Women's Cycling Discussion Forums - Health Issues

Multi-day tour and pregnant?

Tara — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:09:10 GMT

I'll start this with the caveat that, of course, I will discuss this with my OB, but I want to get some advice/experience from real cyclists in case she needs some convincing that a healthy low risk cyclist can do something like this.

This year, I signed up for my first RAGBRAI (so excited!), but now I'm unexpectedly (but happily) pregnant. I will be in my 14th week the week of RAGBRAI. Am I crazy for thinking that I can still do it?

Most of the days' rides are about 50 miles (one day is 84 miles). I've been training for it since January, so it will just be a matter of staying consistent with my riding over the next 2 months to maintain my fitness. I'll drink lots of water, go slower if I need to, and stay out of the noon-time sun if it's really hot. Does this sound reasonable, or am I deluding myself?

Arm pain after riding

Catrin — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:22:34 GMT

Last night I had a lovely 80 degree ride for an hour :) It felt great, I was stronger climbing than I had hoped, and all in all it was wonderful! I only stopped at one hour because I had a 6am group training class this morning.

All felt great...until I was off the bike about 2 minutes. If that long :( My right arm (which is on my 'good' side) was killing me! In two places, the top of my arm below my elbow - pretty much in the middle, and the underside of my arm from my wrist about halfway to my elbow (little finger side).

I looked at my Ergon grips and they appeared to be equal, it didn't look like either had slipped. I am seeing next Friday to make certain that my fit is optimum (I just have so many blasted physical fit issues), but I've not experienced anything like this before. Does this sound like the product of a tiny slippage of grip angle? Nothing else hurt - so I don't think it was from not riding regularly for awhile - I would expect other...body parts to hurt before my lower arm.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? It IS true that I tweaked that shoulder last week a bit by going too heavy on chest presses, so it might have been some referred pain going on but that shoulder really isn't bothering me anymore...

When I thought was in next phase of life

shootingstar — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:24:13 GMT

After 18 months of no period, my period has revisited with heavy enough flow that it's just now it makes me wonder.

Honest, I was secretly celebrating that I had already moved onto menopause and beyond. :confused:

More itchy down there and doctors results, have any of you used hormone creams?

ACG — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:27:30 GMT

So I had what I thought was a yeast infection, tried the over the counter stuff and it helped a bit. Went to the doctor, took 4 days to get an appointment. She gave me prescription to insert for 7 days, everything felt better for a few days, then it came back. Called the doc, according to the swab she took, no yeast infection, my results show normal, sorry. No advice, nothing, it was the nurse, not the doctor. When I pressed her, she said try the monistat 3 and call them back in a few days.

Sooo what would you do?

I am 51, this could be a sympton and I'm thinking I could try the estrogen cream they sell and the local natural food store.

I have been cutting out a lot of 'bad foods', but my diet was fairly clean to begin with, so not a lot to cut out.

The itchy is driving me nuts. If this is my lot in life for the next few years I'm fine with that, but I'd like relief once in a while. Luckily my SO is really understanding about all this too!

Sit bone pain

gbunker — Sun, 05 May 2013 23:17:37 GMT

Ouch! I am having a lot of trouble with bruising right under my sit bones on longer rides. I ride 35-50 mile group rides most weekends, and have been through a whole series of saddles. I'm currently riding a 143 mm Specialized Oura, which is like the Romin. Before that, I was on a Toupe, and had the same issue, plus the saddle sides were cutting into my thighs. Before that, I was on a Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow, and it was too soft and caused chafing. Before that I was on a couple of Brooks saddles and a Selle Anatomica

I commute on an upright mixte during the week to let my sit bones heal. I'm ok again by the next Saturday, and the saddle feels fine for the first 20 miles or so. Then it starts to feel like the seat is really hard and the bruising starts. It's not so much a skin issue, but more the underlying tissues. I keep hoping my butt will toughen up, but no luck.

I've tried changing the saddle height and the angle. I moved to a thicker chamois. I really want to be riding 80-100 miles by the end of the summer, but I don't think my butt bones can take it!

Any ideas for other things to try?

Thanks!
Gillian

Becoming a Supple Leopard review (long): Mobility/Stretching resource

Catrin — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:44:42 GMT

I apologize in advance for the length of this review, but I think this is a very important and useful resource so wanted to draw attention to it. This book was just released a week ago - and to give you an idea - all of the 181 reviews on Amazon so far are 5 star.

Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Dr. Kelly Starrett (PhD in Physical Therapy, owner of San Francisco Crossfit , strength and conditioning coach) is an incredible resource for those seeking to understand more about human mobility and movement AND how to address our own aches and pains.

His knowledge is incredibly vast and spends a lot of time traveling around the country giving seminars to Crossfit coaches and athletes. He is a strong believer that most issues related to athletic performance as well as aches and pains can be self-treated and this book is an excellent reference. The book itself is beautiful, with hundreds of clear photos, the text is directed to the non-professional. It also helps to understand just WHY we shouldn't allow our knees to come inwards during a squat, how to brace our spines properly, how to free up our tissues that might be tacked down from any number of reasons (like spending too much time bent over), and how different body systems affect others (just to name a few). He has a website (www.mobilitywod.com) on which there are hundreds of videos where he demonstrates all of the techniques in the book and them some - it is easier to find things in the book :) This book really is a must-have for all coaches and athletes - regardless of your sport of choice.

There is a lot of good information here for cyclists. The base of his approach is simply this "All human beings should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves" (a quote from his blog). He has a knack of breaking things down to an understandable level, and most of the exercises found in this book (and website) require no more advanced equipment than a foam roller and a couple of Lacross balls. What he has to teach goes well beyond the Crossfit community.

I've a host of mobility problems related to old injuries - not only has my trainer suggested many of the very same techniques that Dr. Kelly advises - I've had good results. The proof is in the pudding, as I continue my training AND rehab efforts, I've noticed that while many of his suggested approaches may not feel good - they ARE effective and I tend to see results from them quickly. In the end, I am coming to a much better understanding of how my body actually works AND how to help it do what I ask of it - and THAT is key - regardless of if I am asking my body to ride 100 miles or to deadlift well over my body weight.

The book isn't inexpensive, but it is available from many places for <$40. Considering the size of the book, quality of the binding and the photography, it is a surprise that it isn't a lot more expensive. The Mobility WOD website I linked to above has a lot of the same information in the form of videos, what you don't get there is is the clear discussion of why all of this matters. The website is a great resource anyway, I've been using it for months. It is a bit chaotic, but useful.

itchy down there

ACG — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:37:29 GMT

The last 2 weeks, I've been on/off itchy, down there. I have good days and bad days.

It doesn't get worse or better with riding.
I don't use soap and I do wear cotton panties.
I took one of those home PH tests and mine was at 5.0, just the first notch into an 'infection'
I was on an antibiotic 3 weeks ago.

How long do you think to wait till you go see the gyno?

I guess I'm afraid to go in there and have them tell me its nothing, but then have no recourse for the discomfort. And since I'm 51, the last time I saw the gyno, (6 months ago) she tried to tell my I would eventually have to start taking HRT and that I should stop cycling and take up swimming as it was better for women my age. So really I'm not liking the doctor much right now either.

Low Blood Pressure Wierdness

WindingRoad — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 04:08:50 GMT

I did some searching on TE and noticed there were some of you with the low blood pressure issue too. I am in the middle of final exams right now, generally I'm stressed out and I drink a ton of coffee. You would think my BP would be elevated. I keep noticing while sitting studying that suddenly I'm lethargic to the point I can barely move. After 2 or 3 episodes of this I whipped out my BP cuff and started checking it. The last few times I have felt like this my BP was 95/65 and my pulse was 50 bpm. :eek: I felt like crap! I think this has been happening a lot lately b/c I keep getting these massive slumps in my day where I just want to go lay on the warm pavement at school and sleep. I'm absolutely freezing when this happens too. I have been drinking a lot of water but it's not quite cutting it and I'm a bit confused :confused: