jyl

I have been sick all week, with some unknown virus that seems to be going around. The symptoms are basically thus: tired, coughing, can't sleep, more tired, etc. Also a little dizziness and an occasional body or joint ache that moves around.

Last week I started to feel weak during my commute ride. I figured out by the end of the week that it wasn't (just) my contemptible weakness of spirit and lack of training. This week it really hit me.

I'm not good at riding sick. I get angry at myself for being so weak and riding like an old lady, lose patience with taking it easy, flagellate myself in a spate of self loathing tough love, then go back to granny land.

So, in the past five days, I have crawled to work, feebly turning 39 x 21 up slight grades at 12 mph. I have suffered in 53 x 16 up those same grades at even slower speeds. I have pedaled head down in shame as the spry and healthy stream past. I have coughed my throat out at stoplights while other riders moved away in disgust. Once I almost threw up in my mouth.

And last night, I made the mistake of drinking two beers, taking a half dose of robutussin, and then two gelcaps of Nyquil. All before 7:30 pm.

My alarm woke me up at the usual 4:30 am. I felt dazed and dizzy, clumsy and cold, as I rolled over the squeaking cat and stumbled to the bathroom. By the time I'd pulled on my clothes and helmet, wheeled my bike to the dark street, and straddled the top tube, I was awake enough to be grateful to be doing the commute on a bike and not in a car, which would have been suspiciously close to impaired driving. But, like many of you, I can ride a bike even if I'm unsteady on my feet, so I headed off thinking it's just a short commute, I know the way, I'll go slow and I should make it.

About halfway through my commute, I realized that not only was I able to ride, but everything was so easy, I was floating, the pedals turning without effort, the bike sailing down the road at a speed that, all the previous week, would have had me groveling and hacking. If this is pedaling anesthesized, I thought, give me more! I floated over the bridge, into downtown, so close to rear bumpers that I had to touch my brakes to avoid running over the cars. The last stretch to my office is a slight uphill. Normally it is an modest but discernible grade, all week it had been a labored slog, this morning I just twisted the throttle and someone else's legs propelled me without any sensation of effort.

Then I got to the office and spent the morning like a hazy-headed astronaut in a space suit, trying to avoid talking to anyone or spilling my coffee, until the drugs wore off.

I'm not sure what to think about this. Should I start popping Nyquil before every ride?. Why did I feel so good, on the bike anyway?. Are drugs a good thing after all???

halcyon100

Interesting story. Awhile back, when I was having a bout of back problems, I was prescribed Tramadol (for a few weeks, before I wound up getting an epidural injection, which helped). I was talking to the doctor about bike commuting and he was ambivalent about whether I should ride on it. He said I that if I do it, I should be "very cautious." So, I google it and do some research, thinking that other cyclists must have some stories to share about riding while on Tramadol. All my google results related to pro cyclists who, apparently, put Tramadol in their water bottles and call them "finish bottles" to help them win races, despite being in a lot of pain... It seems like the pro roadie racers know no shame...

spare_wheel

Commuting when I'm extremely ill or when I have broken bones is interesting because it gives me a glimpse of what its like to be a sane non-type A commuter. This is probably a good thing.

TransitBiker

First thing i would say, is don't go to work sick.

- Andy

cobrabyte

kudos, I'd be calling in sick.

I have been surprised however at some of the times I was in an altered state of conciousness, how well I was able to ride a bike. Wouldn't dream of driving on Nyquil though.

pitbullfan

NyQuil would definitely slow me down.

Pain killers, I'm not so sure about as I haven't taken any in like 10 years.

Good ganja definitely helps "get in the zone" though and makes long rides seem oh so short and sweet!

But yea, don't go to work sick.

WalksOn2Wheels

First: Careful with Nyquil. That stuff will jack up your liver if you overdo it just a bit.

Second: In the last year of college, I got sick every time the weather turned, which somehow coincided with midterms and finals every single time. I had always had test anxiety and usually lost a letter grade every semester because of it. I alos rode my bike 7 miles one way avery day to school. For whatever reason, staying topped off on Nyquil (within the allowed dosage) made me so relaxed, I nailed all of my midterms and finals. I finished my hardest semester (the final semester) with 3 A's and a B. And I'm not talking about English Lit, it was Aerospace Engineering.

So yeah, I think Nyquil can definitely relax you and help. But seriously, DO NOT OVERDOSE. Your liver is very important. And be sure to not take anything else with acetaminophen at the same time. That's the stuff that jacks up your liver, so don't overdo it.

spare_wheel

Some days if I don't go into work I could @#$% up many months of work.

Colorado Kid

Been there, done that! For the past few weeks, I've been really sick. My advice, take some time off and see a Doc. You'll feel better in the long range.

Artkansas 

Has it occurred to you that the self-flaggelation might be a symptom of a fevered brain? If I ride sick, I'm very gentle on myself.

One sick ride stands out in my mind. I managed to get dressed and on the bike and rolling. I struggled down the slight grade that the street was on. When I came to the cross street, which was level, it took only a block to be sure that I was in no shape to be riding. I turned around.

jralbert

Yeah, you gotta stop that. I did exactly what you describe last year: got sick, kept riding, much muttering about weakness of character, the hills aren't that tall, just spin it out in the low gears, etc, etc. I stayed sick for six months. I had a cold which progressed to a lung infection, which I rode through - like an idiot - I got 'better' for about two days, then another cold which progressed to acute sinusitus, which I rode through - like an idiot - which was followed by yet another cold, and then a bout of strep brought on by what my doctor later described as an immuno-compromised state from having been sick for too long and just staving it off with Advil.

I raced a sprint triathlon while still drugged up on both pain meds and antibiotics in the midst of strep. I remember idly wondering whether Advil Cold and Sinus qualified as a performance enhancing drug, although by the end of that race it was clear no amount of performance enhancement would have made the difference. That was the point at which I realized I was out into crazy-person territory and needed to stop.

I risked serious liver damage from all the drugs, I ran a fever over 104 with the strep infection, during which I was incoherent and seizing, and I ended up spending almost a month off the bike to properly recover. My doctor, my nurse sister, and my entire family correctly called me an idiot. This year I've taken a day or two or three off from riding when I feel unwell, and I've actually had only one cold that required a day off work. Learn from my stupid, stupid mistakes. Take recovery time when you need it!

no motor?

I haven't been sick enough for drugs in years, but if you spend enough time on 2 wheels you get used to being balanced and riding kind of becomes second nature. Motorcyclist did a story on the effects of alcohol and riding a while ago and they were surprised to find how well some of the writers did after drinking (they used a closed course and had outriggers on the bikes to make it harder for the subjects to hurt themselves) as the reflexes helped them keep going when newer riders weren't able to. The alcohol lowered the inhibitions of the riders and actually made them faster and smoother in some parts.

RISKDR1

first, you should not ride intoxicated. Even over the counter meds can put you in that state. Whatever you do look up side effects of prescribed meds. Some of tht meds I have been given for my back cause heart palpitations in rare cases. That could be very bad for someone who already suffers from Atrial fib. At any rate, for me I avoid riding while medicated.

rhm

I agree, you should not ride intoxicated; but I don't believe you were doing so. You've been sick all week, and now you're getting better. The combination of beer and nyquil helped you sleep, and the combination of sleep and the fact that you're getting better, that's what made you feel the way you felt today. You felt drugged out because you hadn't fully woken up yet.

I got a cold a couple weeks ago, that just lasted a few days, and this week I think I got the same cold. It's moving pretty fast, but I still feel weak. Riding the bike really helps, clears the congestion out of my nose for an hour or so.

snow_echo_NY

what others said. don't be crazy. your body needs rest, call in sick, and don't ride. your judgment also needs to be free of influence.

no motor?

I agree - I wasn't advocating riding while intoxicated. I was trying to point out how after you get enough experience balancing on 2 wheels it becomes second nature for you. Even if it's a bad idea.

jyl

Thanks all. I feel generally better now. Health-wise, anyway. Work . . . don't get me started.

JoeyBike

Fever is where I draw the line.

I have biked to work with minor illnesses while taking medication. But if I get a fever, I'm heading to the doc and/or taking a few days bed rest.

spare_wheel

VC silliness. It's 100% legal to bike while intoxicated if one does not ride in a traffic lane...

jfowler85

Are you serious? Get off your bike and get some rest...half of the reason you're not better is because you are not resting.

Yes you should take Nyquil and then ride...take a shot and shoot some smack while you're at it.

Get real dude.

spare_wheel

The idea that excessive rest is essential to recovery is often based on nothing more than MD anecdotes (and MD anecdotes have a very bad track record).

jfowler85

Sounds like an anecdote. Nobody said anything about either excessive rest nor it being essential to recovery.

Physical stress increases blood cortisol levels; cortisol in turn tends to supress immune system function.

Read: biology.

Also read: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...89159108002936

2manybikes

Wondering if you had a tailwind. Most of the time you can't feel a tailwind, you just notice you are going faster, or it's easier than normal.

Sullalto

conversely, not resting or cutting back is why I'm fighting pneumonia right now instead of being over a sinus infection.

spare_wheel

anecdote. in virtually every instance where evidence-based medicine has been applied to this question, the prescription for "rest" or "taking it easy" has been found to be questionable. concussions are a classic example of this in the medical literature. obviously one should avoid activity that would cause re-injury but there really is very little evidence that "rest" is necessarily beneficial for common maladies, including influenza and other upper respiratory infections.