Thank god for this thread. I’m on augmentin (amoxicillin 500 clav 125) and my RPE is higher but whats worse is heart rate. I’m setting all sorts of training peaks records for HR, but i don’t think thats a good thing. Also taking it for a dental abscess.
did you all get back to normal?
You never got back to normal?
I have mega-sinus issues. I definitely did not completely shake the infection, just knocked it back into manageable territory. Not being able to train well for a few weeks definitely threw off the last bit of the season for me. But I needed the rest to feel okay to race, so whatever. The bigger point I wanted to make was that when I was actively taking the antibiotics I felt absolutely wretched. Aches and grogginess even with lots of sleep and avoiding training.
I’m re-opening this thread to see if anyone had experience with exercise and amoxicillin 500 mg. I’m not sick I had a root canal and so they’re making me take antibiotics for a week. I have one more hard workout and a long ride this weekend and then it’s a rest week. Knowing me I’ll probably attempt the over under work out Saturday and I was thinking I’ll stick to the trainer so if I feel weird I’m not in the middle of nowhere. Also going to take plenty of extra electrolytes to prevent dehydration.
Sang advice would be greatly appreciated!
For me it is more a function of how I feel and how I respond to the antibiotic in question.
I dont really think anyone can answer the definitive answer for you. An endurance ride has a better potential to be completely fine. A hard workout may just be more challenging. I would just see how it goes if you are aiming to do the hard workout. Your plan sounds fine to do it on the trainer.
Thanks!
I say ride, but just realize your RPE and heart rate may be higher for the same effort. It was for me. And I got back to fitness pretty quick, but it sure sucked while I was on antibiotics.
Yep, just completed temple -1, which is 3x12 over under, definitely was capable but my RPE was a lot higher. First 2 sets felt a little tougher and the last one I felt like I was falling apart but completed it.
I’m on 500mg of amoxicillin 2x a day.
Another person here who is glad they found this thread. I was progressing in my training nicely and then went on a pretty strong antibiotic. At the same time I switched bikes on my trainer so there were two variables. I suddenly was unable to complete workouts. Endurance felt like SS, SS felt like threshold and Threshold felt like VO2. VO2 well, forget it.
I thought maybe it was the power meter change so I switched bike and it was the same. Now I think it may have been the infection/antibiotic. I’m off now for 2 days so interested to see if my numbers come back over the next few days.
How long did it take for you to get back to your prior fitness after the antibiotics?
I’ve been on antibiotics for 3 weeks for a persistent bout of cellulitis and I’m almost done thank goodness. My doctor said it’s been fine to ride, but my HR is 10-15+ BPM higher than it should be and endurance feels like tempo 
It came back over just a few days however I did take a fitness hit due to the illness and reduced training. FTP detection reduced my FTP slightly if I remember right but in less than a week I was back to completing workouts and workouts felt “normal” again.
Maybe a week after I stopped antibiotics I felt ok again.
I know there seems to be a consensus that antibiotics don’t affect performance - and it’s actually the infection slowing the athlete down - but I really do think that there was an affect from the antibiotics.
Obviously I would never say to not take antibiotics if a doctor has prescribed them - but I think it’s wise to manage expectations regarding what your training will be like.
I know TR/Chad did do a bit on it and dismissed it in an early podcast - but I’d really like them to have another look at it.
It was amoxicillin that I struggled with and that does seem to be one that pops up on other cycling/running forums regarding negative effects on performance. I do realize it’s a fairly (the most?) Common antibiotic though.
Jumping in on this topic with my present experience. I currently have a badly impacted wisdom tooth which has me feeling generally awful and yesterday dentist has prescribed me a high dosage of metronidazole to clear the infection caused. These antibiotcs are well known for being rather unpleasant! This morning I was stupid and decided to still do my TR workout. Barely made it through the warm up (RPE was sky high!) before calling it, and did some easy Z1-Z2 instead. I’ve been feeling super strong lately, but this morning was horrendous. No idea if its the infection or the antibiotics… or most likely, both! But yes, I shaln’t be touching the bike for the rest of the week that’s for sure.