now I'm starting to have dizziness bordering on virtgo when I'm stretching after my exercises but not during them. i have no insurance and i can not afford to see a doctor. this has only been happening since i started upping my exercise and i upped it because the hour was getting too easy for me. should i be concerned? will it go away? or should I tone it down a bit?

Yes, I'd tone it down. Make sure you're drinking lots of water, even if you aren't thirsty. Some people also find it helpful to get 25-30 g or so of carbs about 1/2 hour before the workout (that's not much -- an apple, maybe). But even with those tweaks, there's no reason for a beginning trainer to be doing four 1.5 hour workouts per week that are intense enough to make you dizzy. You're asking for burnout, repetitive use injuries, and general sickness from a weakened immune system.

Abs are built in the kitchen, not in the gym. More is not better, better is better. etc.

//b. strong

I take one tablespoon of a liquid antihistamine after I exercize.
All the movement upsets my inner ear and I get a little dizzy.
I lay down for a few minutes too. It usually takes away my dizziness within 20 minutes.

I did try one that the astronauts take when in space. It was a prescription, but that one was too strong for me.

Umm I've been slowly increasing my workouts without problems for the last 6 months. 1 hour has been making me feel like I'm not getting a workout and I feel like I still have a lot more energy left when I only do an hour but I guess you're right I should be a little more careful. I just don't understand why I only get dizzy after and never during the workout itself.

Maybe low potassium? Have a banana.

You said you only get the dizziness during your cool down/stretching. Could you be cooling down too fast and your heartrate is still amped up? Maybe do a little longer cool down before the actual stretching part. Does that make sense?:?:

I was thinking this ^^^^^
Are you going down to the floor to stretch or putting your head below the level of your heart/chest and your heart rate is still elevated?

You may want to do a youtube search on Epley's maneuver. It's a special exercise that helps with vertigo. I"m not sure if that's what you have, but if you find out that you do, this may help. Also, you will need to drastically reduce sodium and increase potassium. I hope you figure it out. :hug:

I was having this problem at the end of spin class. The spin instructor said that I need to be cooling down for longer. you must be starting on the stretching without letting your blood pressure and heartrate come down enough.

thanks for the advice guys! i probably have been sweating to much and not cooling down for long enough. i'll try to drink the drink mike described and cool down for longer and see if it makes a difference. :)

I'm glad to hear that you have been gradually working harder.:) However, you may want to just increase your intensity, and not your time. I would also recommend seeing a doctor as it CAN be something more serious than just exercising too much.:)

Well the longer cool down and carb thing appears to have helped. I started to get dizzy for a second and then I focused on my breathing and increased my exercise and slowed it down more gradually and the dizziness went away right away. Thanks for the help guys! :)

Make sure that your head stays above your heart when you are initially cooling down and stretching - very important, or you will certainly will get some dizziness/vertigo.