Originally Posted by
tony_merlino
But what I'm curious about is if the restriction of my lung capacity caused by having to scrunch over my belly could cause this sort of thing to happen. Is it possible that just putting riser bars on the bike, or comfort bars - something that would let me ride in a more upright position - , would alleviate this problem? Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this?
A heart attack is caused when your heart cannot get enough oxygen to operate. When this happens, heart tissue dies or becomes scarred. Since what you reported has all the hallmarks of a potential heart attack, I am very glad you are seeing a cardiologist. I must say that yes, your lack of breathing capacity in a scrunched position could have induced a minor heart attack as your body may not have been able to get enough oxygen to your heart to prevent it from going into arrest.
After speaking to your doctor, I would go find a bike shop and get a professional bike fitting performed. Make sure they know the situation and see what they recommend. They may decide a comfort bike is more in line with your current fitness level if you simply cannot get enough lung movement on your current bike.
Good luck!