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Okay, a bit of background first; I've been feeling fairly run down for a few weeks but have put this down to being a touch stressed with working long hours and an impending marriage.
On Friday night I played an hour of football and felt unusually knackered afterwards. I'd normally expect to be tired but it seemed to manifest itself in unusual ways, like finding it difficult to make a fist, and stiffness in my jaw.
Saturday was okay - took the dog out for a decent walk and did some wedding jobs, so nothing strenuous.
On Sunday we went over to the Cotic demo day at Dales Bike Centre. I'm used to spending hours riding in the Lakes, so the demo loop (about five miles at a guess) wouldn't normally present a problem whatsoever in fitness terms.
I have never felt more knackered during or after a bike ride. I've been riding for 20+ years, have done plenty of all-day epics in tough terrain and have bonked enough times to recognise the symptoms. On Sunday it just felt like my body was elsewhere, like the batteries were dead. I was putting fuel in, but it wasn't having any effect.
Slept in the car most of the way home and struggled to carry my kit into the house. Hot bath and straight to bed, at 5 in the evening.
Come yesterday morning, it was apparent within five minutes of waking up that I was in no state to go to work. Just holding the phone up to my ear seemed a massive physical effort. I've felt like this before when I've had flu (proper flu), but I have none of the snotting, headache, etc.
Still the same this morning, but had managed to get a doctors' appointment, where I was told I have a viral infection and need to rest for a few days. This is a knacker, as we are very busy at work, and I was also hoping to go over to Dalby for the WC this weekend.
Is anyone able to shed any light on what 'viral infection' might actually mean? All the info I've been able to find generally relates to a cold or flu, but I don't seem to have the matching symptoms. I'm keen to get going again as soon as I can, but don't want to make myself worse by jumping the gun.
Ta,
Steve
check yourself for tick bites particularly if there is a [url= http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/lyme.htm ]bullseye[/url] rash
viral infection means that you're obviously ill but the doctor hasn't got a clue why. However, he/she is unable to admit it because they just can't bring themselves to do that.
It means you have a virus! But the doctors either don't know what or if they can identify it they can't do anything about it or don't want to. There are limits to what you can do to cure a virus as they use your bodies natural cell functions to grow and replicate - anything that kills the virus will kill you (or at least your cells). Antivirals are available but they just help rather than cure (like tamiflu for bird/swine flu)
Your symptoms do sound like a viral infection. Try googling post viral fatigue which is a very severe form of what you have or looking on nhs direct for advice.
My advice would be to rest, wait until you feel fine then rest a little bit more and then get back into things gently. It can take a while to recover properly and not recovering properly can make it last even longer.
Spot on Trailmonkey! The docs told me i had a virus so i suffered with my breathlessness and coughing fits during my rides for months until i had some sort of 'attack' and turns out it was an asthma attack - not good really.
Steve - my boyfriend, Craig, suffered a few years ago with very similar symptoms to what you're experiencing only not as extreme as he could still do some easy tasks. It was like his body was exhausted. He knows a few other cyclists who have had it and put it down to chronic fatigue. Its hard but i suggest to stay off the bike for good few days or even a couple of weeks. Get plenty of rest and listen to your body but do get to the docs again if you dont improve. If thats what you have i hate to be bearer of bad news but Craig had it for few months and could only ride in granny ring the whole time. He had just started his 2nd year of road racing so it couldn't have come at a worse time for him.
It is sounding a little like fatigue syndrome.
I don't want to scare you, but my symptoms were very similar to yours. I had quite a few tests at the doctors and came out with a score of 27%, which I still don't really know what that means. Now 3 years later I have it sort of in control, although I have only just ridden a bike solo for the first time in 2.5 months last weekend ( we have a tandem, which has saved my sanity).
It could well be that your body is sort of semi closing down, because you have been doing too much (sounds like it anyway).
I would suggest that you just do as little as possible, sleep loads and eat well. Have small regular frequent meals - a half size portion 6 times a day rather than just 3 meals if you see what I mean. You need to keep your energy levels up.
Good luck with this, as it really can bring you down to earth with a bang if you're a 'doing person'.
Try and resist the temptation to do anything ( e.g going into work, riding the bike etc.) for a while. In my experience on the days I feel good/normal I overdo it and suffer the consequenses for the next few days.
The doctor will give you a 'fit' note, when he feels you are able to do certain jobs. There are one or two of us on here that are sufferers. Don't lose heart, as it could be just a short lived thing.
Look after yourself and hopefully your body will recover fairly quickly.
Thanks all - really appreciate the replies so far.
To be honest, staying off the bike doesn't worry me too much, although I'm probably missing out on the best weather we'll have all year.
I'm more concerned about being absent from work, as we're only a small company and anyone missing makes it extra hard for everyone else.
I had all that - starting with symptoms identical to a heart attack leading to four days in hospital for extensive checks all of which came out negative (i.e. positive for me!)
Months of breathlessness, lethargy, fatigue, chest pain, muscle pains.
Got checked out for Lyme cos I had had a tick a few months earlier - still negative (i.e. positive for me!)
Eventually got better. Went to GP for final checkup and asked what the hell happened to me.
He said: Best guess is - a viral infection of the peripheral nervous system. He comforted me by telling me if it had been a viral infection of my central nervous system (like meningitis) I would be dead.
Thank God for peripheralness say I
Take it very seriously. Rest, rest, rest.
I found this out the hard way.
Really, really, do as the others have said above.
If you try and get back to work, you'll end up being totally unfit to work at all later on.
All these replies above are from people who have experienced this and have the knowledge.
I'm self employed and its been a real struggle. I'm able to work only 3 or 4 hours a day. You may not come to that though.
Look after yourself now and you'll recover quicker.
your ass is grass 🙁