Cycling and Bad Allergies

[Triskeliongirl]

Any medical types care to comment on the advisablity of cycling while being treated for a nasty allergy outbreak that brought on a sinus infection? I went on prednisone and an antibiotic yesterday. I forgot to ask my doc if it would be OK to ride this weekend. I am still struggling to get the allergy symptoms under control. I just changed climate. I had been on cape cod 6 weeks and upon moving back to texas with extreme heat outside and a lot of air conditioning inside, my body rebelled.....

[CorsairMac]

I'm not a medical type but I do have bad allergies......I usually let my body tell me how I feel about the bike. I commuted all winter with on/off sinus infections, as long as it wasn't in my chest and I wasn't coughing. I just kept in mind that my rides would be slower and I would need to be sure I got plenty of rest. My daily commute is only 12 miles tho, I never did any long rides during that time (too cold lol).

[Bruno28]

I have to take prednisone from time to time for a chronic medical condition and wouldn't recommend strenous exercise while you are taking it as it supresses your immune system. It's a powerful drug especially combined with an antibiotic. You must have a really bad allergy! I think you should err on the side of caution while you are immuno-suppressed.

I'm not medically qualified this is just based on personal experience. A pharmicist would be able to advise you. In the UK we can call any pharmicist and ask for advice - not sure how it works over there.

Hope you feel better soon - the blessing of prednisone is it should kick in quite quickly.

[Crankin]

Not a doctor here, but I am someone who has years of experience with allergies, asthma, and chronic sinus infections. Please listen to your body, and not your mind. If you really feel OK, then go easy until you are done with your meds. I have exercised myself into bronchitis and pneumonia more than once because I didn't rest when it was just a sinus thing. Usually, I have a few days where I feel perfectly fine if I am just going about my daily activities, working, but if I ride, I feel weaker than s---. The trick is to get past this point, do some easy exercise like walking, and then start riding.

[Triskeliongirl]

THANKS for the responses. This is the problem. My rationale brain and body are telling me to not ride, as I am sitting here coughing and my throat is on fire (and I am worried that I am not responding to the prescribed antibiotic, but I know I have to give it a few more days before calling my doc on that one). BUT, the part of my body that is cycling addicted is craving a ride. But I know I have to listen to the rationale brain............ I didn't commute today, and was planning a 65 mile club ride tomorow which I know I just can't do. Maybe I'll just go out easy on my own whenever my ENTIRE body is saying yes.

[Geonz]

And... *can* you go out and go easy? For me, sometimes a ride will activate the immune system - but it's gotta be a ride in tune with my body, just at the threshold of breathing hard, absolutely no attention to time, speed, *whatever.* Just "it's better to be riding than wallowing" (and if I don't do it just right, I'll have to wallow even more).

[Triskeliongirl]

Well, I have been listening to my body and staying off the bike. I had been waking up progressively worse all week, so I had no interest in riding. I spent the weekend cleaning up the air in my home. Today is the first day I see my allergy symptoms turning around, but now I feel like I have a bad head cold. I am wondering if the prednisone lowered my immune system so I picked up a cold virus. In the past when this would happen, I would just get progressively better as the course of prednisone calmed down the allergies and the antibiotic got rid of the sinus infection. I am now in the tapering phase of the prednisone. I have to take just one 20 mg tablet each morning for 3 more days, but should I if its gonna keep me from fighting a cold virus (I took 2 tablets per day for 3 days, forllowed by 1 tablet per day for 4). I am asking here since so many of you seem to have experience with prednisone.

[Duck on Wheels]

I think the prednisone/no strenuous activity thing may depend on dosage and diagnosis. Last time I was on prednisone, the doctor said the silver lining would be that I'd feel more energetic and that it might be a good time to get some extra miles in on my bike training. Of course, since you're also battling an at least borderline infection and one that would seriously cut into your energy at that (sinus infection or inflammation) I would imagine you're in a different situation. In my case, the prednisone left me temporarilly energized and free of stomach pains. So my vote goes with all the folks saying "listen to your body and give it what it needs and demands". Hope you're back in shape quick, by whatever route. I've heard that staying in shape helps keep allergies under control, but since allergies and the medications against them can keep you from staying in shape it's quite a balancing act: working out when you can, resting up when you need to. Sounds like you're aware of that and managing pretty well. Keep up the good work. :)