Running with asthma.

[turnturtle]

I was only diagnosed with asthma two years ago after a methacholine challenge test. I was given a preventative and rescue inhalor and it really hasn't bothered me much until about a month ago when I found my breathing while running was getting very noisy and I began to find it almost impossible to speak while running.. I thought it meant I just wasn't fit enough but then my morning cough became an all day cough which occasionally developed into desperate hacking fits which made my nearest and dearest look nervously at the telephone and you could see the think bubble over their heads saying 'Ambulance?' When I stopped, the common diagnosis was 'Well, all this running is obviously not good for you'.

Finally, after my noisy gasping effort at the Park Run last Saturday a friend persuaded me to visit my GP who did a spirometry test and found my forced expulson reading had just about halved since my last test.

'You're going to tell me to stop running aren't you?' I glowered.

'Certainly not she replied. 'Running is very good for you. We just need to get your breathing under control in time for that 10K you told me about'

So I am now on oral steroids for 3 days plus a genuine 24 hour antihistamine (apparently Piriton's effects don't last that long) and will follow instructions not to run in the early morning or evening when pollen counts are high.

She said I should get faster when this new regime kicks in. (Does this mean I might fail a drugs test though?)

I love my GP. Anyone else going through similar probs this pollen season?

[rr76 Graduate]

Contrary to popular opinion, running is one of the best things you can do for asthma as it increases your vital lung capacity. Nerdy fact - did you know that Paula Radcliffe has asthma - it hasn't seemed to stop her! Different people have different trigger times, and pollen is a relatively common factor (some people find early summer worse and late better due to the change in pollen types).

In answer to your question, the steroids they test for in steroid testing are sex steroids like testosterone rather than prednisolone, so it wouldnt show up. If its just urine testing, all they are looking for is illicit drugs. Also a 3 day course is a pretty short one so your body would eliminate it pretty quickly anyway.

I'm glad you've got a good GP - they're worth their weight in gold! (COI - doctor, not a sports one or GP though)!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I don't have asthma, but have had hay fever since childhood. It did cross my mind that my Parkrun PB might have been partially due to the nasal hay fever remedy that I had used an hour before the run. We will probably all get life bans! Great to know your doc is supportive of your running.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Tree pollen is my nemesis- gets me every year, oh and cats, and feathers, and tobacco smoke, and exhaust fumes....... Oh the joys of asthma. Your GP sounds fab. Happy running ( once the steroids kick in!)

[Oldgirl Graduate]

I've been asthmatic since 6 weeks old after surviving whooping cough. Swimming was always my sports as a child, helped my lung capacity no end. At 60 I took up running, checking with my doc first (he's a runner) and has always encouraged me. I also suffer from hay fever grass cuttings and oil seed rape are killers for me. So if anyone is cutting grass when I run by out comes the linen hanky to cover my nose and mouth. Always take your inhaler on a run just to be safe and use it the first sign of any breathing problems. Hope your treatment works which I'm sure it will. A good tip for asthmatics when running in the cold winter months it get yourself a Buff it will help protect your airways until they are used to the cold. Not a problem just now of course.

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Whats a Buff OG? When I was little it was a euphamism for naked. Certainly don't want to be running naked in the middle of winter!!

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Try this link buffshop.co.uk/?gclid=CMipv... but Google Buff and it will give you many options.

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Thanks Oldgirl. That is very reassuring. Of course it doesn't help that I live on a farm! I just took the dogs for a walk (it's my rest day today) and suddenly realised the lane led past 6 acres of field beans in full flower. And yes, my nose started running and I began to cough. I've never even looked at flowers as anything other than things of beauty before but I look at them now with grave suspicion. I'm getting my comeuppance I suppose. I never had the slightest sympathy for my husband's hay fever, ('For God's sake it's not fatal' I remember saying when he complained ) from which he suffered from five to 60 when it miraculously disappeared.

One thing we do have on the farm is a huge supply of disposable dust masks (used by farm workers to protect them from spores when spreading hay and straw). I may just try using one next time I run down the back lane. I am already such an object of mirth in my running gear that a mask is unlikely to make much difference. Have just taken my second dose of prednisolone. My next sceduled run is with the club tomorrow evening. Can't wait to see if it makes a difference

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

A Buff is a clingy turtle neck thingy AncientMum (so v appropriate for me) which you can pull up over your mouth and nose in cold weather, and wear in about 77 different styles (none of which I can master). Maybe I will try a Buff AND a paper facemask. Now that would really frighten the horses.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Someone suggested a small dab of Vaseline on the tip of each nostril, I've never tried it though, can't quite see how it would work!!

[turnturtle Graduate]

I can see the logic if it was Vick!