Asthma after exercise?

[LittleMissFaffALot]

I’ve been wondering about this for a little while. Does anyone know why asthma sometimes comes on AFTER exercise rather than during? I run semi-regularly and often I can run sort-of ok but then for a few hours (or longer depending on the race) I will suffer with my asthmatic cough. This seems counter-intuitive to me and I just wondered if anyone knows the logic about this?

[Hidden]

I've never heard of that before. Asthma during and then after - yes, but not a asthma flare solely after taking exercise. I get asthma flares during exercise but they calm down if I take medication and stop. I can get delayed allergic reactions to other triggers (for example I had no problems on the day storm Ophelia hit, but did wake up with a tight chest the following day which I put down to the conditions caused by the storm - I certainly couldn't think of anything else that had done it). There's no chance I suppose that you might be having a delayed allergic response to something you come in to contact with whilst running. Just a thought.

Whilst we're on the exercise subject though, has anyone got any ideas why taking ventolin prior to taking exercise (often recommended) seems to have zero impact when it comes to preventing an asthma flare during exercise?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

probably because we are all different- i find blue inhaler before, middle and after makes no difference- my asthma just waits til after midnight to go boo!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Poor you. At least the medics acknowledge delayed reactions now. I can remember my mother arguing that I seemed to have a delayed reaction (of several hours) to certain triggers when I was a child. The doctors never took her observations seriously at the time.

[B_Asthma in reply to Hidden]

One of my triggers for asthma is exercise. When I lived in the States (many years ago), I was heavily involved in martial arts - Tae Kwon Do, and my doctor prescribed me Serevant with Azmacort. I took it twice a day. Plus I was to take two puffs of ventolin before starting exercise. It did help but I did find, I was coughing afterwards. I always assumed it was mold build up from the moisture and poor air circulation. Mold is another asthma trigger.

[Hidden]

afterwards you airways have time to swell therefore become inflammed. like a twisted ankle it does not swell till up to twenty four hours after the twisting.

this is how i explain it to my personal assistants.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Interesting, though I have to confess my ankles don't behave like that:-). They start to swell quickly after I sprain them (within fifteen minutes I would say, unless I get appropriate treatment on them very quickly).

[LittleMissFaffALot in reply to Hidden]

Thank you that's an interesting way to think about it, makes some sense

[risabel59]

I can sometimes get flare up afterwards, particularly if its a long race. However not always. For me it depends on how I am generally, if my peak flow is up in the 90% of best range, then as long as I use my reliever before during and after, I am ok. If I am in the 70% range, then I can flare afterwards and it can take a couple of hours to calm down. But normally I will have also felt it during the race too.

I would say, bring this up at your next asthma review. Although I can't say that you will get anywhere. Also, and I've posted this before the Royal Brompton Hospital are doing a study into Exercise induced bronchospasm, they should have stopped recruiting earlier in the year, but they are still looking for a few more volunteers (18-70) who do around 150mins of exercise a week and have asthma, If you are interested, you can email Dr Matteo, ( [e-mail] ) and see if you might qualify. You get a barrage of the newest tests, even if you don't qualify for the study. You get travel expenses, but there is no payment.

[Hidden in reply to risabel59]

I remember you said you were going to do that. I have a feeling you said something about having to stop your medication prior to the tests which you were nervous about (or have I got that wrong?). How did it go?

[risabel59 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Maggie, yes I went for the tests, but I did not qualify. I did have to stop my meds for 24 hours before hand, and actually I was okay.

However I am super super well at present, (cross fingers) I have had a 12 week and counting golden period!! (I've not been so well for over two years, sorry to boast) I did get bronchospasm from the exercise test, but I recovered too quickly to qualify, but they couldn't measure my peak flow immediately on completing the test, as I was coughing too much!!

It's a really interesting study, part funded by asthma uk. And Doctor Matteo is a sweetie.

I see my consultant this week, "Mr Gloom-monger", so hopefully he will be more positive than usual !!!!

Thanks for your interest.

R x

[Hidden in reply to risabel59]

It's interesting that you cough. With me everything just tightens up to the extent that I find breathing really, really difficult - and that's if I've taken my inhalers on a regular basis. I don't think I do enough exercise for them to use me (though that does depend on what they are defining as exercise), but I'd be really worried about doing exercises having stopped my meds.

It's a pity in a way - I'd be fascinated to take part in this (even though the no meds bit does worry me). Years ago my then employer did some fitness tests that employees could try out. All was going really well until they got me to do the running up and down a step exercise and I did really quite badly on that - whereupon they labelled me as not very fit. When I tried to explain that I was an exercise induced asthmatic and that was the problem they just dismissed it. Annoying!

[LittleMissFaffALot in reply to risabel59]

That sounds like an interesting study but i couldn't afford the time off work and i'm a long way from London

[Hidden]

Hi all, there's some more information about the trial and what's involved here: bit.ly/2laZm6z

Thanks,

Dita

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Dita, are they still looking for volunteers for this? I note the information states between January and July 2017

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Maggie, I think the page needs updating, but it seems to suggest that recruitment has finished, I'd say it's worth dropping them a line to see (as often trials extend recruitment if they don't get enough people to take part)

Thanks,

Dita

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Dita:-).

[risabel59 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, Dr Matteo, is still looking for a few people, ( I think 6 or 7, at least that was at the beginning of October). I said I would contact any Asthma friends who might be interested. If I had been recruited it would have been after the deadline. You should just send him an email and ask if he has filled all the places. He responds super quickly.

R x

[Hidden in reply to risabel59]

Thanks risabel:-).