By request, how diabetes made me give up motorcycling.
 

I've had a MC license since i was 16, the same time i earned my driver's license. And i've owned and ridden plenty of bikes since then up to a couple years ago

Recently, a couple gfyers were concerned about how being diabetic could interfere with riding motorcycles, one of those gfyers, **********, claimed i was full of shit about my diabetic complications being the reason for having to let go of something i've loved for decades.

as we all know, ********** is none too smart so this is an attempt to smarten him up a bit.



diabetes attacks nerves. for instance, it attacks the nerve endings in toes most commonly. Those nerves dies, consequently, the toe does not receive oxygen and such as it needs and it dies, requiring amputation, etc.

one of the more rare nerves that insulin-dependent diabetes attacks is the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve, historically cited as the pneumogastric nerve, is the tenth cranial nerve and interfaces with parasympathetic control of the heart and digestive tract.



this is where my 32 year battle with diabetes has manifested itself in the worst way. as a result of the damage to my vagus nerve, I've developed a condition called neurocardiogenic syncope, also known as Vasovagal attack

Episodes of vasovagal attacks are typically recurrent, and usually occur when the predisposed person is exposed to a specific trigger. Prior to losing consciousness, the individual frequently experiences early signs or symptoms such as lightheadedness, nausea, the feeling of being extremely hot or cold (accompanied by sweating), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), an uncomfortable feeling in the heart, fuzzy thoughts, confusion, a slight inability to speak/form words (sometimes combined with mild stuttering), weakness and visual disturbances such as lights seeming too bright, fuzzy or tunnel vision, black cloud-like spots in vision, and a feeling of nervousness can occur as well. The symptoms last for a few seconds before the loss of consciousness (if it is lost), which typically happens when the person is sitting up.

There are several triggers for this condition, for me, the big problem trigger is adrenaline. when I get an adrenaline blast I am highly at risk of a Vasovagal attack.

Motorcycling is an adrenaline rush for me, consequently it is a trigger and I luckily escaped a serious accident the last time i rode one of my bikes.

Consequently, my family and I decided that I should stop riding.


gofuckyourself tlcgirls and **********.

I am relatively confident it was not an easy decision; what I will never understand is why you felt to explain to those two particular idiots.

Off topic, but wouldn't you think that someone that claims to be as green as marksprincess would have a problem riding around in a V-8 Hemi?

well that sounds fuckin horrible... Sorry to hear that man. I'm even more sorry someone around here would even question anyone who says they have a medical condition...

I remember when this came up in discussion; You were calling Mark a pussy for not riding a motorcycle when you yourself were unable to ride. I found that funny.

I talk about my best friend here all the time. He has "water on the brain", multiple brain surgeries, and now a host of other conditions. He has high blood pressure and diabetes. All of his life he's wanted to ride a motorcycle and he couldn't because of his various medical issues.

He found a simple solution. He bought a trike.

https://scontent.fsjc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...ad&oe=5634C161

In fact, he liked it so much he bought a second one....

http://content.screencast.com/users/...06-15_1125.png

I felt that perhaps the info could be useful in general.

c'est la vie amigo! I've found other hobbies i've replaced it with that are just as fulfilling, if not more so, learning guitar and surfing mostly.

i couldn't give a shit what you think is funny. fyi fucking brainiac, i am able to ride, you fucking dolt. i choose not to. big difference fuckwad.


a trike is not a motorcycle. this isn't a thread looking for suggestions on how i live my life.

Really?

Seriously, really?

Sometimes it's best to just shut the fuck up.


.

i wasn't expecting you to understand this thread, thanks for proofing that.

“it is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”

Mark Twain

What part about possibly losing consciousness while riding a motorcycle don't you understand.

And I'm not looking for a fucking answer either.

y'all are serious bike enthusiasts, if this guy told you he had a condition where he could pass out at any time while riding his trike, would you go on a Sunday run with this guy?

there's plenty of reason to insult the living shit out of you.

You didn't owe anybody an explanation, I always assumed you stopped due to diabetes-related vision issues like Diabetic Retinopathy. Good vision is absolutely critical to riding, more so than driving a car since what would be a minor accident in a car can be fatal when on a bike.

I was recently checked for Diabetic Retinopathy and thankfully the ophthalmologist found no sign of it. :)

Unfortunately he did find plenty of Macular Degeneration, which means I'll be legally blind in 15 to 20 years. :Oh crap

Until then though my mantra will be " Ride it like you stole it" I paid another speeding ticket just last week. :1orglaugh

Fuck the haters dyna mo, you owe them nothing :321GFY

Directly: as a diabetic, i refer to my entire condition as diabetes, that includes the complications arising from it. the nerve damage is no longer technically "diabetes", it's something entirely different, it is now it's own condition.

Nevertheless, the diabetics i chat with on line and off, seem to always refer to their entire condition as diabetes.

is this where your confusion lies? does this help clear up why your links to how to ride with diabetes with info about injections and food really have absolutely nothing to do with this? and are construed by me and others as attempts to insult?

Type 1 Diabetes. Its a bitch of a condition. I have some slight nerve damage in my legs but I lost the vision in 1 eye to it and of course my heart surgery.

i hear ya, i figured i'd maybe let some other folks know how it can manifest itself in bizarre and somewhat hidden or obscure ways.

i'm not familiar with the Macular Degeneration, is there a procedure for helping that?

but hell yah, ride the shit outta that dyna of yours amigo! :1orglaugh

:warning keep fighting! :warning :thumbsup:thumbsup

I have type 2 , probably progressing to 1, the nerves in my feet are steadily getting worse. Sorry to hear about you having to give up riding.:2 cents:

yup, still not getting it. :1orglaugh

i notice you always wear socks and shoes, that's a super big step in the right direction of taking care of your feet. do you do anything else foot maintenance wise?


here's the thing about stopping riding though. i did feel like my run was over. I have ridden 3 decades and never dropped/crashed 1 single bike while moving. dropped plenty in the driveway and a couple at stop lights. but no major catastrophes after many many miles and incredible journeys. so i felt solid about retiring the riding gloves. :)

You are correct, a trike is not a motorcycle. You can't split lanes and ride side by side and a bunch of other things. Leaning thru the curves is the best feeling I would miss.You are into bikes, not trikes.

I have a good friend that was in a horrible boat accident and it left him with one side of his body in bad shape, he can barely move one of his arms. He loved more than just riding the bike itself, what he misses most is riding with friends. So recently he bought a new Harley Trike and is having a clutch less shiftier installed. I'm not saying this is for you, you know better than anyone what's best for you.

I hate even selling any of my bikes, so I can imagine what making that decision was like for you. I'm selling my 2009 Dyna Low Rider right now. I just don't ride it enough, But I am doing some upgrades on my Road King with the money.

Like it says in my sig

?Dream as if you?ll live forever, live as if you?ll die today.?

tbh, i don't even drive all that much anymore these days! :1orglaugh ocean water is softer than concrete! but talk about an adrenaline rush- splitting lanes. whoof. indeed.


bikes are kinda like girls right? you get your turn, then she moves on to the next guy. :pimp

You made the right choice :thumbsup

Don't even bother trying to justify it.

Oh, but if he was on a trike then it would not matter if he was conscious or not.

The fact that he was Rochard's friend would enough for me to say, "I will meet you there."

I guess Rochard thinks a motorcycle, trike and convertible are essentially the same thing.

While I certainly see the danger of driving a motorcycle and possibly passing out, what about driving a car? It may not be as dangerous as a motorcycle, but driving a car and passing out is still quite dangerous for both the driver and others, especially if this would happen in town with pedestrians walking around.

I may out of turn here, but riding a bike is not a relaxing thing when you are carving up some asphalt, it's a rush. I would think you would be in much more danger of passing out.

LOL, yeah that's a good way to look at it. I want a newer bike with a 110 in it and a 6 speed. Full Dresser this time

So you are thinking that an adrenaline rush may act as a trigger of some sort?

I really have no clue, I'm curious. My brother has diabetes, I have driven with him many times. Wondering if I should stop. LOL.

adrenaline is the trigger for me.

but yes also, i choose not to drive as often as possible. plenty of alternatives- others, uber, etc. no biggie really, not to mention it's a major pain in the ass to drive in socal. why make a big deal of it when the alts are better anyway is how i figure it. :pimp

No there's nothing else I do, saw some "diabetic" socks at a pharmacy, but couldn't get anyone to explain the benefits of it. So it stayed there:winkwink:

here's a blurb on this

Vasovagal syncope occurs in response to a trigger, with a corresponding malfunction in the parts of the nervous system that regulate heart rate and blood pressure. When heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and the resulting lack of blood to the brain causes fainting and confusion.

Typical triggers for vasovagal episodes include:

adrenaline

Random onsets due to nerve malfunctions

Serotonin level / SSRI

yeah, don't waste your money on those! good socks are just as good but cheaper.