exercise-induced asthma

Discussion in 'Injuries and Prevention' started by sn11, Oct 15, 2007.

  1. sn11

    sn11 Woosh! Bang! Ow!

    Hey, sorry if this is posted in the wrong section but i wasn't 100%.


    Accoording to my doctor i have 'exercise-induced asthma'. This basically is how it sounds, asthma that is triggered when i exercise. I asked what i can do about it and apparantly im not allowed a inhaler as i may 'over use' it, and non are made for this type of asthma?

    Basically whenever i do exercise, more cardio styled exercise than weights the following happens:

    Breathing becomes really difficult and takes a lot of effort
    My body feels weak
    My throat feels sore and i can taste blood
    Sometimes i become dizzy; but i've only "blacked out" once.

    So basically, i'm wondering does anyone else have this? Is the cure to run it out of me? lol.

    I asked the doctor what i should do about it, and what exercise would be good, and i was told that theres not much i can do but i should try low impact exercise untill it goes away.

    Now im overweight aswell, so this could be a factor, when i asked about exercise for weight loss i was told to instead "cut down my food intake" instead of exercising.

    So basically is there any vitamins out there or any extra things i can do to help it? Or help it go away?

    Cheers
     
  2. wrydolphin

    wrydolphin Pirates... yaarrrr Supporter

    There are plenty of professional athletes with exercise induced asthma, so obviously you do not have to give up. I just had an asthma attack myself- first one ever, though I should have noticed the signs and symptoms before- coughing fits and tightness of the chest. Its just that I moved to San Antonio and the air quality is so much worse here.

    I am making an appointment at the student clinic today, so I'll tell you what they told me, though what you doctor stated seems to go against everything I know about asthma.

    From what I understand, swimming helps asthma as well because you have to learn breath control- don't know if its true though.
     
  3. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Yup i got asthma exercise and hayfever set it off big time Its easily mangaed with the proper medication and trying to keep exercising to increase the lung capacity. I havent had a full blown attack for a few years now.And also like Wrydolphin said swimming is great execise in the battle with asthma
     
  4. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Um... what?

    I wasn't there. So I'm going to try and reserve judgment here. But I have exercise-induced asthma. And I use inhalers just fine. Before exercise to stave off problems. During exercise if I experience problems anyway. Etc.

    My best advice, based on what you've said: GET A SECOND OPINION. What you're describing runs contrary to EVERYTHING I've ever heard in a quarter century of exercise-induced asthma.


    Stuart
     
  5. sn11

    sn11 Woosh! Bang! Ow!

    Well, it took them almost three years of 'asthma tests' for them to figure it out. I mean i had this big style inhaler and you have to blow into it and it measures your air levels.

    They kept reading normal. Then i did it after exercise and it came up really low. So they took note of the exercise thing, and it seemed like they magically found out through some miracle break through in science the way they were going off :rolleyes:

    I was told that some people "over use" an inhaler, and since mine type of asthma only comes around when i do sport, i apparantly could get used to using it, which would make my lungs depend on it, which could make it worse??

    I've made an oppointment with another doctor at the practise. Thanks for all your help and advice...

    Oh and im not sure whether it was meant in this way, but i was faaar from the idea of quitting, if anything its given me a drive to try even harder.

    My brother also had asthma, his has seemed to have gone when he took up sunday/leisure centre football. So thats why i was asking about whether i could "run it off"

    Again thanks for the help :D
     
  6. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Only way to treat asthma is with inhalers
     
  7. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    That's about the size of it. Other things may help. But inhalers are certainly the primary treatment option, in my experience.

    Running it off won't work. It'll have the opposite effect. Make no mistake psymon. Asthma is perfectly manageable. But it's an integral part of your life. You'll have to work around it. Not through it.

    But that's perfectly doable.


    Stuart
     
  8. sn11

    sn11 Woosh! Bang! Ow!

    Okay, thanks a lot!

    Well, i'll make another appointment, with another doctor, hopefully this one will actually know something?

    Oh and thanks wry, i'll be looking forward to any info you can add aswell :D
     
  9. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    I'm reminded of a line from the Hugh Laurie series "House." A mother brings her kid into the emergency room with asthma. House asks whether the kid has been taking his medication. The mother says she doesn't like her son to be on all this medication. House responds something like:

    "Well, I expect your physician was balancing that concern against your son's need to breath."


    Stuart
     
  10. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    yup definatley people do iver use the inhalers. But you can over use any medication.
    trick with asthma inhalers is to use them(both the preventer and the releiver) about 20 mins prior to exercise that way they have had a chance to settle into the lungs. then the need to use the releiver is greatly reduced while training.
     
  11. SnorriSturluson

    SnorriSturluson Valued Member

    I didn't last long in my attempt to learn to surf for this reason-too dangerous to be having an asthma attack 100 yards out in the ocean. It's not too much of a disaster in MA- just a little embarassing if you have to sit out a round now and then. Get the inhaler. Also, learn to relax-improper breathing under stress aggravates the problem.
     
  12. bwhite55

    bwhite55 Valued Member

    hey, i used to have asthma when i was little. from the age 5-10 or so i'd wake up at least 2 or 3 times a year in the hospital cuz i had an asthma attack overnight and not even realise it. now for some reason everything just quit bothering me at around the age of 10, so your body might get over it. as far as vitamins or w/e, there is a supplement made from advocare that helps maximize your body's use of oxygen and increase lung capacity, its called O2 gold, and a local kid who has asthma, i think he's 12 or 14 started taking it and in a few weeks it increased his lung capacity by 14%. you can give that a shot, also i wouldn't try to work through it. thats about everything that i have.
     
  13. Rob T.

    Rob T. Valued Member

    Me too!

    I agree that a 2nd opinion is much needed. I only get really bad a couple of times a year but, before I was prescribed inhalers, it mean a trip to A&E.

    As Madhoose said, as soon as you feel well enough it's a good idea to work to maximise your lung capacity.

    I've never heard the over-use thing before, the inhalers mean you can exercise which will increase your lung capacity whick will mean you need to use the inhalers less. :)

    Rob
     
  14. wrydolphin

    wrydolphin Pirates... yaarrrr Supporter

    Just back and the proud owner of a shiny new albuterol inhalor. Since exercise induced asthma only occurs while exercising (whoda thunk?), there shouldn't be any need for anything other then the inhalor unless you get into a patch where you find yourself having a series of attacks during the week.

    Basically, here's what I was told- exercise induced asthma has pretty much the same triggers as normal asthma, however they are only triggered while your lungs are already under stress. Therefore you can't control it as well as regular asthma because you are less sure of the triggers- like I didn't have any problems with asthma until I moved here but developed it because I am either allergic to something here or the air quality is so bad that I am having a reaction.

    Once I got home, I looked up albuterol in my handy-dandy drug book, and really I can't believe that the doctor told you that. If there isn't a misunderstanding going on somewhere along the communication pathway, I would definately seek a second opinion- which I think you said you were doing.

    Basically, the only concerns with albuterol I could find was to limit caffiene intake and to watch for OTC/prescription drugs that interfere with beta blockers.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2007
  15. sn11

    sn11 Woosh! Bang! Ow!

    Cheers for the update!

    Well, it took them around three years to figure out i had it.

    I went back year after year with chest infections.

    I also went when i kept nearly blacking out in PE.

    And again when general sport made my throat feel like it was bleeding (and i had the taste)

    They then made me do the standard asthma test year after year, but because its 'sport induced' it never really showed, untill one day i did it after sport and it was a bad result..

    So after this they said "Oh you might have it" so my final trip involved them saying yes, we think you have it! So i asked about the general method of treating.

    Which is when i was told about the whole 'over use' of inhalors, how it shouldn't effect me too much, and how i should try and stick with "low impact" exercise untill it goes away. Bit confused as i had had it for years but hey ho.
     
  16. wrydolphin

    wrydolphin Pirates... yaarrrr Supporter

    Ah, the usefullness of being a nursing student.
    "I have exercise induced asthma."
    "Really?"
    "Yep, classic signs and symptoms."
    "Right-o, here's your inhalor, look it up in your book when you get home."

    How often do you have an attack while working out? Every time? Only when suffering from allergy/sinus symptoms? When it gets cold/humid? Basically, how much you need your inhalor would depend upon how often you get an attack- I may be able to go a while without using mine and if I am just going to take things lightly- walking instead of sprinting say- I won't need it at all. Yes, you do need to tailor your use to your symptoms, but I just don't understand where he was going with the whole "over use" thing.
     
  17. sn11

    sn11 Woosh! Bang! Ow!

    Generally exercise indoors makes it come about.

    Ive not had hardly any outside.

    I have a sinus problem all year round.

    I'd only really need one i think before i did 'proper physical exercise' meaning thered be a lot of out of breathness, running etc.
     
  18. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    your sinus problem could be rhinitis its very common in asthma sufferers.
    as for inhalers you would need both the preventer and the releiver the former being the most important for controling the asthamtic symtoms the releoiver is like the emergency back up
     
  19. wrydolphin

    wrydolphin Pirates... yaarrrr Supporter

    If its that common, you might want to look at preventors- I have had two attacks in three months so all I really need is the rescue inhalor unless my symptoms progress. When are you going in for the second opinion? I would suggest doing some research on asthma and having a set of specific concerns and questions to talk to the doc about so that you get more out of the visit.

    Oh and as a second thought:
    Are you on any antiallergen therapy? You sound like you might have indoor allergies and you might want to get them under control. I don't take anything often- just the occasional antihistamine when my ears itch and when I have nasal/sinus symptoms I start a course of nasal lavage, which, if you can stomach doing it, has been indicated to be more effective then drug therapy for allergies.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2007
  20. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Doctors should emphasise that the preventer inhaler should be taken regularly as it builds up in your sytem whick makes it more effective than just taking it on bad days.
    i have been guily if this in the past and i can asure you its for the best.
    Besides as i am an auxilary nurse in a respiratory ward ive seen the nasty end of asthma attacks too often to not want to forgret about taking my preventer meds regularly.
     

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