Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Bikes as medicine-better than pills?

Were you able to drop your prescriptions by cycling? Or undo a diagnosis, like: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, other? How great would it be for doctors to write prescriptions for cycling, and for people to "take the medicine"? Heck, the insurance companies would be crazy not to pay for them, if people would use them. Cheaper than many meds, fewer (negative) side effects...

I ask because a prescription for HBP was my motivation to get fit, by bike, a few years back. (The Dr. suggested only pills and "watch the salt") I went to the doc today, and my BP numbers straddled the excellent and athletes and children ranges. And since I am a child only in my mind, I must be an excellent athlete, right?:rolleyes:

Congrats and let's hear about it if you beat the meds. Perhaps you can inspire someone who is just thinking about getting fit.

I lowered my cholesterol 50 points and my blood pressure is consistantly normal now.

What about the mental health aspect? Exercise is a good thing however packaged, but running on a treadmill only gives you time to ponder the day's challenges, the state of your 401K, etc. Rode a pretty good size hill today. Working too hard on the way up to think beyond the next curve. Focused on avoiding potholes on the way down. Or a rolling ride in the country looking at the wildflowers and cows. Bicycling, good for your body, good for your head.

running on a treadmill only gives you time to ponder the day's challenges, the state of your 401K, etc.

You mean my 201K, right? :lol:

I've dropped my acid reflux prescription. I just don't need it anymore.

I've got a recheck in April to hopefully drop my BP medicine too.

I was never on medication for high blood pressure but for the first time in my adult life my blood pressure was in the normal range and my pulse rate had dropped after my first year cycling.

High cholesterol, elevated liver values, elevated triglycerides and one more thing I can't remember.
Doc was about to prescribe medication for those if they wouldn't come down the next 6 month. I cycled my heart out, 3 or 4 centuries, 5 races, every Tuesday night race training for 2 hours, commuted to and from work 60 miles roundtrip.
6 month later everything normal and only 130 total cholesterol, slightly elevated :D

Thomas

I was able to get completely off all medications for type II diabetes thanks to cycling in conjunction with some serious diet modifications and weight lifting. I also lowered my cholesterol, BP, and lots of other things the doctor said. The doctor says I'm no longer diabetic at all.

The doctor also said, though, that not very many people have the discipline it takes to accomplish something like this. It took me almost 2 years of effort to get off the pills completely, but it's worth it.

I was on Benicar 5mg as a precaution for high blood pressure. It runs in the family, and unfortunately, my BP was a little too high and not going down, and I was only 27, 200 lb, 6'0". I was into cycling in my High school years, raced a little locally. After during and after college, I found it hard to juggle work and cycling, but eventually I got back on my bike more seriously. That was about the same time that the med was perscribed.

I got back on the bike, started playing more hockey, and watched what I ate, and was only on it for 6 months. I'll pop a pill every now and then when work has my chest a little tight, but other than that, riding has helped bring my bp to normal. I just need to get myself riding more over the winter.

My dad used to run marathons when he was younger, until his knees went. His weight went up, so did his BP, Cholestral, and everything else. He had a heart attack, and stints put in. I got him interested in cycling, and he has gone nuts with it. He started on a cheap mountain bike, and now is a Trek carbon freak! He has done a lot to get himself back into shape, and in better health, but it might be a little too late. He continues to have some problems, but also continues to ride when he can. I got him a HR monitor two christmas' ago, and it saved his life on one specific ride. His heart went nuts, but for once he could actually keep an eye on what it really was doing, not going by just how he felt. He stopped, called for home for help, was in the hospital for a few days, but ended up being okay. If you don't already use one, I recommend a HR Monitor.

Sorry, that went a little off topic, but yeah, that is my dad and my stories how cycling has helped us.

Last doctor's visit, he was happy to cut my BP med dosage from 20mg's in half to 10mg's. He expect's that when I return in May he can cut me off completely if I keep up my routine. My cholesteral was still slightly elevated, but I'm due for some blood work to see where it is now.

I was on Benicar 5mg as a precaution for high blood pressure. It runs in the family, and unfortunately, my BP was a little too high and not going down, and I was only 27, 200 lb, 6'0". I was into cycling in my High school years, raced a little locally. After during and after college, I found it hard to juggle work and cycling, but eventually I got back on my bike more seriously. That was about the same time that the med was perscribed.

I got back on the bike, started playing more hockey, and watched what I ate, and was only on it for 6 months. I'll pop a pill every now and then when work has my chest a little tight, but other than that, riding has helped bring my bp to normal. I just need to get myself riding more over the winter.

My dad used to run marathons when he was younger, until his knees went. His weight went up, so did his BP, Cholestral, and everything else. He had a heart attack, and stints put in. I got him interested in cycling, and he has gone nuts with it. He started on a cheap mountain bike, and now is a Trek carbon freak! He has done a lot to get himself back into shape, and in better health, but it might be a little too late. He continues to have some problems, but also continues to ride when he can. I got him a HR monitor two christmas' ago, and it saved his life on one specific ride. His heart went nuts, but for once he could actually keep an eye on what it really was doing, not going by just how he felt. He stopped, called for home for help, was in the hospital for a few days, but ended up being okay. If you don't already use one, I recommend a HR Monitor.

Sorry, that went a little off topic, but yeah, that is my dad and my stories how cycling has helped us.

I got my Dad a mountain bike, too, with a big, fat cloud 9 seat-that's what he wanted. He'd like to lose weight and ease up on the meds. He's building up his miles, slowly. I'll get him a carbon Trek if he wants one. I'm hoping he'll get into it enough so we can do some centuries, or a BRAG ride, but one step at a time.

It's never too late to try to get fit, and it's almost always going to do some good. I hope your Dad sticks with it, too.

I was able to get completely off all medications for type II diabetes thanks to cycling in conjunction with some serious diet modifications and weight lifting. I also lowered my cholesterol, BP, and lots of other things the doctor said. The doctor says I'm no longer diabetic at all.

The doctor also said, though, that not very many people have the discipline it takes to accomplish something like this. It took me almost 2 years of effort to get off the pills completely, but it's worth it.

:thumb: If those people could just see the path they are on: more weight, weaker body, stronger meds, then??? They could avoid it all and have fun if they just got off the couch and hit the streets, and ate some real food without all the sugar and fat.

HI,
I ve found its a addiction thats amazing for mental health and well being. I wish I had started 20 years ago but thats old history and we only live in today.
I do love the feeling of ridding with the wind and pushing your limits to the max and how easy and smooth it is. Its almost like your flying low and skimming the road. my legs feel stonger than ever and my pulse was not to high that can only mean that I am getting into better shape.and loving every min of it...
Doug

I've cut my blood pressure and cholesterol dosage in half. And life insurance moved my rating from "standard", skipped over "preferred", and made me "super-preferred". Love it!

I'm still on BP meds, but now on the lowest dosage hoping to be off them when I'm thinner.

The real story in our house is my husband. He was diagnosed with diabetes, his numbers were off the charts. He lost weight (about 60lbs) and now has his diabetes so under control with diet and cycling that he doesn't have to take meds any more.

Now-a-days we focus on my step-daughter trying to teach her how to eat right and that exercise can be fun so hopefully she will never have to know what it's like to have blood sugar through the roof.

hi,
That Diabetes is a real Killer its a slow death, exercise maybe the best thing for adult onset type 2,
if you can control your weight and blood sugar you may extend your life span by at least 10-15 years,
I lost a good friend to diabtes and problems with, he had type 2 with hyper lipedemia, he eventually needed shunts , then devoloped renal failure from the diabetes, this was also secondary to his high BP, what fiinished him off was heart failure due to missing one dialysis treatment, it cause his heart failure (water in lungs) with cardiac over load due to excees fluids, this resulted in a couple cardiac arrest that took his life. they had him in ICU for a week before he passed ,we are the same age, last year I had elevated Blood glucose I took it real hard and started ridding and watching my carbs its normal now. than goodness. Dialysis every three days is a real pain in the ars....
Doug
take BP, Diabetes real serious I believe its kills most middle age people.

Just cut my BP meds in half, but I am still getting low BP results. Hopefully I will be completely off of them in the next few months.

I am only 27 (28 in a week) and have had HBP for 4 years. I am disappointed it took so long for me to get my act together, but happy I am seeing results.

for a major part of my life i suffered from depression. at one point i was taking prescriptions for it. with cycling i have never felt like the way i did years ago. also because of cycling went the alcohol as well. so it was good in a few ways. i dont have a source for it but there has a few recent studies on how exercise affects mental health. they found a large percentage of people suffering from depression benifited from somthing as simple as exercise. these people were able to maintain good mental health without the need for prescription drugs.

I hope your Dad sticks with it, too.

As long as his VA hops. doc will let him ride, he will ride. He got into doing a lot of century and metrics in western Michigan over the past few years. He came out for my wedding, and I was hoping we were going to be able to ride together on the day of, but we didn't have a chance to. I'm going to try and make it out soon for the Apple Cider Century in SW Michigan. Also, just as a side note, while his reserve unit was calling into active duty for Iraqi Freedom, he spent time repairing bikes in Cuba while at GTMO. It gave him something to do, and helped out those on the base, but also the kids in the area. Something I would have loved to have done with him, but I am not in the service.

As for the mental side of it, that is how I got into cycling. My parent's didn't always agree on things, so I would go out and ride so I wasn't around for it. It wasn't often, but I found that I enjoyed it. After my step-dad passes, I started riding his old Trek (TX900). It helped me work through a lot of things at a young age. Since then, it has been my way to get out, and think through things while on the country roads, or to completely clear my head on some of the climbs.

I was off medication for many years and then I started up cycling May 07. As my luck gues after about a year they put me on BP meds and have me in for blood testing every 3 months and heart testing ever 6-12 :( I'm not even going to talk about life insurance :twitchy:

Oh well I was doing so well off meds and seeing my cardiologist every 2 years. Maybe I just need a new doctor :thumb:

Being able to ride is worth the minor annoyance though especially when my wife finds the time to find her way along.