A month ago I started exercising for the first time in 10 years and to my surprise, I’m really enjoying it. I’m severe asthmatic and naturally have been fearful of anything more taxing than a brisk walk but with the success of Xolair, I felt ready to get going again.
My cons. team were really surprised when I told them I was taking classes 3-5 days a week and told me to continue as long as I feel well, which I have been.
Yesterday, within 5 minutes of my workout, I felt so fatigued, like I was going to faint, which was really odd. My chest also suddenly went tight, which was odd too. I stopped, took a short break, fuelled my body and felt ok again within 10 minutes. No Ventolin needed. Completed my 30 minute workout, it was hard but I didn’t go full pelt.
A few hours later, I felt dreadful: felt weak, my chest felt heavy, generally unwell. I woke up this morning still feeling the same. I couldn’t think what it was and it suddenly hit me that how I was feeling was that horrible exhausted feeling and my lungs felt “battered” like post-asthma attack. You know the feeling, sore muscles, random lung twinges, shattered!
Could those 5 minutes of the beginning of my workout have done that? Has anyone experienced this before? Am I overdoing it?
I feel so deflated because I’ve been so proud of myself and how far I’ve come since being on Xolair, and it’s nice knowing I’m trying getting myself fit again. I don’t think I pushed my body too far as I was only 5 minutes in and it was no more strenuous than I’ve done in the last month.
I know that I’m very lucky to be in the position that I’m in with regards to my health right now, but I’d love to hear your general advice/opinion or whether anyone else has experienced similar? I guess it’s very easy to forget I live with a severe condition when I’m feeling well 🙏🏽
Written by
MrsCMK
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I don't know if this is the case for you but it might have been build up - doing a lot compared to previously and suddenly your body hit the wall type thing, in an it wasn't used to doing it way.
A lot of people experience breathing pattern issues when exercising which present similarly to asthma and often therefore they think it is asthma, but breathing pattern stuff on exertion is very common.....rest and breathing exercises for a few mins will often deal with this and as you didn't require ventolin I wondered this....but then why at that point but not before (if it was that)? Confusing! So maybe it wasn't. I do have some respiratory physio stuff that includes exertion as a more advanced section if you're interested but I'm not sure that's the issue 🤔
My inclination is that you wouldn't have been able to finish it all absolutely ok had it been asthma induced but I'm not sure because then you've got the post-attack.feelings. ongoing breathing pattern disorders can indeed cause feelings like that so I assume a breathing pattern "attack" could too but as you know from asthma, that definitely does.
Maybe make sure you allow recovery time after this episode and then maybe, if it happens again try using ventolin. It would be interesting to see if that helped the post-attack feelings as if it did it might suggest it was asthma induced and at least you'd know. Then maybe you could use a couple of ventolin pre exercise if needed?
Well done though to have got that far! Don't be deflated - it might be just a blip maybe something random added to the trigger?
Thank you for this. I think that you’re definitely onto something here for me to look into.
After those 5 mins of exercise when I didn’t feel right, my breathing was all over the place and it wasn’t my usual asthma symptoms either despite being all breathing related.
After 10 years of no exercise, it could well be that I need to learn to breath properly when working out. The rest of the workout I completed was tough on me, I did feel much weaker and less fit than I usually do, but I was able to complete it (with a lot of effort haha).
I have my next Xolair appt. on Wednesday so I’ll definitely take your advice and take some rest time, but will ask my nurse then.
lifeguidehealth.org/player/... is the resp physio link, free to sign up and it takes you through basic steps and then onto applying when walking and so on. Obviously what you were doing was more exertion than that but even if it gives something to use before you're able to discuss it properly.
But also do use your ventolin if it helps because it is or can be difficult to fathom stuff sometimes and I wouldn't want you to undertreat anything asthmatic!
I have developed asthma while being an active long-distance runner/skier/cyclist, and what you are describing sounds very familiar. There is "exercise-induced asthma" (EIA) due to airway cooling and rewarming (or due to drying and re-humidification). Some asthmatics have it, some do not. There are many research papers suggesting that breathing 90%+ humid warm air prevents EIA. The "post-exercise" symptoms are typical for EIA, from what I have read.
Then there is allergic asthma and potential exacerbations due to the exercise: breathing 5x-10x more air per unit time exposes one to 5-10x more allergens per unit time (for intense exercise anyway). I believe EIA can get exacerbated from allergies, too (my experience, at least).
I take the advice of "keep exercising" (generally given to asthmatics) with a grain of salt. Sure, steroids, Xolair, and ventolin can help prevent the attacks, but it's a matter of dose, one's sensitivity, and the intensity. So I would keep it easy and not overdo it. By definition, exercise exposes the airways to more stress-- temperature, humidity, allergens, irritants, and odors.
In my case, which won't be applicable to most, no ventolin, or Xolair, or steroids, could ever prevent me from getting asthma attacks after exercise (which is very depressing, since, prior to the asthma diagnosis, I used to win endurance races). What did prevent the attacks was adding on a respirator at all times while exercising (including gyms etc) -- while also on all other drugs of course (my asthma is allergic). The respirator reduced my pre-asthma racing performance by 10-20%, and I stopped winning races, but whatever, it kept me exercising and kept me happy. I've done full ski, cycling, and running ultra-marathons in a respirator, and, when asthma was well controlled, did not have any issues. W/o a respirator, on any drug, I would not last even 10 min -- unless I am in Death Valley or at an altitude in the Alps/Sierras/Atlas etc.
Some batches of respirators have strong odor due to residual silicon monomers. If these do not dissipate, I put it in an oven at 110C for 5 hrs to get rid of the VOCs. Do the latter at your own risk as 3M will not approve it, and make sure to measure the temperature, not to exceed 110.
You can also use "cup" respirators which are disposable; these have no silicone odors, but do not fit as well 3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/p/dc/v000...
Thanks for the info. I like 3M products. It must be hard wearing the main mask. I used it once when I had to deal with mould after a flood in our basement.
3M respirators are great, but there are good ones out there, too. I often wear these 10 hrs a day, got used to it. For long-term wearing, they are more comfortable than "placebo" blue surgical masks -- straps to not get one's ears soar, the in/out valves keep the face cool etc, they are washable etc. If 3M had been able to make and distribute 6 bln masks to everyone on earth, and people had agreed to wear them for say a month, we would have had no be no pandemic :). Cost: $10 per mask in bulk, another $10 for a set of filters >>> way less than the trillions that are being spent now. Unrealistic of course... and not b.c. 3M etc cannot make 6 bln masks (they would if people would wear them).
My formal diagnosis is actually Allergic Asthma, with manifests itself as Severe Asthma. That’s now under control but I think the sudden shock to my system of me going from being sedentary to active could be a little much and causing some EIA-type issues.
Im certainly going to look into this and will raise it with the team tomorrow at my next appointment
Hi,I once got quite sick when I tried to do easy exercise. I didn't know it at the time but I was coming down with a virus. My system was down and the exercise was the tipping point. Don't give up, you will work out what it was and then be able to continue your routine. It could have been as simple as someone nearby wearing a perfume or a strong deodorant. It could also have been the residue in new clothes you are wearing. I always have to wash new clothes before I wear them. Whatever it is, keep an eye on what happens, when and try to work out why. Don't give up - you'll work it out.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Spring booster for severe asthma
Update: Severe Asthma (Eosinophilic) & Clinic referral & Fatigue
Any advice on explaining severe asthma to doctors and nurses?
Adrenal Insufficiency - it is possible to recover with severe asthma? 
