Kinda gross, but need some advice...

[Running Mommy]

Morning All-
Ok, so as some of you know I woke up Monday morning w/ a raging sore throat. Well this is also my last big week of IM training before my taper, so I'm kind of freaking out...
Well Monday I ran 3 miles and was ok so I went swimming. Only lasted 30 mins and then threw up when I got out.. Ok, so I guess I'm sick?? Body is kind of aching, but w/ all this training it's hard to tell if it's illness or training?I guess I got my answer!:eek:
Yesterday I rode for an hour. Felt ok, but didn't feel up to anything over a zone 2, so I mostly spun. I thought I was feeling better but lastnight my throat started killing me again. My body aches seemed to subside, but I also could not get to sleep.
This morning I dragged my bum out of bed at 8:00 and (here comes the gross part) immediately started coughing up green chunky gooey stuff. Sorry, but that is the best way I can describe it. Well the body feels ok- not stellar, but ok. The throat is still hurting, and the coughing up of junk is not helping.
So I had planned on trying to run my 15 miler this afternoon, but my friend emailed me this:

"Are you sure you should workout if you're coughing up green stuff? That usually means it's bacterial, and that would set you back quite a bit. Be careful."

So here is my question... Do you think she's right? I really have been trying to be careful and I don't want to wear my body down more, but I NEED to get a long run and ride in! YIKES! I'm starting to run out of time here...
MAN!! My body has to pick NOW to fail on me!! Of course it could be worse, it could be race week, but still...
So what do you resident experts think? I know I know... Shouldn't take medical advice from a cycling forum, but I'm sure there are a few of you out there who have been in my shoes...
heeellllppppppppp!!! :confused:
Denise

[mommelisa]

Denise - I completely agree with your friend. I would NOT do the run today. Just from personal experience - I was coughing pretty bad a few winters ago, had some stuff coming up but not major - and had a half marathon I wanted to do. My dh warned me, he said you should NOT do it, you'll pull it into your lungs. Did I listen? Nope. I ended up with pneumonia and it lasted for 2 months. It was so bad they wouldn't let me do anything - no running, no nothing - not even yoga. It sucked and after all your hard work, I don't want to see anything like that happen to you.

You have done all the work leading up to this week. You've swum, rode and run your heart out. Your body is telling you it needs a rest and I really think you should listen to it. If you give yourself a few days to get rid of this stuff, you can get right back on track next week. I know you're going to be tapering, but - girlfriend - you KNOW you can run 15 miles. You've done it before! Don't risk making the infection you have worse - let it heal up and you'll come back strong for IMAZ.

Rest!!
M

[SadieKate]

Yes. Get thee to a doctor now.

You don't need to do any training with an infection.

SK (long time sufferer of bronchitis and sinusitis)

[Veronica]

Your body is saying it need a rest. You've trained hard. And you know you can do the run. Heck I KNOW you can do the whole freakin' IM. Get healthy.

V.

[bluedress]

Check this out:
http://www.buildingbodies.ca/Weights/train-sick.shtml
(Maybe helpful, maybe not?)

Do take care of yourself. You have been working very hard and your body will not let you down. Trust it.

--Marca

[RoadRaven]

yup, you're right... verrrrry gross...

But good you asked...

Some good points here... most important is "get thine infection dealt to"

Secondary infections are no good when combined with exercise.

The general rule is if its above the neck, ride... if its below the neck - never ride til its gone.

I posted a story of a local guy from Wellington who rode when sick - took some pills to make himself able to get through the ride and he ended up in hospital.



Get well and rid of the green...

[Running Mommy]

Great article Bluedress. Thanks!
Yeah I think I'd best take today off. I just hate this stuff! I try to think of myself as NOT one of those "type A" triathlete personalities, but maybe I am??? ha ha ha
As a funny aside... lastnight I called my cousin- the one who I went to the concert with- the first thing out of her mouth was "Are you sick?!" I was like "yeah, are you sick too??" and she said "No, but I read it on the TE forum"... HA HA HA HA!! So we have a LURKER out there!!! :D
So I'm calling you out TERRIE!!! :p Time to join the fun and step out of the shadows!! :D

[SadieKate]

Please don't just take the day off. Call your doctor or the triage nurse and tell them your symptoms. Coughing up green stuff can be serious.

[snapdragen]

Call the doctor RM - I was out for a week with the crud.

[Lifesgreat]

Throwing up, sore throat, green crud, run down?

Sounds like my family when it comes down with strep throat.

GO TO THE DR!!!!!!

[Nanci]

Like everyone says: Rest!!! And go to a doctor and see if they will culture the green stuff, just in case. You've got three weeks to go- you're probably not going to be able to add on much fitness at this point, but you surely can do some harm if you overdo, get run down, maybe get _really_ sick...You know you can do each of the events separately- you're fine! Don't get impatient and screw things up!!! REST!! TAPER!!

Nanci

[bcipam]

One thing I've learned from suffering from bronchitis and pneumonia and bad sinus infections in the past, anytime there is green coming out of your body means there is a bacterial infection. In other words, not good. Although I never advocate the use of antibiotics, this is the one time they are needed.

Now if you see green only in the morning (ie your fluid is clear in the afternoon and evening) that's OK, although having a cold or cough longer than 10 days is always bad. If your "fluids" are always green, then you really need to see a doctor. A number of years ago I ignored the symptoms and was hospitalized for pneumonia. My sister wouldn't go and just got out of the hospital because of plurisy (sp?). Not trying to scare you, but green boogies are always a bad sign!

[Running Mommy]

Yeah I only threw up once though.. And I think that was from exerting myself too much when I was sick. A swim vertigo kinda thing maybe?
I called the doctor and they can't see me until tomorrow- or I can go to urgent care but since I'm not running a fever they said it's prolly just viral.. I'm doing A LOT of couch surfing and currently feeling like a slug. But I'm making myself stay benched. I do not want this going into my lungs!
She (my doctor) said she would take a culture though since I'm so close to IM. I really do have a fabulous doctor. So I guess I'll find out tomorrow. She's also worried about valley fever since we had so much wind lately, and I have been out in the dust. Though I don't think I'm running an actual fever??
hmmm... I'll let ya'll know! And thanks for giving me the kick in the pants I needed! Some people need motivation to START exercising- I need motivation to STOP! ha ha :D
ciao!
denise

[tprevost]

thought I'd just pipe in and say... "Ya, what they all said"!!!! You are READY for the IM, you will be FINE just as you are. DO NOT do anything until you have seen your Dr.! Spend time visualizing your IM and gently stretching (if you must do something) but let the body recover!

Let us know what the Doc says!

Tracy

[KSH]

Thank goodness you are going to a doctor.

You are an athlete... and you have to take care of your body. Go the extra mile.

Maybe think about using some of this down time to get a sport massage, or something nice like that.

Remember, your body is like a fine-tuned sports car... drive it like one. If there's something not right, get it checked out and fixed right way. Don't treat your body like a Ford.


I have add this... when I was training for a 1/2 marathon, I was psychoatic about not wanting to get sick. My poor boyfriend had the sniffles and I wouldn't let him kiss me for about a week... and if he sneezed on his hand, he couldn't touch me. Just about drove him nuts.

[Grog]

Take it easy dear, just like everyone said.

By now, you know you can do it anyway. :)

Enjoy the tv/good book for once !

[Lise]

"Coughing up green stuff" = I prescribe antibiotics. And I'm not one to throw abx at viral infections, because they only hurt your body then. But "green" is one of my diagnostic questions. Glad you got yourself to a doc. The best training you can do is to treat your body like a precious gem right now.

Eric Harr has a recipe for a fairly intense juice that his wife makes when he's sick: Alexandra's Amazing Tonic, from Triathlon Training in 4 Hrs a Week:
2 medium beets
1 grapefruit
2 oranges
1 lemon
3 carrots
3 stalks of celery
2"x2" piece fresh ginger
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic

In a juicer. Serves 2. (Like anyone would want to join you in drinking it! :eek: )

Good luck, my friend. Keep us posted. L.