Asthma anyone?

[saretta]

So, I have recently developed asthma because of allergies. This has put a cramp in my running, not so much because of the actual breathing, but because my asthma is allergy based and running outdoors makes me breathe all my allergens in a lot more deeply, so I just avoid the whole thing in spring and fall anyway.

My question is whether any of you have asthma and how you handle working out with weights. On a day like today, when my brain is not even functioning all that well cause I'm huffing and puffing to get a breath...should I skip the workout? Or would a workout do me good? Working out is something I love, so it always puts me in a better mood. But since I'm new to the asthma thing I'm not sure how to handle exercise.

Anyone have experience with this?

[Rosie]

I have asthma but it doesn't stop me working out at all (my asthma is usually triggered by exercise but sometimes can be dust, cold weather or getting ill). Have your doctors prescribed any kind of preventative/control medication? Mine is Seretide but some people might have something different. Basically you take it day and night and it should keep you wheeze free throughout the day.

[saretta]

Yeah, I take an inhalation medicine (called Foster) morning and night and an antihistamine every night. It has been really windy here for the past week and I think that's exacerbating the situation. Wind + Spring = lots of pollen shoved up my nose, I guess.

I always workout all year round, but have been having more trouble breathing the past couple of days. I teach and yesterday I was making no sense at all during my lessons, like I wasn't getting enough oxygen to the brain!

I guess my Q is whether I should workout when I am having difficulty breathing, or give it a rest for a couple of days.

[Bean]

I have had asthma my whole life. When it gets really bad, you need to take time off and let the body recover. The best thing you can do long-term is to strengthen your core. One of the best exercises for asthma is swimming because it forces you to control your breathing ... water in the lungs doesn't work too well. You can definitely lift weights, but if you are struggling to breathe that may not be smart since the added stress of the weights on your oxygen-deficient muscles may just make you pass out.

I used to do gymnastics and when I had an asthma attack, I took my asthma meds and was able to train again after about 20 minutes. This is a short-acting steroid medicine (I used Ventolin) which clears the chest up. Should not be used too often though. I found it got better as my core and chest strength improved.

The good news is that medicine is so advanced in respect of asthma now that there is absolutely no reason for you to have anything other than a completely normal life. If you struggle repeatedly, ask your doctor to try a different therapy.

[saretta]

Thanks Bean, that's all good to hear. I do have Ventolin, I keep it in my bag for emergencies and have used it the past couple of days. What you say about not lifting weights when I am feeling this way is, of course, clearly true. I just hate to accept it because I live for my workouts!

I used to swim a lot but kinda hate cholorine now. I will definitely work on it this summer in the sea. And the info on my core is useful, too. Thanks so much!

[Maggie May]

I don't have asthma, but my husband does, so I'll throw in (his) two cents here:

He's had asthma forever. Since being a kid. He was overweight, making the whole thing worse (trying to exercise while overweight + really bad asthma...) He took meds all those years, and in college started to exercise. He basically has said that slowly progressing time + intensity of workouts made his asthma decline. (He started with like 10 minutes of exercise at a time until he could do more without an attack.)

Anyway right now he's at the point where he can just take the inhaler 2x a day (no oral meds anymore!) and exercise however he wants. So maybe talk to your doc about getting on some meds that will help and you can try to wean off after you think you're at a better point.

[saretta]

Yeah, I will be going to the lung doctor soon. But, I really hope it's just the past few windy days causing me troubles because I would really rather not take and MORE meds. Fingers crossed!

[Robzilla1983]

Another asthma victim here. Can't say it actually bothers me that much. I do Advair twice daily. I have Ventolin as well, though I've been trying to ween off it. For the last few years I would only take it the odd time I had a cold and it made me wheezy. I've spent the last year trying not to take it though, and in the end I think I only caved the once.

The asthma itself only bothered me once in the last, like 16 years. I did a mud run thing in the fall, basically an obstacle course with mud. It kicked the crap out of me. My breathing was tough for a few days after, so I took it easy and just didn't do a thing. One morning in a meeting at work it magically got better though. It was weird. Walking to that meeting had me winded, but walking up hill afterwards felt like nothing.

So, I guess, my advice is to take it easy

FYI, I do crossfit now. There's some days where my breathing gets so heavy that my lungs hurt. Usually that's after the workout. I normally would spend a few minutes walking it off. During some of the workouts I'll take a little more rest in between sets, but it's usually not much more than a few seconds to take a couple of deep breaths. I like to think I'm improving my lung capacity by kicking the crap out of them everynight.

[jswbach]

I developed asthma about 5 years ago, after repeated exposure to dust and cat dander. Now I'm allergic to about 12 different kids of tree pollen, too, and I live in the Evergreen State :-/ It took about 3 years to find the right cocktail of medications, working with my doctor, but now I have it totally under control and it's changed my life! I take Pulmicort as my controller med 2X a day, use Albuterol as my rescue inhaler, and use an Rx nasal spray in the evenings, plus a daily 24-hour antihistamine.

I got control of my home environment, too. No more cats for me, and I keep the house dust-free, fume-free, and use allergy barriers on my bedding.

My doc advised me that the benefits of exercising and losing weight outweigh the risk of asthma attack for me, at least right now. So she said to use my Albuterol before starting exercising, to open up and relax the lungs. It works! I can finish any workout without wheezing now. Hopefully that helps, or at least gives you something to discuss with your doctor :-)

[jswbach]

One more thing to consider, since outdoor allergens are a problem for you: nasal irrigation. A lot of people cringe at the idea, but if you can get used to using a neti pot or the squeeze bottle (that's what I use) and some saline to rinse out your sinuses once or twice a day during pollen season, it may help you.

[morri]

So she said to use my Albuterol before starting exercising, to open up and relax the lungs. It works! I can finish any workout without wheezing now. Hopefully that helps, or at least gives you something to discuss with your doctor :-)

That's exactly what my doctor told me, too.

If you're generally feeling wheezy, I'd probably skip the workout. If you always get wheezy because of the workout, I'd ask about taking some Ventolin/albuterol a few minutes before you start. Also, you might want to go to your lung doctor sooner than later: mine always gets mad at me when I need albuterol several times in a week and don't come in for a med adjustment.

[UncleTone]

I asked my doc for something for my asthma because it interfered with working out. She prescribed me an inhaler of Ventolin, and told me to use it a few minutes before working out to prevent inflammation, it works pretty well.

[Rosie]

So she said to use my Albuterol before starting exercising, to open up and relax the lungs. It works! I can finish any workout without wheezing now. Hopefully that helps, or at least gives you something to discuss with your doctor :-)

Thats what I do too! Right now I use 1 dose of Seretide morning and night and also a puff about half an hour before a work out. Keeps me pretty much wheeze free all day! I also adjust my dosage if I feel like I'm getting a cold or if I've been feeling particularly wheezy for any reason. When I told my doctor that she practically hugged me! She said she wished more people realised you can just adjust your dosage slightly depending on how you've been breathing!

[thatgirljj]

When outdoor allergies are really bothering me (like say now) I keep to indoor exercise. Weightlifting in the gym is fine... I use my inhaler immediately before exercise just as I would otherwise and have no problems.

-jj

[So Late So Soon]

I've had pretty bad asthma my whole life but it hasn't ever stopped me from working out. Every now and then I will get a pretty bad Asthma flair that will keep me from going as intensely as I may want. The best advice I can give is that if you feel like you are going to have a bad day Asthma wise plan your workout to be a bit less intensive and maybe bring your emergency inhaler just in case, there have been a few times at the gym that my inhaler has let me finish my workout that if I didn't have it I would have had to stop otherwise.

[saretta]

One more thing to consider, since outdoor allergens are a problem for you: nasal irrigation. A lot of people cringe at the idea, but if you can get used to using a neti pot or the squeeze bottle (that's what I use) and some saline to rinse out your sinuses once or twice a day during pollen season, it may help you.

Hey, thank you so much for reminding me about the nasal irrigation. I used to do it all the time, but haven't for a while. I will start that and see if it helps.

[saretta]

Thats what I do too! Right now I use 1 dose of Seretide morning and night and also a puff about half an hour before a work out. Keeps me pretty much wheeze free all day! I also adjust my dosage if I feel like I'm getting a cold or if I've been feeling particularly wheezy for any reason. When I told my doctor that she practically hugged me! She said she wished more people realised you can just adjust your dosage slightly depending on how you've been breathing!

Can I ask you what kind of med Seretide is? Is it an inhaler or pills? I take an inhaler morning and night from September to June as well as an oral anithistimine. I have Ventolin in my bag for emergencies. I wouldn't know how to "adjust" my dosage, beyond taking or not taking the Ventolin.

[saretta]

Thanks so much to everyone for your comments and suggestions. I do not feel all alone with my asthma anymore!

[Rosie]

Can I ask you what kind of med Seretide is? Is it an inhaler or pills? I take an inhaler morning and night from September to June as well as an oral anithistimine. I have Ventolin in my bag for emergencies. I wouldn't know how to "adjust" my dosage, beyond taking or not taking the Ventolin.

Its a control inhaler that I take, usually 1 puff in the morning and 1 at night but if I'm feeling like a cold is coming on or the weather is affecting me breathing, I take 2 puffs in the morning and 2 puffs at night instead. Once I feel its getting back to normal I switch back to 1 dose. Its made an absolutely huge difference to my life and I can get on with pretty much all my daily activities without a problem. My doctors are soon switching me to one called Fostair which has the same medication inside it as the Seretide but the particle are much much smaller so when you take a breath it can get right down into your lungs and do its work so I'm looking forward to trying that one out soon too

[Bean]

Seretide (and its generic Foxair) are so-called long-acting medicines and hence they are taken twice a day. They also have a cumulative effect and that is why they are taken every day and not just when you have symptoms. I don't know all the clinical details on it, but since my eldest son started using it, he has not had a signle asthma attack (three years now). (Wish they had this when I was younger.)

You don't adjust a dosage of Ventolin - you take it as prescribed. Seretide however comes in various strengths and you would normally have a so-called maintenance dose. As Rosie says, she ups it seasonally, which is the same as my son.

Seretide is a powder based inhaler - really easy to use.

There are also tablets - Singulair comes to mind - which can be used instead of an inhaler, but I like the idea of putting the medicine directly into the lungs where it is supposed to do its work.

[saretta]

OK, thanks for that info. I am already taking Foster (which may be the same as Fostair) morning and night. I had never considered taking two puffs instead of one. I will ask my doctor. I really appreciate this conversation so much, thanks again! :-)

[shinigamiPUNCH]

I have really bad allergies and I've also had asthma for my whole life. For a while I was taking Singulair, Zyrtec (twice a day), Flonase, Pataday (twice a day), weekly allergy shots, and Benadryl as needed (now I am not taking all that stuff). I also had an albuterol inhaler for emergencies. AND neither allergies nor asthma was well controlled plus I felt exhausted all the time from the meds (well I didn't really have an asthma doctor because I was always told I was "making it up"). I've had some success being two years into the allergy shots (less allergic to things but I still can't work out outside nearly as hard as I can in a well ventilated clean indoor facility). One of the biggest things for me has been learning to take it easy on myself. I know that windy days aren't going to be a good thing for me, so I try to find indoor exercise that works for me. I did Crossfit for the first time in my life and didn't need an inhaler - I don't know why.

I've also noticed if you bring up to your doctor you're still not doing well, they will tell you to take extra meds. That how I ended up taking two Zyrtec instead of one and how I learned you can take albuterol BEFORe you workout to prevent an attack. Sometimes it helps.

Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you. Having asthma and allergies really suck!!

[saretta]

Yeah, shinigamiPUNCH, it does suck. I am feeling better today. There was some really nasty wind over the past few days here, but it has died down. Hoping the crisis is past. I'd rather avoid upping the meds. I hate meds and I'm not all that crazy about going to the doctor either.

[shinigamiPUNCH]

Yeah same here. It's all so very expensive and who knows what kind of side effects you will have. Glad today is better!

[AuroraNorth]

I have asthma and thought I'd always need medication, but my doctor had me start tapering off about two years ago and I've been completely off preventatives for over a year now. I have a rescue inhaler for emergencies and that's it. It's a lovely feeling- also, not forking out the money for meds? Makes me happy.