I quit competing as I started using DHEA as prescribed by my doctor to treat an autoimmune disease. DHEA is a known treatment for Lupus, however I am not diagnosed with Lupus. My diagnosis is Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. (Which basically means I have an autoimmune disease but it doesn’t fit any defined criteria.) Anyway with out it I can’t really work out (unless I want to be in bed for 3 or more days.) With it I am fairly OK. I am not a competitive athlete, but I have done fairly well at the USAT Sprint Nationals in the past, and can win my age group occasionally in local sprints. (Or used to be able to.) I feel like it would be wrong for me to compete while I am taking DHEA as it is on the banned list. Do you think I could get a TUE (therapeutic use exemption) for this? Isn’t that just for elites? I want to get back into triathlon, but I don’t want to cheat.
Illegal without a TUE, which AGers can get. Still if you compete and don’t take IM WC slots money or winners trophies who really cares?
I quit competing as I started using DHEA as prescribed by my doctor to treat an autoimmune disease. DHEA is a known treatment for Lupus, however I am not diagnosed with Lupus. My diagnosis is Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. (Which basically means I have an autoimmune disease but it doesn’t fit any defined criteria.) Anyway with out it I can’t really work out (unless I want to be in bed for 3 or more days.) With it I am fairly OK. I am not a competitive athlete, but I have done fairly well at the USAT Sprint Nationals in the past, and can win my age group occasionally in a local sprints. (Or used to be able to.) I feel like it would be wrong for me to compete while I am taking DHEA as it is on the banned list. Do you think I could get a TUE (therapeutic use exemption) for this? Isn’t that just for the elites? I want to get back into triathlon, but I don’t want to cheat.
Treatment for a medical condition isn’t cheating. Race and have fun. Unless you find yourself in a race big enough that a TUE becomes important I wouldn’t even worry about it.
I quit competing as I started using DHEA as prescribed by my doctor to treat an autoimmune disease. DHEA is a known treatment for Lupus, however I am not diagnosed with Lupus. My diagnosis is Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. (Which basically means I have an autoimmune disease but it doesn’t fit any defined criteria.) Anyway with out it I can’t really work out (unless I want to be in bed for 3 or more days.) With it I am fairly OK. I am not a competitive athlete, but I have done fairly well at the USAT Sprint Nationals in the past, and can win my age group occasionally in a local sprints. (Or used to be able to.) I feel like it would be wrong for me to compete while I am taking DHEA as it is on the banned list. Do you think I could get a TUE (therapeutic use exemption) for this? Isn’t that just for the elites? I want to get back into triathlon, but I don’t want to cheat.
Treatment for a medical condition isn’t cheating. Race and have fun. Unless you find yourself in a race big enough that a TUE becomes important I wouldn’t even worry about it.
Why have this opinion? The rules say if you are taking any banned substance without a TUE, you cannot race.
I guess by your thoughts, we should let everyone draft, since most are not racing a “big enough” event. And they should be able to use Fins, etc. since rules only apply to the winners?
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When did I say it was OK to use fins or cut corners? I admire your idealism and all, but there is no way to enforce anti-doping rules at these races, and getting a TUE is a waste of time, effort, and potentially money for the OP.
Just last weekend I saw someone take a hit of their inhaler before the start of a race. Those can be PEDs too. Would you demand to see their TUE if you witnessed such an act?
Seems to me that you qualify for a TUE. As long as you have one then go ahead and race all you want.
Actually the USADA says the OP doesn’t need one unless they’re racing at the national level.
http://www.usada.org/tue-determine/
Oops. My mistake. Since it’s prohibited at all times, yes, the USADA says that a TUE is needed.
If you ever win anything big, just get a retroactive TUE (like lance). But honestly since you have like a 0.1% chance of getting tested what is the point of getting a TUE for something you are taking for a valid medical condition. The process of getting a TUE would be analogous of buying martian invasion insurance. Sure you might need to have it…
I want to see a breast cancer survivor get her finisher’s medal stripped at the local oly for not having a TUE for her tamoxifen.
That would be brutal to start in the transition/swim entry and request TUEs for everyone hitting albuterol. You’d probably get rid of 10%+ of the field and the RD would be forced into exile
When did I say it was OK to use fins or cut corners? I admire your idealism and all, but there is no way to enforce anti-doping rules at these races, and getting a TUE is a waste of time, effort, and potentially money for the OP.
Just last weekend I saw someone take a hit of their inhaler before the start of a race. Those can be PEDs too. Would you demand to see their TUE if you witnessed such an act?
Yes, at the Donner race, I saw a gal, with a suit on with her name, pull out her inhaler before the race. Yep, I thought about she is probably one of these faking the needs and is cheating. But, did I say anything, nope, just went out and beat her.
Cheating is cheating. If the rules say you must stand on your head, then I stand on my head. If the rules say to use a banned substance you need a TUE to race, I get a TUE. Why is it okay to follow some rules, but ignore others? This is not idealism, this is just following the rules. I could care less if all the dopers are caught, it is the attempt to implement rules and trying to enforce them is what I am interested in.
Not all the excuses because they do not finish near the top.
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That would be brutal to start in the transition/swim entry and request TUEs for everyone hitting albuterol. You’d probably get rid of 10%+ of the field and the RD would be forced into exile
And it’s not like the 10% aren’t taking it for something legit. Furthermore, even TUEs are a sham since a huge percentage of pro cyclists, for instance, have TUEs for “asthma.” Amazing. Maybe having asthma comes along with “naturally” having a hematocrit of 49.5.
If you ever win anything big, just get a retroactive TUE (like lance). But honestly since you have like a 0.1% chance of getting tested what is the point of getting a TUE for something you are taking for a valid medical condition. The process of getting a TUE would be analogous of buying martian invasion insurance. Sure you might need to have it…
Guess it just depends on your ethics. And if that is not important enough to folks, that is a whole different discussion.
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hypothyroidism too!
If you really get down to it, a TUE is just a way for the USADA to pre-clear athletes before testing. They could easily just wait for people to test +ve and then go back and determine the validity of the medication but it’s less hassle for them to go the TUE route. If you’re taking it for a valid reason, it’s always a valid reason regardless of bureaucratic hoop jumping. I’d take a banned substance for a legit reason and race w/o a TUE with a clear conciseness (and probably have unknowing in the past)
hypothyroidism too!
Which, incidentally, I have and am medicated for. I dream of the day that I can have a title stripped for not having a TUE. That would mean I’ve gotten a bit beyond my current level of MOP at local races.
On a practical note, I’m guessing that if every AGer on prescription meds for a legit diagnosis applied for a TUE the USADA would be completely overwhelmed. I’m just guessing, but maybe that’s why one of the first questions on the application is “what national or international events will you be participating in?”
That would be brutal to start in the transition/swim entry and request TUEs for everyone hitting albuterol. You’d probably get rid of 10%+ of the field and the RD would be forced into exile
Actually I think it is OK to use the inhaler without a TUE in local competition. Here is a quote from the USADA webpage. “As of January 1, 2011, Athletes no longer need to declare the use of albuterol, salmeterol, glucocorticosteroids(with the exception of systemic), or platelet Rich Plasma through USADA’s website or on ADAMS. see the 2012 Prohibited List for more information. Systemic corticosteroids continue to be prohibited in-competition.”
I’m pretty sure that AG don’t need a TUE for albuterol (inhaler) as long if they need to show it was medically necessary, they can, i.e., after the fact.
I’m pretty sure that AG don’t need a TUE for albuterol (inhaler) as long if they need to show it was medically necessary, they can, i.e., after the fact.
Maybe I should give it a try at my next race?
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go for it. as long as you have a prescription for it.
It won’t really do much if you don’t need it. It opens the airways, so if yours aren’t inflamed then there’s nothing to anti-inflame.
go for it. as long as you have a prescription for it.
It won’t really do much if you don’t need it. It opens the airways, so if yours aren’t inflamed then there’s nothing to anti-inflame.
Now who says you also have to have a prescription for it? Man, folks keep adding on requirements, but some say it does not matter, so why care how I get it and why I need it?
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