Asthma and Exercise

[Lcr88]

Hi all.

I don’t present with typical asthma symptoms. So I don’t wheeze, when I’m really bad my oxygen levels are normally fine. Due to this I ended up having a Mannitol challenge test last year which I didn’t get very far with, ended early on with a positive result.

It’s been a long road but with the help of my consultant and the right meds (too many for my liking) but my asthma is, for the most part well behaved.

The next step for me to try and get back to normality and ultimately help my asthma is to exercise. But me in my non typical way.. i end up having symptoms hours after exercise, often in to the next day, my chest feels uncomfortable, and I cough silly amounts, often coughing stuff up. Does anyone else experience this? Because I feel like I’m going mad.

I spoke with my consultant last week about it, and I think it confused him. He sent me for an exercise test to see if I had exercised induced asthma which I actually had last week. The test didn’t show any difference in my breathing test results. Yet low and behold 2 hours down the line when I was at work, the coughing began.

It didn’t last as long as normal, I was only on the bike for 10 minutes, which makes me think when I’m trying to exercise maybe I’m doing it for too long.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience or advice on this? I’m not back to see my consultant until September. I feel like I’m going mad.. and questioning whether it’s all in my head, even though I know it isn’t because of the productive cough!

Thanks

[johnsmith]

There is confusion between exercise and how to do exercise. The cough can be due to a slight tightness in the throat muscles. It goes when these muscles relax. I know that type of cough well.

Many consultants do not know how the brain controls muscle behaviour. They are not engineers and do not understand engineering systems. The concept of engineering systems is not part of their medical training.

You can exercise and open the lungs up or you can exercise and over contract the rib muscles. The two types of exercise are different. One is useful the other does not do you much good.

Moving the legs the wrong way can tighten up the chest. This is an issue you need to investigate.

[Lcr88 in reply to johnsmith]

Thank you for your reply. It’s something I’ll discuss with my consultant. I’m currently doing respiratory physio so hopefully that will help too!

[hilary39]

There are a lot of severe asthmatics who don’t wheeze and have normal-ish oxygen and even normal peak flow readings so those aren’t necessarily indicators of the severity of the disease.

Exercise sometimes makes my asthma worse ado and I had an exercise test on a treadmill a few years ago with normal readings, too.

I am on two inhalers (symbicort and spiriva) and I just started xolair. Which meds do you take? Do you take a puff of ventolin before exercising? If so, does it help?

Does your asthma worsen with all types of exercise? Eg swimming, running, walking, cycling, yoga etc? There might be some answers in the type of exercise (?)

A delay in symptoms sounds normal to me. When I’m exposed to an allergen my asthma often doesn’t start up for 12-36 hours afterward.

So sorry to hear you’re struggling. I empathize! And I too wish I could be on less meds...

Take care!

[Lcr88 in reply to hilary39]

Hi, I’m on fostair, spiriva and montelukast and a steroid nasal spray. I haven’t tried the ventolin before exercising but will give it a go, thank you!

I seem to be ok after swimming but don’t really do it often because it’s out of my way to get to a swimming pool. Fine with walking. My consultant was thinking on the same lines that it could be something to do with the type of exercise. I think I’m going to start with going on an exercise bike in small bursts to try and build myself up, see how that goes. I just really enjoy running, and it was something I could do freely before this all started, but hopefully I’ll get there eventually. Never tried yoga either, might be worth giving a go.

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it. Xx

[hilary39 in reply to Lcr88]

Ugh don’t you miss running?? Sometimes I get so sad thinking about how healthy I used to be. I used to be able to run out my door and just go for 5, 8, even 10 miles some days. I was in such good shape. It feels like I’ll never get there again. Not the best attitude but it’s how I feel :/

We bought a stationary bike and it’s been awesome! I watch tv or read while I use it and then do sit ups and squats afterward. It’s been pretty good, manageable exercise while I’ve been in and out this really bad flare I’ve been in for going on 9 months now.

[Davenpos]

You just need think positive and get on with it ....sorry ...I have severe brittle asthma Everytime an attack another itu ventilation...but I fight to get back exercising ....the gym and classes are my focus x

[Lcr88 in reply to Davenpos]

Hi, I’m sorry to hear you have such a bad time when you have an attack and that it leads to ITU.

I hope my post didn’t come across as negative, it’s just my frustrations I guess, and difficult when you don’t fit in to the ‘normal’ description of having asthma, it can be very confusing!

I do agree being positive is the way forward.. thanks for your reply. Xx

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

HI, I know what it's like to have confusing asthma symptoms! Also to be unsure about doing exercise - I can sometimes find it's more obvious later though not as clearly as you. It can be really tricky if you don't know how to monitor yourself *while* exercising and know how much to push and when you need to stop. It's not that you're saying you can't do it or are scared, but you do need to be able to assess the intensity and do it in the way that's right for you, which is very hard without some advice. I also struggle with this, not because I'm scared of being breathless as I deal with that a lot, but I don't want to overdo it and wipe myself out/accidentally make things worse when I have things on.

I say this a lot but maybe give the Asthma UK nurses a call? They are usually very helpful and may be able to point you in the right direction. I also wondered if time would allow you to do pulmonary rehab, if you ask your cons/asthma nurse what's on offer, or at least to see a respiratory physio for help on this? I haven't done it myself because of work and actually getting there, but a friend who has severe asthma with quite a few ITU trips was like me with exercise ie being told to do some but unsure how and how to pace herself and assess when to do it or stop. She has done a couple of courses of pulm rehab now led by a resp physio and found it really useful to help with exercise and pacing. She's convinced me too when I get the time - I used to think it was all aimed at older people with COPD and the education would all be about stop smoking and don't panic when you get breathless - but apparently it can actually be very useful for asthmatics/non-smokers/people who aren't 'scared' to exercise as such but need advice.

[Lcr88 in reply to Lysistrata]

Hi, you’ve definitely hit the nail on the head with not wanting to over do it and wipe myself out, and then having an impact on work etc.

Thanks for your advice, I might give them a call. I have had an appointment with respiratory physio, which was actually really interesting, I have to practice how to breath correctly.. so hoping that will help too.

I know that so many people suffer so much worse than I do, but it doesn’t stop the frustrations sometimes! Xx

[Davenpos]

Totally understand the frustrations , I try not to be negative but after being diagnosed with severe brittle asthma 3 years at the age of 46 and ending up on ECMO, I have tried to keep positive and believe me it's so hard to keep it up when I was so fit .....but hey I am alive ...

Day by day I say ....just stay strong and focus x