Oh Sweat Jesus, More Side Effects

No, that isn't a typo. I meant to say SWEAT and not SWEET. It was the first week training is warmer weather since I started back on medication and I had forgotten just how much antidepressants make me sweat.

Excessive sweating is a known side effect of many antidepressants, including Effexor (the one I am one). According to Columbia University Medical Center:

(November/December 2006) Unwanted sweating is a common side effect of treatment with anti-depressants, especially those that modulate serotonin levels in the brain. Prozac, Paxil and Celexa are commonly prescribed members of this group of drugs, known in medical circles as SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors). Well-designed clinical trials have demonstrated that sweating occurs in 7% to 19% of depressed patients on these medications. In some fraction of these patients the symptoms are severe enough to cause them to stop or change their depression treatment. The exact mechanism by which these medications cause sweating is unknown, but it is thought that activation of the thermoregulatory center of the brain (the hypothalamus) is involved.

Even better, like most psychiatric medications, since no one seems to know why the side effects occur, no one has any really great ideas for treating them.

My immediate concern is this -- as an endurance athlete I am already trying to regulate my electrolytes. After the first hour of exercise, most of us are supposed to take in between 300-1000 mg of sodium an hour, depending on how much we lose. Of course, this is a very individual thing. Some people sweat more than others. Some people have more salty sweat than others. Hard part of me right now is that the combination of the medication side effects and the hot/humid DC summer weather, I have zero idea what my electrolyte levels are and what my intake should be. Just when I felt like I had it down, the game changed completely.

AND my race is in about three weeks, in Williamsburg, VA. The temperature will start at about 65 in the beginning of the race and probably hit 85-90 by the end. So the part where I sweat the most, will come during the hottest part of the day.

Last weekend was my last big workout weekend before the race and gave me some chance to test out my electrolyte/hydration strategy. We did an AMAZING bike ride in Culpeper, Virginia and I feel like I nailed my nutrition on that one. Despite big climbs and being on the bike for four hours, my recovery was quick and  while I was tired, I was not destroyed. I could have used more water.

Thanks to my training pal Megan for the pic of this sign I was too blitzed to notice during our Sat run.
The next day was to be a 14 mile run. After all the various injuries to my left foot/leg, I have been worried most about being able to do the run. I managed to squeeze in 12 miles, with the first ten feeling great and the last two feeling miserable. Even with my increased hydration plan, drinking at least every 15 min, a total of at least 10 oz an hour and shooting for 400 mg of sodium in that hour... it was not enough. I just need more. So I bought the new Scott Jurek hydration belt for when I can do a long run with a few stops for refueling and a new camelback for when I am out without pit stops. I will report back once I have tried them out.

But, the good news is, at the end of the weekend I felt tired, but not sore. Ankle was okay and I felt like I could really do this race. At some point I want to try and do some more research on the connection between Electrolytes and Bipolar Disorder -- because it seems to me they must be connected since a.) Lithium is a salt and a very successful drug for many people with the disorder and b.) electrolytes play a major role in brain function/neurotransmitters. So if my brain is already biologically misfiring when it comes to neurotransmitters, what impact does all these electrolyte loss from exercise and side effects have? Hmmm.. more thinking on that later.

And I promise soon to have a nice little Bipolar Athlete cafepress store up soon!

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