Bad side cramp during ride

[indysteel]

Yesterday, I did the Crane Cyclefest--a Ride to Recovery event to benefit injured Veterans. It was to be mu first long and hilly ride of the year (I just haven't been riding much). All was goingly well, albeit slowly) until about mile 35. We climbed a long hill and about 3/4s of the way up, I got a really bad cramp in my right side. It was far worse than the side stitches I sometimes get running. I got to the top of the climb and flagged my husband to stop. By that point, I was having trouble even just standing up. I wanted to sit down on the side of the road, but the bugs in this area were fierce, and I could take it. So, after a minute or two, I started up again. Mr. B circled back at this point, and we rode at a crawl for a few more minutes. I was pretty concerned about continuing on, so when a SAG vehicle rolled up a minute later, DH and I accepted a ride.

It took a while to get back to our cars, and by that point, I felt more or less back to normal. I ate some lunch and DH and I drove home. As the day and evening wore on, I did have a bit more GI distress. Nothing terrible; just not normal either.

So what gives? I've never encountered that while riding before. I had oatmeal for breakfast and a banana a bit later but before the ride. During the ride, my food options weren't great, as they had green bananas at the stops. While bananas are my usual choice, I opted for some cookies, and probably too many of them at that. I otherwise just had water and a bit of Cytomax.

I'd like to think it was a combination of bad food choices and the climb, but I'm a little freaked out. I'm also disappointed that DH and I didn't finish the ride. I was otherwise really enjoying myself, as it was a great ride for a great cause.

[OakLeaf]

How do you feel now? Do you still have your appendix??

[indysteel]

I do still have my appendix--and that was something that came to mind. I fell okay, but not great now. Sorry for the details here, but I don't know to otherwise answer your question without them. I've had a couple of soft BMs, some burping and gas.

[OakLeaf]

I'd call your doctor. Do they have someone on call during the weekends? I'd say call a nurse line, but my experience with them is that they are going to send you to the ER for anything from acute appendicitis to a hangnail.

[indysteel]

Yeah, I was afraid you would say that. I wanted to avoid the ER, but I might have to head there afterall.

[indysteel]

I don't think it was heat related. I was drinking enough water and it wasn't overly hot. I know how I feel when I get overheated and dehydrated, and this wasn't it. I also don't think I'd be having lingering GI issues if it was heat related.

[Catrin]

hmmmm, how low down your right side was the pain? I've had pain like that from my ovary, back when I still had one - but I don't remember any GI issues related to it.

Take care of yourself...

[pll]

Are you still in pain or is it only the GI issue? I tend to have digestion issues when it's hot and I am not acclimated (and, oddly enough, also at the beginning of my menses). If you are not in pain, it could be something transitory, including some virus. I would give it a couple of days, give your system a rest (broth and steamed rice or rice porridge), and if the symptoms have not cleared, visit the doctor.

[indysteel]

Are you still in pain or is it only the GI issue? I tend to have digestion issues when it's hot and I am not acclimated (and, oddly enough, also at the beginning of my menses). If you are not in pain, it could be something transitory, including some virus. I would give it a couple of days, give your system a rest (broth and steamed rice or rice porridge), and if the symptoms have not cleared, visit the doctor.

That's basically what I was going to do. I feel relatively fine today, although I decided to skip a hot yoga class just to be on the safe side. I'm fairly acclimated to the heat. While I haven't been riding, I have been hiking and running, and I practice yoga in a fairly hot room. I tend to think I had a bit of stomach bug or that the cookies I ate just did not agree with me. I never eat more than a cookie or two at a time on the ride, but they just didn't have the best options at the stops. It was either cookies are green bananas. Certainly, if I continue to feel off, I'll call my doc. DH and I are doing the Horsey Hundred next weekend. If anything goes wrong there, then I'm going straight to the ER.

[pll]

Yep, it could be the green bananas. Some things just don't go down easily during exercise. Had a friend lie down on the side of the road with stomach pain for an hour after eating a bunch of watermelon pieces during a ride called the "Melon Metric" some time ago.

Hope you get better quickly. And I wish you the best of weathers for the Horsey Hundred!

[indysteel]

I actually avoided the green bananas. I ate cookies instead, maybe too many cookies. I also spent the previous evening with a baby, so God knows what I might have picked up. I'm hoping it was a fluke.