William I am

Crud. Post erased twice now....

I'm 26, not very active, former athlete (soccer and some medium distance cycling years ago), trying to get back in shape.

Since my mid-teens, I get and stay lightheaded and have difficulty focusing on anything, even cycling, after more than 5-10 minutes of aerobic exercise. This didn't used to happen when I was a kid. Everybody's told me this is normal or a runner's high, or something similar, but I'm under the impression that a runner's high feels good. This does not feel good in any way, shape, or form. I'm also pretty sure that you have to do aerobic exercise for quite a while to feel one. I get it after only 10 minutes.

I've thought this was different things before, including overheating, but nothing ever seemed to obviously be the problem.

The other day, about 45 minutes after finishing an 8 mile ride with a 15 minute stop at the bank in the middle, I went to the dentist. They use novocaine mixed with epinephrine, so they take everyone's BP to make sure their heart can handle it.

My BP, 45 minutes after my ride, was 170/85 @ 90bpm. A few minutes later, it was 145/95 @83bpm.
Yesterday, at rest without any exercise, the CVS machine said it was 115/70 @67bpm. My BP has hovered around 140/60 for the last 6 months or a year, but used to be closer to 115/60 when I did more weight lifting routines.

Today, about 30 minutes after riding <2 miles with a short hill climb, I coasted to the CVS and checked it again. It showed up at 148/90 @90bpm and 117/85 @91 when I tried to relax and rechecked a minute later. I know BP and pulse increase while exercising, but it seems to stay high for a long time after riding.

Is it normal to have such high bp so long after exercising? Anyone think this might be related to my lightheadedness? (I do).
I have exercise induced asthma and use albuterol before biking most of the time. Does anyone know if this could be a side effect from the asthma? I get the lightheaded no matter if I use the albuterol or not, and using it doesn't seem to make it worse.

I'm seeing my Dr. tomorrow for an unrelated issue, but I'm going to ask him about it.

Cheers!

rpenmanparker 

Actually BP usually dips AFTER heavy exertion. It is fairly common in many people to be lightheaded from low blood pressure after a half hour workout on the treadmill near the anaerobic threshold. What are you doing asking a cycling forum about this. See your personal physician.

B. Carfree

Don't confuse the blood pressure readings you are taking with resting blood pressure; you're not allowing enough time at rest to get there.

After warming up, it is common for the vasculature to dilate, which creates what some runners call a "second wind" with a drop in blood pressure and heart rate. In your case, it sounds like it's not working out quite right. It might be time to consult with an exercise physiologist and see what can be done.

Ghost Ryder

I want what's in your water bottle!

Machka 

Do you eat anything before you go for a ride?

contango 

I get lightheaded if I work hard on the bike and don't take on enough food and water during the ride. If I've really overdone it I can find myself needing to keep my head down when I stand up or I feel faint. Then I eat and drink some and it goes away. Of course the best solution is to eat and drink enough while moving that it doesn't happen in the first place.

That said...

If you've got exercise-related ailments and are on medications you need advice over and above what a bunch of random (and largely uninformed) strangers on the internet can give you. Most of us aren't doctors and the chances are none of us are your doctor, so anything we say is worth what you paid for it. If anything the things we say could be worth less than what you paid for them, on the basis badly informed medical advice can be dangerous as opposed to just useless.

Talking to your doctor has to be the way to go.

rpenmanparker 

Yes, your symptoms are the LOW BP I was talking about. Your need to rise carefully when you stand is called postural or orthostatic hypotension, basically low BP due to a change in your posture. Very common after heavy exercise even if you do eat and drink sufficiently. That is why OP's elevated BP should be discussed with a physician.

William I am

I had a half a cup of steel cut oatmeal with sugar and half/half, 3 potatoes, half a tomato, a handful of broccoli, onions, etc, about 2-3 hours before I left and an orange just before leaving.

Thanks for the comments. I think the human performance lab at my university might be able to set me up for a stress test or something.

I'm definitely going to discuss this with my Dr. tomorrow, but was just wondering what anybody knows about it and trying to make sure I'm not worrying about nothing. Doesn't feel like nothing and my BP numbers were way high, so I'm inclined to believe it's actually something.

The period of time I feel lightheaded decreases as I get back into condition, so maybe my cardiovascular system just gets more efficient. A more efficient system can run at a slower HR and BP and still deliver plenty of blood. No amount of conditioning has made it nonexistant though.

Terex

"My BP has hovered around 140/60 for the last 6 months or a year, but used to be closer to 115/60 when I did more weight lifting routines."

As noted, contact your physician re recent issues, but at age 26 especially, with systolic of 140, you have high blood pressure. You should probably be on medication and taking significant steps to modify your diet. Again, see your doc.

zvez

great idea to talk with your physician, they might consider doing a cardiac workup. Treadmill, echo.

Dudelsack 

Echocardiogram.

Ghost Ryder

^ECG

I felt a headache, & slight lightheaded today.
It was due to my helmet being adjusted too tightly, I loosed it a bit, & is was better, but the ride home was still miserable.

Bacciagalupe

Another vote for you may have hypertension. See your doctor.​

StanSeven

Or you have "white coat syndrome" and your bp gets elevated out of fear when it's first taken.

Terex

Don't kid yourself. That's just incipent HBP.

Tony N.

Also get back with us to let us know what he says and how you're doing.

Dunbar

From the NIH website:

Do not take your blood pressure when you're under stress, have consumed caffeine or used a tobacco product in the past 30 minutes, or have recently exercised"

Before you go on blood pressure medication in your 20's I'd buy a blood pressure machine and take your resting blood pressure at home 2-3 times a day for a week. Your doctor can also prescribe a 24 hour measuring device to check your BP over the course of the day. I have white coat syndrome which means my BP measures really high in the doctors office.

nadimk

Everything you describe is normal elevated blood pressure after exertion. That is not the concern and yes, could be related to albuterol usage. HOWEVER, light headedness during exercise is most definitely a concern and should be fully evaluated by a physician, probably a cardiologist. Stop taking your own BP and make an appointment as soon as possible.

contango 

Not necessarily so.

I remember years ago when I went for an induction class at the gym I'd just joined. Before the induction they took my blood pressure, which was so high they not only wouldn't continue with the induction but told me I needed to see a doctor as a matter of urgency.

To make sure they took another reading about 10 minutes later and that time it was perfectly normal.

I wouldn't say I was afraid of anything but was nervous at what the induction was going to involve and apparently that, combined with the appearance of what looked like medical equipment, was enough to cause my blood pressure to rise.

StanSeven

I'm not

Velo Dog

This, probably. There are these people called "doctors...."
Seriously, I check my blood pressure fairly often, because my family history is marginal and I wasn't able to exercise much for several months after surgery. In just a few minutes, it will vary 40 points. Just recently, for instance, it was 170/110 when I walked in the door and 123/77 10 minutes later. But see a doctor and put your mind at rest.

Nihilum

Rather than give advice on what's wrong, I'll simply tell you to be smart and go see a doctor. Have a physical done, and explain your dizzy spell to the doc...they're really the only qualified people you should be taking medical advice from.

OldTryGuy

Also get a complete blood work-up done.

ultraman6970

If this guy is overweight, not resting good and stuff, that could explain the problems somehow.

bikepro

And, 140 over 60 is very bothersome. That's a pulse pressure (systolic - diastolic) of 80 -- which is extremely high. On the other hand, from what you have posted, I don't think you know how to take your blood pressure properly. The first thing you should do is buy a good blood pressure monitor. The automatic ones are easier to use and just as accurate. Then learn how to take your blood pressure. You are interested in resting blood pressure. Basically, you need to sit motionless for at least five minutes before taking your pressure. Wait two or three minutes and take it again. Repeat a third time then average the three readings. An optimal pressure is anything less than 120/80. Finally, there are numerous blood pressure articles on the web. I'd start with the American Heart Association web site.