EIA (cough cough)

[dr_tectonic]

So I got confirmatory data today: I'm pretty sure I have exercise-induced asthma.

I had to run about a couple hundred yards to catch the bus, and it wasn't really difficult, but after I caught my breath a few minutes later, sure enough, there it was: that persistent, annoying, tickly, wheezy cough, especially when I breathe in deeply. The same cough I get if I exert myself when it's really cold outside.

Asthma plus flat feet. No wonder I hate aerobic exercise.

Does anybody else get this?

Comments

[jennsteele.livejournal.com]

I do if I do SUDDEN exertion (like running for the bus or climbing more than three flights of stairs). If I warm up slowly and cool down slowly, I can do aerobic exercise. I cannot, however, run--even with warm-up.

I keep my inhaler nearby, but since the albuterol makes me cough, I usually just pant my way through it until I can breathe more normally.

[bikerbearmark.livejournal.com]

I have exercise-induced asthma too. Like you, I tend to react more quickly to cold air - a frequent problem for me when I was growing up in North Dakota.

Recently in my structured workout program at my gym, I discovered that my asthma acts as a safety valve, kicking in when my heart rate has reached its maximum and I need to slow down. Through steady aerobic conditioning, I've been able to push my max heart rate progressively higher, and this has meant that I'm able to do Kung Fu and other workouts without needing the asthma medication I did when I was a badly out-of-shape kid. I hope you find something similar for yourself.

[orbitalmechanic.livejournal.com]

Yup. Warming up does help, though.

[nosato.livejournal.com]

I do. Exercising in cold weather almost always brings that symptom. During any other seasons, it is rare that I have the same symptom, though.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

I get it a little bit. If I work up to the exercise, I can manage things. For example, SCA will trigger it when I'm out of shape, but when I'm in shape, it triggers less.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

In some sense, I do. It mostly comes up when I try to catch the bus, too; that is, abrupt and unexpected very intense exercise screws me.

But sustained non-peak exercise is just fine for me; when I'm feeling well (which I am not currently), I can hike for hours on hilly land.

[jofish22.livejournal.com]

Someone pointed out I had the same thing, which made me feel better about the quantity of wheezing I was doing after comparatively small amounts of exercise. But it seemed a bit useless as a diagnosis. You know, ok, alright hten. So what?