Death and Bodybuilding

[Johnny Smiles]

The terrible news about losing Big Bapper really made me step back and reflect on my current lifestyle. OUR current lifestyles.

How much different are we than say heroin users? we all know steroids can cause heart disease and a myriad of other problems but we tell each other how to use it "safely" or how to deal with side effects of the drugs, etc. Like heroin addicts telling each other how to shoot and whats too high of a dose, etc. and when someone dies there is rarely a person surprised to hear it is heart related. and when a heroin user dies no one is surprised it was the heroin that killed him.
i know we aren't putting poison like heroin in our bodies but we are putting things in our bodies that CAN take years off your life. and chances are, if you compete you are taking drugs and/or doses of drugs that most people would call abuse. more than a replacement dose. FAR more.

i don't know how much longer i will be able to justify my use and or abuse for competitions. If i can't get my blood work and blood pressure and other health markers in check than i am retring from this sport and i will do so with regret. The years i have spent enjoying this sport may very well have taken years off my life.

I have a wife and a daughter. they are not worth losing just to have another trophy or a big squat.
sorry for the rant. but i needed to vent a little. i hope i can walk away if i can't get my health in check.

sometime i REALLY regret that first jab... any of you feel this way? -JS

 

[BIG-D]

While its always good to take a step back and think about your health...I don't beleive Big Bappers lifestyle had anything to do with his death. I may be wrong but I dont think gear played a role at all. I have felt this way before too, and quit the sport for a while because of it. The simple fact of the matter is that if you dont go to stupid extremes and stay on top of blood work, blood pressure ect This lifestyle can be beneficial to your life instead of a negative. Dont go all the way to the other extreme and walk away and quit something you love. Just take a step back and be more cautious of your health. Just my two cents

 

[gordo14]

Both great points!

After reading the first post, it made me sad. I to have a daughter. And i am her sole provider. A mother, and father rolled into one. I can't imagine leaving her early due to the life choices i had made.

The second post brings me even more clarity. To be a pro in this sport is not going to happen...at least not for me. However i can still make a huge impact on my physique and others around me, with out putting myself at such a high risk.

My point is, both posters above are correct in what they are saying. You should plan for the worse, but hope for the best. Stay on top of all aspects of your day to day life, to live long and healthy.

 

[oldfella]

A very interestig thread. I am sure will attract many and varied responses. While it may be true that the lifestyle we choose is full of risks. We still have scant evidence that AAS causes these problems. Will they exaserbate an underlying condition? I would say YES. Are they the direct cause of untimely deaths in our sport? I can not say with any certainty. Many of us may have slight abnormalities in our hearts that have not been detected. We may have abnormalities in our endocrine systems that can lead us to an early death. Does this justify our choice to use some of the drugs we do? Certainly not! Does this hasten our timeclock along the inevitable conclusion we all face one day? Well quite possibly yes. But let's face it, normal, healthy, fit, athletic people keel over from heart attacks every day. people die from DVT (deep vein thrombosis) when flying and all they did was get on board a flight. Did these people use AAS, well probably not but there outcome was the same.

I do not condone nor condem the use of AAS. This would surely make me a hypocrite. As I see it there is no such thing as safe use, there is no right way to use them. Any of us that use these substances without a prescription to treat a specific condition are playing with fire. We all must accept the risk associated with our decision to use and accept the consequences of our action. It is a gamble any way we look at it. Just be sensible about your choice, exercise caution with respect to the use of these powerful altering drugs and get medical intervention by way of regular check ups to ensure your health is not compromised. Just be smart and be safe!

 

[BIG-D]

A very interestig thread. I am sure will attract many and varied responses. While it may be true that the lifestyle we choose is full of risks. We still have scant evidence that AAS causes these problems. Will they exaserbate an underlying condition? I would say YES. Are they the direct cause of untimely deaths in our sport? I can not say with any certainty. Many of us may have slight abnormalities in our hearts that have not been detected. We may have abnormalities in our endocrine systems that can lead us to an early death. Does this justify our choice to use some of the drugs we do? Certainly not! Does this hasten our timeclock along the inevitable conclusion we all face one day? Well quite possibly yes. But let's face it, normal, healthy, fit, athletic people keel over from heart attacks every day. people die from DVT (deep vein thrombosis) when flying and all they did was get on board a flight. Did these people use AAS, well probably not but there outcome was the same.

I do not condone nor condem the use of AAS. This would surely make me a hypocrite. As I see it there is no such thing as safe use, there is no right way to use them. Any of us that use these substances without a prescription to treat a specific condition are playing with fire. We all must accept the risk associated with our decision to use and accept the consequences of our action. It is a gamble any way we look at it. Just be sensible about your choice, exercise caution with respect to the use of these powerful altering drugs and get medical intervention by way of regular check ups to ensure your health is not compromised. Just be smart and be safe!

Very well said Oldfella. I always feel a little bit smarter after reading your posts lol

 

[oldfella]

Yes I guess we should all take some time out and reflect a bit about our choices in life and where we want to finish up. Losing our Beloved BIG BAPPER (RIP) does send some shivers down our backs. Too close to home I guess. But please keep things in perspective and do not jump to conclusions, THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANY ONE OF US. Just ask Maldorf!! He is a survivor as well as Pekkerwood. We just do not have enough information available about these long term effects of wholesale abuse of AAS. But as time passes by we will gather more data and more evidence as to the ramifications of our choices. Just think before you leap guys. For all you younger guys considering a path down the dark side..............Really think long and hard about the rest of your ives. Like I said, think before you jump. It is all a risk!!

 

[jm425]

WTF?! Big Bapper passed away?! He was one of the coolest mods on this thread. He had a wealth of info and was always willing to help bros out. If he did pass away then my condolences to him and his family. We'll miss you bro.

 

[DinoHeavyD]

being big comes with risks

Regardless of steroid use, being large and powerful comes with risks. We only have one heart and it is of course alot more taxing for it to supply blood to large amounts of muscle. We pay the price for the lives that we choose. A life lived in fear is life half lived. The real tragedy is when innocent children are slaughtered through violence.

 

[Drbnmi]

We are all well aware of the risks we are taking with AAS. When we are lifting and getting bigger and stronger than we ever imagined everyone is all for AAS use. We feel unstopable and indestructable. As soon as someone passes everyone changes their tune. I have no respect for people like Alzado and Romanowski. They exceled during their careers due to the fact they used AAS and then when their careers were over they cried like bitches and blamed all their misfortunes on the very thing that made them what they were in their sport.

Stay true to the choices you make and stand firm behind your decessions. When you decide to go down a certain path, you don't look back. And if you never make it were you wanted to go or things just don't work out the way you planned, certainly you don't start looking for something or someone to blame it on. That's what cowards like Alzado and Romo did.

We are all going to die. How you chose to live in the mean time is up to you. Don't let the enviroment around you alter your course. People are dying around us everyday. It is part of life. I am not saying abuse any substance, but every time someone passes away we can't all go throw out all our gear.

I was in the ER because I didn't know what I was doing when I started using AAS. I accepted what could happened and told myself that if I got out of there I was going to do it the correct way if I got another chance. I didn't cry like a bitch and say "Why me?" So, Man-Up and do what you do.

My prayers go out to all of our lost bro's families.

 

[BigMatt]

you guys are kidding yourself if you think Gear use has nothing to do with it...

Light up, It does have a strong factor.

Couple that with many compounds, Cutting drugs, Blood pressure drugs... etc..Colestherol your putting yourself at risk.

I have nothing againts aas use, but dont kid yourself its not healthy.

Just accept the fact you your putting yourself on the line when using these substance, whether you like it or not.