Asthma and cycling

[Hitchington]

(Tree pollen + pollution) x asthma = not a great time of year. Thank fark for cetirizine hydrochloride and salbutomal.

Asthma I (Walter Dahn 1982)

 

[jefmcg]

With everyone else: go to your doctor. Asthma can almost always be controlled, you just need to the medication right.

Note you say "suspected". From your description, it is almost certainly asthma, but if it's not, then you need to have the cause investigated. There are many potentially serious conditions that have a nagging cough as a symptom, and indeed poorly controlled asthma can be fatal. So see your doctor.

 

[accountantpete]

It's a bit difficult at first but try breathing through your nose - you may find it helps regulate your breathing and might lessen the irritation felt by the lungs.

I read somewhere that Pro's can usually tell when someone is on drugs as they are still breathing through their nose on the steep uphill sections

 

[rob01792]

@Welsh wheels I have asthma and have since a kid I find I have to do about 10 easy miles flattish before any hills also if I get a cold it affects my chest for about 2 weeks plus in the cold air I always where a buff over my mouth and nose

 

[Adamskirover]

I also suffer with asthma and as per previous posters my routine consists of a daily antihistamine with 2 blasts on my ventolin inhaler prior to a ride. I also find that I need to 'warm up' my lungs for a few miles before I can tackle any hills. This routine gets me through the actual cycling but I also always then develop an annoying cough once I finish the ride.

 

[derrick]

My wife was diagnosed with sports induced asthma a couple of weeks back, since then she had done a few 50 mile rides and one 100 mile ride.She normally has a couple of puffs before each ride, on the longer ride she took an extra puff at about 70 miles in. It has totally changed the way she rides.
She does say now that she feels that she is suffering from hay fever more than what she used to. Not sure about that though.

 

[User16625]

I also suffer with asthma and as per previous posters my routine consists of a daily antihistamine with 2 blasts on my ventolin inhaler prior to a ride. I also find that I need to 'warm up' my lungs for a few miles before I can tackle any hills. This routine gets me through the actual cycling but I also always then develop an annoying cough once I finish the ride.

On the contrary, I seem to get more out of breath maintaining a decent pace on flattish terrain than I do on the hills. Just done a hilly ride and was breathless after a mile or 2 on the flattish bit at the start of my ride. I was pushing a bit tho, however I did feel less fit than I ought to be. Hills are fine as I weigh less than 60kg and I just plod along in the easiest gear. Ironically I puff myself out coming down them in an attempt to get the highest numbers on my speedo.