Asthma

[Rickshaw Phil]

I think the thing we need to remember, asthmatics and others is that it can and does kill and must be treated seriously.

Indeed. Unfortunately it doesn't get treated as seriously as it should - there is still a view by some people who haven't had direct experience that "it's all in the mind". One such person (teacher at my school) changed their mind pretty quick when they witnessed me having an attack.

it kills approximately 3 people every day in the UK alone.

It has killed me twice now, leaving me being resuscitated. the last time I have no memory of what happened for around 6 hours and to be honest, I don't expect to survive my next major asthma attack, nor do my doctors or my consultant expect me to survive it. that's not a pessimistic view, it is a realistic view.

That is a very sobering thought!

 

[Timotheog]

Really interesting to hear everyone's experiences. My asthma has got bad in the last fortnight since picking up a chest infection. I only got to go for 12 miles on my new bike :-( I do generally find that cycling has really helped my overall fitness (commuting 10 miles a day). And I really enjoy the feeling when I'm ex deciding on my bike as apposed To some other exercises.

 

[Celticdog]

Hi all, I suffer (used to really suffer) from asthma,
some days I'd be so short of breath I couldn't contemplate doing any kind of exercise. However I'm not so bad now.
Cycling is definitely a help, however I'm not pushing myself to the limit in sportives, I cycle to relax and if I'm honest
it's often quality time on my own away from the pressures of work and family.
The secret for me was to acknowledge that I have an illness, I have to 'manage' the illness otherwise the illness
will manage me. Nowadays I rarely use my inhaler, rather than trying to force as much air into your lungs as possible,
concentrate on maintaining your co2 levels, (it's not a waste product, it regulates your oxygen blood levels). When I've
had an asthma attack it's always been from over-breathing. I found the Buteyko method has helped me enormously.
Close Your Mouth- it's not a request it's a book!

 

[jonnysnorocket]

Hi all, I suffer (used to really suffer) from asthma,
some days I'd be so short of breath I couldn't contemplate doing any kind of exercise. However I'm not so bad now.
Cycling is definitely a help, however I'm not pushing myself to the limit in sportives, I cycle to relax and if I'm honest
it's often quality time on my own away from the pressures of work and family.
The secret for me was to acknowledge that I have an illness, I have to 'manage' the illness otherwise the illness
will manage me. Nowadays I rarely use my inhaler, rather than trying to force as much air into your lungs as possible,
concentrate on maintaining your co2 levels, (it's not a waste product, it regulates your oxygen blood levels). When I've
had an asthma attack it's always been from over-breathing. I found the Buteyko method has helped me enormously.
Close Your Mouth- it's not a request it's a book!

me too. The Buteyko method has been a revelation.!!

 

[Jonlil]

One thing that has really helped me was seeing an asthma nurse last year. She advised me to take antihistamines from March to October every year. And it has worked wonders.

 

[Timotheog]

My asthma has been exacerbated (spellcheck?) by a chest infection, which is taking a while to go, so desperate to go out riding, but don't want to make myself worse :-(

 

[ColinJ]

My asthma has been exacerbated (spellcheck?) by a chest infection, which is taking a while to go, so desperate to go out riding, but don't want to make myself worse :-(

Good luck with that.

I'm still not properly recovered from the cold I caught 6 weeks ago, so something is up ...

I may be having lung function tests in the next couple of weeks if blood tests suggest that clotting is not to blame for my shortness of breath. (If clotting, then it will be a CT scan and an increased dosage of Warfarin; if not, then lung function tests and an ultrasound scan of my heart, plus any other tests that the consultant deems necessary.)

 

[madpensioner]

I have a mild form of asthma and use an inhailer morning and night - however i bought a rowing machine for my gym 6 months ago - this has improved my breathing over this period
- I use the rower 3 times a week for between 30 and 45 mins each time - it has most certainly improved my overall performance on the bike.

 

[ushills]

Can I ask you asthmatics a question about asthma?

I have been wondering recently if the lung damage I suffered from DVT/PEs has left me with a mild case of asthma. My breathing has recovered very well from my illness, but I find myself very short of breath now until I have warmed up on a ride. After about 15 minutes of effort, I feel fine and have no further problems while riding.

What worries me most is that I get random bouts of shortness of breath when at rest. I don't think they are clotting related because an embolism is there all the time. When I had my PEs, I was short of breath for weeks, not minutes.

The thing is, I don't experience any wheeziness. One minute my lungs are working fine, the next, I feel as though I have been whisked up to high altitude without an oxygen mask!

As long as I avoid getting into a panic about it, the problem typically goes away after a few minutes.

I was wondering if any of you experience asthma in that way? I had thought that asthma always causes wheezing, but read recently that sometimes it does not.

I am seeing my consultant soon, so I will bring the subject up with him, but would like to know about other people's experiences.

Cheers!

I've never had an asthma attack or suffer from wheezing and this is partly why I wasn't diagnosed until my 30's. Now take steroid inhaler everyday and always a blue inhaler 10mins or so before cycling.

What drew my docs attention to asthma was a persistent cough that a salbutamol inhaler stopped completely.

Prior to using inhalers when cycling the lack of oxygen intake became apparent and this effectively stopped me racing, I also used to faint immediately when stopping and all of these symptoms stopped with inhalers.

Preventing panic is a key point as it is very easy with my type of asthma to think myself into breathing problems, like forgetting to carry my asthma spray like today and cycling into work.

 

[ColinJ]

I've never had an asthma attack or suffer from wheezing and this is partly why I wasn't diagnosed until my 30's. Now take steroid inhaler everyday and always a blue inhaler 10mins or so before cycling.

What drew my docs attention to asthma was a persistent cough that a salbutamol inhaler stopped completely.

Prior to using inhalers when cycling the lack of oxygen intake became apparent and this effectively stopped me racing, I also used to faint immediately when stopping and all of these symptoms stopped with inhalers.

Preventing panic is a key point as it is very easy with my type of asthma to think myself into breathing problems, like forgetting to carry my asthma spray like today and cycling into work.

Interesting ...

I have fainted several times during medical procedures in the past (painful injections, tooth pulling etc.). When I was in hospital once, a nurse taking oxygen saturation readings noticed that I was subconsciously holding my breath due to anxiety about the readings. I was only getting readings in the low 90%s which had been causing concern. When she got me to ignore the meter and concentrate on breathing steadily, my reading went up to the high 90%s!

 

[madpensioner]

Can I ask you asthmatics a question about asthma?

I have been wondering recently if the lung damage I suffered from DVT/PEs has left me with a mild case of asthma. My breathing has recovered very well from my illness, but I find myself very short of breath now until I have warmed up on a ride. After about 15 minutes of effort, I feel fine and have no further problems while riding.

What worries me most is that I get random bouts of shortness of breath when at rest. I don't think they are clotting related because an embolism is there all the time. When I had my PEs, I was short of breath for weeks, not minutes.

The thing is, I don't experience any wheeziness. One minute my lungs are working fine, the next, I feel as though I have been whisked up to high altitude without an oxygen mask!

As long as I avoid getting into a panic about it, the problem typically goes away after a few minutes.

I was wondering if any of you experience asthma in that way? I had thought that asthma always causes wheezing, but read recently that sometimes it does not.

I am seeing my consultant soon, so I will bring the subject up with him, but would like to know about other people's experiences.

Cheers!

I had the same simptoms as you - shortness of breath untill i had done a few miles cycling - and i would some times get a shortness of breath when sat doing nothing - I saw the practice nurse at my surgery she diagnosed asthma within 15 mins - I now take a steroid inhaler when i get up in the morning and prior to going to bed at - i am also prescribed the blue inhaler but i never need it - but i must admit to sometimes using it prior to setting off on a ride even though i dont need it - you could call it cheating.

 

[ColinJ]

I had the same simptoms as you - shortness of breath untill i had done a few miles cycling - and i would some times get a shortness of breath when sat doing nothing - I saw the practice nurse at my surgery she diagnosed asthma within 15 mins - I now take a steroid inhaler when i get up in the morning and prior to going to bed at - i am also prescribed the blue inhaler but i never need it - but i must admit to sometimes using it prior to setting off on a ride even though i dont need it - you could call it cheating.

Sounds like that might be it. I just had test results that tend to rule out fresh clotting. Lung functions and heart tests next ...

 

[albion]

"Lung functions and heart tests next ..."
But if they not vary what use is a 'spot test' ?

My norm has always being that it is hard work just to breath. However a supposed sleep specialist at the hospital told me I did not have Apnea and my 'regular doctor' (not the ad hoc one who wisely referred me for supposed tests) said nonchalantly ' well I can't breath through my nose either'.

It was at the point where I had to sleep at 30 degrees to breath that I spotted the connection between my Apnea and a stronger different version of my Asthma. With lack trust on my Doc or that supposed specialist , I realised that you have to put a lot of thought input yourself. I can now breath through my nose, and any thoughts of whether I will actually survive a nights sleep have gone too.

You sound like you have better people on your case, but added input from yourself might also help move towards solutions/work rounds.

 

[albion]

...i am also prescribed the blue inhaler but i never need it - but i must admit to sometimes using it prior to setting off on a ride even though i dont need it - you could call it cheating...

Maybe best not to overdo it on the blue Salubutamol one so use it wisely.
As a kid, 30 years ago, I was using double the maximum dose in that 2 hours later I needed 2 puffs again.

Likely wrongly, I seldom used the brown Becotide one.

 

[ColinJ]

"Lung functions and heart tests next ..."
But if they not vary what use is a 'spot test' ?

They want to work out if a lung problem is putting strain on my heart, or a heart problem is affecting my breathing, or maybe a bit of both? I think that mild asthma would probably be the 'least bad' problem so I am hoping it is that!

My breathing does vary, and so does my pulse. Both sometimes go wrong for no apparent reason.

I can make the breathing problem appear by exerting myself without a warm-up. I can make the heart problem appear by pushing myself too hard, especially when not warmed up.