Old Git On A Bike battles with the wind (2000 miles ridden)

Old Git On A Bike

Hi,

I spent an hour in an ambulance a short while ago having some tests done, I was going to leave it and go to hospital tomorrow, but I had another episode of not being able to breath properly tonight and the other half phoned for the ambulance.

They had me hooked up to their ECG machine, wires all over me connected to sticky pads, 4 or 5 on my chest, a couple on my side, 1 on each wrist and 1 on each leg, the ECG showed my heartbeat was a bit off, but he said it was nothing to overly worry about.

They checked my blood sugar levels and said that was fine, took my blood pressure, first one was normal, 134/72, and the other one was higher at 157/89. They said my temperature was higher than it should be and that could point to an infection in the chest/lung.

They gave me a couple of options, either I could to to hospital right now and they would probably do some blood tests and monitor me on ECG etc again, or not go to hospital and get my own doctor to see me on Monday, or get a doctor from the out of hours team to see me tomorrow, I couldn't see the point in going to hospital to hospital overnight and have pretty much the same tests done again, so I'll see my own doctor instead.

Suggested that I should get my doctor to refer me to hospital to get a 24 hour heart monitor put on me due to my cardic arrythmias that I have had for a long time, and to get some chest x-rays, and that was pretty much it.

So, I'm still not sure what the problem was/is, if it is a chest infection, why was it not showing any symptoms before I went on the exercise bike, and yet after 7 miles I was bang in trouble :? And why the other symptoms like tingling hands, missed heart beats, dizziness, strange feeling in my chest and my side, the medics seemed to suggest they could be connected to an infection, can't see that myself, there is no pain in the lungs, I did mention that to them, but they said if the infection is in the chest it doesn't have to be painful at the same time.

I'm obviously not going to be doing any riding until I get this sorted out, always something getting in my way :evil:, the only good thing to come out of this is that it gave me a bad scare, and as a result my smoking has gone right down, I have smoked less in the last few days than what I would normally smoke in one day, I'm not missing the extra roll ups I'm used to smoking, and I feel very confident that within the next week I can get down to 7 - 10 smokes a day, and then just a couple or stop completely.

Furkuk

Hope you get better soon.

thekickingmule

Oh dear, this doesn't sound good at all. A word of advice, try and cut down as much as you possibly can for now. My Dad had very similar symptoms to what you are describing. He ended up in hospital with Bronchitis, came out of hospital and started smoking again. One year later, back in hospital with Bronchitis.
He has now been diagnosed with COPD, has had to retire and is classed as disabled. He struggles to breathe, and is always coughin up crap from his lungs, he has panic attacks quite often (usually if he has a shower with noone else in the house) and gets knackered from doing the simplest of things ie going to the toilet. It scared me into quitting.
I know that you say you can't get scared by what you read etc but think about what's just happened to you, what IS happening to you. Every time you have a cig from now on, you are making things worse, that's simply a fact.
Good luck with quitting, I really do hope you are successful, for your own sake.

Specialized27

Being so overweight and being a chain smoker makes your health seems like your body is on its way to giving up - I would reccomend STOPPING SMOKING - You will save a ton of money and you will find the path to fitness easier. You should aim to quit - not have 2 per hour! Although, you have started the long path to healthiness now by recognising your problem and buying a bike - Respect. I think you should find a scenic undualting route, as I find these easiest, as you can go down the hills at speed after a long ascent, and then speed up the next one, while taking in the scenery.

Old Git On A Bike

thekickingmule wrote:

He has now been diagnosed with COPD

@ TheKickingMule, very sorry to hear about your dad and his condition, my uncle died a couple of months ago from a smoking related disease, his lungs were completely shot, couldn't even stand to dress himself as he couldn't breath, so I had been reading up on the subject of COPD's before my current problems started.

I am going to give up smoking one way or another, I'm still keeping on top of it and averaging around 12 smokes a day now, that will be dropping further.

I went to see my doctor today, she seems to think the symptoms I had were caused by me hyperventilating whilst on the exercise bike, but that doesn't explain why I'm still having trouble breathing now, so she's sent me to have a chest x-ray tomorrow.

She did a peak flow test whilst I was there, my PF was 500, she said that was actually quite good for a heavy smoker, I can only think that my riding over the past has strengthened my lungs, it probably would have been a lower reading that that otherwise.

This is part of what's written on the form to take to the hospital tomorrow:

Request Details - Examination required: CXR

Clinical Details
09/03/2009 Difficulty breathing, feels as if he has breathing problems, was on exercise bike
O/e PF 500; chest is clear PF is OK
? COPD-
H/O asbestos exposure working in garage

It's specifically checking for COPD and asbestos related stuff, fingers crossed I don't get anything too negative on those.

I would reccomend STOPPING SMOKING - You will save a ton of money and you will find the path to fitness easier. You should aim to quit - not have 2 per hour!

@ Specialized27, I'm on it mate, the amount I have already cut down since my scare is a very big cut, as stated previously, I couldn't just stop smoking, I need to cut back until it's just a few a day and then I will knock it on the head.

[edit]

Oh yeah, forgot to add, I got a prescription for nicotine patches and a nicotine inhaler, she also gave me an Atrovent inhaler, which will apparently open my airways and loosen the gunk on the lining of my lung or something like that.

thekickingmule

Old Git On A Bike wrote:

Oh yeah, forgot to add, I got a prescription for nicotine patches and a nicotine inhaler, she also gave me an Atrovent inhaler, which will apparently open my airways and loosen the gunk on the lining of my lung or something like that.

My Dad has one of them I think. When you start takin it, you'll be coughin up a lot of crap. My advice is to look at it, then think about what your lungs must look like. My Dad coughs into tissues and was gobsmacked at the colours comin up.
He's ok, thanks. I think he's settled into his retired life now, just don't think he expected to be disabled like he is. I hope you get good results back, just remember don't think "Wahoo got away with it" think more along the lines of "Next time I won't be so lucky"

Good Luck!

rudedog

I know you have said that you don't think Allen Carrs book would do any good but how do you know if you don't try?

I too thought exactly the same as you and even though my wife had successfully stopped after reading his book, I wouldn't read it - I don't know why, the fact that after all my previous failed efforts, a mere book was supposed to get me to stop seemed to irritate me for some reason.

Over the next 2 years, 3 of my smoking friends also stopped after reading this book - I finally gave in and read the book too. I had my last fag during the last chapter of the book and haven't smoked again in 6 years.

Basically, the physcial additction to smoking is short lived - the mental addiction is built up over years of smoking and is much harder to break. This book lets you understand the mental addiction making it much easier to break.

Give it a go - what have you really got to lose? (apart from £7.64)



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0141026898/ref=pd_cp_b_0?pf_rd_p=212521391&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0140277633&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1BBMJS3K9Q2SQZ7GF6RD

Specialized27

Good for you Old Git (seems a bit wrong to be calling you that) I started cycling to school (yes I am not THAT old admitedly - Only 16) and have become much fitter since, even though you only lose weight gradually you feel much better for the effort - I cycle around 10 miles everyday on a kwite crap bike, however cycling is still cycling and your bike is decent so best of luck - just flicking through the rest of this dsicussion, i noticed you planned not to wear a helmet - a mate of mine was cycling lterally round the corner and he fell off onto a lamp post - result : brain damage, sleep loss, memory loss and other effects - he could not take his GCSE's for another two years -all because he didnt wear a helmet!

Old Git On A Bike

Just a little update,

I am still unable to breath properly even when just sitting here at the computer, sometimes get a bit dizzy, breathing feels clearer for a couple of hours at times, then it comes back with a vengence.

None of the stuff the doctor gave me did any good in the end, I had my chest x-ray and that came back normal, no infection, COPD or other nasties etc

So I left it for a while to see if it would clear of it's own accord, but still it stayed the same, so I went back to the doctors again, she said there is not much more she can do for me at her end, so now it needs more investigation, starting with me going to the hospitals thoracic medicine department on June 15th.

It's definitely something wrong between my nose and throat, I can aftually feel a lump on my windpipe about 1 - 2 inches below my adams apple, not sure if that is supposed to be there or not, so that's worrying me a bit, and I have a bit of swelling right at the end of my jawbone just below the ear lobe and going under the jaw bone, like a swollen gland type thing I suppose would be the best description.

Well that's about it, not sure when or if ever I'll be out on my bike again, it's getting me down being off the bike, in fact it's making me a moody b@stard with people, I can't even face going on my exercise bike after what happened to set this all off, I'll let you know how I get on at hospital on the 15th of next month, not sure why it takes so long to get a damn appointment to be seen at hospital :x

Captain Turok

maximus69 wrote:

dont bother trying to cut down and then quit, it wont work....
...Alan Carr`s book is good but i just couldnt grasp it. puts some anti smoking thoughts in your head though so recommended

+1
Cutting down doesn't work (IMO), it's the evil weeds way of keeping you its b1tch :evil:

I found the Carr book VERY VERY good. It gave me an understanding of the tricks the chemical and mental addiction was playing on me. When I knew what they were it, helped me a lot.. (Cutting down but not quite stopping is nicotine b!tch slapping you with one of its tricks :evil: )

I spent 15+years smoking, and I no longer smoke cigarettes (unless I'm crawling home dribbling drunk )

The very best of luck to you chap with whatever helps you best!

Ditch Witch

Apologies in advance but I tend to get a bit ranty about quitting smoking.

After having tried everything for many, many years, I finally read Alan Carr's book (it took me two goes) and finally quit for good. That was 5 years ago.

Don't try to wean yourself off. I've said it before and will say it again; you have to change how you feel about smoking.

If you're not prepared to change your belief system, you will either fail or make a serious rod for your own back.


Positive visualization works for the very best athletes in the world, so why not try it yourself.

Believe that you hate smoking, REALLY BELIEVE IT, that you're doing yourself a favour, then you will be able to quit, and it will be the easiest thing you've ever done.

Believe that you love it and will miss it and can't live life without it, then you're doomed to a miserable experience, even if you do succeed.


Alan Carr's book is a very good start to making those belief changes. It should be free on the NHS.

neil_sheehan2000

Just a little update,

I am still unable to breath properly even when just sitting here at the computer, sometimes get a bit dizzy, breathing feels clearer for a couple of hours at times, then it comes back with a vengence.

None of the stuff the doctor gave me did any good in the end, I had my chest x-ray and that came back normal, no infection, COPD or other nasties etc

So I left it for a while to see if it would clear of it's own accord, but still it stayed the same, so I went back to the doctors again, she said there is not much more she can do for me at her end, so now it needs more investigation, starting with me going to the hospitals thoracic medicine department on June 15th.

It's definitely something wrong between my nose and throat, I can aftually feel a lump on my windpipe about 1 - 2 inches below my adams apple, not sure if that is supposed to be there or not, so that's worrying me a bit, and I have a bit of swelling right at the end of my jawbone just below the ear lobe and going under the jaw bone, like a swollen gland type thing I suppose would be the best description.

Well that's about it, not sure when or if ever I'll be out on my bike again, it's getting me down being off the bike, in fact it's making me a moody b@stard with people, I can't even face going on my exercise bike after what happened to set this all off, I'll let you know how I get on at hospital on the 15th of next month, not sure why it takes so long to get a damn appointment to be seen at hospital

Crikey, Old Git, I do hope everything's alright. Take care of yourself- hopefully the hospital appointment will be worth the wait.

mick851

just reading through last few pages of this topic, anyone heard anything of old git on a bike????? :shock:

lesz42

mmmm been a fair while! used to be great reading!



hope he is all right!

scale20

I have just read through all this and its an amazing read. Where has he gone? I hope all is ok.

mick851

nearly 12 months, and nothing from old git :? ??????????????????? :shock: ???????????????????????

bails87

Anyone PMd him? Hopefully he's just forgotten about us!

dunker

yeah hopefully he's ok and just packed in riding, maybe found another sport?

djames77

Is smoking really a sport???????

mick851

its a shame he's not back on here, used to be an interesting read :?