What do you do about the runny nose?

[Veronica]

It's usually poor Bubba who's behind me - and I give warning - and wait until the person behind me says okay.

V.

[Trek420]

oops, so THAT'S what you mean when you yell "clear" at the intersection

[SadieKate]

oops, so THAT'S what you mean when you yell "clear" at the intersection

No, no, no. It's "Thar she blows!" at the top of your lungs.

[wabisabi]

One of the regulars in my riding group uses ipratroprium bromide and suggested I get a prescription for it, because my nose runs so much. I asked the nurse practitioner at my doc's about it, she looked it up, and said that it was actually a fairly serious medication for asthma and I should think about whether I really wanted something like that. I really don't want to fool around with potentially unintended consequences, so like others here, I have learned to embrace my runny nose and to blow a mean snot rocket!

[Lise]

weeeelllll, I just looked up ipratropium bromide (I'm an advanced-practice nurse myself, a nurse-midwife, so I _do_ have these drug references lying around the house)--it turns out that iprtropium bromide IS Atrovent, the med that Pedal Wench referred to. It's listed in the Nurse Practitioner's Prescribing Reference as a medication for "intranasal rhinorrhea". Which literally means "runny nose".

Therefore, I guess I'm back to square one! The ipratropium spray does help, it's not perfect, but it's better than anything else I've found so far. Thanks to every body for the input. Lise

[CorsairMac]

well and Sudafed is a decongestent which is designed to make your nose run. Have you tried using the products After you exercise instead of before?

I can't/don't use Any nasal inhalers anymore coz they made my nose run so bad And created post-nasal drip which then aggravated my cough which then caused croup blah blah blah you get the pix. Now I use Benedryl if my nose is too runny, and yes I - the holdout for almost a year on snot rockets - finally broke down and learned to fire them off like a NASA engineer!


Oh...and welcome to the board! If you get a chance there's a thread under the open titled "getting to know you". Gives you a chance to meet us and tell us some more about you!!

[Melissa36]

Just discovered this board and have enjoyed reading all the posts. I struggle with this issue biking, running and skiing(that's the most fun!). I do carry a hankerchief. Just a small one that I tuck in my shorts when I am running or riding. I change it at each transition during a triathlon. Gotta love bike gloves too! Good luck!

[Lise]

Oh...and welcome to the board! If you get a chance there's a thread under the open titled "getting to know you". Gives you a chance to meet us and tell us some more about you!!

Thanks for letting me know! I'll scoot on over there now.

Lise

[RoadRaven]

well and Sudafed is a decongestent which is designed to make your nose run. Have you tried using the products After you exercise instead of before?

Really? I thought it was sudafed I have used over here to dry up my nose when I get hayfever...

[KSH]

First off... WOW! Look at you... it sounds like you have really turned your life and fitness around! Way to go!

So, the title of my post--the runny nose. It's awful. During the marathon, I rubbed my nose raw wiping it. I use a nasal spray (Ipratroprium bromide) and Sudafed. I put lanolin under my nose. I don't know what else to do. I try to carry tissues with lotion, which is better than wiping it on my sleeve. Any suggestions? It gets really painful.

Uuummmm... I know that Afrin really dries my nose up. But, I only use that when I have to sleep and my nose is stuffed up.

I too get a horrible runny nose in any short of wind! My first duathlon... let's just say my clothes were really gross by the end of it.

Now, as far as rubbing it raw... I always put vasiline (? spelling) on my nose at night during the winter... it heals the skin up real nice and then I ready to "blow" again the next day!

Best of luck... and just WOW on all that you have accomplished!

[Lise]

First off... WOW! Look at you... it sounds like you have really turned your life and fitness around! Way to go!

Thanks! It's true! Every now and again I pause (usually when thinking something like Lise! Can't you run any farther/faster than that? You quitter! Ahem. I pause and think of how my life has been transformed in the past four years since I watched my first triathlon. Of all the action I have taken to become an athlete. When I was training for my first triathlon, I couldn't run more than a block. I would think, "I wish I could be a runner." This morning, as I ran 4.8 miles, I remembered that, and thought, "I am a runner now."

I'm a fan of fantasy and sci-fi, so I think of it in terms of that--like finding the wardrobe that opens into Narnia, or waking up in The Land and realizing you are healthy, when you were a leper in your own land (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant).

Best wishes, Lise

[Pedal Wench]

I have the same problems and I tried a few things. Astelin was the first thing my doc prescribed. It works, but it wasn't great. I've now been using an asthma medicine that comes in a nasal spray, just for this use. Of course, now I can't remember if it's albuterol or atrovent, but it's one of those, and it works very well. I still get a few drips, but nothing like I used to get.

Every New Years, I go hiking out west in conjunction with a convention in early January. Every year, without fail, I would have a dry, peeling, disgusting nose at the convention after the drippy, wipey, runny nose while hiking. I hope for the first time this year, armed with this new spray, I'll finally meet my collegues looking like a normal person!

[Lise]

Thanks for the tip. I'll ask my doc. You're right, that's the other side of the drippy nose--when it's red and flaking off the skin that died from the acid snot dripping on it. Groooossss! And so very professional looking. Not to mention the constant sniffing. Have you tried Ipratropium bromide 0.03% nasal spray? It's pretty good, and inexpensive. By prescription only. But still, the farther I run or bike, the worse the slow, steady drip becomes. I have used various creams and balms under my nose as soon as I stop exercising, in an attempt to limit the damage. The lotion kleenex seem to make a difference, too.

It's 35 degrees in Chicago right now (10AM)--It was 55 yesterday morning. I'm heading out for a run. We shall see! I'm learning about running when it's cold, how to dress enough for the beginning, but not too much for the end. No matter how cold, I usually end up dripping sweat anyway. Hmmm, dripping seems to be a theme in my athletic life!

Lise