Flu Recovery - Preparing to Ride

[Faded]

I have been battling the flu for about 2-1/2 weeks now. Yesterday was the first day since contracting the bug that I was able to type more than a paragraph without getting winded and coughing up a lung. I am starting to feel better but this thing as left me weak. With the Mesquite II ride only one week away I'm afraid that I won't be able to hang in my current physical condition.

I was hoping that I could get some helpful hints and tips on getting my strength back and preparing to ride. I have to steer clear of super rigourous training or the cough of death will do me in. I have started doing some simple stretches and changing my diet for the better but I know there has to be more. I would appreciate your thoughts and comments on the matter.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Frakke]

Glad you're feeling better Faded. It catched me also a month ago!! Sorry to say but right now I'm getting back in my old shape!! Before my hart beat freaked out as I started to work out!! I have no tips on what you should do best to be back on your feet like before!! I did the same excercises as before and it took me bout 3 weeks before I was a bit on my usual heart beat!! I don't know if there's a quicker way!! your body has to heal up after the fight!!! Maybe ShiftMX knows a way, he sure knows something about it!!
Sorry to be not of much help!

[Faded]

Thanks anyway for the help. Luckily my body is pretty responsive to even the smallest of things. I could lose 10 lbs in 5 days if I wanted to and still stay healthy. I know a week is not a lot of time but every little bit will help at this point.

Thanks again.

[Woody_393]

Faded. I have the same thing. Dang thing just won't go away.

I was almost completely better then I went to florida on business, and ended up eating pop/soda and working all sorts of hours, which brought it all back.

Well finally after spending $25 at the drug store to get some vitamins (when I'm home I have them) I feel/felt a lot better.

I would recommend:

1. Cut out all SWEETS and that includes Soda. Sugar is fuel for your caugh.
2. Start taking on a daily basis 1000mg of Vitamin C, 2-4 footballs of Vitamin A. If you have a good daily multivitamin, I'd keep or start taking one of those as well. I also take a Super B complex vitamin every day.
3. drink lots of water & get some good sleep.

This is what I've been doing and though I still have it, I don't even know I have it until I have some sugar (snickers has been my downfall), and the caugh starts up again.

Hope that helps.

[Dell30rb]

I had the flu while riding once. I had no warning of it, I woke up at about 2am sunday morning (race day) and i felt horrible and had a bad sore throat. I took some tylenol and got some more sleep, then took off to the races. To make things worse, we had gotten about 2 in of rain the week before the race, so the track was almost underwater. Usually we run 2, 5 lap motos, but they decided to only race one moto per class, and make that moto only 4 laps long. It was the worst 4 laps of my life. Luckily i stayed up and didnt crash, but i thought i was going to die at the end of the race. I couldnt even eat anything, and when i got home i went to bed, and never got out for an entire week. Worst experience ever. I had a fair amount of energy, but my legs had become SO sore that on the worst day I had extreme difficulty walking over to the toilet from my bed just to pee.

What a horrible horrible virus. I recovered quickly though, it only took 3 days from when i began to feel better to when I was near %100.

[Faded]

Woody,

Thanks for the reply. I ditched the pop about a week ago and have been really good about not having any. Due to some mild diabetic thing I have I really go overboard with sugar/sweet stuff though. The last couple of days I've slowly been substituting fruits and other stuff in place of....candy. I've been pounding the vitamins as well, mostly just C and some one-a-day mix. I hate drinking water but have been forcing myself to do so. Sleep really isn't an option, I get about 6hrs a night and that's about it.

All the little stuff seems to help but I'm really looking for something to rejuvinate the strength in my muscles. I'm pretty weak and at this rate I'm never going to get dinner on Shifting for beating him at the track.

[Woody_393]

You may seriously want to look at a super B complex vitamin then. The B vitamins (particularly B12) help with energy.

I'm a lazy, un-motivated, piece of... if I don't take it. Almost like my thyroid doesn't work. But if I take them I'm a lot better off. Much happier to be around too.

[Woody_393]

Also don't forget vitamin A. For some reason vitamin A and C both compliment each other, and A somehow aids in the adsorbtion level of C. Besides you can never have enough vitamin a.

I currently take 2 footballs, which is about 16,000 IU

[Faded]

Thanks, looks like I'll be a pill junky here shortly.

[Faded]

Dell,

You're lucky it only lasted 3 days. I would have been happy to have this gone that fast. I here you on the sore legs bro, it doesn't take much before my legs start to feel weak and tired. I guess we can only hope for the best.

Thanks.

[Woody_393]

Okay, this got me thinking. So here's what each vitamin does.

A - Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes, healthy skin and suppports the immune system.

B - B Complex Vitamins (B1 (Thiamin) B2 (Riboflavin) B6 & B12) help convert food into energy and are necessary for normal functioning of the nervous system.

C - Vitamin C protects the body's cells from potential oxidative damage and enhances the immune system.

Iron - Iron is necessary for healthy red blood cell formation.

Also my favorite (but it's expensive) Multi vitamin is Centrum Performance since it has the B vitamins and is aimed at helping with energy. I think it helps.

Okay, enough vitamin talk.

Hope that helps.

[Faded]

Thanks man!

[Woody_393]

Oh, and one other thing. Not sure this will help with the flu, but if you are one of those guys with STINKY FEET!! Take calcium and it will cure you of your stench.

[Faded]

Originally posted by Woody_CRF
...but if you are one of those guys with STINKY FEET!!

Now you're getting personal. My feet are fine, but once in a while... got anything for that?

[Woody_393]

Uh... Nope. My wife wishes I did though.

[Faded]

Originally posted by Woody_CRF
Uh... Nope. My wife wishes I did though.

LOL, mine too.

[TheReverend]

yo faded.. sorry to hear that you got caught by the flu. everyone around me (including family members) have had it, youngest was in the hospital for 4 days.
I believe I didnt get it for a couple of reasons:
LOTS of green tea (homebrewed)
an orange everytime i wanted something sweet
i dont take vitamins or supplements (well, as long as a beer a nite doesnt qualify as a supplement..)
..
i also believe in visualization to help the immune system..
meaning i imagine my body super strong and kick-*** and try to "get" it running perfectly. I really dont know if it works fighting viruses, but it definitely helped me recover from the many accidents and more than a few back-to-back 50mile mtn bike races. (ie: 4x collarbone breaks, 9pins/2plates in right ankle, wrist, various fingers/toes, cracked vertebra..and one tatoo gone wrong..)
ok..in retrospect, i'm thinking i need to visualize staying up on two wheels..

[Woody_393]

LOL.. man, I'd say visualization is a good idea. I'm going to do the keep the rubber side down one too.

[Woody_YZF]

Fortunately for you Faded, in good shape none of us are that great and I'm not aware of anyone who is in really good shape, so you should be fine.

[Faded]

Reverend,

I'm sorry to hear about your youngest, I only hope he/she is doing better. To spend four days in the hospital is a long time. I have been pretty good about substituting fruits for snacks lately, but I will try some of your other techniques, especially the visualization one.

Woody_YFZ,

Thanks for the words of assurance. I'm not trying to get super fit or anything but I try to hold myself to a certain level of physical fitness. Right now I am well below par because of this dang bug. Last week my left leg would get the shakes just from pushing in the clutch on my Toyota. This is what started me thinking that I need to do something before the trip.