BillyD

TS, I just stole this, thanks!

dstrong 

It happened to me in college...mostly after smoking weed...it's called a "head rush"...dude. If it goes away after a few seconds, then everything's fine.

rpenmanparker 

Yesh, but funny thing is, it is just the opposite of a "rush". Blood is leaving the head, not rushing to it.

popeye

I find that tightening up my muscles like a fighter pilot will mitigate the experience. It helps to keep the blood where it belongs.

goenrdoug

+1, happens to me as well. 5'10", 210 (down from 285.) It's happened at all weights in between as I've ridden hard and lost. Tends to happen more after particularly hard rides.

Thanks for posting this. I have been wondering if I were alone in this and whether I ought to be worried or see a doctor or what. Sounds like it's nothing much to be worried about.

f4rrest

Happens frequently. It's easier to just stay in the recliner.

Team Sarcasm

Thanks for the replies!

RidingMatthew

i am only 5'9" and it happens to me especially when I have ridden a lot. i think it is just lower blood pressure like someone said earlier.

therhodeo

Hydration issue?

shoota 

I'm not sure what's more impressive, the 100+ miles a week or the fact you're on a forum at 81! Totally awesome.

Team Sarcasm

drink 3-4 liters a day on non-riding days.

That + what ever I drink while on the bike.

Bah Humbug

Happens to me too, at a not-tall 5'11". Pulse is around 60, BP is ~112/76, so it doesn't take crazy numbers.

mkadam68

This.

Son & I used to get the dizzies all the time. Doctor friend told us we were slightly dehydrated & to drink more. Haven't had a dizzy spell since.

OldsCOOL

I get this when I push the envelope. Happened yesterday doing a 16mi loop of steep hills my first real road ride of the season. For me, it's the legs taking most of the blood and oxygen. I'm ok until the ride is over, then light-headedness settles in until the leg muscles are recovered. I'm 56, good BP, HR 185 at the top of hills, breathing not too hard.

turky lurkey

It happens to me once in awhile and I'm not super tall. I pretty much just always assumed it's something that happens to everyone one occasionally. I get it worse when I am tired, usually tired from a hard workout, but sometimes from not getting enough sleep, or when I've been sick.

downtube42

All my life. Asked my doctor once and he said tall skinny fit guys are the worst. I'm two or three out of three depending. Maybe he was wrong.

You might want to be particularly careful with hot tubs.

nevertrustafart

im 6'1 and about 120 lbs due to crohn's disease, i have this happen constantly white outs and all and i have hit the floor more than once. my issue is being anemic. maybe you should have your doc check your blood numbers especially blood iron.

igosolo

I am 6'6, 230 lbs and this happens to me all the time after rides. From a sit to stand or kneel to stand. I attribute this to more blood pooling in my recovering legs and having trouble getting it back up to the brain. I am not a Doctor but I did sleep at a Holiday in last night...

Team Sarcasm

It never crossed my mind about blood pooling in the legs while recovering, thats a good point.

Jackal

I am 6'4" and around 220 right now. I get this symptom from time to time also, but I only get it when I do a burst of activity directly from rest. For instance, if I get up from my desk at work and go up two flights of stairs, at the top of the stairs I can get this white out symptom. I have never passed out from it. Usually I can get it to go away in a few seconds, mainly with a certain breathing technique.

The breathing technique I use is this: when I feel the symptoms coming on, I take a deep breath and then hold it for 2 seconds, and then exhale very quickly, and then repeat until the symptoms are gone.

Joe Minton

Dont have the problem anymore. However, when I was young (50+ yrs ago) and very fit, it was a frequent problem. I was 6'2", 190#. BP was 64/105 with a resting heart rate of 49. Seemed to happen mostly after a training ride. Never actually hit the floor but came very close a couple of times.

I think being old (72yrs), fat (232#) and out of shape helps. Maybe the one-inch I've lost in height has helped get my heart (64/129, 56 resting) a little closer to my brain. Then too, maybe my brain doesn't need as much blood anymore since it doesn't get used as much --- LOL

Joe

SumoMuffin

I'm 26, 6'1", 155lbs, slim build. I've had the dizziness issue when standing quickly for most of my life as well. What's helped me the most is cycling (which you already do), but more recently yoga and indoor rock climbing. Both of which get your body into weird positions that affect blood flow dramatically. Sometimes when I'm doing these activities and get into the positions where my head is low or at the same height as the rest of my body I can feel the blood flow increasing in my head and it makes me feel loopy. I usually try to work through it, but always stop before it gets too crazy. I think doing the sort of physical activity that forces your body to pump blood in ways it normally doesn't helps train your body to do it more effectively, decreasing the amount of dizzy spells. That and both of those activities are excellent cross training for cycling.

expatbrit

I've always had that, regardless of biking. My HR isn't nearly as low as yours either. I can generally counteract it by clenching my stomach muscles.

Gatorfreak

I'm 5'7" and have always had this issue regardless of cycling. My resting HR is 35bpm (mostly genetic). I'll try that clenching of abs trick. I just try not to get up too fast. Getting up from a position where my legs were straight (recliner extended) usually causes it.

bigfred 

rpenmanparker and merlinextralight have hit the nail on the head.

Not that it matters, but, I'm 6'5" at 116kg and get the "spinnies" all the time when I'm cycling regularly. Mrs. Fred is about 5'9" and experiences the same.

I first encountered the phenomena when in high school and recieved advice basically identical to what merlinextralight has posted.

After an initial doctor consultation to rule out any other obvious issues, don't worry about it.

Simply make sure you sit up from lying positions for a few seconds before standing. Or, if already sitting, do a little moving before standing up slightly slower than you may have been doing.

Basically, just looking to provide some blood pressure to the brain before standing up.

Or, continue to jump up from lying on the coach and enjoy the freebie:-) Just make sure there's something nearby to hold onto.

I've ended up on the floor more than once when I've gotten out of bed too quickly in the middle of the night and in the dark. Nothing to grab onto, no visual reference. Thud!

Mrs. Fred, "Honey,.....are you alright?" "On the floor again?"