??? for those with asthma

[LoriO]

Thank you all so much! I will be calling the DR back and see if I can get an inhaler for next time this happens. I've never had this happen before until last year and it only seems to occur when I am really pushing to get up a hill.

BTW, I really like the pinched off straw analogy, really good description of how it felt.

It is really scary when you can't breath!!!

[makbike]

It is scary, LoriO. The best thing you can do is stay calm and breath. I'm not sure which is worse, that attack for the breathing treatments you must take during an attack.

[LoriO]

It is scary, LoriO. The best thing you can do is stay calm and breath. I'm not sure which is worse, that attack for the breathing treatments you must take during an attack.

That is exactly what I've done, just stop and breath until things ease up again. My years of working EMS and being a 911 dispatcher have come in handy at least for something I am very good at staying calm in an emergency situation.

Seriously, thanks again to all of you. i will be calling the DR tomorrow to try and get an appointment scheduled.

You know what, I have another question. For those of you with Excersize induced asthma. Do you just not do anything until you find you are having an episode and then use an inhaler or do you use the inhaler before you ride/workout to prevent it? Just curious.

[kelownagirl]

You know what, I have another question. For those of you with Excersize induced asthma. Do you just not do anything until you find you are having an episode and then use an inhaler or do you use the inhaler before you ride/workout to prevent it? Just curious.

When it was a problem, I took 1-2 puffs before I rode. Later, only if it was going to be hilly, then only if it was cool or damp. Now I rarely use my inhaler before I ride but I carry it with me if it;s cool or damp out in case I have trouble. Oh, and I use it if I'm racing (or practicing racing).

[Blueberry]

When the weather is likely to trigger mine, my doc really wants me using it before I ride....about 30 minutes before. Cold weather is much worse for me.

CA

[bmccasland]

Another EIA rider here....

I take Flovent 220 mg 2x per day and Seravent before I ride - I believe that Advair is a combo of those two meds. For the most part I don't have breathing troubles if I'm a couch potato - although temporarily the post-Katrina New Orleans air quality changed that, but the air quality has improved. Just no smoke filled bars for me

High humidity or really cold air does seem to cause more problems. And high humidity in these parts is pretty difficult to avoid. Seems no rhyme or reason to whether or not I can tolerate the humidity from day to day, which drives me bonkers. Yesterday was not a good day, my lungs hated me. Bronchial passages still hurt. No one told me how much having an asthma attack would hurt for hours afterwards!

Your doc can request a stress test in a lab - they put you on a stationary bike, and ride you into an asthma attack. The lab tech where I had the peak flow test told me about it, she was questioning why I wasn't having that particular test instead of the quick peak flow. She did say she's had cyclists bring in their own bikes - not sure if they had the trainer or you need to bring that too. Anyway, you might ask your doc to set you up for the test, and then check with the lab about the bike - or do they do the testing on a treadmill? (running would drive me to an attack sooner)

Good luck!

[LoriO]

When I had the first attack last year my regular Dr sent me to do a regular stress and then the pulmary DR did all sorts of breathing tests, lung capacity,etc. EVerything was normal.

bmccasland. I hear on the no rhyme or reason. I rode the other day when it was really humid here and I was fine. Then when the attack happened the other day it was hot out but nice and dry. The only thing I can think of is that I was takeing it easier on the humid days and since it was dry out the other day I was pushing myself a little harder.

Tried to call the Dr today but his office didn't open until 1PM. Must be nice!!!

[teigyr]

LoriO, I test normal but have been diagnosed with exercise induced asthma. For a while my doctor (primary care though she specialized in pulmonary medicine) would send me home with a ton of inhalers. I didn't like the way one made me feel (jittery) and never took the steroid one after reading the insert.

With me, I generally know what will set me off. If I'm not in shape and go out too hard (esp on a hill or something) and lose my breathe, it's gone. Same goes for swimming. Maybe I tend to take it easy too much but I haven't had problems in a long time. Smoky places, even the day after I've been there, will give me problems so I avoid them.

I take an allergy medication and also take benadryl if I'm feeling itchy or generally like there's something going on. Being overtired will increase allergies or reacting to the environment in some negative way.

Strange thing is sometimes baked goods or junior mints will do the same thing to me. Maybe it is the presence of a strong flavor? Also, oddly enough, sodas from a fountain (not a can or bottle) do the same thing.

It feels like there's a tickle in my throat that is so overwhelming my throat closes up. There are also times that it isn't THAT bad but I'll start coughing and coughing and all sorts of stuff comes out of my lungs.

I've also been told I'm allergic to cats. We have five of them Wouldn't give them up for anything.

I guess maybe have an inhaler "just in case". I've been ok with just relaxing and riding through the episode but I have wondered what would happen if it didn't get better. I haven't had an inhaler for years because I never used it.

I hope to hear how your doctors visit goes once he's back in the office

[RoadRaven]

Search for and check out the "pursuiters cough" threads and asthma/exercise induced asthma threads. There have been a few of them over the last couple of years.

I am a road racer get exercise induced asthma after a particularly hard time trial (a race discipline). Sometimes I have trouble breathing 'normally' for up to half ann hour after race end, and often have a dry cough for anything between 1-3 days after. i use no medication for this.

I do get asthma ocassionally also - particularly in summer during hayfever season. I also was given an inhaler to help my bronchials with a 4 week winter flu I have been battling.

[NbyNW]

You may also want to keep track of what kind of pollen is really active when you are having these symptoms. There are a lot of websites for that, and you can also link to pollen count trackers through weather forecast websites.

You might notice a pattern where you have a sensitivity to a particular type of pollen -- in my case, trees or ragweed. Those are days when I will either take it easy or stay indoors if I must work out -- go to the gym or the pool. Generally I feel pretty crappy when those allergens are plentiful, so I usually just stay inside and try not to push too much.

[skingsbury]

I also have asthma and high humidity seems to bother me more than anything else. I also have allergies and in the Spring and Fall I'm bothered, but high humidity has been bothering me all summer. I walk outside and feel like my lungs just close up. I can't breathe..... I haven't been able to ride outside much this summer because of the high humidity (Northeast). I'm hoping for a huge thunderstorm to bring in some low humidity. Does humidity bother anyone else out there?

[Pedal Wench]

I had a doctor who was of the opinion that untreated asthma contributed to emphasyma late in life. So, even though mine is exercise-induced, I take qvar every day.

That is exactly what I've done, just stop and breath until things ease up again. My years of working EMS and being a 911 dispatcher have come in handy at least for something I am very good at staying calm in an emergency situation.

Seriously, thanks again to all of you. i will be calling the DR tomorrow to try and get an appointment scheduled.

You know what, I have another question. For those of you with Excersize induced asthma. Do you just not do anything until you find you are having an episode and then use an inhaler or do you use the inhaler before you ride/workout to prevent it? Just curious.

[Cyclo Kitty]

Triggers are important to identify and can be subtle. My doctor is iffy on whether or not I have asthma, but you can not wheeze and have it. I cough, and it's mostly EIA, but in cold, damp weather, laughing hard can set off an attack, as can anxiety.

Yoga can be helpful for managing asthma (good for breathing and your core). My doctor recommended yoga, but also gave me symbicort to use daily (as needed) for maintenance, albuterol for attacks.

Our pediatrician says that once you have a diagnosis, if you are using your albuterol inhaler 2X a day or 2X a week call your MD. Managed asthma means only occasional albuterol use. Something to bear in mind while you get it under control.

One thing about people who ride a lot & peak flow meter standards: if they're doing a standard battery of tests, they use a range based on your age and height to determine "normal" peak flow. Thing is, if you're fit, it should be more than average (can be way more), so what feels awful to you could be just barely below normal. A savvy PA caught that, and that's how I finally was able to breathe again on the bike.

Good luck--not being able to breathe is awful!

[makbike]

Good Point CycloKitty! My normal peak flow is 350 according to my doctor. I typically blow a 450 - 500. When my peak flow drops to 350 or lower I know my lungs are closing down and it is time to take action.