Sunday 17 June 2012

Riding and chundering don't mix

Yes, I've been a bit quiet of late on the photo front. That's due mainly to a lack of riding. Can't take photos from a bike if you're not riding around on a bike.


I got a chest/throat infection about a week and a half ago. I could live with that - I've ridden plenty of times with a reduced lung capacity, and I don't overly mind coughing up great gobs of green snot as I ride to work.


What laid me out though was the way my body reacted to the throat infection - the back of my throat became very sensitive, and too much cold air down the throat set off my gag reflex, and I vomited. That happened on cold mornings when I was going up hills, and that is not a good time to be throwing up your breakfast.


The first time it happened, I stupidly kept riding as I threw up in my mouth, and then I suddenly found I couldn't breathe - I guess it was like an asthma attack. I quickly wobbled to a halt and spent the next few minutes doubled over racked by huge coughing spasms. The spasms were quite incredible - they started down around my hips and rippled up through my body, with every muscle clenching fiercely along the way. My back and neck aren't in the best condition, and that was enough to throw my neck out and bring on some appalling headaches. I had a lot of trouble getting any air in between coughing fits.


The quack has put me on asthma medication, reasoning that if my throat stops constricting, I shouldn't have a  problem. I put it to the test this morning - it seemed to work. I had a few small coughs, and that was it. 


It was a beautiful morning for taking photos. Which meant my camera battery was flat.

2 comments:

Rob said...

If the sensitive throat or difficulty breathing gets worse you should get a CT of your neck, you could be developing a retropharyngeal abscess.

Anonymous said...

Jesus Christ, just get a car already!

Just remember to wind the window down before you puke...