Can't breathe

[pooks]

A friend with asthma told me that contrary to expectation, asthma sufferers don't have trouble breathing in -- they can't exhale. At least that's what she suffered with as a kid. Does it vary from person to person?

[makbike]

cherinyc, please get this check out by your doctor. As an asthma suffer it sure sounds like your lungs are having a tough time and need some help. My asthma went undiagnosed for the first 30 years of my life and I can remember struggling through P.E. class, bike rides, raquetball games, etc. Sometimes my lungs, like yours, would recover quickly and other times it was pretty darn scary. Once I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma and given my inhaler things did improve. However, my exercise induced asthma has progressed. I like Mary use QVAR and albuterol to control my asthma as well as singulaire and allegra and these drugs seems to be working well for I've not had an asthma attack on my bike for the past two years.

Best of luck to you and keep us posted.

[eclectic]

Cherinyc I am quadupling the suggestion you go to the doctor.

I have had exercised induced asthma since I was a kid but it was controllable

2 summers ago it became constant. I finally went to the allergist last summer because "I WANTED TO RIDE MY BIKE UP HILLS ! ! ! "

Like you I would have trouble breathing (do you wheeze?) I couldn't get enough air in because I couldn't blow enough of the old air out. I could still slow pedal and recover at the top and keep on going.

For a long time I just used the albuterol 1/2 before going out and that took care of everything.

I'm now with makbike and Mary and take a lot more stuff: Advair, clariton, supposed to take Nasonex - hate it and don't see any change AND it's expensive so I don't take it. Went to the doc yesterday and he added Singulair. I think that w/the advair may be the miracle drug of choice, went 25.6 miles today at a pace of 15 mph and talked the whole time

Get to the Doc and have it checked you could have a lot more to lose if you don't

[MomOnBike]

Has anyone mentioned that you should get yourself to a doctor?

[cherinyc]

so....I'm wondering. Do you guys think I should go see a doctor?

JK - I am going to look for one in my insurance network today.

[eclectic]

so....I'm wondering. Do you guys think I should go see a doctor?

JK - I am going to look for one in my insurance network today.

Keep us posted

[cherinyc]

Seriously.....I am not sure what doctor to go to. Someone mentioned to start w/ my GP or internist. I don't really have one that I go to. I have a PPO and usually go straight to the specialist. I don't see Respiratory Doctor on the list of choices.
Can a regular general practitioner help me? or will they just send me to someone else anyway?
There is an option for "Pulmonary Diseases" but that seems extreme.

[mimitabby]

yes, go to your GP! Talk to his nurse asap..
good luck.
Your GP probably has all the equipment he needs to test your breathing.
An Internist would be good too.