Fainting...kidney damage! Causes?

[GlockG4]

So this weekend my friend did the 21km two oceans. He pushed really hard from the start, because he wanted a 1h45. On 19km he pulled over because he said he did not feel very good (very unlike him). He said he felt his hart beat very fast (to be expected at that pace) and then it slowed way down and he started puking and fell to the ground. He said that he was still conscious but he could not find his pulse and then he blacked out. He woke up, apparently after 20min, very disorientated and could not remember his mother's name. The medics allowed him to finish the race (which i am very angry about, he should have woken up in an ambulance) and when he got home his feet and hands where very blue. So we took him to the hospital for blood tests. The doctor said that there were a very large amount of mussel protein in his blood and it caused damage to his kidneys. So he spent the night and went throught 7 bags of saline to flush the protein from his kidneys.

A bit of background: he is a good strong runner, but have been skipping on his training the past 2 weeks. He ate a rump steak on Thursday evening, and we had a pasta dinner the night before the run. He said that he drank plenty of water during the week and the two days prior to the race. He had future life for breakfast, and two decent nights of sleep prior. He hidrated properly during the run. So i want to know from you guys what went wrong, why did his body use mussel fibre for energy when he should have had enough for a 21k. What causes this to happen? The doctor, who did not seem very clued up, final year med student, does not have an answer.

[lechatnoir]

This sounds very scary. Sounds like the best port of call would be someone clued up on exercise and nutrition and any testing around both of those. In CT, I'd point at Sport Science. 

 

This is hectic with several long-lasting consequences that are potentially life-changing. Please urge your friend to do whatever it takes in getting the right answers.

 

and best wishes.

[V12man]

Has he been taking anti-inflammatory medication?

 

There are some other syndromes that can cause his symptoms - but it sounds like he needs a decent physician - very urgently.

[Pulse]

It sounds like you are talking about Rhabdomyolysis.

 

It is not that the body is using muscle as an energy source, but is due to muscle damage to the extent that the kidneys cannot cope with the load of the breakdown process.

 

Could have various underlying causes: excessive unaccustomed exercise (typically eccentric/downhill), direct trauma to muscle, hard drugs, various meds (e.g. cholesterol meds), hyperthermia/heat stroke, metabolic disorders, and infections.

 

These do not fully rationalise the signs and symptoms you described.  Rhabdo is one thing, but I think the underlying cause of his overall presentation should be investigated properly.

[F111]

Is your friend on statins. Because cholesterol medication caused my problems

[GlockG4]

He is not taking any medication.

[GlockG4]

Is your friend on statins. Because cholesterol medication caused my problems

Do you mind me asking what happened? I really got a big scare, so i want to educate myself as to prevent this or something similar from happening to me, because i do ultra distances in both running and cycling, and i know that one's body is under tremendous strain so i want to now how i can prevent any such incidents.

[PhilipV]

It sounds like you are talking about Rhabdomyolysis.

 

.

I'm with Pulse, my first thought was rabdo as well. This can have lasting effects, and is not to be taken lightly.

As an aside, your friend must have a massive amount of determination and high pain threshold.

[taito]

Is your friend on statins. Because cholesterol medication caused my problems

off topic what happened to you with the statins,I am 50 weigh 66k but my doc wants me on Cholesterol meds.

[Eon du Plessis]

off topic what happened to you with the statins,I am 50 weigh 66k but my doc wants me on Cholesterol meds.

Can't comment on your actual question as I'm no doctor, just married to one, but would like to point out that just because you're not overweight doesn't mean you don't have high cholesterol. It's called the silent killer for a reason and often very fit people with low body fat are under the false impression that they don't need to worry about cholesterol.

[taito]

thanks no Mine is high,but I worry that the statins will affect my riding so I would rather change diet ETC.

[Cois]

Had the same a few years back after a Samcor race.

 

Felt super crap, went to the Doctors and passed out in the waiting room.  Woke up in an ambulance on my way to the hospital.  Just remember every single bump in the road from Bronkhorstspruit to Pretoria East.

 

Landed in hospital for more than a week.  Had a whole page of tests done and they could not find the problem.

 

They even did a ECG when I started to have a few seizures, and drew blood every few hours.  There was a huge amount of blood in my urine.  After a week of an internist going that way and this way, I asked to be released from hospital.  They let me go after my mother made a huge fuss over the nursing staff and their attitude towards patients in their care (Mom works in OR, trauma, ER, and nursing)

 

Till this day I have no idea what took place I know just one thing.  I would not wish this to anyone.

[F111]

Extreme cramping could not get of my bike after a 80Km race, ended up in the medical tent. recovery took a week. Stopped Lipitor in November 2013 my total cholesterol was a low 2.2 then. It took just over 1 year to recover from the muscle damage. When I stopped the statins my weight also dropped and I did not go on a diet. My fitness improved without more training. My cholesterol is now a high 5.4 This past weekend I have done over 300Km cramp free. I now recover very fast. Race times have improved a lot. Training and Statins don't go together. I am 58. Statins wont extent your life without side effects and suffering. I'm not a doctor so this is personal experience. 

[taito]

Thanks I also feel ,,too many pills are given too fast.

 

sorry to bom the topic