Gargle-like heavy breathing

[RCITGuy]

Hi Folks

So have been doing some reading here and searching but cant seem to find anything about this and wanted to find out if anybody else experiences a gargling like sensation when riding hard for a sustained length of time?

I notice this on long climbs, where breathing becomes heavy and I feel like I am working fairly hard, I feel a garglig sensation in the back of the mouth when trying to breathe.

Not sure how relevant it is but I was a mild smoker for 20yrs, quitting only in Dec 2013, a month prior to getting my road bike, yet even now, over 18 months later I still get this when putting in a sustained heavy effort on a climb.

Is this normal?
Could it be a sign that I'm working far too hard?

Thanks
Rich

 

[screenman]

Possibly it is nothing to worry about but a visit to a doctor may be an idea, not sure how many qualified medics on here. You could ask for a lung capacity test for starters.

 

[sight-pin]

I agree with @screenman You could be pushing up mucus from the lungs when heavy breathing, A reversed lung function test will show if your lungs have any damage from when you was a smoker. It's now known as COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and is a common symptom with smoking over the years.

 

[beachy]

Small chest infection?

 

[RCITGuy]

Bloomin eck.. Starting to wish I hadn't asked now (Ignorance is bliss and all that) as the answers are sounding a bit serious :-(

Small chest infection?

No, there are no other symptoms and its consistent with heavy activity such as sustained steep climbing, more noticeable in hot weather too. After a heavy duty ride though it does leave me with a bit of a wheezy cough for a few hours.

Was only a 10-a-day smoker..

 

[vickster]

Never ask medical related questions on this forum if you want reassurance

See a doctor to be on the safe side. I wheeze like crazy on big hills too probably because I'm old, overweight and not very fit. However, normally back to normal after a few minutes. I quit smoking about 10 years ago

How long did you smoke those 10 fags a day for? Have you stopped everything now, none of that vaping malarky I assume?

Edit: See it was 20 years. Unfortunately, those 70,000+ cigarettes will have taken quite a toll on your lungs and cardiovascular system which won't be remedied by quitting

 

[RCITGuy]

lol, got a cough, "Your heads gonna fall off and your lungs are gonna burst" :-)

Yeah, stopped completely in Dec 2013, but smoked from aged 18 to 37 :-(

 

[sight-pin]

lol, got a cough, "Your heads gonna fall off and your lungs are gonna burst" :-)

Yeah, stopped completely in Dec 2013, but smoked from aged 18 to 37 :-(

Lol, You'll be fine..... just get it checked out as already been suggested.

 

[suzeworld]

You did the right thing giving up smoking and an equally right thing getting on a bike .. I hope you enjoy bettter breathing as you build your fitness

 

[berty bassett]

you should have turned at the end of the pier ! ;0)

 

[Globalti]

My cycling buddy is a physician and one day when I complained that I had mild bronchitis after a ride he said: "Why not take Neurofen? It is an anti-inflammatory after all!"

I did and it works.