Why do I suddenly appear to have asthma after having caught a virus?

[George66]

I am 68 years old and I cycle at least 3000 miles a year. I have never had asthmatic symptoms before in my life although some of my family have.

Early December I was working in a dusty cement room without a mask for about 2 hours.

Shortly after that I got the virus which left me breathless. It lasted for two months until I was given steroids which got rid of the virus. Now I have to go for a spirometer test.

[Gordon57]

I think you've answered your own question - working in any dusty environment without a mask is asking for trouble. It's not just the popular causes, like smoking and asbestosis that cause lung disease, even household dust will irritate some people and give them problems.

[George66]

My cycling is not up to normal levels because my breathing isn't and because of weather. I did two short rides of 15 miles with no effect. But then walked down to my local and as soon as I entered I had an attack which lasted 1-w

2 hours.

[martin1945]

I recommend that you go and get a spirometry test to establish the reasons for your attacks.

[George66 in reply to martin1945]

I have spirometry test booked for 5th April

[meldrum]

i dont think an asthma attack can be caused by a virus,,asthma is caused by a whole lot allergies in you case dust etc,i good be wrong ,but it could bronchits you had ,which IS cost by a viris

[Hidden in reply to meldrum]

hi new to this site, just to say l had very bad flu in dec 2011 which left me with a slightly wheezey cough which l put up with for some months evenually saw gp had spirometry and was given a ventolin inhaler but needed it everyday ,saw asthma nurse who was brilliant and given a quar 50 preventive nhaler to use night and morning have,nt had to use my ventolin since gp was convinced the bout of flu was a possible cause, l to am in my early sixties and had,nt had asthma befor,, good health to all x

[George66 in reply to Hidden]

I can deal with asthma but it's COPD I'm worried about.

[meldrum in reply to Hidden]

good for my friend'' keep using you preventive inhaler even when you feel great, that's the big mistake most do ! when they feel fine they just say i'am fine ,,so why bother,,,,,,,,,big mistake avoid folk with colds ! by the way iam 72 have copd and going strong lol ....good luck mate ex miner ,had this for 20 yrs

[meldrum]

c.o.p d can be managed,if you take the proper advice,,i have had at least 20 yrs ,iam 72 in april,,,asthma is caused by allergies,and can be a bugger,,at the end o'the day bronchitis asthma enphsema all come under the same heading as they all obstruct the airways doctors ,cannot all agree ,which is which lol

[George66 in reply to meldrum]

That's cheered me up - I saw my sister have to deal with it on a oxygen bottle and it wasn't very nice. Are you still pretty much active - exercise wise. I ride a bike and would normally do an average of 70 miles a week. I would hate to have to give that up.

[meldrum]

hi george ,iam no to bad,iam always a bit breathless,,,that goes wae the territory iam afraid .lol,iam a x miner,this the result,o'25 yrs ,face work,but i dont worry to much,,,i have seen away quite a few of my big healthy mates,lol iam still here you just have tae try and be positive,,,,,that disnae meen i dont feel sorry for my self sometime ihave another wee problem ha ha idont do things by half'''i have ostio.arthritis in both knees,,,,and because i have copd,i dont i will try an operation ,that's what you get for working in 3.5 ''coal seams,iwas working at the coal face when i was 18,,,aye it was grand days young and fit as a butchers pup,,,guid mates guid mony,anyway you must be pretty fit if can cycle 70 mls a w/k !!!!i had a bike its in the hut,,,,,,,i dont have the wind noo,,,,,last resort i mabey buy a mobility scooter i still go for a walk every day with the wife we have 3 wee dogs,,,,[ and a parrot, lol ] with this problem you must try and keep away from colds and things and take your preventive inhalers strictly bye the book'''on the 9th of feb iwas fine ,the next day out thebloody blue an infection started ,,,it is always the same patter,,,a burning in the chest....[[ that's the bronchial tubes constricting ] then it right on to the antibiotics i always have an emergency stash it usally take 3 wks spitting up phlegm tae clear the auld tubes,,,,but on the bright side george ,,,if you cannae spit it up youl drown lol,,,i suppose a lot o' men in the cementery would be glad o' my cough lol ,,,,,well ma freen ,remember that auld scot saying,,,,,,,,we hivnae deed a winter yet ;;;;;;i'' am for gless o' whiskey noo cheers

[George66 in reply to meldrum]

This for me has come out of the blue - since early December started with a virus. At the moment I can still walk with quite a bit of pace and I'm trying a bike ride this weekend. I'm worrying because I have never felt like I have recently. I should wait for my spireometry test before I start worrying and find out exactly what is wrong. Phlegm is no more than when I am fully fit. Still when you hear about other peoples story - I can't complain. If a mobility scooter is the next thing for you - don't knock it. My wife walks with a stick and suffers from psoriatic arthritus amongst other things but we get by.

[meldrum in reply to George66]

i should not worry to much george ,bye what you say your test should not be t bad, and if you can fast and bike ,i dont think you have much tae worry about''it is a fact ,you can have a reasonable standard of liveing even with just one lung fuctioning

[Tugun]

Was it definitely a virus? Did they find out which one it was or they "suspect" it was a virus. I get asthma and once thought I was battling the flu. It turned out to be "only" asthma brought on by mowing the lawn with an old mower spewing fumes at me as I mowed. After 2 weeks of struggling, I was amazed when one nebuliser made me feel "well' again. It took awhile to get to full normal but at least I knew it was from the fumes.