UKC

Has anyone got any personal experience with exercise induced asthma?

I have been experiencing wheeziness after races for a couple of years, but more recently my breathing has felt restricted during races with quite obvious wheezing, I felt like I was running on half a lung at the Calderdale Relay today.

I am going to go and see the Dr this week, but would welcome others experience

In reply to The New NickB: have you recently got a new pet? one of my friends got a dog and it caused him to get bad asthma when he exercised.. he didn't even know he was allergic.

In reply to adamki:

Not a new pet, I have had a dog for years.

In reply to The New NickB: The key part is make sure you warm up properly before you start, including deep breathing while you do. Depending on the sport, I sometimes wear a buff over my mouth so I'm only breathing in warm air which helps. Also, look at exercises like "powerbreath" (google it) which help improve your lung's strength. I've got asthma myself and these things seem to have helped me, especially in running & cycling.

In reply to The New NickB: I have the same thing and mine is brought on seasonally from different pollen hard to pin down which one. I take anti histamine which helps lots and I recommend a book called close your mouth which is very informative and gives excercises which really worked.

In reply to The New NickB: I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma in 2007. Would feel really breathless out of all proportion to the effort I was putting in. Easily diagnosed by doctor - there are some very simple breathing tests conducted by a nurse which determined it. Very easily controlled by using a brown inhaler which prevents the onset. Also got a blue inhaler which I can take if I do have an asthma attack. Because it's well controlled by the brown inhaler (the preventer) I only need to use the blue inhaler on the odd occasion I've picked up a cold or a bug of some sort. Never need the blue inhaler on a day to day basis.

Hasn't interfered with my exercising at all.

Carry a blue inhaler in the bottom of my rucsac/mini saddlebag on road bike just in case I get an attack. Can't recall when I last used them.

In reply to Jim Braid: My asthma is pollenish, so might work a bit differently. First, I moved to Scotland where there is no Summer. Secondly, I use a brown inhaler, which manages things superbly. Lastly, if things are very bad, I warm up without drugs until the wheeze starts, then use the blue inhaler. That normally controls it. Funnily enough, if I take the stuff mid exercise, the wheeze never properly goes away.

I also have a blue inhaler in every rucksack I use!

In reply to The New NickB:

I have severe exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and I'm currently assisting a PHD student on his research on the matter (he posted on here a while back looking for volunteer for his trials). I had my first 'test' at Nottingham Trent University two weeks ago I'm back there this week. He'd not seen a case like mine before!

My EIB is linked to pollen levels and at thus time of year I suffer more than any other time. I'd be surprised if this didn't have something to do with your recent symptoms given the time of year/increase in pollen count.

EIB is diagnosed when the person experiences at least 10% reduction in forced expiratory volume. I saw a 38% reduction two weeks ago. I anticipate it to be worse this week if the weather is good.