Returning to training after illness

[twizzle]

O.K. - I'm "sick as", trailing end of a flu-type virus plus throat and middle ear infections. Reading the lit, I should wait two week until after the symptoms have gone before returning to 'intensive' training.

When they talk 'intensive' are they talking 'raised HR' or high training stress? ie., can I avoid high HR and just go for a nice gentle century, or should I avoid anything that accumulates TSS/TRIMP scores?

Very pissed off at the moment, crit season starts next week, and I had the taper sorted and everything ready to go.

[toolonglegs]

Usually takes me a month to get back to normal after a week off sick.I just go off how I feel...your body knows best.But obviously it is pretty mild to start with....BUT saying that I have raced important races after being pretty sick the few days before and won so you never know .
But then I have a problem with my nasal passages which cause me to get a lot of infections in my ears / sinus...PITA.

[twizzle]

It's the virus part that has me worried - I've heard some horror stories.

[giwi2]

hmmm - that has me worreid also. Started getting sore throat on Sunday night but still went out on a hills ride early Monday morning. felt fine but still had the throat tickle and almost blew up in the first few kms which has never happended before.

Ended up doing 75km with 760m of ascent and averaged just under 25km/hr. Which i am really happy about given i spent almost the entire ride in energy conservation mode BUT............today flu virus thingo has hit me with a vengeance and am currently sitting in front of the computer getting chills . So me thinks i will be having to sit back for a bit and taking it very easy.

From what i have heard the flu virus that has been going around can take several weeks to get over and lacking energy is the last symptom to go.

[twizzle]

When I say "Horror Stories" I was referring to something like pericarditis or like where the sister of a girl at work ended up with abnormal ECG after competing with a virus that took months to recover from. Then there was the guy I met four years ago who nearly died when a virus attacked his heart muscles...

Virus plus Intense exercise is a bad idea.

[JV911]

<rant>

why do people insist on coming to work when they've got the flu?!?!?!?

two inconsiderate people in the office coughing and sneezing all over the place...i'll be seriously !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! off if i get crook 3 days before the first of the spring crits and a 3 day weekend

i've been lucky all winter and have not had the flu this year </touches wood>

</rant>

[twizzle]

It's called "spreading the joy".

In my case, I caught it off the twins who probably picked it up at pre-school. They were both reeeeeally sick with high temps for 4 - 5 days, tonsillitis etc., but then no-one else came down with it. Until approx ten days later, when I started to feel a little second hand closely followed by eldest son and my wife. My daughter thinks she's going to avoid this.... fat chance.

Last week there was a huddle outside a section when someone brought their new-born into work (a dumb idea to start with). I'm around the next corner when I hear someone in the group pop a lung out.

[JV911]

twins, eldest son, daughter...just how many kids do you have?? someone has been busy

Last week there was a huddle outside a section when someone brought their new-born into work (a dumb idea to start with). I'm around the next corner when I hear someone in the group pop a lung out.

nice, real nice

[Grant W]

Had chest infection now sinus.
Chest infection gone but still have the sinus and went for a light 80km ride this morning.

I felt good and breathing was steady not really trying bar the inclines, but the HR was 180+ (meant to be around 149-155) I think that was due to the Nurofen "cold & flu" I am on.

Won't be taking those puppies again before a ride.

Yep, I would not ride with a virus or temperature, colds I usually do but easy. I'm too paranoid of losing fitness and putting on weight

[twizzle]

twins, eldest son, daughter...just how many kids do you have?? someone has been busy

Just the four. And nobody plans twins. (Except for people on IVF, and they deserve what comes to them).

[m@]

twins, eldest son, daughter...just how many kids do you have?? someone has been busy

Just the four. And nobody plans twins. (Except for people on IVF, and they deserve what comes to them).

Was going to say possibly only two, if you think about it... Steve Waugh apparently still ribs Mark about being his baby brother (by about five minutes)

[drubie]

My sawbones has been kinda unforthcoming with advice about coming back from illness - farkin useless actually.

I managed to get whooping cough this year (confirmed with blood test), wow that knocks you about. Felt crook for about three weeks before the distinctive cough/choking took over which was two weeks of paroxysms, panic and vomiting.

Better this week, have been riding the 7km to work but not going fast, but I'm itching to get back into it after 6 weeks of doing three fifths of bugger all. Not looking forward to the pain of getting back to where I was though.

Biggest mistake so far - trying a crit while still crook (didn't know it was pertussis then). 3 laps and I had to have a lie down.

I think I'm past the secondary infection risk bit, but still a little apprehensive about how quickly I should get back into bunch riding given I still have a bit of a tickly throat. I'm 100% sure I'd get dropped in the first 5km this week.

[twizzle]

twins, eldest son, daughter...just how many kids do you have?? someone has been busy

Just the four. And nobody plans twins. (Except for people on IVF, and they deserve what comes to them).

Was going to say possibly only two, if you think about it... Steve Waugh apparently still ribs Mark about being his baby brother (by about five minutes)

Nah - identical twins boys (4), elder boy (9) and daughter (11 - damned, they are expensive!). The 9 year old has mild Aspergers and put us off trying for more children for a few years - three seemed like such a nice number. My hat is off to everyone with four or more. Can't have a regular car, the costs, the lack of room in the house, the costs, the fights over what to watch on tv, the costs, the fights over access to the computers.... and did I mention the costs?

Ryan (elder twin by five minutes) refers to Harry as his 'little brother'. Which is actually true - Harry was the one with all the complications and is a couple of cm shorter than his twin. I can't wait to see how this turns out when they are in their teens.

[twizzle]

My sawbones has been kinda unforthcoming with advice about coming back from illness - farkin useless actually.

I managed to get whooping cough this year (confirmed with blood test), wow that knocks you about. Felt crook for about three weeks before the distinctive cough/choking took over which was two weeks of paroxysms, panic and vomiting.

Better this week, have been riding the 7km to work but not going fast, but I'm itching to get back into it after 6 weeks of doing three fifths of bugger all. Not looking forward to the pain of getting back to where I was though.

Biggest mistake so far - trying a crit while still crook (didn't know it was pertussis then). 3 laps and I had to have a lie down.

I think I'm past the secondary infection risk bit, but still a little apprehensive about how quickly I should get back into bunch riding given I still have a bit of a tickly throat. I'm 100% sure I'd get dropped in the first 5km this week.

Wow! There's something you don't want to catch.

I am sooo looking forwards to the effort of getting the fitness back after this. I keep on looking at the fitness/fatigue lines in SportTracks showing how quickly that CTL number goes down the tubes. According to the charts, I've already put myself back by two-to-three weeks, so there's probably a solid month of training before I'm back where I was. I'm beginning to understand why Cadel was still training at the start of the year despite being ill (cold/flu thing), as the risk of getting sicker vs. the cost to fitness would have been hard to balance.

[JV911]

Just the four. And nobody plans twins

sounds like a lot of work. I hope to have 2 some day, preferrably boys. i cant wait to be a housewife...morning ride, coffee with the boys, an hours house work, arvo ride, prepare dinner

[Alex Simmons/RST]

http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?opt ... Itemid=107

[twizzle]

That's the article I read which made me start this thread in the first place. Specifically : "2 weeks post illness should be allowed before resuming intensive training". The quack I saw the other day said one week when I asked... but I'm wondering if I can go out and do some long rides as soon as I'm over the symptoms.

Then again, from what I've read it seems that the leukocyte (white blood cell count) is elevated for exercise over approx. 60% HR and then crashes post exercise... so even moderate/low level exercise might be pushing the boundaries.

[drubie]

Then again, from what I've read it seems that the leukocyte (white blood cell count) is elevated for exercise over approx. 60% HR and then crashes post exercise... so even moderate/low level exercise might be pushing the boundaries.

I've got more specific concerns - trying to keep phlegm out of lungs for example.

I would assume that once you're in the recovery stage of a bacterial or viral infection, it's the risks of secondary infection you are trying to avoid while your immune system is still recovering (hence I suppose being concerned about indicators like white blood cell count) but the simple act of breathing seems to be more of a concern for me at the moment.

I'm thinking the ride to work + indoor trainer might be enough for this week for me, try to ramp up next week as the last of the cough abates.

[twizzle]

Decongestant and moderate exercise?

[tripstobaltimore]

<rant>

why do people insist on coming to work when they've got the flu?!?!?!?

two inconsiderate people in the office coughing and sneezing all over the place...i'll be seriously !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! off if i get crook 3 days before the first of the spring crits and a 3 day weekend

i've been lucky all winter and have not had the flu this year </touches wood>

</rant>

try working in a coffee shop where 1000's of people come in every day spreading their germs everywhere. I've got a cold right now so im grumpy.

[wombatK]

twins, eldest son, daughter...just how many kids do you have?? someone has been busy

Just the four. And nobody plans twins.

Exactly what I tell my friends. For me, twins (fraternal girls) and number 4 (boy) were 16 months apart. Virtual triplets. Didn't plan that either - but once you've broken the mum, dad + 2 kids mould, what's it matter !

The best laid plans often go astray, and OTOH sometimes things you don't plan work out just great. In our case, twin 2 was a smaller than twin 1, but turned out to be a fighter and made up for that; and we were really lucky that none of the 4 had any serious health issues. Also we did plan successfully to put the cue back in the rack at 4. It's not for everybody, but we haven't regretted it for one moment.

Sure, it's been expensive, and at times difficult. Like when chickenpox hits the family - for the second time It's busy and gets difficult to find time and money to look after yourself properly.

But as they grow up, things get easier - especially on the flu and colds front - immune systems improve. And there is never a dull moment in our household - never heard any of my brood say "I'm bored".

I like TLL's advice about recovering from the flu - just ease into the training over a week or two, and be prepared to back-off if you feel a bit more knocked about than you normally expect (when healthy). I think it's great you're able to fit this in with what is a very busy family situation.

I wouldn't touch the decongestants - less drugs you take in your life, the better off you'll be.

[drubie]

Decongestant and moderate exercise?

I have the same problem others do with most cold medication - elevated heart rate. Pseudoephedrine seems to be the worst offender for me - works fine in slowing down the snot but gives me odd raised heart rate levels (not consistantly, but for short periods).

I'm kind of torn between the advice to take it easy (but do it) and the "don't bother" that Alex implies.

I should probably add that I hope everybody else suffering from lurgies gets better quickly and add that doctors can be bloody hopeless sometimes. It was my wife that pinged I had whooping cough, the doc said "no way" but ordered the blood test anyway. Despite describing a set textbook symptoms to him and having a (timely) coughing fit in his office too. As a profession, they need kicking down a few rungs.

[wombatK]

I'm kind of torn between the advice to take it easy (but do it) and the "don't bother" that Alex implies.

This is what Alex's article recommends

Light, low intensity exercise during sickness with a common cold is not contraindicated, providing symptoms are above the neck
If there are signs or symptoms of systemic involvement (e.g. pyrexia, fatigue, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, etc.) as in 'flu or symptoms of a 'chest' infection (hacking cough, 'dirty' phlegm, pyrexia, etc.) then 2 weeks post illness should be allowed before resuming intensive training to avoid relapse and / or potential life threatening complications such as cardiomyopathy or endocarditis
Remember that these common diseases (colds, 'flu, chest infections, etc.) are all potentially serious and life threatening. Don't ignore the symptoms. If in doubt, leave it out - don't train.

I don't read that as implying "don't bother", but rather a recommendation to avoid intensive training.

It's pretty clear advice, and the only difficulty I could see with it is understanding what is meant by "intensive training". Similarly with terms like "moderate exercise". One man's moderate could be an intense world of pain for someone else.

Alex might chip in with a better definition, but for me it's not moderate if it leaves you feeling knackered when you finish. It probably also doesn't qualify as moderate if you're going flat out for more than a few minutes continuously (say >90% max heart rate, for want of a more convenient measure).

Cheers

[drubie]

I'm kind of torn between the advice to take it easy (but do it) and the "don't bother" that Alex implies.

I don't read that as implying "don't bother", but rather a recommendation to avoid intensive training.

OK - maybe indoor trainer but skip the intervals and just turn the pedals over, heart rate around 120 for 30 minutes?

Got to start getting some k's back into these legs...

[a]

I've got more specific concerns - trying to keep phlegm out of lungs for example.

I find that provided all other symptoms have gone - some light to moderate excersise does wonders in clearing the last of the phlegm from your lungs.

Horseradish works well as a snot slower for me (without HR issues), and nasal irrigation has been working wonders in getting rid of bulk snot and minimising secondary infections from Rhinitis (less phlegm to get to the lungs and result in infection).