Exercise induced Asthma getting worse, advice?

[Foskr]

Hi all,

Just came on here looking for some words of wisdom or advice. It’s really depressing me having my asthma unmanaged when i play football at the moment especially when I’m trying to excel in my football. I’m currently on clenil modulite and have been for around 2 months but really not seeing any difference. Feel like it’s not going to get better & my blue inhaler barely works as a reliever when playing sport too. Any advice?

[twinkly29]

Maybe phone the Asthma UK nurses for advice? AUK helpline - 0300 2225800 Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

If ventolin doesn't actually help when you feel you need it, it could be that the symptoms are not your asthma at that time. Various things mimic asthma in look and feel but non-asthma causes of the symptoms don't respond to asthma treatments and no amount of inhalers etc will fix it when it's something else.

A common one during exertion could be breathing patterns - our bodies learn/develop weird ways of breathing which can cause tightness and/shortness of breath. Everyone's bodies can do this but asthmatics are particularly susceptible. In some it is apparent all the time but, in others, they're ok at rest/doing normal things but it's apparent during exercise.

Maybe when you're symptomatic, have a break from exercise while also doing breathing control exercises until it subsides. The more you do this, the less you should have to do it as you're treating the symptoms but also retraining your body too to breath correctly under pressure/exertion. Doimg the exercises a couple of times a day at rest would be sensible first as it's easier to put them into practice when required if you're familiar with them. I know it probably sounds unhelpful to have to do this playing football for example but over time it should lessen, the how often you need to do it. Or, if you run for example, you could work on it that way where it's easier to have regular stops to do this initially?

These are from the British Lung Foundation - I find the rectangle one good for non-asthma breathing symptoms but am sure it's personal as to what people like:

blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

They're the sorts of things respiratory physios would suggest - one of the links a physio suggested to me a few years ago had a progession bit on it and natural progression was from "at rest" to "during exercise" so it sounds common to have to enjoy such techniques on exertion.

But, as mentioned initially, the Asthma UK nurses might be able to advise?

[Foskr in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that - never really thought about breathing exercises but i can see how it would help train me to breathe properly esp in times when my body is tense - I think just at the moment with pollen/humid etc probs why my asthma is worse. I’ll have a look at that link, thank you so much x

[twinkly29 in reply to Foskr]

It might not be your asthma though as ventolin/Fostair aren't helping - the weather might well be at the root but it might be that they are causing your body to react mechanically in a weird way (because that's what our bodies seem to do when they forget how to do it properly) - as opposed to actually causing inflammation.

If you're not on antihistamines/nasal sprays it might be worth trying those alongside breathing techniques to see if they help.

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Ask your doctor about montelukast which I think is often prescribed for exercise induced asthma.