Running with Asthma and Diabetes

[Tentsmuir]

I am 48 and a regular runner. I still have to use meds on a daily basis, but control my Asthma through sport. This is a blog I wrote some months ago. Probably easiest to follow this link: tentsmuir.wordpress.com/201...

Hope it is of interest

[Hidden]

Hi Steve

Great to read some of your blog - I have bookmarked it and will be returning to it again to read all! I have another Asthma blog that I follow too from the' other side of the pond' - I think he's retiring now but if you haven't come across him previously he is well worth reading - he walks Marathons.

I can't run myself - though I do get strong urges to. After dreaming recently that I could do it, I ran fast as I could across an empty supermarket car park, pushing the empty shopping trolley in front of me with my oxygen inside it. It was so exhilarating and for a moment I felt so free! I ended up in a heap afterwards but it was well worth it! With COPD if we stay fit we can get away with it for a while, but 30 seconds or so into it we are finished - our lungs just can't get enough oxygen. However, I have built up to walking 5K as opposed to just two or three steps back in 2009. This I consider to be just the beginning of my self styled pulmonary rehab.

I am fev1 29% and have chronic respiratory failure. I use 02 at 2lpm for sleeping and pottering and 6lpm for exercise. I do walk for miles outdoors and also do the dreadmill. I am so glad to hear from someone so positive. Please do continue to post here if you have the time. Looking forward to hearing more from you, P

PS. here's the link to breathinstephen -

breathinstephen.com/about-me/

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

PS. what is the 'Symbicort Smart' regime you mention? I take Symbicort twice a day.

[Tentsmuir in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for both comments, they are appreciated. 'Symbicort Smart' is a regime that seeks to eliminate the use of reliever inhalers. When you feel you are struggling with your asthma, you increase the dosage yourself (say, taking an extra two puffs in the middle of the day), and when you feel better again, reducing it back down to perhaps only one puff in the morning and one in the evening. If fully on the regime, you are supposed to not need the reliever inhaler at all, or even be prescribed one. I managed this for a while, but have found this year tough. I also never stopped carrying my reliever inhaler on runs, not least because I usually end up on trails miles from anywhere (I also carry a phone on all runs too). My doctor and I have agreed that I will aim to return to the Symbicort Smart regime now my fitness is roughly where it should be again, though with the caveat I still have a prescription inhaler to carry with me. I am getting there.... slowly!

[Hidden in reply to Tentsmuir]

Thanks for responding. Funnily enough I completely stopped using my reliever inhaler a couple of years ago - they just don't make any difference really for copd. If taken too close in time to the Symbicort it weakens it's efficacy as it has already filled the beta agonist receptor cells leaving little or no space for the long acting beta agonist component of the Symbicort... but I suspect I am teaching grandmother to suck eggs .. . Off to do my two mile aerobic walk - am seriously considering trying race-walking technique if I can find someone qualified to teach me ... P

ps. I also take a phone, plus enough money for a taxi home if i 'get stuck'. My foot is out the door now .. bye.. P.

[Hidden]

Well done and congrats. I would think the one thing you have to be careful of is injury, as this can be a big problem for diabetics concerning the recovery of and potential risk of infection.

Good wishes

[Tentsmuir in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the comment Zoee- as you saw from the blog, the knee injury really set me back and resulted in my being put on diabetic meds for the first time. I am trying to negotiate with the diabetic team for a reduction in the meds so long as the exercise regime . They believe that metformin is doing me no harm, and may even have benefitial side effects. But my preference wold be to take in the minimum number of meds (especially having been on the Asthmatic drugs all my life - can't be good for you!). I reduce injury potential by slightly undertraining for the events I do, and I do no speed work whatsoever. I have observed the attrition rates among fellow runners and think many simply push the too hard. I go for even, quality long runs as they are less stressful and more enjoyable. Been a good couple of years all in all

[Hidden in reply to Tentsmuir]

Your technique sounds perfect, not pushing too hard and going for the quality long runs, especially as you are finding these less stressful and more enjoyable. I guess you just need to be careful when you start to get tired, but this continued training is bound to build your stamina and endurance. Congratulations again.

Zoee

[Tentsmuir]

Cheers for that Starpo (and Zoee) - I am lucky to have a great mentor for my ultra running who highlighted the benefits of this approach to me some years back. Was hard to 'let go' of some of training schedules for the event times (sub 4hr maras etc), but once I threw away the manual went for the sustained, quality run approach, I found I hit the targets anyway without picking up those niggling injuries. Still hope to be doing this for a long time to come