Forums >Health and Nutrition>Son suddenly having health issues while running
Thank you again, let me clarify one thing. He has not had any issues with numbness in his legs at all. Only weakness... he compares it to how he feels after running much longer distances. Certainly not how his legs should feel after less than a mile.
I really think the weight loss is simply muscle loss from suddenly not working out regularly, pretty much stoppled lifting and running. When working out/running daily his appetite seemed higher. Now that his energy needs have decreased we believe his appetite has dropped some as well. We dont believe the minor weight loss is a reason for concern at this point.
Agree MJZ4... we had already planned on getting a glucose monitor and testing his blood a few times a day and record his trends.
Right now just trying to eliminate every possible cause. An OTC monitor will certainly help.
That being said, I have trouble with runners slugging Gu and gummies for a 5k race. Should be able to easily run on empty.
I wouldn't think the gummies eaten during a 5k would kick in until after the race is over.
I really think the weight loss is simply muscle loss from suddenly not working out regularly, pretty much stoppled lifting and running.
In 5 days?
We are going from memory on some of this. Basing it on 2 dr visits but on the second visit he hadnt eaten lunch yet, and it was actually 2.5 lbs loss. So between a missed meal,and the last time he "used the bathroom", I dont see this as concerning. However, now that we are tracking it more closely we will quickly see a reason for concern if weight loss continues.
runktrun
Ferritin COULD be too low for him, but hard to know for sure unless you have a comparison from past seasons when he was running well, and his symptoms are more severe than the labs would indicate.
Definitely a few more plausible issues, such as the low sugar & over training since two seasons isn't a lot of experience in the scheme of things. Best of luck. Hope it's a fairly easy fix.
Not running for my health, but in spite of it.
I don't see any concern either. I can go up and down up to 8 lbs in a couple days, but I'm about twice his size. But you had previously said he lost 3 lbs in 5 days and then said you thought the weight loss was from muscle loss from lifting less and it would take a couple months to lose 3 lbs of muscle, not 5 days.
Bought a Glucose meter today, came home and tested him at 239. He ate a normal lunch (Potato soup, bread, water).
He ran 3 hours later. To test his glucose levels he ran far as he could (1/2 mile warm up, 5 min. break then ran 1.5 miles).
He had to stop due to legs hurting really bad again (no nausea). Immediately tested glucose again, reading was 78.
He ran a 6:15/mile pace.
As usual, it only took 4 minutes for him to feel 100% again so after an 8 minute break he decided to try to run again. He was able to again run 1.5 miles, again at a 6:15 pace. But oddly, this time he had to stop not due to leg pain (that is usually why he has to stop), this time he felt like he was going to throw up. We immediately tested his glucose again and got a reading of 71.
On the drive home he recovered quickly again (about 8 minutes) and we took another reading and got 103.
After the 2nd run he started getting a headache on the drive home and has had it most the day.
We plan to do the exact same thing tomorrow but this time he is going to take his Glucose tablet the doctor prescribed and see what that does to his run / numbers.
Any thoughts?
Bought a Glucose meter today, came home and tested him at 239. He ate a normal lunch (Potato soup, bread, water). He ran 3 hours later. To test his glucose levels he ran far as he could (1/2 mile warm up, 5 min. break then ran 1.5 miles). He had to stop due to legs hurting really bad again (no nausea). Immediately tested glucose again, reading was 78. He ran a 6:15/mile pace. As usual, it only took 4 minutes for him to feel 100% again so after an 8 minute break he decided to try to run again. He was able to again run 1.5 miles, again at a 6:15 pace. But oddly, this time he had to stop not due to leg pain (that is usually why he has to stop), this time he felt like he was going to throw up. We immediately tested his glucose again and got a reading of 71. On the drive home he recovered quickly again (about 8 minutes) and we took another reading and got 103. After the 2nd run he started getting a headache on the drive home and has had it most the day. We plan to do the exact same thing tomorrow but this time he is going to take his Glucose tablet the doctor prescribed and see what that does to his run / numbers. Any thoughts?
Silly question -- why is he running so hard? Generally if you want to run a longer distance, you run an easier pace.
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx
Rob
Not a silly question. He runs Cross Country which is usually a distance of about 3 miles for the competitions.
Before all this started a couple weeks ago he had no problem running 6 minutes/mile. He was trying to run the pace he was accustomed to.
XC dad; it sounds like you've got a good plan, following the scientific method. Control the variables and compare measurements. Diabetes might be to blame; maybe. The prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes has risen a lot in the last 20 years. Even people who are seemingly fit and in good health are not immune to type-II.
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
Yes, I'm a MODY diabetic myself (occasionally referred to as Type 3, but most doctors consider it a very rare form of Type 2).
I've never been obese, but diagnosed with diabetes at age 29 when I failed a life insurance blood test. Otherwise healthy with no symptoms, just higher blood sugar and high A1C (3 month average). If I don't diet / exercise / take meds, my blood would be awful, but nobody would notice (and many doctors wouldn't consider checking people like "me" who have no symptoms, and no physical appearance of diabetes).
I'm not a doctor and only a patient....The "239" from the original reading sounds high, and there are obviously things that might lead to the high number (breakfast, soda, gatorade, etc). But, that seems high "IF" it were right before lunch and hours after breakfast, but it's hard to tell the sequence of testing and food by what's written.
The "78"/"71" indicates to me that he recovered from "high" during the afternoon.
I've been on medications that dropped my blood sugar to uncomfortably low numbers!!!! NOT FUN, and incredibly scary. Those incidents happened at work (not running), and about "7" packets of sugar from the coffee bar on the tongue along with a 5 minute wait bring me back to feeling 'ok' again.
What you describe doesn't sound like that to me, and the "78"/"71" from those post run tests are far from that danger zone, I think.
Anyways, I hope you find resolution to his health issues.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
Old , Ugly and slow
239 is high.
I have a lot of family members with diabetes it is a very serious illness.
My wife's uncle was about 130 pounds his whole life and had it.
first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007
2019 goals 1000 miles , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes
Not a silly question. He runs Cross Country which is usually a distance of about 3 miles for the competitions. Before all this started a couple weeks ago he had no problem running 6 minutes/mile. He was trying to run the pace he was accustomed to.
But is that his race pace or his training pace? If he just can't run a mile without stopping -- slow down and try running easier for a longer period of time. Can't race all the time.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
239 is high. I have a lot of family members with diabetes it is a very serious illness. My wife's uncle was about 130 pounds his whole life and had it.
My type 1 friends involved with the JDRF Ride to Cure program show #s like the OP’s kid when they’re struggling with insulin dosing and aerobic activity. It’s not a disease of little kids (I know several people diagnosed in their 30s and later) or obesity-related. If anything, T1D patients tend to be on the slim side. I’d be very suspicious if my teenage son were having these symptoms along with these blood glucose #s.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
I've always called type-2 "self induced diabetes", because a lot of people who have it are very overweight and have horrible diets. There are a small number of fit people who develop type-2, though. And maybe XCdad's son is undiagnosed type-1? About 6-7 years ago I had a blood test as part of a checkup and the glucose levels came back around 650! The doctor thought that it must be a mistake, and a week later I fasted and everything like I was supposed to and they were around 300. I never did follow up on that, I guess it's time to have a blood test again.