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Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm
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 2009-07-14 9:34 AM |
Pro  4353    Wallingford, PA |  Subject: Exercise Induced Asthma/BrochospasmSo..... I posted a while back that I was having some breathing difficulty at higher intensity levels, and wondering whether it could be exercise induced asthma. I finally got myself to the doctor (sports med guy) who agreed that my symptoms sounded like possible exercise induced asthma (or, as it's sometimes called, "exercise induced bronchospasm") and prescribed an inhaler for me to try to see how it would affect my training. I tried it out for the first time today on a short bike ride, and all I can say is, "ALL HAIL THE INHALER!!!" There are hills on the ride I did this morning that normally leave me feeling like my lungs are about to explode and that my heart might beat through my chest. I normally have to slow way down to make it up and still feel like my lungs can function. I always chocked it up to poor conditioning..... Today, however, I made it up those hills at a faster pace, and without that "Oh my god, my lungs are going to explode" feeling! Not that I wasn't breathing hard, I was, but it actually felt like I there was oxygen making it into my lungs! My breathing recovered much more quickly at the top, and I was back on my way. I just thought I would share my experience with the rest of you, in case anyone else is experiencing similar symptoms. My breathing difficulties manifest themselves most at higher intensity levels, but I suspect that there has been some impact, though less noticible to me, at lower levels as well. I have HOPE again that there someday I migh be able to add some SPEED to my performance! I've always had a hard time doing those higher intensity workouts.... now I'm thinking I'll be able to manage them better. Time will tell!! |
| 2009-07-14 11:30 AM in reply to: #2283863 |
Veteran 378 The Cold North | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm Awesome!! I also suffered through a year of training thinking it was just poor conditioning and me being out of shape. When I finally went to the doctor and got an inhaler, I had the same awesome results as you. Turns out I'm not nearly as "out of shape" as I thought I might be! |
| 2009-07-14 1:32 PM in reply to: #2283863 |
| Member 87 Central NJ | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm Did the Doc give you a REscue inhailer or a preventitive Inhaler? Mine only gave me the Rescue inhailer and singular, but I have found the more I exercised the less I had issues. |
| 2009-07-14 2:11 PM in reply to: #2284681 |
Pro 4353 Wallingford, PA | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm Preventive inhaler.... and my experience has been the opposite. I've been doing tri training consistently for 4 years, and currently typically train from about 8 - 12 hours per week, and my breathing difficulties have gotten worse this year - although I suspect there may be an allergy component at play as well..... |
| 2009-07-14 2:15 PM in reply to: #2283863 |
Master 2571 Tiger's Den | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm I have often wondered if I have this. I have a hard time at the higher intensity too, especially when it's pretty humid out. Temp doesn't play into it as much as humidity. How would I know if this is what I'm experiencing. I'm on the high deductable plan so I don't want to go to the dr and just find out I'm sucking wind because I'm sucking wind, kwim? |
| 2009-07-14 2:53 PM in reply to: #2283863 |
Pro 4353 Wallingford, PA | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm Well.... I can tell you what my doctor said. He said that asthma, particlarly exercise induced asthma, is hard to test for. Most with EIA don't present with any "typical" signs of asthma (wheezing, etc.) at an office visit. It can be hard to reproduce exact conditions that trigger exercise induced asthma, because triggers vary from person to person - for some its cold weather, for others its allergies, others humidity, intensity level, and on and on. So he takes a practial approach. What I described to him sounded, in his opinion, like it could be exercise induced asthma or bronchospasm. So his suggestion was doing a trial with an inhaler to see if my breathing function improved when using it. From my experience today, I would say that it definitely does! I follow up with the doc in 4 weeks and we will re-evaluate at that point. I guess you need to decide if it's worth it to you to pay for the doctor's visit and the prescription to find out if an inhaler helps you or not.... |
| 2009-07-14 3:21 PM in reply to: #2283863 |
Master 2571 Tiger's Den | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm Thanks, that's interesting. I may wait until I have to go for something else to ask... What I have normally happens when the humidity is high and I'm doing intervals. When I am pushing hard, I feel like I am sucking air through a filter or a wet paper towel rather than just through my mouth. When I slow down I concentrate on opening my mouth and my throat and that seems to help, but that's not something I can do while pushing hard on a run. Seems like this summer has been harder than others, and we've had a more moist summer this year here in the south. |
| 2009-07-14 5:58 PM in reply to: #2284921 |
Veteran 335 Wilmington, NC | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm jsnowash - 2009-07-14 3:53 PM Well.... I can tell you what my doctor said. He said that asthma, particlarly exercise induced asthma, is hard to test for. Most with EIA don't present with any "typical" signs of asthma (wheezing, etc.) at an office visit. It can be hard to reproduce exact conditions that trigger exercise induced asthma, because triggers vary from person to person - for some its cold weather, for others its allergies, others humidity, intensity level, and on and on. So he takes a practial approach. What I described to him sounded, in his opinion, like it could be exercise induced asthma or bronchospasm. So his suggestion was doing a trial with an inhaler to see if my breathing function improved when using it. From my experience today, I would say that it definitely does! I follow up with the doc in 4 weeks and we will re-evaluate at that point. I guess you need to decide if it's worth it to you to pay for the doctor's visit and the prescription to find out if an inhaler helps you or not.... While this is an option, a better, more definative diagnosis can easily be made with a referral to a pulmonologist to do a PFT (pulmonary function test). There are a couple of ways to do it, methacholine challenge, or a treadmill test. Both will provide a true diagnosis and are well worth the time, money and effort. Sometimes treatments will mask something else, and just because your symptoms are relieved or reduced doesn't mean there isn't something else there. My $0.02 Keep in mind also that restrictive airway diseases can leave you feeling like you can't take a breath, but it is often because you can't fully exhale, so there is no room in your lungs to bring in new, oxygenated air. This also leads to a change in your pH and can exacerbate the problem because your body will try to breathe faster to blow off extra CO2 and bring the pH back to baseline...also causes anxiety, lightheadedness, and frequently nausea. Edited by rghbsn 2009-07-14 6:02 PM |
| 2009-07-14 9:35 PM in reply to: #2283863 |
Expert 749 Oakland, Fl | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm I have been wondering if I have this issue since at higher intensities, when I breath in, it reverberates or vibrates in a way that seems to make breathing a bit difficult. I have to seriously concentrate opening up the airways to get enough oxygen.grrrrr |
| 2009-07-14 9:55 PM in reply to: #2285395 |
| Expert 763 Behind you | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm While this is an option, a better, more definative diagnosis can easily be made with a referral to a pulmonologist to do a PFT (pulmonary function test). There are a couple of ways to do it, methacholine challenge, or a treadmill test. Both will provide a true diagnosis and are well worth the time, money and effort. Sometimes treatments will mask something else, and just because your symptoms are relieved or reduced doesn't mean there isn't something else there. My $0.02 Keep in mind also that restrictive airway diseases can leave you feeling like you can't take a breath, but it is often because you can't fully exhale, so there is no room in your lungs to bring in new, oxygenated air. This also leads to a change in your pH and can exacerbate the problem because your body will try to breathe faster to blow off extra CO2 and bring the pH back to baseline...also causes anxiety, lightheadedness, and frequently nausea. Ah.... leading to the old days of a "pink puffer" (Asthma) or a "Blue Bloater" (Bronchitis). EITHER case, pursed lipped breathing with give you time to exhale the unoxygenated air fullly. As the name implies, if your feeling like your not exhaling completely, purse your lips and blow against them providing a resistance. |
| 2009-07-14 10:42 PM in reply to: #2285012 |
Veteran 257 St. Paul, MN | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm SuzanneS - 2009-07-14 3:21 PM Thanks, that's interesting. I may wait until I have to go for something else to ask... Don't see your general physician/family doctor for this. You NEED to see a specialist to get the right diagnosis and if needed, the proper inhaler for you. By not going to the specialist, it could cost you much more in the long run if not handled correctly. Besides, you'll likely get lots of samples that only the specialist would have. All the samples I've received have saved me close to $500 in prescriptions. |
| 2009-07-15 2:48 AM in reply to: #2285923 |
Expert 819 | Subject: RE: Exercise Induced Asthma/Brochospasm njk123 - 2009-07-14 11:42 PM SuzanneS - 2009-07-14 3:21 PM Thanks, that's interesting. I may wait until I have to go for something else to ask... Don't see your general physician/family doctor for this. You NEED to see a specialist to get the right diagnosis and if needed, the proper inhaler for you. By not going to the specialist, it could cost you much more in the long run if not handled correctly. Besides, you'll likely get lots of samples that only the specialist would have. All the samples I've received have saved me close to $500 in prescriptions.Always see your Family Physician first. Specialists are great at getting alot of tests and for 99% of us with Asthma, a simple challenge with an Albuterol inhaler will tell if that is the problem. If using the Albuterol more that 2 times a week then start a steriod inhaler like Flovent. Then if still having problems see a Pulmonologist. To start with the specialist is a waste of health care dollars. |
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