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Fainting during workouts?
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Over the past two weeks or so I've been getting reallly really dizzy/lightheaded whenever I get up from a chair or a bed. In the beginning I thought I was always dehydrated, but I've been drinking a lot so that's not the case.

Well today after a harddddd 10k TT I started my cooldown. The next thing I remember is my handlebar being twisted and I'm on my way to the ground. I have no idea how they got twisted, but my friend said I sort of lost my balance and looked really out of focus and why.

I'm pretty sure these things are related. My dad's a cardiologist and has arranged a few tests for me later this week (a blood test and maybe an ECO, and a test where they sit you down then make you stand up still for a few minutes to see if you faint).

I have my own theory that I have low iron, because I've been feeling pretty weak in practices, and my times are matching the effort I've been putting out (especially in the TT).

Any help is appreciated.
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [freestyle] [ In reply to ]
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This is not funny. It is very serious. You are lucky it didn't happen behind the wheel of a car. A friend of mine named Ken, former Director of the Dallas Theatre Company and husband of actress Linda Gehringer, had a similar episode and died.

Get to the doctor. Among other things, get your blood pressure checked. This is symptomatic of (among other things) low blood pressure but could be any number of/combination of things.

Best wishes for a quick fix- hope you feel better.

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [freestyle] [ In reply to ]
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You dad being a doctor you should be doing blood tests every 3 months to check your basic blood variables, namely basic hemogram and iron and ferritin levels. Generally feeling weak can be slight anemia caused by an iron deficiency, and that can be easily fixed.

-
"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [smartasscoach] [ In reply to ]
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However, I have never heard of anemia so bad (in athletes) that you faint after a workout...
Specially as in FS case it happens only during the recovery phase of the wo.
I would check more the heart things and orthostatic hypotension stuff
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not a doctor, nor I play one here, but I've heard of a guy that had low blood pressure coupled with cronic iron deficiency. When his iron was low, it would happen that when stopping to take a piss during a run workout he would pass out.

-
"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [smartasscoach] [ In reply to ]
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I am a doctor (but not the type that heals, so it doesn't count... ;-))
I think the test FS was referring to is a test where they put you on a table flat for 10' or so, then put it vertical and some people with orthostatis hypotension will faint after a while.
I have heard that link to low blood pressure, but didn't know that was also linked to low Fe.

anyway, as FS's dad is a cardiologist, he is in good hands.
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah the orthostatis hypotension test is linked to low BP.

The low iron thing was my idea because I haven't been really feeling myself in workouts, and I've read that could be linked to low iron.

Also I hope I'm not anemic, because that would suck. I've also found this inteteresting:

"Erythropoietin, 25 to 75 U per kg administered subcutaneously three times a week, has been used to treat orthostatic hypotension in a subgroup of patients with anemia and autonomic dysfunction.1 The end point of treatment is a normal hematocrit. The blood pressure usually rises by about 10 mm Hg. Some patients require simultaneous iron replacement therapy as the hematocrit rises."

You'll all be calling me a cheater.
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [freestyle] [ In reply to ]
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I to have a cronic low iron level even with the iron suplement that i use.

It was tracked when i was feeling very weak, especially on the bike, trough blood analysis a few years ago. Now i do blood analysis regularly and some times it still too low, like the report that i received during this week from blood taken 4 weeks ago.

Low iron could be one cause of weakness but it may be others . Blood analysis is the first thing that you should do since it probably will give you (Dr) whats wrong.

As for the faiting, well i have that experience to but only at the first times that those vampires took my blood for analisys :-)

=====================================
S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com
Last edited by: sergio: Jul 25, 04 3:21
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [sergio] [ In reply to ]
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Well my dad checked me last night at home and my blood pressure was fine (although yesterday evening I wasn't feeling dizzy when I got up so I dunno). He doesn't think I have low iron but we'll have to wait for the blood test to know for sure.
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [freestyle] [ In reply to ]
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still going to do these heart tests? usually (specially in younger athletes) heart tests (echocardiogram etc) is done when the athlete has episodes of fainting at the end of workouts.
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Re: Fainting during workouts? [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah I'm still gonna do them.

I'm not so crazy about the blood test though. I don't really like needles.
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