Calling asthmatics...

[Catrin]

I've not had asthma problems since losing my weight, but cold air still makes me wheeze easier than other triggers.

At the start of my ride today (39 degrees, 10-15 mph winds), I started getting pain in the middle of my chest when I breathed deeply. I am a mouth-breather, and I was dressed properly with a balaclava over my face/nose. I didn't push it, it DID improve but my chest is even now just a little tight (no wheezing).

Has anyone else had this happen? I've ridden in colder temps and this is the first time I've experienced this. Have you found a way to prevent the cold air from irritating your lungs - outside of sticking to the trainer? It felt so nice to finally have the proper clothing for the temps and then had this happen

BTW, I love my brand new PI Elite Barrier MTB shoe covers Thank you, very much, to the friend who was able to help me get them at a discount!

[zoom-zoom]

Yes. Similar temps here (I think maybe 3-4 degrees colder). We were on mtn. bikes and it wasn't so bad when we were in the woods and going slower, but into the wind on the road to get to and from the trail area I was really struggling. I didn't wear a balaclava and I'm not sure I could in those temps...I think I'd overheat. After I got home and into warm air I started coughing and coughing and hacking-up lots of crud. I can run in the same conditions and not have these issues.

[nscrbug]

I struggle a lot with this on cold, windy days...and especially on hills. If the temps aren't cold enough for a balaclava, then I'll wear a thin Smartwool neck gaiter that I can bring up over my nose/mouth to warm the air a bit before breathing it in. Aside from that, the only other thing I do to prevent it is to take a really good hit of my rescue inhaler right before stepping out of the house...but I assume you are already doing that.

Linda

[Catrin]

Thanks to both of you for your comments, have you ever gotten pain in your lungs from the cold air? I haven't been coughing or wheezing, and I really don't think it was my heart

I do need to get my rescue inhaler refilled, there isn't much left so that might be part of what was happening as well. I've been avoiding windy conditions since it got cold, so that may well be the main problem as I've ridden in colder temps (well, not much colder) without a problem.

[Crankin]

Catrin, I used to regularly take my rescue inhaler before doing anything in the cold; it seems as if my tolerance has built up and I hardly ever have symptoms, unless i am sick. I would definitely take the albuterol before your ride, hydrate extra well, and go slower in the beginning, as a warm up.
What do you mean by "a pain in your chest?" There have been times I've had asthma start suddenly, but I am not sure if I would describe that as a sudden pain. Of course, I have had enough weird symptoms in my life to know it's probably your asthma, but if it happens again, after you take your inhaler, I might just check with your doctor to make sure it's not cardiac, or even muscular.

[Catrin]

Catrin, I used to regularly take my rescue inhaler before doing anything in the cold; it seems as if my tolerance has built up and I hardly ever have symptoms, unless i am sick. I would definitely take the albuterol before your ride, hydrate extra well, and go slower in the beginning, as a warm up.
What do you mean by "a pain in your chest?" There have been times I've had asthma start suddenly, but I am not sure if I would describe that as a sudden pain. Of course, I have had enough weird symptoms in my life to know it's probably your asthma, but if it happens again, after you take your inhaler, I might just check with your doctor to make sure it's not cardiac, or even muscular.

It was a sharp pain right in the middle of my chest when I tried to breathe deeply, it was equal on both sides and pretty low down my chest. I've had pain there before when I've had a respiratory infection or chronic asthma problems so that is why I associate it with my lungs.

Perhaps it would be good for me to warm up on the trainer before taking it outside...As soon as I got through the complex and crossed 56th to the bike path that takes me to the park I hit a stronger than expected headwind - not 5 minutes after getting on the bike. It was shortly after this that I noticed the problem.

I do tend to have "variant" symptoms of asthma, generally they aren't the traditional signs unless I've been having problems with it for days...

[OakLeaf]

Cold doesn't generally bother my asthma (which is really mild anyway), but there was one time last year when I did intervals in 20° something and wound up with my lungs hurting for a few days afterward. They just felt really raw, like the mucous membranes had been scraped. So I do think it's possible ... but if it keeps hurting you might want to get it checked out ...

[Crankin]

I would definitely agree to the warming up on the trainer. I have always needed a long warm up, even when I started cycling, 11 years ago, and I was, well, 11 years younger. Part of this is for my breathing, as well as my muscles. I used to do a group ride every Friday morning in the summer, when I was teaching. I could generally keep up with these people, but they started off like a bat out of h*ll, and usually we left the parking area and went straight up a nice hill. By the time we were done with that and on a flat, I was a wreck. I asked several times for a slower warm up, but the 2-3 different leaders couldn't do it. Then, one year DH and I led the rides and we did start out slowly for about 3 miles. A few didn't like it, but most appreciated it. If you ever go to a bike race, you will notice the racers all bring their trainers and warm up for a long time. In the cold, this becomes even more important. Also, the thin wool neck gaiter might help when the temperatures are not that freezing.
My asthma was once called "specious." Not sure why, except that I never wheezed, my chest just felt tight and got tighter.

[Owlie]

DBF definitely gets cold trouble with his asthma (allergy-, not exercise-induced). He carried his rescue inhaler with him when we walked to the grocery store.

[zoom-zoom]

Yep, used my inhaler before today's ride. I wonder if part of my issue is weather-related. Because we're having such an unseasonably warm late Fall/early Winter my Fall allergies seem to be neverending. My sinuses have been complete crap, too. So these things certainly aren't helping the lungs.

[Catrin]

I know that everyone has such different experiences with asthma. For me there is really only three things that sets it off: cats, very cold air, and sinus/respiratory infections and in recent years it has only been the latter that has been a significant problem.

I used to have a LOT more trouble with it prior to losing 50+ pounds, and the more I active I am outside the less I have trouble with it. I've gotten extremely lax at using my rescue inhaler prophylactically. I tend to develop deep, bad coughs before the wheezing starts.

Thanks for the feedback! Now that I have my LHT on the trainer, I can warm up on the trainer before I hit the cold temps on the Gunnar and see what happens. I will also make certain to get my rescue inhaler refilled before I ride in sub-40 temps again...