exercise induced asthma (EIA) - coughing after tough workout

Hi there,

I've been asthmatic all my life.  It does affect quite drastically my performance levels in running and swimming but having said that, without this exercise my asthma would be FAR worse!  I take my inhaler before running always.  It's really quite unusual for an exercise induced asthma attack to last for a couple of days.  It may be a bronchial infection of some sort or of course you may be suffering from allergy induced asthma too (household dust, dogs, cats, feathers, perfumes - the list is endless!).  I suffer from both exercise and allergy induced asthma.  Allergic asthma well controlled with inhalers now but I still have trouble with my oxygen levels during intensive exercise.  If I were you I would definintely go to the doc to get it checked out if it continues.  With a few tests they'll know instantly if you have asthma or not.  It can be frustrating when your performance doesn't improve at the same speed as other people but just be proud that you're asthmatic and still getting out there doing triathlons.  There's lots of top sports people that suffer from asthma so we're not alone!  Good luck.

I've got EIA and my attacks are only after I stop running or cycling (for some reason, it doesn't happen when I swim) and attacks last for maybe 30 min.  They're generally worse when the weathre is cold - I don't seem to have issues in the summer.  Of course, I always forget this my first or second outing in the cold and forget my inhaler.  Its made for some interesting post-workout (or race) reactions.  I do get bronchitis fairly easy.  There's a definite distinction between EIA and bronchitis.  EIA is just dry coughing that goes away.  Bronchitis (or a minor chest cold) is EIA + coughing stuff up.

Def go see a doctor.  They'll be able to say if you have a chest infection or EIA.

Yup, and it can really suck.  Get yourself to your doctor, get it diagnosed and hopefully get treatment (probably inhalers).  I *think* that repeatedly injuring your airway and lungs to the point of pain will cause slight scarring. 

Cold weather and environmental conditions set me off as well as harder exertion (running, biking up hills or biking fast).  I usually just use an albuterol inhaler and am OK.  This fall I went MTB with friends and had to continually stop, mainly after trying to go up hills because I didn't want to set off a full-blown wheezing, rattling throat shut down.  It was embarassing and scary, and I paid for it by coughing and having pain for the next 2 days.  I went back to the doctor and now have Flovent added to my asthma arsenal.

Same regarding the inhaler, and I can usually tell when the mold count is going up as it's usually preceded by bad allergies. Last night was terrible, I hard a very difficult time running and was coughing and wheezing when I got done. I was not home and didn't have my inhaler, either.

had this last year after a trip to Bali where I caught a cough I think it was like a post virus/exercise induced asthma.  Got an inhaler, which I used once but it made me a bit nauseous for running - so didn't bother and it got better by itself.

It's usually if you've upped the exercise a lot that it sets in, mine was when I increased the number of swim squads i was doing from 2 to 3 a week, made a big difference the extra 3km.

Anyway for me having the inhaler with me all the time makes me feel better even if I don't use it!

short answer is yes.  generally cold is what makes mine act up.  it's actually gotten better (or rather I ignore it more) with age than when I was a kid.  I've been surprised how we'll i've fared since starting tri's.  I guess it's because I don't push as hard as I did when I was younger--I focus on steady and continuous.  funny how the body adapts.  I'm pretty sure running sprints would still kill me, but my 10-11 MM pace is manageable.

I have EIA. It's not fun. Extreme changes in weather and hard efforts -- mostly on running, sometimes on the bike, but, like a previous poster, NEVER on the swim (what's up with that??) -- all trigger it. I once thought it had more to do with long workouts, but I do a one mile race every year and that has me dry coughing the rest of the day.

Inhaler fixes the problem for me. I take a hit before I go workout or before a race. Make sure you carry it with you (I actually wear a cell phone armband and stash it in there) because you do NOT want to get caught out far away from home with an attack. Yes, that happened to me. It sucked.

Also: if you use it before a triathlon, give yourself some time before race start to take it. It tends to make your heart race a bit, which can be disconcerting before the swim start. 

Same symptoms, only my coughing only lasts when about 30min, its worse when its cool out.  i was diagnosed when i was 10 or 11.  Albuterol inhaler solves the problem.

GO figure...When I started training last year, I found out I had EIA too...except it effects me most--on the swim! I had an attack last week in my first race of the season, and I couldn't finish the race  Sadly, I did use my inhaler that day. So I don't know what got me there--now I am doing OWS practice like crazy to try and overcome it.

Kgore

I have asthma too, and the swim is the first place to bother me.  I use my inhaler prerace if I am in allergy season (which for me is pretty much year round).  I read a RR from someone who stuck his rescue inhaler in the sleeve of his wetsuit.  I wear a sleeveless so it might get jammed in the chest....but it's worth a try. 

My current plan on race day in flare is rescue inhaler when I get up, and prerace.  Tape it to the bar on the bike and then grab it off to have for the run.