Headaches and Muscle Relaxants

I recently suffered an intense headache during a workout. The headache flares up during exercise and sexual activity. I was taking an anabolic steroid and immediately stopped after it happened. I had a ct scan and it was normal and i was told to "avoid steroids." Because steroids have become so taboo i feel like i was not taken seriously as every doctor i saw was quick to blame the headaches on those horrible steroids. I know that these headaches, while possibly the result of high blood pressure associated with steroid use, are common to weightlifters who have never used any "performance enhancers". I was advised by fellow bodybuilders who have suffered from these symptoms to take time off and take a muscle relaxant as the pain is likely being caused by a vasospasm in the subarachnoid layer??? I am wondering if an over the counter muscle relaxant would suffice if this is in fact what i am suffering from and also if it would be safe to take along with the Tamoxifen(anti-estrogen) i am currently taking.

[Prophecies]

Muscle relaxants typically work on skeletal muscle, that is the muscle that you can control. Blood vessels are made up of smooth muscle, which you can never control consciously. Therefore, I don't believe muscle relaxers will help with the vasospasm you might be experiencing. Muscle relaxants can, however, help you feel better in general by relaxing your body--this won't fix any physical problems you might have though.

If the headaches continue to bother you, either while you are lifting or not, you should see your doctor. When you lift weights you increase the pressure in your chest, abdomen, and head. This pressure change can cause damage if the change is too great or too sudden. The safest thing is to see your doctor and not self-diagnose.

[James_18]

Yeah go to your doctor. I think its the steriods and those things are dangerous you should stop taking them.

I'm not sure there's over the counter muscle relaxants, I live in the US and there's no over the counter muscle relaxants but I would recomment Soma.

Go to your doctor and if theres an over the counter muscle relaxant try it, it wouldn't hurt.

take care

[drsteve]

A great smooth muscle relaxant is Magnesium - you will need between 400-1000 mg daily.  Start slow as to much to quit can cause diarrhea as the intestines are also smooth muscles.  In addition several OTC muslce relaxants are available - but usually at a natural practitioners office -  Sommaserene by Titan Labs and Formula 303 by DC Labs - they will run you $10-20 a month and work fairly well - my patients have had better luck with Sommaserene - but harder to find.  The main ingrediant in most of these are two fold 1.) minerals  2.) valarian root (where they discovered valium).  A good combination of minerals and relaxing herbals in tea form will do the job also.  Lastly Co-Q 10 can be helpful as well.