Dizzy when cycling - Triathlon Week

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

I've been cycling for the past 2 years about once or twice a week for
about 2 hours at a time, around 25 miles each trip. For about the
last 4 weeks I get really dizzy and slightly nauseated about 30
minutes into the ride and I have to stop and sit down for a while or I
feel like I'm going to get really sick. After about 15 minutes of
sitting down, standing doesn't help, I get slowly better and then I
seem to do ok no matter how hard or how far I ride after that.
Usually I eat a banana or two for breakfast with water. I've
sometimes had a honey bun with coffee and I've been dizzy with either
type of breakfast. I come home and check my BP and its about 125/75.
I've had some high BP in the past but never to a point the Dr. wanted
to put me on meds. After I began cycling 2 years ago the BP readings
have been consistently low. Could it be that while cycling my BP gets
too low? Or could it be getting too high during the ride, when I
can't check it? I've also been riding in the mornings when its
cooler. I live in Alabama and the summers are awful. 95 degrees with
90 percent humidity. I ride in the mornings when its about 75 degrees
and about 80 percent humidity. Could it be the high humidity? Other
riders wtih me, wife, brother in law, others do not experience the
same thing. I am 41 years old and slightly overweight, 205 lbs. 6 ft
2 inches tall. My ideal weight is about 185 - 190.

Any advice?

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

Bananas and honeybuns are very high sugar, then you get dizzy later? Might
be a blood sugar problem... any diabetes-type stuff in your family?
Try some decent food and check with your doctor... I was your age when the
Type 2 diabetes showed up. So far I've been able to control it with diet and
exercise.
"Dwayne" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:f810802a.0407071936.2e90f4a2@posting.google.c om...
> I've been cycling for the past 2 years about once or twice a week for
> about 2 hours at a time, around 25 miles each trip. For about the
> last 4 weeks I get really dizzy and slightly nauseated about 30
> minutes into the ride and I have to stop and sit down for a while or I
> feel like I'm going to get really sick. After about 15 minutes of
> sitting down, standing doesn't help, I get slowly better and then I
> seem to do ok no matter how hard or how far I ride after that.
> Usually I eat a banana or two for breakfast with water. I've
> sometimes had a honey bun with coffee and I've been dizzy with either
> type of breakfast. I come home and check my BP and its about 125/75.
> I've had some high BP in the past but never to a point the Dr. wanted
> to put me on meds. After I began cycling 2 years ago the BP readings
> have been consistently low. Could it be that while cycling my BP gets
> too low? Or could it be getting too high during the ride, when I
> can't check it? I've also been riding in the mornings when its
> cooler. I live in Alabama and the summers are awful. 95 degrees with
> 90 percent humidity. I ride in the mornings when its about 75 degrees
> and about 80 percent humidity. Could it be the high humidity? Other
> riders wtih me, wife, brother in law, others do not experience the
> same thing. I am 41 years old and slightly overweight, 205 lbs. 6 ft
> 2 inches tall. My ideal weight is about 185 - 190.
>
> Any advice?

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

It sounds like low blood sugar - otherwise known as 'hitting the wall'
in marathon terms or 'bonking' among cyclists. You need to eat a
breakfast of foods that digest slowly (low GI) such as cereals.
Something like Muesli with milk (the protein in the milk will slow the
digestion) would be better. Then take your bananas to eat when you
first start to feel bad and see if that helps. Also good to eat would
be a powerbar type thing (though it doens't have to be the posh sports
one - any muesli type bar will suffice). Or you could take a sports
drink with you as well as water. Hope that helps.

"Eric" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<GVdHc.11629$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>. ..
> Bananas and honeybuns are very high sugar, then you get dizzy later? Might
> be a blood sugar problem... any diabetes-type stuff in your family?
> Try some decent food and check with your doctor... I was your age when the
> Type 2 diabetes showed up. So far I've been able to control it with diet and
> exercise.
> "Dwayne" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:f810802a.0407071936.2e90f4a2@posting.google.c om...
> > I've been cycling for the past 2 years about once or twice a week for
> > about 2 hours at a time, around 25 miles each trip. For about the
> > last 4 weeks I get really dizzy and slightly nauseated about 30
> > minutes into the ride and I have to stop and sit down for a while or I
> > feel like I'm going to get really sick. After about 15 minutes of
> > sitting down, standing doesn't help, I get slowly better and then I
> > seem to do ok no matter how hard or how far I ride after that.
> > Usually I eat a banana or two for breakfast with water. I've
> > sometimes had a honey bun with coffee and I've been dizzy with either
> > type of breakfast. I come home and check my BP and its about 125/75.
> > I've had some high BP in the past but never to a point the Dr. wanted
> > to put me on meds. After I began cycling 2 years ago the BP readings
> > have been consistently low. Could it be that while cycling my BP gets
> > too low? Or could it be getting too high during the ride, when I
> > can't check it? I've also been riding in the mornings when its
> > cooler. I live in Alabama and the summers are awful. 95 degrees with
> > 90 percent humidity. I ride in the mornings when its about 75 degrees
> > and about 80 percent humidity. Could it be the high humidity? Other
> > riders wtih me, wife, brother in law, others do not experience the
> > same thing. I am 41 years old and slightly overweight, 205 lbs. 6 ft
> > 2 inches tall. My ideal weight is about 185 - 190.
> >
> > Any advice?