ilpirata87

Today I had a fairly unpleasant experience thanks in part to the physiological impact of cycling 20 hours a week on my body. I had a little stomach bug last night and was very dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea. I felt a little better in the morning and was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. I got all nauseated and decided (stupidly it turns out) to just step outside onto the porch and puke over the railing. Somehow I passed out in the process, fell backward onto the cement porch, and cracked my head. I ended up with a big gash and (I think) a concussion. Wow, fun. My blood pressure has always been low and since I've been cycling it has gotten even lower. Dehydration contributed to that as well, so I ended up out cold. Durham Regional Hospital is a crappy place to spend spring break.

That certainly puts a damper on my weekend race plans, I'll probably be prudent and stay off the bike for 4 or 5 days. Who knows, maybe I will avoid overtraining and come back from the break even more beastly than usual...

So does anyone else on this forum have problems with their blood pressure being too low?

ZeCanon

Never passed out, but I get the light-headed darkness-is-closing-in feeling quite a bit when I stand up.

timmhaan

i'm not sure cycling is too blame, or did the doctor tell you that?

ilpirata87

yeah i don't think it's completely to blame but i think it did contribute a little bit. anyway it still bites

VosBike

Haven't passed out from it in a few years. Happened three times when I used to be a runner and weighed 135 (I'm 6'3").

These days I seem to get just as intense a head rush feeling, I just have avoided passing out.

ericm979

When I'm fit, I get light-headed if I stand up too fast too. I haven't passed out but sometimes I get dizzy and my vision goes black for a moment. When I was fat and unfit and had borderline high blood pressure it didn't happen. The evening after a long hard ride its the worst. Sit around, the blood pools in the legs. Then stand up too fast and boom, the world goes dark and starts spinning.

Over the years I've learned to stand up a little slower and to be close to something solid in case I need to hang on for a moment. I asked my doctor and he said it's not a problem. It's not just low blood pressure that causes it- my wife's BP is even lower than mine and she doesn't get it.

jkizzle

there are plus sides to being a slightly less fit cyclist - going down hills faster

wanders

since there is no chance of me ever becoming a super fit cyclist (moderately fit is a long shot as well), I have nothing to worry about.

speedy recovery.

Chucklehead

drink something.


and eat a twinkie.

yak

orthostatic hypotension

fly:yes/land:no

it really sucks riding roller coasters... black out.

PapaLegba

that's why i stay out of shape by drinking lots of booze and eating trash.

garysol1 

I am one of those guys that everytime I stand up quickly I feel extremely light headed. I have never fainted but I have felt very close a few times.

ericm979

Blah blah diseased person stuff blah blah

Where do I sign up?

Snuffleupagus

Jesus Q, that sucks. For sure take it easy for a few days, you won't be doing your fitness any favors by hopping back on the bike tomorrow. At all.

vladav

I get light headed after taking one too many days off when following a long block of training. That seems to be too much a shock to the system. I have a sitdown computer job, so sometimes I'll wear those traveler's socks(compression stockings) which helps recovery + the lightheadedness...

(I don't have any subscriptions at the superfit club though...)

Snuffleupagus

I've thought about using those, I've got some thigh high ones left over from knee surgery fun - how long are you wearing them for, for the purpose of cycling recovery? The post-op protocol was to wear them all the time for several days following the operation...but that's clearly a wholly different thing.

bayareawheeler

jebus - 20hrs a week?? I have to jump through hoops to hit 13...what cat you racing?

TideCrazy3193

I have recently lost around 30 pounds (now at 143) with cycling and i would say have progressed to somewhat fit. I also get the light headed feeling when i stand up fast.

tomatl411

This is something that I have noticed as well. In the off-season I never have a problem, but once my training really gets going after about month two, I get really light-headed whenever I stand up too fast. I only noticed this once I started biking 3 years ago. I naturally High-Normal BP. I think it probably has something to do with the increased vascularity and blood tending to pool in the legs more because of increased fitness. I've done google searches, but have not come up with anything definitive, but I do seem to remember that fighter-pilots were not encouraged to become to fit, it pulls blood from the head which was necessary for High-G manuevers.

Youngin

Well that's great. I'm a vegetarian and in the unhealthy low weight section right now, I drink, and eat a ton of stuff, but it happens to me all the time, especially when I don't get more than 9 hours of sleep, which is everyday with highschool.

TideCrazy3193

Everyday with high school? Wait till college. You'll dream of the days where you get 6 hours of sleep.

Youngin

Quiet, I already do.

jkizzle

hah, it all depends on your major though son, architecture, pretend you even get 4 hours of sleep. finanace, pretend you only get 14 hours sleep.

that means, if you want to be good, i dont know. i drank alot of gin an tonic and bourbon tonight. thats what not to do in cycling.

vladav

Well from 7:00ish AM to maybe 6:00ish PM. The whole time I'm sitting at as desk or driving. I only do it when I feel a lot of blood pooling in by legs at work or get the light headdedness.

Dave