Are these symptoms normal when exercising?

Espressocycle
Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've recently gotten serious about mountain biking, but especially where I ride, it's pretty strenuous. Especially when climbing, I have to spend half my time sitting on logs trying to recover. After a bout of climbing, my heart is pounding, I'm breathing like a woman in labor and sweat is just pouring off of me. I'll often tremble involuntarily. Sometimes I'm also super nauseous and absurdly thirsty.

I thought it was heat exhaustion, but it happens when it's not that hot too. I drink a sugar-free electrolyte drink before and during my rides.

Is this normal? I'm hypothyroid, but my numbers are good with medication. Apart from that, no medical problems. It just seems like I can't handle intense exercise, and I'm not seeing progress in this area.
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Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Tagging so this shows up on my feed in case any of my runner/biking pals can help you.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I feel that way if I don't have enough food. Or electrolytes. I am hypo too. I try to have some sugar before a workout. Like a handful of raisins or a banana or something.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Are you using a HRM? It sounds like you may be overdoing it... at least on the hills. I've run hard enough to feel like passing out... with my HR at about 95% for an extended time, but I've not felt quite what you're describing. I get super chills after an intense workout (i.e. long run). Can you choose slightly lesser grade hills to climb? Change gears to make the climb easier? I'd recommend a HRM if you're not already using one.
  • R4eBro
    R4eBro Posts: 44 Member
    I would see a doc!! Sounds like low blood sugar or it could be something else...seems unusual!
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    974 calories burned in exercise would make me nauseated, too. Are you burning these calories first thing in the morning before breakfast? Maybe changing what time of day you do it can give your body time to prepare for such a strenuous workout.
  • Mads242
    Mads242 Posts: 5 Member
    I am also a regular mountain biker and I have also had this feeling. For me it was also combined with throbbing in the veins on either side of my neck.

    Once I got a heart rate monitor I could see that I often had heart rates around 195 ( I am 25yo so this is around my max heart rate). I think it is a combination of actual exertion and (for me anyway) adrenalin associated with the activity. It didn't really stop until I picked up other cardio and increased my endurance. I do 20 mins cardio or runnning intervals most nights a week now and my max heart rate when mountain biking is now more like 180 (average is 150-170).

    In hind sight I was overexerting myself and thinking that it was normal. Since it was only weekly it didn't really impact my fitness but did make me feel exhausted on the day.

    TL:DR Get a heart rate monitor to check you aren't overexerting yourself.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    Are you using a HRM? It sounds like you may be overdoing it... at least on the hills. I've run hard enough to feel like passing out... with my HR at about 95% for an extended time, but I've not felt quite what you're describing. I get super chills after an intense workout (i.e. long run). Can you choose slightly lesser grade hills to climb? Change gears to make the climb easier? I'd recommend a HRM if you're not already using one.

    I came in here to say this ^^^^

    Very intense exercise can cause nausea and vomiting. You may want to baby step your way up to those intense climbs.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Or, the HRM will at least help you know you're not crazy. If I feel light headed and my HR just hit 197, I take a well earned several seconds breather. If I'm just not feeling right and my HR is 133, it may be time to pack it up for the day and come back when I'm better rested.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I have an HRM, although I can rarely keep it reading once I start sweating. The terrain is what it is, can't change that. I'm thinking some added interval and weight training is the way to go and maybe swapping out some of my sugar free sport drink for one with calories. Just worried that something medical night be going on.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I get that way if I'm light on food- I don't work out well fasted.... so I get super shaky and takes forever for my heart to come down if I am running on empty.

    I'd start with a HRM- and making sure you have a snack/orange juice/gatorade to refuel yourself if you are out all day.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I would start by switching to full sugar electrolyte drink instead of sugar free. Other than that, try to eat before you go. An English muffin with peanut butter sits well for most people before intense exercise (like running).
  • semarsh12
    semarsh12 Posts: 77 Member
    If you haven't already, talk to your doctor and get a baseline EKG.
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    I think you'll do better with a banana or a nut bar of some kind than with the sugar water. I don't think you need electrolytes unless you lose a lot of liquid or bike for more than say an hour and a half. Burning so many calories you could have a couple of bananas even.

    When the sweat is pouring off you you do replenish fluids by drinking don't you? Water is fine. I mean.. try to keep up with what you sweat out. To know how much you sweat out weigh yourself before and when you get back, if possible.

    Also, build up slower. I don't think you need much strength training if you're specifically wanting to do mountain biking. You could do some intervals in the gym on a bike, at least you'll be able to monitor your heart-rate.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    You've recently gotten serious about mountain biking?

    My guess is that you need to be patient as your conditioning improves. Of course you do need to get sufficient nutrition to fuel your body and drink lots of water, but you don't need to be consuming any food on your rides unless you're going for several hours.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I have an HRM, although I can rarely keep it reading once I start sweating.
    That's a rubbish HRM then!! Suggest you get one that works when you are exercising.... :smile:
    If you know your max heart rate (actual not calculated) then it would be useful to know what numbers you are hitting on climbs.
    swapping out some of my sugar free sport drink for one with calories.
    If you are doing endurance cardio you have to fuel yourself properly - calories,fluids and electrolytes. Are you eating beforehand? Are you eating whilst riding? Do these symptoms get worse after the first hour or so? I'm wondering if you are bonking (glycogen depletion).
    Just worried that something medical night be going on.
    I really would discuss this with a physician.
  • annakow
    annakow Posts: 385 Member
    Need to ask your GP. I had the same thing this morning after 1h in the gym , just took my levo in the morning 75g. Maybe it's to much burning on empty stomack
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I ate a couple meals before my ride, but it was a bit carb-heavy. The one time I did a really long, awesome ride without issue, i had half a block of scrapple for breakfast, a nut/fruit bar before the ride and a quart of Gatorade during.

    I do the electrolytes simply because I sweat A LOT. I'll easily go through 100 oz on a 2-hour ride and not even have to pee. But I think I figured out what's going on... some of these symptoms are something like hypoglycemia and I think it's from caffeine. I used to get sweats, shakes and weakness, plus crazy hunger after biking home from work until I stopped having a second cup of coffee later in the day. Usually I drink my daily cup after I get to work, but this morning I had a half cup before my shower and I'm feeling very sweaty/weak/shaky...

    This is horrible. I love coffee. It's a 20-year love affair.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Not uncommon. Climbing on a bike is seriously hard work; if your heart and cardiovascular system aren't in great shape, you can expect to get winded regularly and need time to recover. It's tough to deliver that much oxygen to all those leg and core muscles, and it'll take time before your heart and blood vessels are up to the task.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    Sounds like you're doing too much, too soon. Back off, eat properly and increase over time. If you're just starting out, you shouldn't expect to be keeping up with big boys yet. You have to work up to that. Fitness isn't just a matter of dropping pounds, you also have strengthen your heart, lungs, muscles, etc as well. This is done through progression, not jumping in and going all out on the first day.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I ate a couple meals before my ride, but it was a bit carb-heavy. The one time I did a really long, awesome ride without issue, i had half a block of scrapple for breakfast, a nut/fruit bar before the ride and a quart of Gatorade during.

    I do the electrolytes simply because I sweat A LOT. I'll easily go through 100 oz on a 2-hour ride and not even have to pee. But I think I figured out what's going on... some of these symptoms are something like hypoglycemia and I think it's from caffeine. I used to get sweats, shakes and weakness, plus crazy hunger after biking home from work until I stopped having a second cup of coffee later in the day. Usually I drink my daily cup after I get to work, but this morning I had a half cup before my shower and I'm feeling very sweaty/weak/shaky...

    This is horrible. I love coffee. It's a 20-year love affair.

    How much conditioning work do you do? Weightlifting? Backpacking?

    How long have you been mountain biking?

    Before concluding it's a medical condition or issue with caffeine . . .
  • _firecracker_
    _firecracker_ Posts: 185 Member
    It may not be the coffee. It may be you're pushing yourself much harder than your body is conditioned for. That's when I usually get those symptoms. 2 hrs of highly strenuous activity would be enough to do it. And as far as my experience goes mountain biking, if its good terrain, there isn't enough down hill to truly recover as a rest period. I wouldn't sweat it, try to take it easier.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Not uncommon. Climbing on a bike is seriously hard work; if your heart and cardiovascular system aren't in great shape, you can expect to get winded regularly and need time to recover. It's tough to deliver that much oxygen to all those leg and core muscles, and it'll take time before your heart and blood vessels are up to the task.

    That's certainly part of it, but it's the way I feel after I catch my breath that seems like something other than normal exhaustion.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Sounds like you're doing too much, too soon. Back off, eat properly and increase over time. If you're just starting out, you shouldn't expect to be keeping up with big boys yet. You have to work up to that. Fitness isn't just a matter of dropping pounds, you also have strengthen your heart, lungs, muscles, etc as well. This is done through progression, not jumping in and going all out on the first day.

    That's my thinking.

    When I've pushed too hard I also get queasy. I know my limits now through experience and don't push so hard. I remember spending an hour sat on the kitchen floor, cold sweats, trying not to vomit. :laugh:
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
    Please check with you Doctor. My brother in law, who is only 50 and rides regularly had similar symptoms and ended up with a quintuple bypass! He doesn't eat a very healthy diet, though.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Seeing your doctor is not the same thing as concluding that you have a medical condition. You see your doctor to rule out anything serious. Barring anything serious, you likely need more training for those serious hills. You could choose easier routes, or take more time and more rest during the routes that you're doing.
  • Scoochie1
    Scoochie1 Posts: 121 Member
    Your doctor might arrange a stress ECG for you to rule out tachycardia or atrial fib. Thryoid imbalace can make you prone to irregular heart rates so it woudl be worth getting checked up properly
  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
    I've recently gotten serious about mountain biking, but especially where I ride, it's pretty strenuous. Especially when climbing, I have to spend half my time sitting on logs trying to recover. After a bout of climbing, my heart is pounding, I'm breathing like a woman in labor and sweat is just pouring off of me. I'll often tremble involuntarily. Sometimes I'm also super nauseous and absurdly thirsty.

    I thought it was heat exhaustion, but it happens when it's not that hot too. I drink a sugar-free electrolyte drink before and during my rides.

    Is this normal? I'm hypothyroid, but my numbers are good with medication. Apart from that, no medical problems. It just seems like I can't handle intense exercise, and I'm not seeing progress in this area.

    Try eating some nuts before you go...If it's low blood sugar that will help stable the shakes...You might also want to work yourself up to that intense of a ride until your body is ready for it...When my body freaks out I take it easy and push a little more each time because that feeling scares me in a way(I don't like it)I even get slight chest pain if I'm doing too much too soon..YOU"RE BODY WILL OVER COME THIS STAGE unless it's low blood sugar nuts stabilize sugar levels
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Not uncommon. Climbing on a bike is seriously hard work; if your heart and cardiovascular system aren't in great shape, you can expect to get winded regularly and need time to recover. It's tough to deliver that much oxygen to all those leg and core muscles, and it'll take time before your heart and blood vessels are up to the task.

    That's certainly part of it, but it's the way I feel after I catch my breath that seems like something other than normal exhaustion.

    You should definitely see your doctor then.
  • mtbVegan
    mtbVegan Posts: 3 Member
    I race mountain bikes and I am always very out of breath at the top of a climb. Are you riding with Flat Pedals or with Clipless Pedals? Some times when riding with Flats it can be a lot harder when climbing because you can long exert force on the downward pedal stroke, versus the Clipless Pedals you can push down and pull up to create a more effective and powerful climb.

    I literally sound like I'm having an asthma attack at the top of a climb, especially when I'm putting forth a lot fo effort to get up the hill, rather than a slow pedal pace.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    I've recently gotten serious about mountain biking, but especially where I ride, it's pretty strenuous. Especially when climbing, I have to spend half my time sitting on logs trying to recover. After a bout of climbing, my heart is pounding, I'm breathing like a woman in labor and sweat is just pouring off of me. I'll often tremble involuntarily. Sometimes I'm also super nauseous and absurdly thirsty.

    I thought it was heat exhaustion, but it happens when it's not that hot too. I drink a sugar-free electrolyte drink before and during my rides.

    Is this normal? I'm hypothyroid, but my numbers are good with medication. Apart from that, no medical problems. It just seems like I can't handle intense exercise, and I'm not seeing progress in this area.
    Sugar free? If you deplete your glycogen stores and continue with intense exercise, your blood sugar could drop quite a bit. Trembling/shaking is a symptom of this.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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