Getting dizzy during races

[nonky]

In my personal experience, it's not always easy to identify what's REALLY WRONG (if something IS wrong).

 

Docs, even specialists, are human and sometimes get it wrong (misdiagnose), despite their best efforts and expertise.

 

Your average GP doesn't really have much to work with in diagnosing a complex problem in a 30-minute appointment - so, sometimes the specialist merry-go-round is needed.

 

GOOD LUCK.

[NotSoBigBen]

Doctors, I'm afraid, are no better than car mechanics or IT techs ... and yes I do resort to the former 2 when necessary .....

[Barend de Arend]

Questions you might be able to answer:

 

Does it only happen when you stop?  (coke after the race, stopping at a water point?)  Then it might be a sudden drop in blood pressure.

 

It might also be a reaction to another ingredient (eg. caffeine)  If you go out again, go "plain" (water, bananas, biltong), to see if it's an ingredient.

 

Do you use a heart rate monitor?  Does the heart rate go crazy high when this happens (leaky heart valve?) or does the heart rate drop (blood pressure)

 

Do you get a headache simultaneously? Blood supply to the brain...

 

Does it only happen in the heat, or in the cold?  If it's hot, do you feel cold, or vice versa?

 

Do you just go dizzy, or also delirious?  Do you lose track of where you are?

 

Do you take any medication that might seem innocent?  Paracetamol, aspirin, an anti-inflammatory?

 

 

If this is important enough to ask random strangers (bikehub) for an answer, maybe ask a doctor?

 

 

PS. you don't need that much food and energy drink for 3 hours... -- Less than half that.

 

PPS. Discovery "health check" is basically "couch potato check."

[lerouc]

Questions you might be able to answer:

 

Does it only happen when you stop?  (coke after the race, stopping at a water point?)  Then it might be a sudden drop in blood pressure.

 

From what i can remember yes. But not 100% sure, the last 3 times yes.

 

It might also be a reaction to another ingredient (eg. caffeine)  If you go out again, go "plain" (water, bananas, biltong), to see if it's an ingredient.

 

I sweat like a pig and have to put back some salts, had a salt test done a while ago and i am known to dehydrate very easily.

 

Do you use a heart rate monitor?  Does the heart rate go crazy high when this happens (leaky heart valve?) or does the heart rate drop (blood pressure)

 

Yes i use one, no it does not go crazy also does not drop that far. i checked saturdays info and where it happened HR was steady around 160-170.

 

Do you get a headache simultaneously? Blood supply to the brain...

 

Not that i can recall.

 

Does it only happen in the heat, or in the cold?  If it's hot, do you feel cold, or vice versa?

 

Both, was 4' when we started saturday and argus and k2c last year was high 30's

 

Do you just go dizzy, or also delirious?  Do you lose track of where you are?

 

No not delirious, just dizzy and it feels like it is worse if i lift my head up (move chin further away from chest)

 

Do you take any medication that might seem innocent?  Paracetamol, aspirin, an anti-inflammatory?

 

I did take a mybulin very early that morning because i had a headache. What effect could that have had on me?

 

If this is important enough to ask random strangers (bikehub) for an answer, maybe ask a doctor?

 

Yes i will, doctors just give me one look because i am fat and say thats my problem i once walked into a doctors office and he told me to loose 40 kilos or he wont help me i turned around and left. And actually my body fat is less than that, so yeah i dont believe all doctors.

 

PS. you don't need that much food and energy drink for 3 hours... -- Less than half that.

 

Let me guess, you are skinny? So yeah the bigger the load the more fuel a truck will burn to get it up the hill. And back at the sweat test i did, i need to replace 1700mg sodium per liter i sweat, or something like that. And yes i sweat like a pig, once measured 7kilos lighter after a race. But that was in the heat of summer a long time ago.

 

PPS. Discovery "health check" is basically "couch potato check."

 

yeah i know but if the ticker is off beat they will pick it up

 

Shot thanks,

[Pieterlab1]

I used to feel dizzy during longer rides and races

 

I upped my Potassium intake before and during rides, and it is much better now.

 

I'm not a doctor, but it worked for me.

[Barend de Arend]

I'm not a doctor, but it sounds like one or both of:

- overheating

- too much stress in the neck muscles.

 

Try and pour some cold water over your head so it runs down your back, or place an ice pack (I know, not easy in a race...) at the base your skull.

 

 

I'm not qualified to criticise mybulen, but personally I wouldn't take codeine (personal side effects; off topic) or ibuprofen before or during a race.  And dizzyness is a listed side effect of ibuprofen.  So certainly take that information to the doctor.

 

 

Disclaimer: none of this is medical advice.  It's a checklist of what *I* would try.

 

 

 

For me, Disco doesn't pick up a problem, because they don't even get my HR into tripple digits

 

And I am skinny, but I've lost 4kg in a race (all water) on multiple occasions, and overheating is definitely a thing.  Your body is sweating because you're too warm.  Cool down if you can.  Anticipate your bodies sweat response by pouring water over your head, and you'll lose less salt.  Use it, don't use it.

[lerouc]

I'm not a doctor, but it sounds like one or both of:

- overheating

- too much stress in the neck muscles.

 

Try and pour some cold water over your head so it runs down your back, or place an ice pack (I know, not easy in a race...) at the base your skull.

 

 

I'm not qualified to criticise mybulen, but personally I wouldn't take codeine (personal side effects; off topic) or ibuprofen before or during a race.  And dizzyness is a listed side effect of ibuprofen.  So certainly take that information to the doctor.

 

 

Disclaimer: none of this is medical advice.  It's a checklist of what *I* would try.

 

 

 

For me, Disco doesn't pick up a problem, because they don't even get my HR into tripple digits

 

And I am skinny, but I've lost 4kg in a race (all water) on multiple occasions, and overheating is definitely a thing.  Your body is sweating because you're too warm.  Cool down if you can.  Anticipate your bodies sweat response by pouring water over your head, and you'll lose less salt.  Use it, don't use it.

 

Thanks and yes i do overheat, but its only ever been an issue during summer. It was really cool out so much so that i noticed my breath was making "wasem"? so i didn't bother thinking that it could be the heat/

 

Quite interesting that you mention the neck as well because i did notice that my neck was sore but it wasnt sore-sore more uncomfortable, i wrote that off to the amount of climbing i have done and the whole time sitting in the same position...

[Ratty]

I have struggled a lot with this.  For me it's either dehydration, anaemia, low blood pressure or a combination of the 3.  During races, it has helped for me to drink something with lots of electrolytes.  I was given the Herbalife sachets and they are great, otherwise I put in rehydrate sport. 

 

Like the others have said, it could be a variety of things and its best to get it checked.  The last time I did Berg and Bush, the one guy stopped by us feeling dizzy.  Turned out his blood pressure was through the roof.  He didn't normally suffer from high blood pressure.  The think it was the heat and dehydration that caused it.

[KarlvN]

Doctors, I'm afraid, are no better than car mechanics or IT techs ... and yes I do resort to the former 2 when necessary .....

 

If that were true I would have ended up with a virus infested laptop with a leaky exhaust on my arm after spending a week in hospital last month with two broken arms and concussion.

[Rocket-Boy]

Im going with blood pressure, go get that checked asap.

[Bobbo_SA]

Quite interesting that you mention the neck as well because i did notice that my neck was sore but it wasnt sore-sore more uncomfortable, i wrote that off to the amount of climbing i have done and the whole time sitting in the same position...

 

Doc, without stopping to collect your R200....

 

But, if the doc checks out, then my next stop would be Physio, it could be as a result of a pinched nerve in your neck / spine, from the sounds of it its only happened when you have changed positions, head up taking GU, stopping at water points head back again, may be that in a "stable" position for too long, that the change in position triggers something.

[DirtyDan]

I'd love to see what the professional says. 

Please give us feedback. Good luck.

 

xx

[lechatnoir]

I see you're in Somerset/CT area. Why not give Sport Science a shout?

 

And try to resist the urge to self-diagnose online. Three clicks in and you'll be convinced you'll be goners by next Wednesday

[Plentipotential]

And try to resist the urge to self-diagnose online. Three clicks in and you'll be convinced you'll be goners by next Wednesday

 

Ain't that the truth.

[Plentipotential]

I'm 30 years old, mom has high blood pressure (hence why i keep an eye on myself) and my dad had his first stents put in in January but before that no other history.

 

 

The bell is swinging, you just can't hear it ringing!

[V12man]

Any event that i do that is a bit longer i get dizzy. (light-headed/dronk) The first time it happened was at K2C last year second time Argus and now it seems every time i ride a longer event it happens.

 

I will be fine and then all of a sudden i would get very dizzy, so much so that i cannot stay on my bike. The first time it happened after i took a GU and the second time it happened after i downed a glass of coke at a water table.

 

I then thought it was a sugar rush. (I generally cut out sugar out of my diet except for the odd chocolate or so but i dont add any to coffee etc.) so i started excluding any sugar except for my USN energy drink when riding. This did not solve my problem. Before this crap started in september last year i could eat jelly babies/koeksisters and Gu's every 40 mins without issue.

 

It happened again on saturday at the trailseeker in grabouw. I was going lekker slow as to ensure i would have enough in me to finish it. And at the 40k mark (3 hrs-ish - yeah i went very slow) i stopped at a water point and again it hit me. It was just before we started with the A trail of A to Z. I couldnt keep my bike up right in the single track. It kind of feels like it happens just after i stopped at a water table or for what ever reason.

 

More information, i am big guy high end of 120kilos without gear. I can avg high 170bpm HR for quite a while - any ride shorter than 40k otherwise i try and pace a bit better. (had an avg of low 160s saturday) I rode with my camelbak saturday filled with water and had one bottle i refilled twice but at the time it happend i had 2x750ml bottles of USN enduro + 1 tablet USN hydrator in each bottel. I ate about 2 slices of banana bread which my wife made with nothing on it. (dont know how much sugar was in the bread)

 

Also once this has happened to me it takes about half an hour or so then it disappears. But i feel completely drained and dead afterwards with NO energy.

 

Could it be my sugar is actually dropping too low? I initially thought this at the argus this year and kept sipping on a gu trying to get sugar up but i THINK it actually just made me feel worse.

 

Has anyone come across this before, any doctor or someone with some medical knowledge that can offer some light on this subject, i am doing w2w this year and i cannot let this crap happen to me then. Also i have had vertigo in the past but that usually takes a day or two too pass so i doubt if its that?!

So - just to check - what happens is you stop riding (water point or some thing) then you feel dizzy almost immediately you stop?

 

How long does it take to feel ok again?