Breathless after car journey

[Difficul]

Yesterday I spent about 4 hours in the car after which I was more breathless than usual. Does anyone else think that car travel can cause increased breathlessness?

[peege]

Only when stuck behind a vehicle giving off dreadful fumes. I have to hang back. Diesel fumes are dreadful if they come through the vents.

[Jaybird19]

Close vents in car including heating vents if possible and open windows slightly at top on opposite side to you. You get a lot of air in through slightest cracks. Then be aware of othe r vehicles in front of you .

You will not be popular !

I have been known to be able to smell exhaust fumes in mist and fog when no other vehicle could be seen.

I dont know how air con on some cars works ..

[peege in reply to Jaybird19]

I believe it just cools the air from outside, not so great when driving amongst giant lorries &/or old vehicles

[janice01]

HiWere you driving or a passenger?

[Difficul in reply to janice01]

Front seat passenger.

[janice01]

4 hours is a long time to sit in one position with a seat belt on...Could you break up your journey for a leg stretch a couple of times?

See if it helps...

[Difficul in reply to janice01]

It was two hours each way. Why do you think that having a break would reduce breahtlessness please?

[janice01]

Because sitting still in one place with a seat belt is disruptive of normal chest movement....We tend to remain upright in a pinned position.

My thinking is to get the shoulders and chest area moving and hopefully it's less disruptive to the normal chest rhythm.

It's just a suggestion but I think it could make a difference...

Let's see if any other suggestions...J

[Ergendl in reply to janice01]

Yes, every so often when my husband is driving us on a long car journey, I dance in the passenger seat to whatever is on the radio while we wait for the traffic reports. It helps to keep the blood circulating.

Both our cars have a switch to press which makes the air conditioning circulate the air in the car rather than take in air from outside, which is a godsend in heavy traffic. We also try to leave a gap between our car and others when queuing, and take the inside lane or the outside lane in queuing traffic on the motorway.

[Difficul in reply to Ergendl]

Thank you Ergendl. I too change to internal air circulation when I am aware of pollution. This trip the traffic wasn't heavy and I didn't smell anything nasty. I do move in my seat a bit but perhaps should try to 'dance'. My husband definitely gets too close to the car in front when there is a queue.

[Ergendl in reply to Difficul]

Big virtual ((((hugs)))).

Sometimes, the air outside is polluted so generally, we're not aware of it. I was brought up in south London, and had no idea how bad the main roads there were, until I moved to a village on the edge of the Lake District as a young adult. What a difference. Whenever I travelled south, I became aware I could smell Manchester and London about twenty miles from the outskirts.

[Blyth1]

Have you had your car air vent filters changed recently? If not you might want to try it and see if it makes any difference.

[Difficul in reply to Blyth1]

Thank you Blyth1, I will ask at service time.

[B0xermad]

Certainly stuck in traffic would be a heightened experience which could affect breathing rate and I always have aircon on with recyclable air to keep temperatures at a normal rate without fumes

[Biker88]

I find it helps to have the air conditioning on and adjust one of the vents so that air blows onto my face, not cold air though. The temperature needs to be comfortable not too cold or hot

[Bingo88]

I on a regular basis drive 4 hours without a break and have never had a problem with my breathing. I was a driver for a living so distances don't really bother me too much. I just do take care more now I am getting older obviously of tiredness. Brian

[Difficul in reply to Bingo88]

Perhaps it depends on how bad your breathing is. These days I'm even finding that low pressure weather makes a difference to me.

[Bingo88 in reply to Difficul]

Perhaps it might be worth getting a check up on how your breathing is with a Spirometer test. I know what my capabilities are and just work on being able to stay at that level. Just so I know I am doing ok. Only thing I have noticed is under exercision if I am on holiday and have had a couple of pints of beer. The chemicals in the beer seems to make me a bit more breathless. I can still walk upto the 1st floor of a building without getting too breathless. Brian

[Difficul in reply to Bingo88]

What happens if you have a couple of pints when you are not on holiday? Do you also get breathless if you eat a big meal? I certainly find that having a full tummy can affect my breathing.

[Bingo88 in reply to Difficul]

Yes I do a little but I live in a bungalow. So no stairs. I also have chronic kidney disease and I find now my kidney function is declining that I can fall asleep for an hour after a meal but I don't have problems with my breathing. Brian

[Rkdevo]

I have the same problem. My husband says it’s from the air inside the car and pollutants coming into the car. Besides being breathless, I also cough a lot.

[Difficul in reply to Rkdevo]

Thank you so much, Rkdevo. It's so difficult to tell if I am imagining things - or not.

[Cherwin]

it happens to me to especially when motorway is busy lots of cars heavy vehicles etc . I now wear a mask especially if I’m having a bad period with my lungs. I have a reactive airways condition.

[Difficul]

Morning. A quick update. Yesterday the air con in my car was serviced. Apparently it should be done every two years, but we'll have to see about that. Anyway, now I will be able to find out if doing this makes any difference or if my problem was simply due to himself tailgating other vehicles during the journey.