Going up...

Hello Long time, no post - I finally moved house and I've just got back from a little travelling.

Whilst I was away, I did a lot of walking in some of the most beautiful areas of the world - I love hill-walking, I've done lots in the past, and in the past-past have done mountain walks/climbs for charity. However, I, to my extreme irritation, found that my lungs really don't like the concept of 'hill', let alone mountain. The nickname given to one hill I tried to tackle - Heart Attack Hill - should have given away that it was going to be difficult, but I struggled with any incline at all, and I found it very psychologically dispiriting having everyone else walk past me and taking a good couple of hours more than others to complete the walks.

I was wondering if there were others here who are generally fine with flat/downhill (except when falling downhill *whistles*) but really struggled with uphill? It's not just extreme mountains - stairs etc are a problem too. I wouldn't consider myself unfit, especially as I can manage the rest without problems, but it seems that as soon as my lungs sense a hill they go into grumpy mode.

Any ideas on dealing with this? I take my inhaler before as I do for all exercise, and regularly take breaks (my lungs won't let me do anything else): what else can I try?

[angievere]

I'm the same. Struggle walking up inclines, stairs. I take it slowly and use my Ventolin.

[Hidden]

I could walk down a flight of stairs no problem unless arthrietis is giving me jip but up one flight of stairs out of the question I prob end up in costa my lungs dont like anything thats means walking up

[Hidden]

Hi Ratty, welcome back! Hope you're enjoying the new place and managed to get everything sorted.

I know exactly what you mean about hills and stairs. I can be doing ok on the flat but stairs and hills have always been an issue. Looking back, I even struggled with them when I thought I didn't have asthma! I probably wasn't that fit but I never had problems like that moving fast on the flat.

Depressingly, my housemate's boyfriend (he is a good bit older than her) mentioned that his dad, who is in his 80s, had managed to climb some mammoth hill in Prague with no trouble. I find it very depressing that an octogenarian can do something physically taxing which I can't!

[yaf_user681_30355]

Hello Ratty, welcome back!

I moved to a hilly town 10 years ago and my asthma was well controlled at that time and the first time I walked up a hill I nearly gave up! Although I was a walker, I didn't walk up many really steep hills. Since then, I became really fit up the hills and could march up the steepest but it took a few months to gain this fitness.

When my asthma was mildly out of control I used to take my ventolin about 15 mins before I attempted them and that worked well. I can't attempt the steep ones with my current uncontrolled spell but I can't wait to regain my fitness all over again.

Do you live near hills you can walk up regularly? As I believe that is the way to get hill-fit.

Jac

Edit: Just thinking too, take tiny steps, as slow as you can and like you say as many breaks as you need.

[Hidden]

Thanks everyone for your messages and welcome backs Glad (if that's the right word :S ) that it's not just me; I'm just so frustrated by it. I would love to do Ben Nevis so I can complete my three peaks (asthma wouldn't let me play before ) but realistically I know that's not going to happen at the moment and it would be unfair to others I was walking with to have to wait for me. Maybe I'll set going uphill without problems as a challenge to my new consultant - when I find one...

Unfortuantly there's no hills where I've moved - I'm living in flatland - I just hope the lack of inclines doesn't make things worse.

[Hidden]

I get bothered going uphill too. Our whole town is on a hill. You're either walking up or down. Tend to be long gradual climbs but sometimes that's more tiring than a shorter steep slope.

Steps - its the depth of tread catches me out. Our woodland walks are the usual type with paths cut into the hillside with the ubiquitous length of wood or branch across each step to prevent the soil from being washed away. Doesn't always work and steps can vary greatly in height on the one stretch.

PS Welcome back to the fold, Ratty.

[Asthma-girl]

Welcome back Ratty.

Going up hills and stairs affect me too