patentcad

Prevacid (Lansoprazole)
For acid related disorders such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and ulcers. From TAP Pharmaceuticals

Wednesday: my upper gastro/rib cage pain is so bad I think I'll be having surgery by Monday. I'm so sore on my right side I can't sleep on it. Tuesday night it was so bad I almost went to the ER @ 3AM. I start taking Prevacid after a visit to my doctor Wednesday @ 4PM.

Friday: my ultrasound shows no gallstones or inflammation (which doesn't necessarily mean my gall bladder isn't inflammed, just that it's not showing up on the ultrasound), my blood work is all nominal, but I'm feeling markedly better from the Prevacid.

Saturday AM: I feel so much better I participate in the High Point (NJ) Hill Climb TT, finish in 26:39, NOT DFL, and well under my hopeful target of <28 minutes (that was 5 full minutes faster than my best time in training).

Gorgeous weather helped. 70º or so @ tee off, so warm I had to strip down to shorts and short sleeved jersey, no gloves, booties, etc. Man, that was great. Superb event. Expertly organized, great scenic warm-up road near the start, friendly race scene, beautiful views from the top of High Point (the finish), etc. One of the more positive bike racing experiences I've ever had.

By the way, last year that time would have put me 127th out of 195 participants (this year's results haven't been posted online yet), and well above DFL in any Cat (123, 4, 5, Vets 35+, 45+). So somebody's slower than me : ). I am a very happy bike weenie today. And now I have 364 days to prepare for NEXT year's High Point TT. I will be under 25 minutes in 2008. I did not crush anybody's soul today, but mine got a boost.

Note to Cypress, KP, BD Cheung: do NOT use this pharmacological tale of wonder to justify your own 20-something dabblings in party drugs that are OK 'because, hey dude, Jan did it in Miami'. And if you do be sure to contact me first and don't bogart that joint.

Whew. Glad that week's over.

patentcad

Lecterman

Wow, looks like the preferred prescription drug of CSC. Matches the kits and the Cervelos.

patentcad

Correct. They take the EPO version which alleviates lung and leg burn in addition to heartburn.

You realize of course that by posting this thread I could be DQ'd from my coveted Not DFL result in this event if Prevacid is on the USA Cycling Banned Substance List. I may as well come clean and fess up to the 10mg of Lipitor dose I was also taking. OK, while I'm at it the 81mg Bayer Aspririn dose too.

If a USCF guy showed up @ my door to give me a drug test I'd whack him upside the friggin head with my old bong from college. I don't think I have to worry about it.

Lecterman

That's assault brotha

dl613

glad to hear your feeling better PCad, good job beating your PR.

patentcad

You should take it with a grain assualt however. Of course after striking him I would invite him IN for a bong. I don't have any pot these days, but we'd find something to smoke.

By the way, today's ride wasn't about beating any PR on the course, it was just that I was very unhappy with the time I clocked on a cold day in April for the one real dry run I did there in training. I knew I had tired legs and a heavier bike that day, but I just didn't think fresh legs/lighter bike/race conditions would knock five full minutes off my time. I was really pleasantly surprised when I looked at the stopwatch on my handlebars a mile from the end and thought 'hey, I'm going faster than I thought I'd go here'. That doesn't happen to me often. It felt great. And it was very motivating.

Training for the 2008 race starts tomorrow @ 7AM boys.

DrPete 

Pcad, considering all that's been going on, I think the cycling gods will be awarding you 100 "Tom Poonen Belgian Hard-Guy" points for racing in this TT. Hard core, man. Your prize is an autographed pair of Tom's bibs from Paris-Roubaix and a basket of Greg LeMond's favorite peaches.

patentcad

Who is 'Tom Poonen'?

That sounds mildly obscene and inappropriate for a family show like BF.

I plugged Prevacid because I was so astonished @ how effective it was for me. I really did feel 80-90% of normal by Sat. AM. If you had told me that I would have improved that much on Wednesday I never would have thought it possible. It was wonderful because it went from a potential major disappointment (at not being able to ride the TT) to one of the most pleasant bike racing experiences I've ever had within about 72 hours.

One thing that struck me was this: the largest fields @ this event were the 4's followed closely by the 45+. Plenty of 55+ riders too. So I'll be whining about bike racing over here for years to come. You have that to look forward to.

If anyone thinks I'm joking about the training for the 2008 event starting this morning they would be

Incorrect.

DrPete 

Tom Boonen finished 6th at Paris-Roubaix having shat his bibs, which, while a little disgusting, is extremely hard core. That was the "Tom Poonen" reference.

PPI's are pretty incredible, though. If you're impressed with Prevacid, try getting Protonix through an IV. Surgery for peptic ulcer disease has dropped off precipitously in recent years and most of that is because PPI's (proton pump inhibitors) work so well.

patentcad

Oh that's just nasty.

DrPete 

patentcad

I hope the Quick Step mechanics burned his racing bib AND his seat afterwards.

DrPete 

Nah, they were sold untouched on ebay as having belonged to Cypress. Some kid in Michigan bought them.

patentcad

BF is a tough room Ryan.

Lecterman

DP, we did not need pictures. At least I didn't.

sverrefehn

First, I'm very glad to hear that your health continues to improve. If something happened to you, well....it just wouldn't be as much fun around here.
Second, congratulations on hitting the course hard and having a good time doing it. Though you said it wasn't about setting a PR I'm sure it still did feel good to come across the line 5 minutes faster.
Third, I took Prevacid for years until the insurance company decided it was too expensive and switched me over to Aciphex. It works just the same and my life has been much improved because of both.

patentcad

Like many medical conditions you sort of have to experience it first hand to discover how debilitating something as mundane sounding as 'acid reflux' can be to your lifestyle. Meds like Prevacid can really be a lifesaver. Kind of does make you wonder about how much people suffered 50 or 100 years ago with these common conditions before there were such effective treatments.

I've seen both sides of the medical coin. Sometimes they scratch their heads for years, sometimes they save my Pcad bacon. Just be your own advocate for all things medical. It REALLY does help to have friends on the side like Dr. P. (and after this episode he goes on my Pal For Life Master List) giving you intelligent medical feedback. BIG time.

Thanks again Dr. P. You are the MAN. I mean the DOCTOR. You know what I'm saying.

MillCreek

That, and the discovery of Heliobacter pylori as the infectious organism responsible for most cases of peptic ulcer. "Triple therapy", an antibiotic, a H2 blocker or PPI as an acid inhibitor, and a gastric lining protector eradicate the bacteria, reduce acid production and allow the gastric lining to heal up.

Drs. Barry Marshall and Robin Warren won the 2005 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their 1982 discovery of H. Pylori and its role in causing gastric ulcers. Part of their experimental methodology included Dr. Marshall deliberately drinking a culture of H. Pylori to give himself a case of gastric inflammation.

Because of their pioneering work, most ulcers can now be treated by easy and cheap medical therapy, and DrPete and his general surgery colleagues now only rarely have to do vagotomies or subtotal gastrectomies or the occasional surgery due to a perforating ulcer. I like to call this "the revenge of the internists".

patentcad

Sincere thanks to all the Doctors who chimed in here. Much appreciated. Being sick sucks for everybody, it's worse for cyclists who are used to being active every day.