Asthma and Running

Hello, I have recently started running as my asthma is well managed now (you wouldn't know I had it any more until I get a cold/ill) do any of you run and do you have any tips on how to manage exercise induced asthma?

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Hi mert! I personally cannot run with my asthma it triggers off, just as a suggestion maybe you could try lengh swimming first and if you manage this ok then try running, it is just swimming is inside and is warm, where as running is outside and often cold, windy, wet or damp.

Before any exercise however about 20 mins before you should take 2 puffs of your reliver (blue normally) and while exercising if you experience any problems you should stop take another 2 puffs of your blue and rest for 5 minutes or until your symptoms settle down, then you can begin again.

hope that is helpful

Plumie

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plumie, i did the ventoin as you suggested tonight, best run I've had since being diagnosed. i usually only use 1 or 2 puffs before, or if feeling really well none, but based on todays run plumie's suggestion works better than my usual usage.

Mert, the other thing I would suggest for running, and the cold air is a real killer on my lungs, wear a buff or similar over your mouth, it stops you breathing in so much cold air.

good luck, and keep us informed on how you get on.

chris

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I run...

Plumie's advice is sound and sensible stuff. Even when feeling grand, fine and dandy in the lung department I still take a couple of puffs about 10-20mins before I set off.

Another very useful thing I found for myself was to warm up very slowly, to increase your work of breathing gradually so you're not suddenly blasting large swathes of cool air into your lungs - get them used to it gradually, as it were!

Other than that, just go out there and good luck!

CathBear

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Thank you all for your advice and encouragement! I have now started to take 2 puffs before I go out and it has really made a difference - as has protecting my mouth against the cold air! Thanks!

I am now slowly building up mileage - managed 2.5 miles the other day (it may not seem like much but was like a marathon to me!) and have high hopes that I will get to 4 miles by the end of next month!

I'll let you know how I get on. If you have any more tips, please keep me informed and good luck to you all!

Mert xoxo

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Another thing as you carry on running - you will have bad runs and good runs, sometimes asthma-related, sometimes not. Don't over-analyse them or beat yourself up, they happen to everyone whether asthmatic or not - just chalk it up to experience and move on.

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Thanks Cathbear - that's great advice as I do have a tendancy to analyse everything (how did you know????) Had a bit of a bummer this week though, got some muscle strain so having to rest from the running. It is driving me mad that I can't get out there as I was all fired up! Oh well, my time will come!

Mert x

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Hi Mert,

I run, a lot normally. Not the last couple of weeks, as lungs nacked after bout of flu.. I find trying to regulate my breathing pattern helps by breathing through my nose and then gently letting out some of the inhalation through my mouth. This helps warm up the air a bit before it hits your lungs. I prefer longer distance stuff (half marathon and above), because everything has warmed up enough after a while that my lungs seem to work better. I also use buffs, a lot in winter and my friends nicknamed me the ninja, because you only ever see my eyes in winter! LoL. Hope the muscle strain is behaving, have you RICE'd it? Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate?

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Hi Soph, I did rice my strain and it is much better. Am hoping to get out this weekend for a gentle jog and see how it goes...half marathons? That is a dream of mine!

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nasal breathing while running filters the triggers you breathe in

Soph, if you slightly change your breathing technique you may get a huge benefit from it. If you breathe out through your nose it will control your breathing for you if you exercise within the limit of maintaining nasal breathing. Keeping your tongue up in the roof of your mouth helps (cannot mouth breathe then).

Although this is messy (you will need tissues for a week or so) there are substantial time improvements after 6 to 8 weeks (even for non-asthmatics).

You are half way there already with breathing in through your nose.

It does mean that it is not as sociable during running as you shouldnt chat while running (a bit is ok but not too much).

I used to take two puffs before, some during and then some more after exercise when I mouth-breathed. I overcame needing puffs during and after and finally also got rid of the psychological two puffs before hand just in case. I am in training for gaelforcewest.ie (entries still open- charity forms available) in August a 65km multi-event (running, kayaking and cycling) and my brother is trying to encourage me to do a marathon with him. I find the nasal breathing a huge help.

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Just to be clear, the ""two puffs before starting"" routine is not a ""just in case"" thing, and not psychological either. It is to help to combat the dip in peak flow often seen at the start of exercise and prevent symptoms from starting, enabling the exerciser to continue through their exercise routine rather than having to stop, take their inhaler, rest, and then carry on.

Some people have extremely good asthma control yet still suffer exercise-induced symptoms, and the two-puffs-before-starting routine helps to combat that.

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I do the two puffs before exercise, and it really does help, but certainly doesn't cure the problem.

On caths advice I started to take some PF readings before and after.

Back in April I did a run without ventolin and had a morning PF of 685, in the evening after the run I had a reading of 560,

compare that with Sundays run, PF before was 624, 2 puffs ventolin, then 1 hr run, return with a PF of 586, 20 mins later 577, and 1hr after the run 567., and a cough that lasted until yesterday evening, with monday being persistant.

The ventolin helped, but as the figures show, there is still a drop, but a few weeks ago I did a run taking 2 puffs ventolin before, 2 half way through and 2 on return for a 1hr run. Morning PF was 607, and the evening PF of 596, and only a slight cough next day.

So ventolin for exercise is certainly not an 'in case' thing, you should be carrying it with you for that eventuality.

chris

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Mert, no need to dream about half-marathons, you can do it. It's mostly psychological and part physical IMO.

Interesting what you say buteyko'd. I rarely take my inhaler before a run unless I've had a bad day. However, this evening for instance when the pollen count was so high, I struggled a fair bit after 15minutes in and I'm not sure that just breathing through my nose would have had much effect??!!

Woody, i've never thought to take before and after PF's, that's interesting that you had such a drop. Does anyone know why that is? I'd of thought that it would help improve the PF. I may take some readings myself and see what I get, as my PF's are way lower than yours!!

I think this taking my reliever inhaler is an issue for me like taking the preventer was for years. I feel like I'm cheating a bit by taking it beforehand. I know I'm at a disadvantage already, but I don't like having to take so much medicine and I need to get my head round the fact that things aren't getting any better with this course of action.

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Hi soph,

I took the PF readings before and after to try confirm if I had exercise induced asthma. That is not conclusive from the figures, but exercise is a factor for me. It does however show that my asthma was and is not that well controlled.

Don't try comparing the values for yourself to me, and yours may be higher or lower, it all depends on age, sex, height and to some extent fitness. What yo do need to look at is your personal best, then work from there, as I have a PB of 100l/m more than predicted high, but am spending most of my time at the bottom end of the normal for me. This link will give you a guide to your predicted best, tinyurl.com/ojxfvb

chris

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Just wanted to say that I've been trying buteyko'd's advice and trying to breath as much as possible through my nose while running. It's been very difficult, because of the amount of mucus (sorry!) in my sinuses and back of my throat, but has made some difference on my runs.

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Soph, have you tried sinus rinsing, either using the neti-pot, or a more modern version, and one I use is the neil med sinus rinse. neilmed.com I just use plain sea salt now, but that works just as well as there solution, for me anyway.

Chris

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reply to Soph:you should get some relief if you work through the mucus adjustment.

The amount of mucus will reduce over time. If you slow down or even stop when feel the need for a mouth breathe it is more beneficial. It should only hold you back (i.e. slow you down) for a few weeks until your breathing through your nose while running becomes automatic. This will improve your health through the rest of the week when not running. If you manage to breathe through your nose for the rest of the time your need for reliever should slowly reduce and you may be able to slowly reduce your long-term medication in consultation with your doctor.

good luck!

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Hi guys I am an asthma sufferer and have been training properly for about a year now. I thought I would offer some encouragement to those of you just starting out as I know how difficult it is to just get round the block when you start running with asthma!

I have gone from this to now being able to run 6 miles with ease and am planning a half marathon for this winter. The advice about breathing I give is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Also take a puff or two before you start running, which should no longer be needed after a month or so. Also try and run with a friend and failing this get some music on the go to take your mind off the pain!!

Through my running I have hugely improved my asthma and the only time I even notice I have it is when I have a cold or flu. Hope this advice helps those of you starting out!! Happy training! =)