Exercise Induced Asthma

[Tangled Metal]

Does anyone get it who has never had asthma before?

I'm only asking because after reading a piece in a cycling magazine about it. The symptoms match what I'm like after my ride to work. About 5 to 10 minutes after stopping I'm coughing my guts up and wheezy. Never had a diagnosis of any form of asthma or even had symptoms before other than exercise makes me cough and generally seems to some people to not do me any good.

I always thought asthma is wheezing, struggling to breathe but never thought my exercise cough could be. I know I've never been very good with the peak flow meter since as a reasonably fit 22 year old I struggled to beat my mum's peak flow meter reading. This all makes me suspect I've got EIA. Do you think it worth bothering my gp about? If anyone with this exercise induced asthma or normal sufferers can answer that or give me any advice/suggestions. BTW I'm in my 40s so isn't that a bit too old to develop asthma? I really don't want to waste the time of a gp over this if it's unlikely to be asthma related.

One thing worries me, I get a difficulty breathing / wheezyness lying on my back sleeping. Wakes me up but I think that's allergies so I take loratadine which eases it. Could this also be asthma? only started in my 40s. Kinda gets me worried.

[NUKe]

Yes Gearoidmuar seems to know about it, perhaps he will be along latter. But to add my bit a friend of mine does maybe worth seeing your doctor, you can use ventolin and have one incase you have a bad attack, but obvioulsy it needs proper medical intervention.

[Tangled Metal]

That small magazine article described what I am like after my commute into work. Only half hour ride but I'm like a 40 a day smoker only worse. Always 5-10 minutes after I stop cycling then half hour later I'm ok. If was like they were writing me up!

Think you're right, need the doctor's input. Annoying as it'll only feel like I'm wasting their time. GPs have this cunning knack to make me feel like a hypochondriac wasting their time. Even when I was struggling with what turned out to be a cartilage tear I felt that. When I die my gravestone will say "told you I was ill!" That was on someone's gravestone I think, was it spike Milligan?

[NUKe]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=72379&p=629146&hilit=Asthma#p629146

I knew geariod had written about it

[Tangled Metal]

I read the whole thread for that one post on it. So many people seemed to be saying they don't get colds. Usual vitamin pill pushers and washing hands. Good post from gearoid though.

Reckon I need a visit to doctor's sometime.

Does asthma create a lot of phlegm with the cough? Does anti-histamines help with it? I take one when it comes on and think it helps. Placebo effect?

[retsofkram]

I was diagnosed with this at 40. Had exactly this when initially running during autumn / start winter months. Went to GP under duress (wife made appointment on my behalf) prescribed two inhalers and use them only before/after exercise in the months I need them. All others times I have no symptoms or need to use them. Also get offered the flu jab annually now but don't consider myself to be one of the vulnerable people that needs it, so leave it to those that do.

[OldBloke]

One of my kid's asthma first revealed itself as coughing. I'd recommend you get a medical diagnosis. A preventer puffer used regularly during seasons that trouble you may be the best treatment, with keeping ventalin type puffers for when you have a bad attack. Ask your doctor, and don't hesitate to get a second opinion if you're not confident with the first doctor's diagnosis or prescription.

If I'm wrong blame Tapatalk.

[Tangled Metal]

Well I'm going to have to see the gp then. Apart from anything else my partner's giving me a bit of earache over seeing the doctor about it. She had asthma when young and got it back again this year after 20 plus years without symptoms.

Doubt EIA will be a problem for awhile as I've got an operation that'll keep me off the bike for some time.

Anyone know if asthma is allergy related? I've felt better after taking loratadine antihistamines. Got wheezy thing now with a cold, struggling to breathe despite not being blocked up.

[Tangled Metal]

Got diagnosed with allergy based asthma. Because I've got it when I've not been.cycling or exercising it's not EIA. Inhaler and antihistamines. Both seem to work and now my cold is bearable again. Like a breath of fresh air seconds after my inhaler.

Makes me wonder how long I've been struggling with this? I've only noticed it past year, big change easily noticed happened this year. Always had allergic reactions sometimes left me in a bad way. Anyone know whether asthma is something you develop or is it something you've always had just not noticed because it's at a lower level until it develops and is the noticed and diagnosed?

[Tangled Metal]

P.S. anyone know about cycling pollution masks? Any good?

[Florida boy]

I'm coming in late on this, but I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 4, growing up in Somerset, and I'll be 75 tomorrow. For 16 years of my youth I suffered from severe bronchial asthma and many times was unable to get upstairs or even out of a chair without assistance because the attacks were so bad. My parents were reluctant to bother the doctor and when she did eventually come to visit, the cat (one of 3 in the house) was on my bed as I lay gasping for air. The doc told my mother to leave it where it was. Several years later, I discovered the cause of my frequent attacks was an acute cat allergy. Even today, although my asthma is very low level, my lung function is only about 70% of what it should be due to damage in my youth and the cat allergy is still very much present, so I steer clear of them. Incidentally, my dad developed asthma when he was 35. I could not play any sport at school because I could hardly breath, but I did take up cycling at age 14 and never looked back. Nowadays modern medicine means that in most cases asthma can be very well controlled. Here in Florida, I've never felt better (apart from a few age-related minor aches and pains, oh, and prostate cancer treatment with external radiation and brachytherapy, which is inconvenient, but no big deal ), and still ride about 100 miles per week, 75 of them on our tandem.
My advice is never be fearful of bothering your doctor if you think something's not feeling right. That's what they are paid for!!

[Vorpal]

Makes me wonder how long I've been struggling with this? I've only noticed it past year, big change easily noticed happened this year. Always had allergic reactions sometimes left me in a bad way. Anyone know whether asthma is something you develop or is it something you've always had just not noticed because it's at a lower level until it develops and is the noticed and diagnosed?

Asthma is something that people can develop. I have several family members with asthma, including my father who developed it late in life. Pollution and other environmental influences can make a big difference in people's asthma. I don't know if they can affect the development, but they certainly affect the symptoms.

[Mick F]

With me, it's stress.
I often need a quick puff of Ventolin before cycling. I get stressed about all sorts of inconsequential things. Always have done, and asthma is one of the symptoms.

[Ross K]

I developed EIA at around 40 something. I'm a fit 52 now, the EIA has been no hindrance at all. I ride regularly, often at a high pace (for me!), race in club TTs and do long hilly Sportives.

The only time I get wheezy is if I forget my couple of puffs of Ventolin before I set off. Even on a big hard ride (like the Fred Whitton) I'm fine after a puff or two of the blue thing. Just get a prescription and don't worry about it.

All the best.

[Tangled Metal]

I don't think the diagnosis was right. I can see how I have asthma at other times, usually when a dust related allergic reaction is strong. However not due to.exercise. My reason why I went to the doctor in the first place was partly because of the tightness in my breathing especially at night after the bedroom has been vacuumed. The main reason though was because of my coughing fits at times. These attacks are when I go into an environment that's of a different temperature than what I've been in, whether hot to cold or vice versa, or after exercise. Also getting out of bed always leads to a coughing fit. It's got to a head that my work colleagues are getting annoyed and are telling me to get checked out and sorted out.

My personally view, after reading about it in a cycling magazine, is that it's exercise induced bronchospasm. However the ventolin is working when the tightness is there. It kind of reduces the coughing too.