So today's commute in was quite fast and nowhere near as tiring as usual when I ride fast.
True, I did have great weather and low humidity but my energy level was enough for me to review my morning ritual. I realized that I missed my blood pressure meds this morning. Could that have anything to do with my increase in energy and stamina? Seems to me it might. If so are there any concerns about waiting till after my commute to take my meds? Just some idle curiosity.

Imma say that no matter what anybody says here, go ask your doctor for the final say.

Internet + medical advice = bad idea

What? Now I gotta rework my health care model!

There are many factors that make this hard to answer so asking your physician is the best answer. I can offer you some facts though.

If you have well controlled blood pressure with no other health issues, and you want to simply move the time that you take your meds back by 1-2 hours it usually isn't a problem with the morning meds.

If you take beta blockers as your blood pressure med it may affect your morning ride, but moving the pill taking time back an hour will only work for a day or so because it's designed to work for 24 hours. So after the first 24 hours your body would be back on schedule and the effect would be nil unless you kept moving the medication time aorund and that is not recommended.

If you are on an ACE or ARB or Calcium Channel Blocker it is doubtful that skipping it had anything to do with your improved performance. We all have those "good days" where we lightening fast and as quickly as it comes it can go away. I wouldn't stop the meds and risk organ damage just to ride faster.

Thx PP. I have no intention of quitting my meds. Wouldn't want to stroke out on a commute. Like I said, more idle curiosity than anything else.

I take meds for HBP (Amlodipine, I also took Hayzaar byt was able to drop it as my blood pressure dropped recently) and my doc says it doesn't matter as long as it's about the same time every day. If you miss a dose by few hours it's no big deal and if you take it before or after your exercise it doesn't matter as it takes some time for the drugs to work anyway, it's not instant. But for the ultimate answer, yes, ask your doctor.

Adam

The irony for me is that those "lightening fast days" usually preclude a cold. I have noticed this pattern in my life over the years... cycling and swimming alike.

I'll have an especially great day at some aerobic activity... something out of the norm, a super power sort of commute or workout, and the next day I find I have the beginnings of a cold. It may not go all the way into a full cold; it might just be sniffles for a few days, but it is as if my body was gearing up for the onslaught the day before and then it hits.

For me, the good days are totally random. Low energy days are predictable, that's usually on gloomy, overcast or rainy days. But now and then I may have a good day while it's raining. I stopped paying attention to that.

Oh, two things will effect on your commute though: the quality of sleep and what you ate last night

Depending on the life-span of one pill, it may not be dangerous BUT, remember I said "may not be".

I am on meds too and, the life-span of one pill is 36hrs. so, since I take them twice a day, there is an overlap to make sure there is still a good amount in my system.

Since, You are blood pressure meds(I am presuming something like nitroglycerin) and, I am presuming you only take them once a day, depending on the severity of the situation with your blood pressure pursuant to the need for blood pressure meds, you should have a confab with your doctor. Because, I just need to keep a certain level in my bloodstream yet, your situation may not allow you to take them after a strenuous bike ride.

Absolutely. That being said, it largely depends on what you are taking. Blood pressure really doesn't go up a whole lot when you are exercising. Heart rate does increase significantly. The only exception to this would be sprint or weight lifting, and those are both short duration activities.

So, if the meds you are on control your blood pressure by restricting heart rate, then missing them let you get your heart rate up a little more, and you had a faster ride.

So check with your doctor, and remember "You can't believe everything you read on the internet". (A quote from Will Rogers, updated for the 21st century)

D