Swollen "ahem....."

Hi ladies - I just finished my first time trial on my new TT bike. I had the bike set up by the same professional who set me up on my road bike - which has an awesome fit. I had been using my road bike with clip on aero bars for time trials - until I got my new Orbea Ora. I raced her tonight and used a selle time trial specific seat (ie the nose was padded with gel) I have never been in so much pain in my life. My labia are swollen to about four times their normal size. I could hardly get off the bike. I came home and sat in a tub - but the pain is quite intense. I have a high pain threshold - but this is pushing it!!! I have put ice on "it" and taken some ibuprofen.

I have two questions: (1) Any suggestions for treatment (2) What kind of saddle should I put on this bike?

The funny thing was - it didn't hurt until I sat up at the finish - it was a 20K time trial. I like time trialing - but I don't think I can bear this again. I suspect I will be off my bike for several days...,.good thing I was not going to race the entire omnium.

I am sure I am not the only person this had ever happened to.

Debi

OUCH!!!

I think you're on the right track with ice and Advil. If there are abrasions, then either Vagicaine or A&D work well.

But OUCH, just OUCH!

As a completely unrelated aside, we've been taking about the Bicycle Inn for Labor Day on another thread - any interest??

CA

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Originally Posted by Gowest

I am sure I am not the only person this had ever happened to.

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No, you're definitely not the only one. I got a massive case of the Hot Dog Bun Labia somewhere around mile 150 of a double-century. The only thing I could do was slather on some vagicaine and grit my teeth the rest of the ride.

Consider trying a different saddle, and also realize that a "good" saddle can quickly turn into a "bad" saddle if you don't have tip angled down for using aerobars. :eek:

I agree with Dianyla. You may need to tip the saddle nose down a bit.

Ouch, I hope you feel better soon. I can sympathize.

My "ahem" :rolleyes: gets swollen at times too.

After a TT is common as I don't move from the one position at all for 40 minutes or so (and have usually warmed up for 30-40 minutes before hand, so weight is already being applied before the race starts).

And just echoing Dianyla and Wahine... the nose of the seat on my TT bike (which has bull horns and aerobars, and a low front end) is angled slightly more down than my road race bike. I have posted pix of them both in my thread in the "TE Member Race Results" forum if you want to see. The difference is much - only millimetres, but thats often all it takes.

So Gowest, are you going to post a race report for us of your first TT? There are several enthusiastic TTers here on TE and we're always keen to read about how others have found their TTs.

And what bike do you have for TTing on?

Orbea Ora

HotDogBunLabia is too funny

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Originally Posted by zencentury

HotDogBunLabia is too funny

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yes it is. The sad thing is I know what she's talking about. Been there...don't usually notice until I'm in the shower. Why don't men have these problems?

Men don't get swollen labia cause they dont have labia :p

However... seriously... they do get other problems; numbness, sweeling, lumps etc etc

Why do you think Lance didn't realise he had cancer til it was well progressed? He thought the swelling and lumps were normal/expected swelling and lumps from his hours in the saddle!


Oh... and Zen... are you saying Gowest has an orbea for her TT bike? Somehow I missed the post about that - or didn't register it was for TTing...

Cheers :)
Road ~ off-to-find-pic-of-GWs-bike ~ Raven

When I was first learning about bikes,I had a male friend reveal that they eventually develop scar tissue at the base of the scrotum.
I was somewhat shocked at the time but now? Nah.

A woman does NOT want to develop scar tissue in the corresponding area:eek:

Oooowwwww, just thinking about it made me squeeze my knees together.

I really admire you TT gals because I don't know if I would want to hunker down like that on my bike. :eek:

Well, I had to go to the doc today - ha ha - the doc went to the doc!! He put me on four meds - (1) topical steroid (2) diflucan (for possible yeast) (3) antibiotic (I had a fever) and (4) pain med.

So far I have refused to use the pain med - and have not had the nerve to apply the topical cream. He said he has never seen anything as bad as what I had today. I am taking baths about every four hours.

Raven - this was my fourth TT - first three on Orbea Orca with clip-ons - then switched to the TT specific Ora - will post pic of me finishing this race soon - I placed a little lower than the middle of the field for cat 4 - not bad considering this is my first year on the bike and first year racing. Other than the aforemention issue - I love the TT - it is awesome......can't say enough.

Do you tri ladies or TT'ers have any saddle recommendations?? Right now I am 1.5 degrees nose down - and will increase that angle - but may want to switch saddles totoally. Yesterday I think I would have been better off with just a seat post!!!

Just call me the Angelina Jolie of time trials........(I can laugh now....)

debi

Yowza! I had a swelling issue once before I got my new saddle...wore skirts to work with no underwear for two days :eek:

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Originally Posted by Gowest

Just call me the Angelina Jolie of time trials........(I can laugh now....)

debi

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OK, that's even funnier than "hot dog bun labia".

I'm a long course triathlete and I used to use a Terry butterfly saddle. It worked great except that for training distances like IM I was breaking them down too fast and it was getting to expensive to keep replacing them. I would think that for time trials at 40 km it would wrok very well. Now I use a WTB women's specific gel saddle and that works well, but works best if my chamois is thin. With a thicker chamois I can also start to resemble Angelina.

can definetely relate to the swelling troubles. I am a long course triathelete and have also tried MANY different saddles and have cursed almost all. On my tri-bike, I have settled on a Profile Design men's tri saddle - the women's version didn't work for me. On my road bike, I have a Selle Italia Gel Flow Trans Am. I also discovered that traditional bike shorts do not work. I need less padding and always use tri shorts. Good luck.

Here's an interesting saddle posted on a triathlete forum.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...s_Saddle-2.jpg

It's a DDWings saddle. Here's the website: http://www.bikemania.biz/DDwings_Rev...ngs_saddle.htm

I tried one like that once.

I nearly died!

Clearly I depend on the nose of my saddle to help me control the bike.

Sundial, those seats have been around for a while... but whenever we (my boys, partner and me) have occasion to discuss them, we come to the conclusion they are great for potential crashes...

When cyclists stand, many tend to use their thighs on the nose of the seat to help with steering... without the nose, a key part of riding style would be altered.

On the other hand, I dont know anyone who has used one... but I do note I have not seen them on pro-cyclists bikes - for bunch racing or for timetrials...

I wasn't sure it was tri friendly, but I thought I'd post it. I certainly can understand why one would want a traditional saddle. It's too bad the thing has to be so uncomfortable for TT.

The nose of the saddle is essential for cycling at some speed, because you don't want to have to turn the handlebars to turn.

I wonder whether someone could train to steer the bike with only the hips, no upper thighs.... but I strongly doubt this will appear in cycle racing any time soon!

This being said, on a comfort bike where you're totally upright, it might do a lot of good!! I'm sure some roadies have tried it too.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

OK, that's even funnier than "hot dog bun labia".

I'm a long course triathlete and I used to use a Terry butterfly saddle. It worked great except that for training distances like IM I was breaking them down too fast and it was getting to expensive to keep replacing them. I would think that for time trials at 40 km it would wrok very well. Now I use a WTB women's specific gel saddle and that works well, but works best if my chamois is thin. With a thicker chamois I can also start to resemble Angelina.

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Wahine, how quickly were you wearing out your Butterflies? I just ordered my second one. My first lasted about 4500 miles before I started to notice pain where I'd never had pain before. Figured that the saddle might be the culprit. I otherwise like the saddle, but wonder if I'm just going to have to replace it nearly every year. Susan at TE suggested that the harder I ride (and I have been increasing the intensity of my rides), the more quickly it will wear down.

I was replacing mine every 1 to 2 years, so probably around 3000 miles or so. My problem was that I would start to slide forward on the saddle and it would bother my arms and hands more than anything. Then once I realized what was happening, I would notice it sooner and eventually I just got frustrated and changed saddles. I had less problems when I rode in the flatter lands. I think that rocking back and forth a bit more with climbing accelerated the breakdown.

at 59, have started cycling again after a few years away. mostly rec (5-10 miles every few days) and the "numbness" is making me crazy. sometimes can barely dismount and standing up straight at times is actually shooting pains. have to stand away from passerbys to massage the pain down before restarting.

New PI Short Attacks and better posture helping a little. want to try angling seat front down at bit, before looking for new seat, but how much and how to judge/eyeball/measure? If new seat needed anyone know "estrogen friendly" stores in DC area.

All counsel appreciated. Thx in advance

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Originally Posted by Wahine

Now I use a WTB women's specific gel saddle and that works well...

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WTB?

WTB is the brand. I have no idea what it stands for.

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Originally Posted by zencentury

WTB?

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WTB = Wilderness Trail Bikes. I tried the WTB SpeedShe and my girly bits absolutely hated it. The flesh near my tailbone got totally sore and inflamed from the ridges of the cutout. :eek:

I jumped on to Team Estrogen tonight because I have been having similar issues and needed some direction! I am an Olympic and Half Iron tri gal and the last tri I did left my Ahem not so pretty. I had two bruises/blood blister looking things on my right upper thigh and on my hip flexer right next to my girl. Swollen labia every time I ride!
Since the half I started paying attention and notice that after every ride I have abbrasions on my left hip flexer area and this weekend another blood blister on my left labia. Could my seat be too wide? The guy that does my fitting is shaking his head, not sure what to do. I have not dropped trou to show him the actual owies, but if it would get me relief I will!!!
I am on a Selle Italia fem seat now. Wondering if a mens saddle would be better? I wear light padded shorts, lube up well....It is not abraision from pubic hair cause that was lasered away.
HELP:confused:

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Originally Posted by Idaho Jen

Since the half I started paying attention and notice that after every ride I have abbrasions on my left hip flexer area and this weekend another blood blister on my left labia. Could my seat be too wide? The guy that does my fitting is shaking his head, not sure what to do.

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Most problems with abrasion/pressure on the labia have to do with those delicate bits being forced to carry too much of the body weight. Most of your weight should stay on your sitbones. It could be that the saddle nose is too high, or is too wide in front, or is simply not shaped right for you.

The fact that it's unilateral also makes me wonder if you might have a leg length discrepancy? Or maybe your cadence is uneven due to one leg being markedly stronger than the other?

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

I tried one like that once.

I nearly died!

Clearly I depend on the nose of my saddle to help me control the bike.

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I don't think I depend on the nose much at all. In learning how my bike handles and responds, I tried sort of "dancing" on the seat, just shifting my weight changes direction. But I think my Pilot may just be like that compared to your LHT.

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Originally Posted by Dianyla

Most problems with abrasion/pressure on the labia have to do with those delicate bits being forced to carry too much of the body weight. Most of your weight should stay on your sitbones. It could be that the saddle nose is too high, or is too wide in front, or is simply not shaped right for you.

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It could also be a matter of stem height or reach, couldn't it?

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Originally Posted by zencentury

It could also be a matter of stem height or reach, couldn't it?

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Absolutely. This is particularly a problem if your using tri bars on a bike that has a traditional road geometry.

Tri bikes (and TT bikes) have a shorter effective top tube to bring the rider forward over the wheel, they also have a steeper down tube angle which creates space around the anterior groin area. When you put tri bars on a road bike the rider is almost always bent too much at the hip and too stretched out which puts pressure more towards the front of the pelvic floor. It's also a good Idea to tip the nose of the saddle slightly downward.

Super helpful to hear about others' experience with this. I just started riding TTs this summer. I had some very significant swelling (mostly on one side) the first time and continue to do so with each event. My husband said that now we have three testicles between us!

After reading these posts I think I also can decrease this unwanted effect by tipping down my nose. Makes perfect sense. I have an unusually dropped position because I race as stoker on a tandem. To decrease my resistance I ride gripping the top tube under my captain's seat. Not very comfy but I have virtually no upper-body wind resistance. I'll give it a TT trial!

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Originally Posted by tricanada

I also discovered that traditional bike shorts do not work. I need less padding and always use tri shorts. Good luck.

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I completely agree. At one point, I took scissors and cut out the centers of the pads in my shorts. Not my best idea ever: they formed an abrasion trap. I have found that some of the men's shorts have pads that are designed with less padding in the center instead of more. And I reiterate, more padding id definitely not better for me, it's worse.

Yikes, the description sounds so awful and painful! :(

I guess when you lean that far forward you are putting all your weight right on your labia on a stiff object for hours instead of back on your sit bones, and then riding/bumping directly on your soft tissue there. I'm not sure how any saddle can be expected to correct this situation? Can you put more weight on your feet while you ride?