EI Asthma and cold weather riding

[eclectic]

Run it Ride it had a very good point. Start out slow and let yourself and your lungs get used to the air.

I am currently taking Advair 500 2x daily, singulair 1x daily and albuterol as needed. Clariton during allergy season. Luckily I have never had an attack serious enough to go to the hospital or doctor.

I haven't run or ridden my bike in the cold but I have x-country and downhill skied in -0 degree farenheit weather. AND shovelled plenty of snow
The same thing happens to me, I get clogged up, cough and cough, clear it out and then usually do fine. or cough all the way up the chair lift and breathe fine skiing down.

I pretty much always wear a face mask over my mouth and nose.

good luck and hope you can work out a solution

[Duck on Wheels]

There are also "masks" you can wear that help you pre-warm the air you're breathing in. Lots of winter sports folks use them since not only does cold air worsen EI asthma, it can also cause it. Cross-country skiers (purportedly _the_ most aerobic form of exercize, with swimming and biking right up there alongside) sometimes develop EI asthma after years of breathing in bucketsfull of very cold air. On the other hand, my son who had EI asthma his first couple seasons as a cross-country skier trained his way out of it. As his lung capacity increased, his need for medication decreased and finally disappeared. My 2c worth: Have medication available and use as needed; remember to warm up; try also a light mouth-mask so you get warmer, damper air in your lungs; train indoors on the coldest days; but don't give up training in the winter.