Heat and my Stupidity
#1
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Heat and my Stupidity
Yesterday I left around 7:30 in the morning for a ride to Jones Beach here in NY 30 mile round trip. The forecast was for 90s with humidity. It was 94 out when I was finished. Rode the local bicycle paths & roads to the beach it was a beautiful day. Coming back stopped for ice and a protein bar. About 3/4s thru and I check my pulse and my Garmin was reading 201+!!I didn't feel that bad but really slowed my pace which isn't that quick to begin with. Feel a little drained today. My HR normally averages in the 120- 140s if I am pushing it a little, in retrospect it was that high earlier in the ride. I guess at 65 I proved I am still capable of doing stupid thinks. Enjoyed most of the ride but lesson learned
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Problem is, when you slow down you don't have that lovely breeze in your face.
When I start suffering I look for someplace air conditioned that I can go inside and cool off. Convenience stores, ice cream parlors, fast food -- buy ice cream, or fries and a drink, and enjoy it slowly.
When I start suffering I look for someplace air conditioned that I can go inside and cool off. Convenience stores, ice cream parlors, fast food -- buy ice cream, or fries and a drink, and enjoy it slowly.
#3
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I have no limits to mine. For some like me, aging doesn't guarantee wisdom.
Yesterday, 104, windy and humid. Started off with two full completely Frozen water bottles on my 26 mile route. Both were unfrozen by turn around and last bottle was Hot!
Yesterday, 104, windy and humid. Started off with two full completely Frozen water bottles on my 26 mile route. Both were unfrozen by turn around and last bottle was Hot!
#4
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I definitely left my wisdom at the house yesterday 😄
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Glad you got back ok.
Were you saying that your Garmin showed your heart rate to be 201+? That sounds way high for your age so I wonder if the Garmin was erroneous. Did you confirm that it was that high with a manual check? If true, you probably should have stopped and called for a ride. Flirting with heat stress is a dangerous game.
Were you saying that your Garmin showed your heart rate to be 201+? That sounds way high for your age so I wonder if the Garmin was erroneous. Did you confirm that it was that high with a manual check? If true, you probably should have stopped and called for a ride. Flirting with heat stress is a dangerous game.
#6
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Yeah, heat illness causes over a thousand deaths in the USA every year - easy to overestimate your own ability to handle it until it's too late.
But the 201 bpm is probably just an error unless you were on the verge of puking and fainting. I've seen bizarre heart rate readings from going under power lines and other situations.
But the 201 bpm is probably just an error unless you were on the verge of puking and fainting. I've seen bizarre heart rate readings from going under power lines and other situations.
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My thoughts exactly. I worked in health care for 30 years and can tell you that even medical-grade heart monitors can give erroneous pulse rates. We had a motto: "treat the patient, not the monitor." When you see an anomalous reading like this, take a moment to palpate a manual pulse. Carotid or radial arteries are easy to find and can quickly tell you if the monitor reading is correct.
#8
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Yea there's no way that 201bpm is a correct reading.
You don't accidentally hit 200+ when you're 25 years old, much less 65 years old, unless narcotics are involved.
You don't accidentally hit 200+ when you're 25 years old, much less 65 years old, unless narcotics are involved.
#9
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My thoughts exactly. I worked in health care for 30 years and can tell you that even medical-grade heart monitors can give erroneous pulse rates. We had a motto: "treat the patient, not the monitor." When you see an anomalous reading like this, take a moment to palpate a manual pulse. Carotid or radial arteries are easy to find and can quickly tell you if the monitor reading is correct.
I sat or rather slept it out yesterday & today due to work (nights). While I snoozed yesterday my wife went out & walked 6 miles. We rode 43 somewhat hilly miles Bethpage/Huntington Bay on Saturday and she said the walk was much tougher.
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#11
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Thank you everybody for he quick replies. The Garmin very well could have been in error that has happened only once before as far as I can recall. Besides feeling more tired then usual and feeling a little drained today I feel fine. Lesson learned
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A protein bar was not a good selection. Should have had cold and moist for cooling and hydration. The protein bar takes too much blood flow for digestion compared to a soda, sports drink, Slushy.......plain M&M's.......
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regardless, you still had heat stroke & are lucky to be alive. or maybe it was your conditioning, where a normal novice attempting the same, might have perished
Last edited by rumrunn6; 07-03-18 at 09:29 AM.
#14
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Heat stroke is immediately threatening to your life - OP's description of his symptoms were nothing like heat stroke.
>just finished my field work safety training.
>just finished my field work safety training.
Last edited by DiabloScott; 07-02-18 at 05:46 PM.
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sure, I was guessing. but rapid heart rate is a symptom. so is confusion. since he is self reporting, we can't rule out heat stroke. asking him now to report exact symptoms is pointless, especially if he was confused thinking he felt fine
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“Heat stroke” is often used loosely to refer to stages of milder overheating and fluid and electrolyte problems that precede it. It’s pretty easy to get woozy and exhausted out there in this weather, but yeah, vascular collapse, multi-organ failure, and seizures are dramatic.
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then there's "heat exhaustion", which I believe is a specific (& separate) diagnosis as well
#18
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Incidentally, my warning of an impending heat plotz was when the sweat rate slowed and I started feeling cold. Happened on long hot runs a few times, never on the bike.
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I know it's coming for me pretty soon. I've convinced myself that I must participate in an organized ride in early September so there will be plenty of opportunity to over do it this summer.
#20
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If its happened before it could be exercise/dehydration induced arrhythmia. Any arrhythmia is potentially deadly. You should bring this up with your physician. Have you had a stress test recently? Ever?
#21
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Terex, No Never had a heat related issue before. I have yearly physicals & had a stress test a few times in my life the last one a couple of years ago.Proably because I never had one before I didn’t use good judgment. I should have done the original shorter ride that I planned
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Anyone who can remain upright and conscious, let alone pedal a bicycle, with a ventricular rate of 200 at age 65 is in phenomenal, perhaps superhuman, shape!
#23
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Terex, No Never had a heat related issue before. I have yearly physicals & had a stress test a few times in my life the last one a couple of years ago.Proably because I never had one before I didn’t use good judgment. I should have done the original shorter ride that I planned
#25
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Heat exhaustion:
Pale, cool, clammy skin
Profuse sweating
Body temp 100 - 104 deg.
Dizzy/lightheaded
Heat stroke
Flushed, hot, dry skin
Not sweating due to dehydration
Body temp 105 deg or more
Confusion/fainting/comatose
Hyperventilation
blood pressure abnormally high, OR, abnormally low.
Source:
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat...s_are_the_same
Pale, cool, clammy skin
Profuse sweating
Body temp 100 - 104 deg.
Dizzy/lightheaded
Heat stroke
Flushed, hot, dry skin
Not sweating due to dehydration
Body temp 105 deg or more
Confusion/fainting/comatose
Hyperventilation
blood pressure abnormally high, OR, abnormally low.
Source:
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat...s_are_the_same
Last edited by JLDickmon; 07-08-18 at 09:36 PM.