When to resume cycling after illness?

freehub

Hi.

I've had a cold that resulted in headaches at first, really bad runny nose and blocks nose, that's eased but now my ears are feeling abit odd, like sort of popping sometimes and my throat down to my chest feels absoloutly awfull, but I think in the next day or so it will go away, my flat mates tell me I've got "manflu" :roll:, but whatever I have it feels pretty **** to me. So I've not touched the bike since sunday, I felt fine but had an idea maybe I'm coming down with something, but I've not had anything in 2 years so thought it's nothing, did a fast 18 miles at night, but then the next day I woke up with this "chesty cold", and everyday since I've being hoping it would ease off but the damn thing won't and the throat flares up in the night, but I'm confident this will be done by sunday.

Anyway yes sorry for the paragraph of waffle, all I want to ask is, if I wake up sunday and feel fine, would it be safe to go on a ride? Or could that potentially bring back whatever I had?


Thanks
Will.

nasahapley

Hi Will,

That sound eerily like what I've had for about a month or so; felt proper rotten for a couple of weeks then just had an annoying cold that didn't want to go. I too felt more or less ok, did some fairly moderate exercise, then felt sh1tty for another week! Just about feeling right again now, but worried that if I do anything it'll come straight back! FWIW it turned out I had sinusitis, which I am unfortunately quite prone to. Doc gave me some antibiotics which sorted that out but still had a dicky chest for a while after.

I'm playing it safe; not going out running until I've had at least two clear days of feeling fine.

bompington

Difficult one this. As far as I understand it, the medical evidence on the whole shows that it's a good idea to take it easy, for example the immune system is depressed by strenuous exercise.
But my personal experience has always seemed to be that a bit of a serious pasting helps me to recover - not just cycling, but I can recall some memorably exhausting days climbing, hillwalking and kayaking that felt like they cleaned me out and left me feeling better. Kayaking being a great one for throat / sinus type infections because of the sinus-washing potential!
I emphasise "seemed" not because I'm particularly unreliable, but because it's always hard to judge what is or isn't having an effect on the course of an illness; the occasions that I can recall - who knows if I really did get better quicker, or slower, or if it made no difference? I'm fairly sure the psychological boost helps, at least.

So, sorry if that doesn't exactly help, but I would advise you to go with how you feel - giving it a miss for a few days is not going to affect your fitness level much, you'll quickly get it back; but on the other hand, going out for a light spin, at least, is unlikely to hurt you.

freehub

I have a doctors appointment at 5 today lukilly that I booked on Monday, I booked it for my knee as I need to get referred to a physio in Manchester but I may mention this, just maybe the doctor might have a go at me telling me what if it was swine flu??? you're not supposed to come to the docs!

I've missed 3 days of college, I've told the teachers but I feel bad as the 2 girls in the flat say it's manflu and they'd go to uni no matter how ill they where. Maybe I'm just weak minded but when I'm like this college is not something I want to go to. My tutors won't reply to my emails so I have no clue what's going on at college

Thanks

dboden

freehub wrote:

Hi.

I've had a cold that resulted in headaches at first, really bad runny nose and blocks nose, that's eased but now my ears are feeling abit odd, like sort of popping sometimes and my throat down to my chest feels absoloutly awfull, but I think in the next day or so it will go away, my flat mates tell me I've got "manflu" :roll:, but whatever I have it feels pretty **** to me. So I've not touched the bike since sunday, I felt fine but had an idea maybe I'm coming down with something, but I've not had anything in 2 years so thought it's nothing, did a fast 18 miles at night, but then the next day I woke up with this "chesty cold", and everyday since I've being hoping it would ease off but the damn thing won't and the throat flares up in the night, but I'm confident this will be done by sunday.

Anyway yes sorry for the paragraph of waffle, all I want to ask is, if I wake up sunday and feel fine, would it be safe to go on a ride? Or could that potentially bring back whatever I had?


Thanks
Will.

My god... that is me right now... this is no help whatsoever, but sinusitus is crap and makes you feel like crap and lingers on for ages. I am also in two minds what to do, coz i,m gagging to get out this sunday, after a whole week off.. ps, sudafed nasal spray, and face over steam, are the best ways I have found to rid it.... and gives a lovely complexion.. cheers, nohelp Dave

freehub

I'll try get doctor to see if it's sinusitus, it's pissing me off now, I feel like I'm needing to sneeze but at the same time don't need to, I am getting itches behind my eyes and in my nose too.

redddraggon

I think you are suffering from a lack of beer in your diet

freehub

I think alcohol has reduced the performance of my immune system.

Bhima

Yeah, compromised immune system from what I can gather. Maybe you just got too cold on a ride... Are you getting enough vitamin C? I make lemon/orange energy drinks pretty regularly and go out riding at night all the time, without problems.

freehub

I think it might be fading now, I've had a thrash about on my bike, had to go to bicycleboutique or w/e it is called near the MMU to get a freehub bolt for my commuter bike and get it all installed before my doctors appointment, so I've had a rush around and hopefully might be getting better now.

PBo

Bhima wrote:

Yeah, compromised immune system from what I can gather. Maybe you just got too cold on a ride... Are you getting enough vitamin C? I make lemon/orange energy drinks pretty regularly and go out riding at night all the time, without problems.

do you put any honey in them .....?

Alex_Simmons/RST

Dealing with Illness

Ollieda

its probably the infamous "freshers flu" you've got. all the new first years coming in from across the country brining large amounts of different viruses with them. throw swine flu into the mix and then loads of parties and general student randyness: guaranteed hotbed for flu to pass around!

although to your main point, I would say if you feel fine just chill out and have another day off and wait till you see the doc on monday, if you really cant wait then just do a nice and easy ride (or preferably a turbo session) - i'm playing the injury recovery game at the moment, managed to borrow a turbo off my mate today and now i'm going to be spending my days marveling at the limited view from my bedroom window as the vibrations piss of the people who live below me!

KevinMcC

whenever I am sick and want to go back to exercise or even walking about at more than a shuffle you I can usually tell after ten minutes of doing so if I feel good enough for it or not. If after ten I feel crap, return home, have a whisky or 2 and wait it out, if I feel good carry on and cross my fingers.