Do you guys have any medical conditions that could affect your cycling?

[vickster]

Better a bit of snot than one or more of a number of different cancers, COPD, atherosclerosis, erectile dysfunction, you don't stink and have more money...win win win

 

[ColinJ]

Hardly good motivation is it - more colds and fewer stops on rides.

I thought stopping smoking was meant to be a positive thing.

I think it took about 6 months before my lungs felt fully recovered from my 5 years of smoking.

Obviously, you could still stop on rides. Now though, you'd be stopping to get your breath back rather than to lose a bit more of it!

I had a few mates who had been heavy smokers for 30+ years and who swore that they couldn't give up. They eventually did though and none of them regretted it once they had struggled through the 'mourning period'.

 

[Pale Rider]

Better a bit of snot than one or more of a number of different cancers, COPD, atherosclerosis, erectile dysfunction, you don't stink and have more money...win win win

Nicely put.

I think it took about 6 months before my lungs felt fully recovered from my 5 years of smoking.

Obviously, you could still stop on rides. Now though, you'd be stopping to get your breath back rather than to lose a bit more of it!

I had a few mates who had been heavy smokers for 30+ years and who swore that they couldn't give up. They eventually did though and none of them regretted it once they had struggled through the 'mourning period'.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

On the bright side, I wasn't tetchy in the first week or two and nor have I been extra hungry, which I gather are two common side effects.

 

[matth411]

Along with anxiety/depression and laziness the main medical medical condition that affects my cycling is an eating disorder.

Condition is Achalasia. Which basically means that my oesophagus is closed at the entry to the stomach, making it pretty hard to eat "proper" food when out riding with limited water supply. A normal sized meal can take up to a litre of liquid to force food through to the stomach.

When out on the bike, I only have 1 litre with me so have to make the decision of hydrate properly or wait until I eat.

 

[ColinJ]

Along with anxiety/depression and laziness the main medical medical condition that affects my cycling is an eating disorder.

Condition is Achalasia. Which basically means that my oesophagus is closed at the entry to the stomach, making it pretty hard to eat "proper" food when out riding with limited water supply. A normal sized meal can take up to a litre of liquid to force food through to the stomach.

When out on the bike, I only have 1 litre with me so have to make the decision of hydrate properly or wait until I eat.

Yikes - I had never heard of that condition - that sounds nasty!

I would make up energy drinks to take with me if I had that condition and eat when I got back.

I have 2 bottle cages on my bike and have 750 mL drinks bottles so that is 1.5 L capacity.

If you buy a Camelbak (or similar product) you could carry up to 2-3 L of water/energy drink in that.

 

[matth411]

Yikes - I had never heard of that condition - that sounds nasty!

I would make up energy drinks to take with me if I had that condition and eat when I got back.

I have 2 bottle cages on my bike and have 750 mL drinks bottles so that is 1.5 L capacity.

If you buy a Camelbak (or similar product) you could could carry up to 2-3 L of water/energy drink in that.

It sounds worse than it is to be completely honest, but that may be down to the type I have and learning how to deal with it. There are some types that sound absolutely hideous, EG, liquid diets, feeding tubes, massive weight loss, malnutrition.

The 750ml bottles I have aren't that good, they leak or it takes a massive suck just to get some liquid out of them. I have been toying with the idea of a Camelbak for a while, may just have to have a proper look at them.

 

[Vantage]

Depression, anxiety and anger management issues. I don't go off on killing sprees, but I snap way too quickly.
Diabetes type 1 and it's subsequent poor control has lead to...
Diabetic retinopathy. Night rides can be tricky due to not being able to see a damn thing in the road.
High blood pressure.
Blocked arteries in both legs and my neck...The former making them tire easily and the latter causing the stoke.
Some recently discovered kidney issues. On 8 pills a day. I rattle going over speed humps.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows- when I 'like' your post I like the fact that you still get up and ride and live and enjoy yourself despite these issues, not that I like your health problems or the fact that you suffer them...

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, the 'Like' label seems a bit unfortunate at times, doesn't it! CC did experiment with a selection of different options but they were not well received so the forum reverted to just the 'Like' option.

 

[mjr]

I've struggled with the question. I've two conditions that could affect my cycling but don't normally. One is random and can be controlled by eschewing certain current fashions. The other doesn't directly affect it but the statin treatment I suffered for it for 10+ years led to extreme muscle pain, mostly while cycling.

Actually, they do affect my cycling, as I was reminded by some travel insurers refusing to quote this year. The intersection of insurers who cover cycle touring, cover four unlikely-to-be-lethal-if-treated conditions, don't dictate clothing and don't have an altitude limit is a rather small pool, mostly very expensive and seems to be shrinking. More in https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/insurance-touring-above-1000-metres.231628/

 

[antnee]

An after effect from epilepsy as a kid is riding in winter when the sun is low and the light flickers with tree and hedge branches. I have to look away from the flickering light, which is roughly 90° away from the direction I'm heading. This can be a little exciting sometimes!

Well fancy Someone with the same problem though I didn't give it much thought until reading you post I took to wearing sunglasses to see if that cured the problem which it did to a certain extent until Going into an under pass or somewhere similar

 

[Kempstonian]

You must be right about that - I've never seen an ox with a hankie.

On a more serious note, I've had more colds and sniffles since I packed in smoking a couple of months ago than I've had for years.

I believe that's quite a common reaction to coming off the tabs.

It was the opposite for me. I rarely get a cold at all these days and if I do they are over & done in just a few days. When I smoked a cold could take 2 or 3 weeks to fully go away.
The other benefit was being able to take a deep breath first thing in the morning without coughing my lungs up!

 

[antnee]

It was the opposite for me. I rarely get a cold at all these days and if I do they are over & done in just a few days. When I smoked a cold could take 2 or 3 weeks to fully go away.
The other benefit was being able to take a deep breath first thing in the morning without coughing my lungs up!

OK Yes I smoked for 30 years and the colds I got then lasted a lot longer but now they don't come to anything or I just get the sneezes Though one thing I would be keen to know is any of you think that the after effects of a long time smoking causes shortness of breath? As it certainly seems to with me

 

[vickster]

OK Yes I smoked for 30 years and the colds I got then lasted a lot longer but now they don't come to anything or I just get the sneezes Though one thing I would be keen to know is any of you think that the after effects of a long time smoking causes shortness of breath? As it certainly seems to with me

Yes it’s called COPD

Have you discussed with Dr?

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/causes/

 

[youngoldbloke]

Not only COPD, but also atherosclerosis. I smoked for 30 years or so, and I very much regret it - 5 cardiac stents, narrowed arteries, peripheral arterial disease affecting both legs. It's really not worth it.
https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/atherosclerosis/