Sport Induced Asthma

[Caroline]

Hi Ladies -

For the past 2 or 3 months I have had episodes while I am on the bike, of heavy loud breathing, chest tightness that happen suddently. I always thought they were panic attacks. i usually stop, have a good cry, breathe and eat sweets before I go again after 10 minutes.

I had another episode last saturday during a hilly 171km spin.

My chest is still sore from it now.

Does any of you know a bit about that?

Thanks:)

[Kalidurga]

I've had exercise-induced asthma for years. About 6 or so years ago, it worsened to the point that I began getting bronchitis every time I caught a cold. My previous doctor put me on Advair daily, with an inhaler as needed, and it worked great except for the inhaled Advair messing with my throat. My new dr prescribed Singulair and it seems to work even better than Advair and without the annoying side effect of losing my voice.

If I know I'm going to be doing a very strenuous ride, I'll use my inhaler before I begin or within the first couple of miles, just to help keep my airways totally clear. With this regimen, I haven't had an asthma attack in years. Hie thee to a doctor for some breathing tests, woman.

[bmccasland]

Hie thee to a doctor for some breathing tests, woman.

Another with EIA - it's amazing how much better I ride with cooperative lungs. Or as my XH Paramedic would say, "better living through chemistry". You have a LUNG problem, get to a doctor, it can be treated, and you'll ride much better. My office team knows my lung sounds, apparently I do a lovely immitation of a frieight train, but when I suddenly stop making noise is when they get worried.

Part of it is having the right medication levels on board, and part of it is learning to control your breathing. It took a chance lesson with an asthmatic cyclist (a really good rider too) who taught me to control my breathing, forcing myself to breathe in, breathe out, Say-the-words. Funny thing is I used to do the same thing to my asthma patients when I worked ambulance.

Good luck! Let us know what the Doc says. You can ride and breathe at the same time.

[ny biker]

I take an inhaler called Pulimort twice a day, and have an albuterol inhaler with me when I ride. Riding up difficult hills is the #1 asthma trigger for me, and riding fast in cool temps also causes problems. But it's mostly controlled by the Pulmicort, so I rarely need the albuterol.

[Caroline]

Thanks ladies - i will go see the doc this week. I just hope that the Irish Health Services don't take ages to help me ... as it's often the case.

[mayanorange]

For the past 2 or 3 months I have had episodes while I am on the bike, of heavy loud breathing, chest tightness that happen suddently. I always thought they were panic attacks. i usually stop, have a good cry, breathe and eat sweets before I go again after 10 minutes.

Hmm, I had a similar episode yesterday- I was attempt to chase down the group I was riding with up a hill and getting frustrated and breathing hard, then crying, then it turned into couldn't catch my breath, which turned to bigger panic, more crying... I have a history of panic/anxiety but then my allergies are really flaring the last few days, so I wrote it off, but I guess if it happens more I should get to the doctor for an asthma check? I have had the crying from frustration and low blood sugar before (DH has finally learned to wait up for me), but the not catching my breath once I stopped was new. Do they have tests to see if it's asthma and not panic? It's not the first time I've suspected mild asthma, especially related to allergies...

[uforgot]

I had never heard of this until I read another thread here on TE. I went to my doc and she prescribed an inhaler. I had to do some test to check lung capacity also, and it turns out I have a greater capacity than average. I have never been able to run. Now I can. I can't believe what a difference it makes. It is only when I exercise, so I only use it before I run. Something to be aware of: she said I needed to check my insurance because she prescribed an inhaler. It may make a difference in my coverage.

Edit: I have no allergies, so the doc thought it was unusual, but not unheard of, and when the inhaler made an immediate difference, I knew I was on to something. She said it typically happens to people who have allergies.

[ny biker]

Asthma is an immune system problem, just like allergies are. But I also don't have any allergies to the big triggers like pollen and mold.

[Pedal Wench]

Do they have tests to see if it's asthma and not panic? It's not the first time I've suspected mild asthma, especially related to allergies...

Yes they do. Basically, people without asthma will not respond to asthma meds. People who do, will. They test your lung function, then give you a puff of meds and see if there's a difference.

One doctor mentioned that untreated asthma can lead to emphyzema (spelling?) later in life, so it's important to treat it if you have it.

[ZenSojourner]

Yes they do. Basically, people without asthma will not respond to asthma meds. People who do, will. They test your lung function, then give you a puff of meds and see if there's a difference.

One doctor mentioned that untreated asthma can lead to emphyzema (spelling?) later in life, so it's important to treat it if you have it.

I've been told I have exercise induced asthma, but you know what? I never had it before I had walking pneumonia last year, then pleurisy, then bronchial spasms. And the inhaler they gave me does nothing but make me dizzy for a few minutes.

I just struggle with it til it goes away, don't know what else to do.

[Crankin]

ZenS, it is not uncommon to get EIA after a bout of pneumonia. I have had allergies since childhood and asthma started in, in my thirties. It hasn't been an issue in years, but every once in awhile it kicks in when I am cycling or running in the cold. Funny, that x country skiing doesn't seem to trigger it.
I am not sure why you "just let it pass," because asthma is nothing to joke about. What type of inhaler do you have? If it's albuterol, yes it can cause you to get shaky for a little bit, until you get used to it. Many asthmatics take a different type of inhaler that's more of a preventative daily, and use the albuterol as a rescue inhaler, or before exercise. I know that learning to breath fully through your nose, instead of gulping air through your mouth, when riding, especially climbing, has helped many on this list.

I've had pneumonia twice and many bouts of bronchitis (though not recently, thankfully). It took me months to get my aerobic conditioning back, especially when I was teaching aerobics... I had to swim, slowly, for two months before I could start teaching again. And that's when I was young!
Please, use your inhaler before you ride, or go back to the doc and see what else they can do for you.

[bmccasland]

ZenS - having difficulty breathing while riding may be "normal" for you, but it IS NOT NORMAL. Trust me on this, I've been there. I went undiagnosed most of my life. I always knew I couldn't run and breathe at the same time. People just told me I was out of shape. No, I was out of air. It really angers me how I got poo-pooed. It wasn't until I was bike riding on the levee, in my 40s with some folks that actually cared and had a really hard time breathing - I mean struggling to breathe at 12 mph - resting, then riding back to the office, with an escort, at 10 mph, which was all I could manage without my breathing getting out of control.

Breathing like a freight train is not normal.

Fortunately I had a doctor that took me seriously AND exercise was important to him. Not moving was not an option as far as Dr. R was concerned. I take an inhaler twice daily and another one before I ride, or any form of hard exercise.

Do you hurt around your sternum or upper chest? I wasn't prepared for how much asthma attacks HURT.

Please, see a doctor. Find one that takes you seriously. There is a breathing stress test they can do to you. I have normal resting lung capacity, not so normal under stress.

[Caroline]

Called the doc and explained the receptionist that I have had trouble breathing and breathing loudly while cycling lately, that I have never experienced that, leading to what I thought were panic attacks. She said I should come tomorrow morning as an emergency patient :eek:

I have a 10 miles TT tomorrow evening ... maybe I ll get a prescription before the race.

[mayanorange]

Caroline, glad you're getting that sorted! Good luck with the time trial!

[Miranda]

Hi Caroline :)

OK, however this journey takes you, don't give up hope. As my docs have told me "the disease should not define you".

There are many options of meds, tx plans, etc. you can do. If you don't like one doc, med, whatever... try again.

I have asthma/allergies, and a bunch of other junk. So does everyone in my fm. DD literally almost died from her asthma. And... with that, she is the best 'sweeper' on her soccer team... sprinting hard in fresh cut grass fields sucking rag weed/golden rod pollen flying like mad. My docs told me that when DD survived the hospital I would "become her asthma expert". I am. And for me. I road cycle, mtb, and teach spinning... can sprint with the best of em. Plus, I'm an old broad too;).

I've got a boat load of meds for me and the household. Does that sux sometimes? Yea. But hey... at the end of the day you "do what you gotta do". So, chin up sista... good Karma thoughts coming your way:cool:.

[bmccasland]

So what did the Doc say Caroline? Get you on some meds? Set you up for a breathing stress test? We want you to breathe and ride at the same time!

[Caroline]

Hi all :)

So I went to see the doc this morning and she prescribed me a sabutamol spray to take twice a day plus before I ride and in case of emergengy. I also have to go to the hospitakl to get further tests done in a few weeks. And I got some blood sample taken and sent to the lab. Irish health services are quite slow, so i am not really sure when I am getting sceduled for the breathing tests.
The doc said it looked like sports induced asthma.

[Kalidurga]

If that's the case, that's good as it's definitely treatable. I hope you see a big difference with the sabutamol.

[Photoflygirl]

I just went to the doctor for this last week. I could breathe fine during the ride, but when my heart rate got too high, I felt bad after the ride. My chest would feel kind of tingly really deep inside, I couldn't sleep on either side at night and it wasn't much better on my back. I never felt chest tightning or short of breath, just knew a weird feeling in my chest. Oh yes, and I would be extremely tired, which I thought was due to the new cycling routine. The doc did a breathing test and a chest x-ray, both of which turned out negative. She gave me Proventil and told me to take 2 puffs 20 minutes before cycling. She didn't say specifically I had EIA, but when I read the Proventil insert, I figured it out. Many, many athletes have this condition, and it is treatable with the right medication. I feel just fine after three rides since the dr. visit. I have never had asthma in my life, but my father and his sister had asthma. I have plenty of allergies. Hope this helps someone else out there!

[ClockworkOrange]

My new dr prescribed Singulair and it seems to work even better than Advair and without the annoying side effect of losing my voice.


This may not be relevant to you but when I visited my consultant last, he said I needed to use a spacer with my inhaler, as it was affecting my mouth and throat, yes I was talking with a very hoarsy voice. Also it gets more of the medicine into the lungs, I thought these were only for children but it does do the job.

A spacer is a chamber that can be attached to a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). The spacer chamber may have a one-way valve that allows the medication to be held in the chamber before it is inhaled. This way you can inhale the medicine in one or many breaths, depending on your ability. A spacer:
Helps prevent getting a yeast infection in your mouth (candidiasis) or making your voice sound hoarse (dysphonia).
Increases the amount of medicine delivered directly to your airways, even if you have difficulty using your inhaler.
Lessens the amount of medicine swallowed, which minimizes any side effects.

A spacer is recommended for use with most inhalers, especially those that contain corticosteroids. Spacers also should be used by children, who may have difficulty using a metered-dose inhaler correctly. Do not use a dry powder inhaler (DPI) with a spacer.

Clock

[slow+steady]

Mayanorange, your story sounds so much like mine! After reflecting on the nature of my breathing attacks, I decided they didn't fit the profile of either asthma or panic disorder and I knew the primary constriction was in my vocal cords, not my lungs, and associated with crying or feeling like crying.

Just a couple of days ago I did some web searching and found a lot of information on a condition whose most common name seems to be vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). It is often misdiagnosed as asthma, especially when exercise-induced or stress-induced, and many sufferers are young, female athletes under competitive pressure. I'm wondering whether the hormonal/emotional link could also make perimenopausal athletes (like me) susceptible to this condition.

Anyway, I could go on here, and there is also a reply in the "Injury--panic--asthma" thread that I didn't find until after I started to write this reply, but I think VCD is important enough to start a new thread in this forum and I'm about to do that, with some references I found. Hope to see some of you there!

Val