Extremely low blood pressure after a ride?
 

Last Saturday, I did a 50 mile ride at a pretty hard pace for a fat boy while doing some last minute training for my first Metric Century this weekend. When I got home I felt like total crap. After a shower, I checked my blood pressure and it was 87/44. Exactly what happened to me? Is this a bonk? I mean I could have kept going longer but for the mo0st part I was getting to be "toast". Is there anything I should have done different? I had a Clif Bar about halfway through the 3 hour ride and I drank a total of 24 ounces Gatoraid, 20 ounces Diet COke and 24 ounces water on the ride.

Lose the Diet Coke. Double or triple the Gatorade consumption. Eat something salty.

I'm not sure I would recommend 'last minute training' for anything. You shouldn't be drinking diet coke. I usually drink about one quart (32 oz) per hour on the bike; split half and half between gatorade and water.

I don't think this was truly a bonk, though it does sound like you were definitely dehydrated. You were feeling like crap not because of a bonk, but because your body was trying to maintain oxygen delivery without enough circulating blood volume.

Electrolytes aside, you need to hydrate more. Gatorade is really more sugar than sodium anymore, but I do think that higher-sodium sports drinks are a good idea (Sodium and water tend to hang out together, so if you take in sodium, water will follow).

Good luck, and drink plenty of water!

DrPete

You're probably right. I ride with a heartrate monitor and when I made my last 10 minute stop to rest at about 43 miles into the ride, my heartrate stayed above 125 bpm. Most of the ride was at about 145 bpm. I am almost 48 years old, type 2 diabetic, about 40 pounds overweight (I have lost 28 this year) and am just getting into better cycling shape. Hey I'm trying hard though!!!:D

Yeah, the incomplete recovery would support the dehydration issue. As far as the diabetes goes, I would get your doctor's advice about how much complex vs. simple carbohydrate to consume during a ride to prevent big fluctuations in your blood sugar, which may have contributed as well. I'm a surgeon, so managing diabetes in endurance athletes isn't an area of expertise...

DrPete

What's your normal blood pressure?

Az

Dehydration can cause temporary low blood pressure.

Caffeine can cause a temporary/short-term increase in blood pressure.

Sounds like you didn't eat or drink enough. Careful with that.

I'm on 160mg Diovan and it keeps my bp around 115/68. I don't have that big of a bp issue but they have me on Diovan to control fluid build-up from the Actos I take for Diabetes. I guess I sound like a pretty dismal case huh?:o

Honestly....see your doctor. Please. Your body is telling you things and you need a professional to interpret what exactly is going on.
My mother is diabetic. Do not fool with this.

And, really, great job so far on getting into shape. But with your issues, you need to do this with the supervision of a physician.

I, too, was having similar symptoms as you. I *was* on 160mg of Diovan. I started just feeling like I couldn't go another mile, which was strange since my progress was so good up till then. I suspected my BP was bottoming. I went to my doctor and was told to cut the Diovan to half and try it. If it was still the same, go off of it - while having my company nurse monitor my BP. It is now firmly in the "OK" area. Now, I'm trying to justify a new bike by showing the ROI of dropping medicinal costs! :D