Who's using PIDs out there?

[thinpin]

Performance Inhibiting Drugs!
A few years back, at age 42, I got diagnosed with an auto-immune disease! I had felt like a s**t on a slate on a frosty morning for several months not knowing what was wrong. Prior to that I'd been been all over everything - cycling, hiking yakkada-yakkada. I had just returned from a sailing, ski-touring and mountaineering trip in Antarctica then spent 6 weeks in Patagonia with my wife.
After that things went downhill.
No - not with my marriage.
So now in "remission" from the disease for 6 years with the help of azathioprine, an immune suppressant, I am back to....well normal. On the outside all looks good but a side effect of the therapy is a reduced capacity to produce red cells. So instead of a pre-illness haemaglobin of 160 I currently run 130. Almost a 20% decrease. Boy can I tell. I have no speed like I used to, not that I ever had much, struggle to recover from big days out and generally don't ever show the form I used to.
Yesterday I got creamed on a climb by...well... it sucked.
Lets say it just would never, ever have happened "before".

I am, however, eternally grateful that I can ride, I can hike, and last year came within a frozen spit of the top of a 6000m peak in Nepal. Life can be so good. I am lucky.

Yesterday was just plain self pity.

Lets hear it from folk on PIDs. :hello:

[Gothard]

Oy yes, but in a more benign level:
Potatao chips,
Swiss Chocolate
Junk food when I'm stuck at work....

My gut muscle *is* Hypertrophic.

[ultraman6970]

6 weeks in Patagonia <-- that was short. spend 8 years there hahaha

[thinpin]

6 weeks in Patagonia <-- that was short. spend 8 years there hahaha
Got lost? ;)

[1happygirl]

So sorry to hear thinpin. Sound like you are making the best of the situation though and are healthier than 90% of peeps.

A family member that is very fit is looking at possibly having to do this soon.

Good info to pass on. Thanks. I'm sure there are some peeps here that are struggling with this also.

[sjbraun]

I don't take PIDs, but I do have a Performance inhibiting disease, CLL (Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.) I have some experience riding with less than optimal hemoglobin levels. Your levels, around 13.0 don't seem that bad to me. For several years prior to treatment, that's where I lived. The day before I started chemo, I road 5 miles up Tucson's Mount Lemmon with a hemoglobin of 10.

I'm not a racer and never had much interest in competing for sprint titles on the local club rides, so I've never felt that bothered by not being the fastest in the group. (Heck, I've been getting dropped in athletic activities my whole life.) You may have more invested in being a strong rider than I do. Personally, as I get older, I find that I enjoy longer, slower rides more than the hammerfests on which I struggle to just hang on. Maybe its time for you to rethink what you want from riding given your new circumstances.

Good luck.

Steve-riding a bike is good, pretty much however it happens

[nm87710]

riding a bike is good, pretty much however it happens

Word

[Fixed]

many would trade a healthy boring life for an exciting feeling good life anytime
cheers
keep it up bro

[ultraman6970]

Dont talk about this thing because im suspecting for a while that I have something related with this :/ Or im the one a million case having problems using f... lipitor or any other similar medicine :/

[Ralph]

I finally gave in to our family Doc's advice and recently started taking an alfa blocker to help me pee, and even though I don't have real high blood pressure (140's/high 80's without med) decided to start taking a blood pressure medicine, one that relaxes the walls of the blood vessels. I also take a very low dose generic statin. I'm 5' 10" and 160, so working on getting rid of about 10 lbs.

The first two meds tend to make me slightly dizzy sometimes, and seem to reduce my strength and endurance, but am learning to take them many hours apart, so lessen effect, and I cut the statin pill in half any time I think I'm beginning to get any muscle pain. So I think I'm about back to normal after learning how my body responds to these meds, and the side effects I have.

Nevertheless....I hate taking medicines. But if they help this 70 year old continue an active healthy life, vastly reduce the odds of have a heart attack or stroke, guess it's worth it. But still haven't given up looking for ways to alter my life style and diet to maybe get off them.

[Autobutcher]

For me working was a PID. Being a painter your lungs are subjected to some horrible chemicals no matter how careful you are. That coupled with a nasty femur break a few years ago slowed me down considerably, and flat out robbed me of being able to play hockey.

Although, If I had never broken my leg, I might not have embraced cycling like I have. There's an upside to everything I guess.

[mack]

Dont talk about this thing because im suspecting for a while that I have something related with this :/ Or im the one a million case having problems using f... lipitor or any other similar medicine :/

This is my dilemma, big (down) shift in top end performance developed after following prescribed regimen of statin and blood pressure meds. At times, yet not the sole factor, my kidneys produce excess protein, which in turn, influences my cholesterol and blood pressure, I'm certain genetics play a role too.
I started this regimen at age 39 and have messed with dosage, brands, CoQ10 supplement and other for 15 years without any notable difference.
I can usually pull off light threshold training, but once things go anaerobic, or edge toward anaerobic, my time spent there is very brief and O2 uptake (seemingly lack of!) and respiratory rate can be off the planet...and forget multiple efforts, recovery is longish and at a punters pace! DOMS is another issue, 3-4 days sore and stiff after big effort days or any resistant training. All this, in turn, can effect my time in the saddle, I used to love to train, but now it really can be uncomfortable
Generally, I'm ok with most of this since I can still ride, run and exercise, but it bugs me I can't go hard with my old mates like before or simply enjoy riding hard in varied terrain or do some hard training workouts......equally frustrating is the lack of information addressing this issue. I injured my lung in a fall two years ago so I received many tests and brought up this issue with many doctors who all looked at me funny and said "what do you mean you're super fit, far more fit than I (the attnding doctor)" but we all know that's not the point, my bench mark is my fitness and performance level before I started taking the statin and bp meds.
I realize we all age differently and I would carry on just fine if someone told me that was all it is, but the difference is stark and too finite in my mind, my performance drop did not occur over time it was more like a light switch?
My apologies to UM.....for extending this conversation, but I see an opportunity to commiserate with someone!?
carry on -mack

[rpm]

I've had a liver transplant for the last 16 years, and I take a handful of PID's including prograf to suppress my immune system, and three blood pressure medications, Diovan, Hytrin, and HCTZ. I also take some others to improve liver intestinal and bone function.

My current drug regimen came about through trial and error to find a combination that would minimize side effects and still work. I've been on it for so long that I can't judge how much it is decreasing my performance, particularly as I age.

Early on, I had some very bad drugs that really did wreck my performance. I was on three immunosuppressants, including AZT, cyclosporine, and prednisone. The steroid really messed me up--not only does it thin your bones, but it causes certain muscles to shrivel, most notably your quads. I also was on some unfortunate blood pressure drugs, including a beta blocker, which slowed my heart rate. I was shocked at how messed up I was from these drugs.

Once you're over the psychological hurdle of having to take pills, you need to work with a doctor to do some systematic testing to figure out which medications work the best for you. A drug that works for one person will really do a number on another.

[Ralph]

Once you're over the psychological hurdle of having to take pills, you need to work with a doctor to do some systematic testing to figure out which medications work the best for you. A drug that works for one person will really do a number on another.

This is the key. I've mostly had my life, and I'm just trying to hang on and stay active for a few more years.

Some of you younger guys do have some serious ailments, but don't give up. Keep riding at whatver level you can. I'm slower than I used to be, and endurance is off a tad (though not as much as some might think) and I've had to accept fact that maybe just enjoying being out on my bike is reward enough.

[EDS]

Performance Inhibiting Drugs!
A few years back, at age 42, I got diagnosed with an auto-immune disease! I had felt like a s**t on a slate on a frosty morning for several months not knowing what was wrong. Prior to that I'd been been all over everything - cycling, hiking yakkada-yakkada. I had just returned from a sailing, ski-touring and mountaineering trip in Antarctica then spent 6 weeks in Patagonia with my wife.
After that things went downhill.
No - not with my marriage.
So now in "remission" from the disease for 6 years with the help of azathioprine, an immune suppressant, I am back to....well normal. On the outside all looks good but a side effect of the therapy is a reduced capacity to produce red cells. So instead of a pre-illness haemaglobin of 160 I currently run 130. Almost a 20% decrease. Boy can I tell. I have no speed like I used to, not that I ever had much, struggle to recover from big days out and generally don't ever show the form I used to.
Yesterday I got creamed on a climb by...well... it sucked.
Lets say it just would never, ever have happened "before".

I am, however, eternally grateful that I can ride, I can hike, and last year came within a frozen spit of the top of a 6000m peak in Nepal. Life can be so good. I am lucky.

Yesterday was just plain self pity.

Lets hear it from folk on PIDs. :hello:

Just imagine how much your performance would be inhibited without the drugs.

I also have an auto-immune disease and know I would be wheel-chair bound without the meds I am on. Definitely have "lost a step" due to the RA though, even with the meds.

[Mr Cabletwitch]

I feel your pain. I was an aspiring racer back in my early 20s and then was forced to give it up for my career. After a nervous breakdown around age 26 and some time in a mental ward I decided to get back to cycling. The only problem was all the meds I have to stay on to stay sane. They tend to really mess with my energy level as well as my blood pressure and my ability to clot, so I'm no where near where I was, at first it was frustrating riding 5 days a week and having my weekend warrior buddies beat me up the hills but eventually I got used to it and have learned that after 2 hours in the saddle they tend to loose the edge. I try and do one race a year just to say I did it, but never finish well. I typically don't share this with people and some of the guys I ride with don't understand why I'm not faster, I always tell them I ride bikes so that I don't have to walk, not to be fast. I'm 30 now and have learned to just be happy that I can ride at all.

[Steve in SLO]

Reading this thread gives me two thoughts:
1) I am glad my time hasn't come to be affected with any of these issues,
and
2) My respect and admiration goes out to each of you who haven't let your conditions stop you from those active things you love.

[gasman]

Reading this thread gives me two thoughts:
1) I am glad my time hasn't come to be affected with any of these issues,
and
2) My respect and admiration goes out to each of you who haven't let your conditions stop you from those active things you love.

I agree and was about to say the same thing.

Good on you.

[rpm]

The greatest wonder drug of them all is regular exercise. Half the people in my office have no idea that I have an organ transplant and swallow pills by the handful. They think of me as the fitness fanatic who rides his fancy bike to work, parks it next to his desk, and goes out in lycra at noon.

Of course, my secret is that I do it because it's fun. But I also know that my blood pressure, digestive problems, joint problems etc. would all get out of control if I didn't stay active. It's the key to everything, pal, everything.

[ultraman6970]

Got lost? ;)


Hehehe no but i lived there for a few years, nice place for cycling... not climbs because everything is flat there but 80 km/h winds makes it big time :)

Sure u went to perito moreno glacial, the usual stops.

[ultraman6970]

my performance drop did not occur over time it was more like a light switch?
My apologies to UM.....for extending this conversation, but I see an opportunity to commiserate with someone!?
carry on -mack


Same here, well my cholesterol always been high, started with statin I believe, used it for 15 days and messed me up big time with pain in bones and stuff to the point of stopping taking in. Then asked for lipitor and cq10 or whatever for the secundary effects, kind'a worked but just like u say, feels like a light switch that goes off right away, im 41 just in case. I can ride 50 miles not that fast i even got an new frame and i'm sucking more than ever. The worse part that I cant figure it out is that no matter what I do I dont even feel tired that is good but cant do changes in pacing for example, are super hard to do and happened from one day to another and sucks. I even feel that my heart rate is just stable all the time that is good but when u need to pump more blood nothing just happen, like if the drugs had lethargic my heart to prevent the heart attach maybe??. I dont have the pains i had with the previous drugs but darn... ***??

I dont know if happens to you but if you stop taking the drug is just like they had turned the whole power plant down?? When i stop taking the f.. lipitor for 2 days i just go to hell... pains, no power, sleepy all the time...

Gonna have to leave this s...t and start doing diet maybe :/

Sorry for taking over the thread :(

[thinpin]

Hehehe no but i lived there for a few years, nice place for cycling... not climbs because everything is flat there but 80 km/h winds makes it big time :)

Sure u went to perito moreno glacial, the usual stops.
Ultraman, every time I read your posts I do so with a spanish accent, its the way you write, now i know why!
We walked from top to bottom along the trails in the Andes. Crossing over and back between Chile and Argentina. Tell me about the wind! Only place Ive been picked off the ground by the wind with a 20kg pack and deposited 6m away.

[thinpin]

Great to see so many not letting the bad cards shove them out of the game. Part of the reason for the post was an experience I had recently on an other forum. Its for folk with my condition. A young fellow posted recently, newly diagnosed, and his world was falling apart. He was competing in his sport at state level and hoping to make national/international level. The illness saw the end of that. No amount of reassurance that he could still get a lot from his sport would console him. After nearly 9 months his head had stuffed him. For him it was the competition and not the love of his sport.
I love riding and couldn't imagine not doing it at some level.
Now spring is in the air here, the sun is out and I have 3 hours of joy ahead in the hills.

[ultraman6970]

Actually I'm asian but my 1st and only tongue is spanish :D Yes my english sucks dont have to tell me that :P U know whats the amazing thing? that Newfoundland in Canada is the same vegetation and weather than down there but not that windy. Probably u went to the Payne Towers or is Payne Picks? No idea how is the translation of that. The wind in Tierra del Fuego (land of fire, an island) is so bad that i have seen cars with the windshield and paint job just sandblasted with the road sand and grabble, just sucks :D

U get used to ride the bike with the wind too, always in and angle to counterweight the darn wind power.

Did u noticed that the sky is lower in the patagonia? U can even notice the earth curb in the horizon. 10 degrees celcius in the summer (50 F) -15 C in the winter (5F to 0 F), just an experience. Eventho I lived there i never did hiking, some friends did, well the nice is that is hard to get lost and there are no predators like bears but u have wild cats and condors that can lift a Sheep w/o any problem, but if you get lost no chances that a bear or some other animal could get you before you die hehehe :)

Wind and more wind over there and in the winter, snow and more snow in winter, havent been there in at least 20 years now hmm... 1996 i think was the last time I went there, even the house where i sued to live was demolished, now the roads from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales are 100% pavement. Now is not that rough as it was before, I would compare it with Saskatoon from what a friend from there told me.

U got a chance to go to the antartic??? Is hard to get flights or ships to get you there, I was offered to go there when i was 17 and I chicken out, not a big swimmer and the cape horns can mess up even an aircraftcarrier.

:)

Ultraman, every time I read your posts I do so with a spanish accent, its the way you write, now i know why!
We walked from top to bottom along the trails in the Andes. Crossing over and back between Chile and Argentina. Tell me about the wind! Only place Ive been picked off the ground by the wind with a 20kg pack and deposited 6m away.