Breathing/Asthma/Lung Capacity etc

Caroline_ie

Hi people -

I have been experiencing some very annoying episodes on the bike for the past couple of months and it's getting worse. Some people who cycle with me know what i am talking about. Shortness of breath, swollen throat, heavy sound when I breathe out... that gets me all panickey ... and then I have to stop for a few minutes.

I went to the doc this morning, but he was only able to see me between 2 appointments. Got the stetoscope out and also checked my blood presure and all is very good.

He made me blow into a some *breath out* measuring device and he wasn't sure it was working properly, as my 'score' was quite low according to him, I had to do it a few time. My score was slightly over 460 ( not sure what it was measuring though ) - Doc said to come back next week for a full lengh appointment because this is not right for someone with my fitness.

He said i might need an inhaler but it will have to be looking into...

I am supposed to race this evening ...

Any one experience that?

Thanks

kenmc

Do you have much dairy in your diet? It's often known to cause respiratory problems, sinus etc.

Caroline_ie

kenmc wrote: »

Do you have much dairy in your diet? It's often known to cause respiratory problems, sinus etc.

Not really - not more now than before.

tomc

There is a asthma specialist in Tallaght who diagnosed my son with mild asthma recently, he was recomended to us and he was excellent. Let me know if you want his details.

TomC

douglastubbs

460 is ok - I can recommend a GP in walkinstown who told me I had lungs of 60 year old (pm me if you want details) (I was 26 at the time) but improved since then- wait and see what your doc says next week as it may just be diet. Maybe layoff the bike until you know (probably ultra cautious and hypocritical given I rarely take my inhaler cycling or day to day). Try not to worry as if it is asthma and it’s managed (exercise and use an inhaler) you will be fine.

blorg

That is probably a peak flow test. I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma last year myself, occurs after a hard effort such as climbing a hill fast, I simply can't breathe. Ventolin inhaler sorted it out no problem. In my case it is seasonal, doc recons related to my hayfever. I don't need the inhaler in the winter irrespective of effort level. Just got my TUE form filled out the other day

bcmf

If it is asthma......welcome to the club.Managed with inhalers works fine (but bloody expensive).

TinyExplosions

bcmf wrote: »

If it is asthma......welcome to the club.Managed with inhalers works fine (but bloody expensive).

+1, though my asthma is better than it was, and like Blorg, now seems to be seasonal

bcmf

TinyExplosions wrote: »

+1, though my asthma is better than it was, and like Blorg, now seems to be seasonal

Wish mine was saesonal.When I come off the purple inhaler aftre 2 weeks really notice a diff

kenmc

bcmf wrote: »

If it is asthma......welcome to the club.Managed with inhalers works fine (but bloody expensive).

There's a generic alternative to the blue ventolin one which is a fair bit cheaper. Will look see what it's called when I get home. Rarely use mine - avoiding dairy seems to keep mine under control. Only need to use it if I feel a chest infection or headcold coming on.

hynesie

I was diagnosed with asthma a couple of years back too and with the help of inhalers its fine. You should look at it as a positive thing because now you know what the problem is you can get it sorted. I noticed a massive difference once I started on the inhalers and I was sorry I hadn't been diagnosed earlier. The first doctor I went to dismissed it and said I was imagining the shortness of breath! It had another year of "imagining" before I went to another doctor who disagnosed it straight away and said that the other doctor was a fool.

RobFowl

When you go back to the GP bring a copy of these if he/she's considering an inhaler as alot of detail is needed for a TUE
http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/TUEs_and_Medicines/Asthma_TUE_Application_Instructions/

The 460 is probably your PEFR (peak expiratory flow rate) and is a fairly crude measure. The FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) is alot more accurate.
Ventolin and its generics are all much of a muchness. I'm on symbicort which costs 115 a month !!!!

hynesie

RobFowl wrote: »

I'm on symbicort which costs 115 a month !!!!

WOW! I thought my seretide was expensive!

ROK ON

@ Caroline: I have similar issues. I have a very long history of chest infections and breathing irregularities that was finally diagnosed as asthma last October.

I use Ventolin and another drug (Becotide i think). But have the opposite of Blorg - mine is usually winter related. I also use them as required, not on a daily basis.

Haven't had an incident in a few months now (touch wood).
The doc told me that it is exacerbated by strenuous exercise (seems like a lot of folk have this). However, he also suggested that this would not be a reason to avoid exercise. The asthma is manageable, and the benefits from exercise outweigh the asthma.

In saying that I did get an attack on the way up to the Sally Gap in the winter, and was very scared.
I would say, that if you feel wheezy, dont cycle alone for fear of an attack.

tunney

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Hi people -

I have been experiencing some very annoying episodes on the bike for the past couple of months and it's getting worse. Some people who cycle with me know what i am talking about. Shortness of breath, swollen throat, heavy sound when I breathe out... that gets me all panickey ... and then I have to stop for a few minutes.

I went to the doc this morning, but he was only able to see me between 2 appointments. Got the stetoscope out and also checked my blood presure and all is very good.

He made me blow into a some *breath out* measuring device and he wasn't sure it was working properly, as my 'score' was quite low according to him, I had to do it a few time. My score was slightly over 460 ( not sure what it was measuring though ) - Doc said to come back next week for a full lengh appointment because this is not right for someone with my fitness.

He said i might need an inhaler but it will have to be looking into...

I am supposed to race this evening ...

Any one experience that?

Thanks

Welcome to the world of EIA.

People will recommend staying clean of diary, some say wheat.
IMHO its all b*ll*cks.

Just do the tests, try inhalers, eventually you'll find a drug that works for you. For me its symbicort. A couple of puffs every few days and the effects of EIA are managed for me. It will take a few weeks to find the right drugs but when you do its worth it.

Best you get lots of chest infections too?

tunney

kenmc wrote: »

There's a generic alternative to the blue ventolin one which is a fair bit cheaper. Will look see what it's called when I get home. Rarely use mine - avoiding dairy seems to keep mine under control. Only need to use it if I feel a chest infection or headcold coming on.

ventolin is 3 euro an inhaler?

blorg

I think you need the abbreviated TUE for salbutamol. I think I got him to fill out an older form and he didn't go into much detail, I'll submit it but might be rejected.

biker_joe

hey just on the subject,
I was just diagnosed with Exercise Induced Asthma, or it could be a Seasonal Asthma thing also, I started racing in Feb and was getting dropped after 30-40mins...... looking back it was definately lack of air that was causing my blow-ups, my training was fine all through the winter... no problems with breathing or performance, as I rode a couple of 5 Mile TTs during the winter months to track my progress ..... as soon as the season changed from winter to spring ... bang ... lungs seem to close up .....

My Doc gave me a Symbicort too, which I am to take before a race or day of a hard training session... so it should last longer than a month, 60 doses per inhaler. I got a flow meter and I vary between 650 and 800.. depending on the day ....

Caroline if you are fit and race, you prob should be scoring higher than 450 .... and should be nearer the 650 mark .....

Ask your Doc has he/she got any inhalers they could give you for free, as it's trail and error to see what works for you ( my Doc gave me mine as some rep left him some samples, saved me €110 or more )

I have trained using mine last weekend and noticed a big difference, I just felt back to Normal ... I have been racing on and off for 10 ten years now, so maybe the air has just got alot ****tier out there on our back roads now too, as I haven't been affected by it til now. I also know at least 3 other lads who ride open races that have got this in the last couple of years .

The Big test for me will be this evening !! :eek:

Biker Joe

tunney

RobFowl wrote: »

When you go back to the GP bring a copy of these if he/she's considering an inhaler as alot of detail is needed for a TUE
http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/TUEs_and_Medicines/Asthma_TUE_Application_Instructions/

The 460 is probably your PEFR (peak expiratory flow rate) and is a fairly crude measure. The FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) is alot more accurate.
Ventolin and its generics are all much of a muchness. I'm on symbicort which costs 115 a month !!!!

Your chemist is screwing you! Mine is 88 (120/6 symbicort, 120 doses)

recharge

I have had ashma since i was 2yrs old but not bad as in never needed to use a inhalour on a regular basis,

The blue one is known as a preventive and stop attacks coming on and sort of open up the lungs,

The other ones brown and red are stronger 150 and 250 something or other and are for people with bad asthma and is used if some one is already chesty.

Ive always played sport and never used one but since i started doin a bit more long distance and a bit older and weiser without the gunho! im definatley notice a difference, i feel it opens up the lungs allowing more air in and releasing the pressure off the lung,

Any way there my 2cents

kenmc

tunney wrote: »

ventolin is 3 euro an inhaler?

asking or telling? Pretty sure I was paying in the region of 20 odd for ventolin. I so rarely buy them though I don't remember the costs - one of mine can last 18 months easily.

victorcarrera

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Hi people -

I have been experiencing some very annoying episodes on the bike for the past couple of months and it's getting worse. Some people who cycle with me know what i am talking about. Shortness of breath, swollen throat, heavy sound when I breathe out... that gets me all panickey ... and then I have to stop for a few minutes.


Thanks

I have no medical qualifications nor have I had the same combination of symptoms as you describe above but here are some similar episodes and solutions from my experience.
Heart palpatations at rest and on one occasion on the bike making me feel panicked an thoughts of heart trouble. Result doc put me off tea/caffeine and problem solved.

Suffered with the Hay fever too for a few years and dust mite allergy after moving into an old house resulting in shallow breathing, swolen glands and cold symptoms. Controlled with antihistamines and the next year the doc put me on (something cant remember) from February to June which sorted it. Airborne Allergies/Dust mites may be caused by anything from down pillows/duvets to old carpets. The recent windy weather may be contributing to a higher pollen count.

Finally this one relally wrecked my head. I was pushing it too hard too soon in training and blew up on a hill. Felt my chest going tight and couldnt feel my arms or hands for a few seconds. Lost my confidence completely for about 2 months afraid of even moderate inclines until I slowly worked my way back again.

Hope you find a solution. Maybe take it easy in the meantime.

RobFowl

blorg wrote: »

I think you need the abbreviated TUE for salbutamol. I think I got him to fill out an older form and he didn't go into much detail, I'll submit it but might be rejected.

The Abrieviated TUE's were abolished this Jan.
You need full details including repeated FEV1's now to get it passed.
All the details are here
http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/TUEs_and_Medicines/Asthma_TUE_Application_Instructions/

bcmf

tunney wrote: »

Your chemist is screwing you! Mine is 88 (120/6 symbicort, 120 doses)

Somehow doubt it Tunney.:D


My ventolin is 7 or 8 euro.
The purple one (seretide)is €88 but that is with a card.Dont know what it is called but it limits the amount of money you spend on prescrptions in 1 mth to €88.without this the seretide is well over a ton.

Gavin

Hmm good timing. Similar thing, after racing on Sunday I found that I was very chesty. Same after my previous race. I didn't notice any particular discomfort (other than the usual) during the race.

Someone mentioned that this happens after breathing through your mouth too much..? This common?

IvyTheTerrible

This is interesting, I have just started (2 months ago), cycling to work. Even though I should be getting fitter, there is a slope on the route that makes me really wheezy, it gets hard to breath and also I get pressure in my chest. (This also happens any time I try to jog for a decent distance).

Could this be EIA? I never mentioned it to my doctor before because I assumed I just wasn't fit but seeing as I have been exercising every day now, I was wondering about it. It really takes any enjoyment out of the cycling.

blorg

RobFowl wrote: »

The Abrieviated TUE's were abolished this Jan.
You need full details including repeated FEV1's now to get it passed.
All the details are here
http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/TUEs_and_Medicines/Asthma_TUE_Application_Instructions/

Holy God, that's going to be fun. Back to my doctor I guess.

eggie

Sounds like you may be suffering from EID - Exercise Induced Dyspnea. This is sometimes but not necessarily asthma related, although the majority of GP's will tell you it is due to their "general" diagnosis. For a proper diagnosis you should go to a specialist and request an electrocardiogram and maybe a blood cell count. You should look to treat the cause, not the sypmtoms. It is natural for vigorous training to cause shortness of breath dependent on stress levels.

You should record when these instances of shortness of breath occur, how long they last, under what conditions, etc to provide additional info to the elctrocardiogram. Also record your diet during these periods, if you are not providing your body with the correct fuel source then it will turn to internal organs and muscle tissue as a fuel source which can potentially exacerbate the problem.
Are you on any other type of medication ? Could be a factor.


P.S. (If your original GP couldn't consult with you properly during your initial visit then he shouldnt have accepted the appointment and I certtainly wouldnt have paid him for the visit - personally I think a lot GP's are trial and error bull****ters, some are good but not all).

Chris Peak

Was thinking along the hay fever lines also. Or, stress induced asthma

But, I read about a certain cyclist who had a similar experience when he changed to narrower handle bars. There were only about 2 inches in the difference. The symptoms were alleviated when he move back to the wider ones.

If you are prone to chest infections, avoid dairy and white sugar in cakes pastries and biscuits.

RobFowl

bcmf wrote: »

Somehow doubt it Tunney.:D


My ventolin is 7 or 8 euro.
The purple one (seretide)is €88 but that is with a card.Dont know what it is called but it limits the amount of money you spend on prescrptions in 1 mth to €88.without this the seretide is well over a ton.

We only pay 100 as a family (all on drugs of one sort or another )

I'm on the 200/6 which is a bit dearer than Tunneys

Quigs Snr

I have had asthma for many years, been hospitalised with it once or twice. Its not exercise induced in fact I need an inhaler less when I am on the bike. If I take a few weeks off thats when the problems start. Mine is mostly related to allergies. Pollen or dust and I am a goner, so if I am in a race and go past a field full of rapeseed then I know I am in trouble ! The only seasonal problems I have apart from the allergy seasons appears to be midwinter around xmas. My winter training is nearly always disrupted by illness. If there is any kind of dose going around I get it and almost every head cold turns into a chest infection which if not treated properly can lead to several weeks off the bike.

You did a peak flow test. I would not read too much into those for now as you can improve your "lung capacity" on those tests by just improving your technique. I have one at home that I use on a regular basis. I can produce a score of around 700 fairly easily. When I am having an attack that can go down to the 300's. And if I am a little bunged up like I am today its more like 570-600. If I race on the days when I am a little wheezy I can usually sit in but not do much else, if I go out on a day when I am at peak I know I am more likely to go well.

Its a pain really but a salbutamol inhaler (aka ventolin) will sort you out whenever you are having an episode. They cost me around €6.50 each. If you need the preventer inhaler (brown one). They are around €40 each for the brand I use Pulmicort.

Caroline_ie

Thanks all

Is there anything I can use in the meantime, that's not precription? I have a TT tonight ...

Quigs Snr

I am not a doctor so I wouldn't like to prescribe you anything. However if you know an asthmatic you could try a few blasts of their blue inhaler before the race to see if that helps. Alternatively you could walk into a chemist and ask for an emergency inhaler. I have gotten those before without prescription if I have forgotten to bring one away for a weekend and have a problem. The chemists don't like handing them out, but the alternative is for you to die in their shop. And thats bad for business.

Best if you could get to a doctor though.

biker_joe

nope I don't think so !
Just warm up very well, so you can gauage how you are feelin ! If you feel like your chest is getting tight and/or you are short of breath during the warm-up or the TT then stop and don't push it, because you can do more damage that way !

As Joe Friel says "if in doubt leave it out !"


Biker Joe.

interested

Hey Caroline
Joining late and lots of good advice already.
Have had asthma since I was about 4. Was encouraged to take up swimming around the time Steve Ovette was flying the flag for sufferers and it helped greatly. Ive always found that bike riding and swimming require controlled breathing but Im probably in the minority.

Anyhow - just my opinion based on my own experiences. My asthma and breathing problems can come on when there are changes in air temperature. Since its regularly just plain cold here in Ireland you'd think it wouldnt be a problem - but with the long spins you regularly participate in - at the foot of a climb the air will be warmer than higher up.

I think trust in the Doc you're used to going to and hopefully all will be well. Asthma, the type of asthma, how it comes on (chest infections are common, but robinsons barley water still gets me which may be unusual) and how its medicated are all specific to the individual.

Bon chance.

72hundred

Quigs Snr wrote: »

... but the alternative is for you to die in their shop. And thats bad for business.

Haha, I know a few chemists. If there was cash in your wallet after you'd expired they'd not complain!

macadam

Hi all , like some of you my asthma is sport related, but i purchased a Power breathe, its an exerciser for your lungs and it gives them a full workout.

When you use it first it its the same as running flat out for 500mtrs, i will try and get a link , but they are available in many sport shops and chemists in the UK.

Really helps improve your lung capacity and reduces asthma attacks, but you have to keep at it.

Sean02

Hi Caroline lots of well meaning advise there. I am sure its something minor which will clear up as quickly as it came. My advise is not to focus on astma particuarly if your into racing or even very competitive spins. I also suffered similar symptoms on occasions up to four years ago. Its was diagnosed a A Fibulation or irregular heart beat. Cause over exertion, alchcol or combination of both. Easily cured. Until you get a expert diagnosis from a consultant don't take a chance racing. Cost of a comprenhsive test in Mater Private about €150 I think.

DirkVoodoo

Wow, lot of asthma sufferers on here. I carry an inhaler in my saddle pouch, if you feel short of breath on a spin, let me know Caroline.

Pollen gets me too, as does descending in cold air for some reason, oh and we are all more susceptible to respiratory infections which is nice.

Ahh, my glittering sporting career was crippled by asthma, not as bad now as it was years ago.

Also, I think the brown one I had was becotide, which was a steroid and not much use in an attack.

bcmf

macadam wrote: »

Hi all , like some of you my asthma is sport related, but i purchased a Power breathe, its an exerciser for your lungs and it gives them a full workout.

When you use it first it its the same as running flat out for 500mtrs, i will try and get a link , but they are available in many sport shops and chemists in the UK.

Really helps improve your lung capacity and reduces asthma attacks, but you have to keep at it.

I was hmmming and hawing about whether to buy 1 of those
http://www.irishfit.eu/powerbreathe.htm

Caroline_ie

Cheers to all of you - I will wait until wednesday to see what the doc says. I still managed an OK performance ( I think ) at the TT last night with not too much problem breathing as I was really trying to focus on 'Breathe in - breathe out' and HR.

Will update the thread when Doc has seen me

biker_joe

Hi Caroline et all,

As I said earlier I am in the same boat. I raced last night in the swords league and went off in the third group ( I normally ride scratch ) I got shelled
after about 30mins, just could n't get going .... chest was not good...

I tried 2 blasts of symbicort in the late afternnoon, but am not taking it everyday.

I need some advice, as to what to do next ? It's very frustrating not getting round since late Feb !!! I am thinking of giving up racing !

so options are

1. take the symbicort every day to see if it improves ?

2. Go back to the Doc and change inhaler and get "singular" tablets aswell ?
3. Retire ?

Biker Joe. ( demoralised ! )

RobFowl

biker_joe wrote: »

Hi Caroline et all,

As I said earlier I am in the same boat. I raced last night in the swords league and went off in the third group ( I normally ride scratch ) I got shelled
after about 30mins, just could n't get going .... chest was not good...

I tried 2 blasts of symbicort in the late afternnoon, but am not taking it everyday.

I need some advice, as to what to do next ? It's very frustrating not getting round since late Feb !!! I am thinking of giving up racing !

so options are

1. take the symbicort every day to see if it improves ?

2. Go back to the Doc and change inhaler and get "singular" tablets aswell ?
3. Retire ?

Biker Joe. ( demoralised ! )

Try symbicort daily (might take up to 6 weeks to have its full effect)
Also worth going back to your GP
PM if you want more detail

StudentC

Just a couple of points to add (I used to work in lung function testing)

As somebody mentioned above, ventolin is a short term preventer - reliever. So it will act on an acute episode of bronchospasm (airway tightening), but won't have a long term effect. Also, ventolin won't make any difference if the problem is something else (i.e. it only works if the breathing problem is specifically because of contraction of smooth muscle of the airways), and not everybody responds to it (I don't).

Secondly, lots of the other inhalers (e.g. becotide) are steroids which only work over a prolonged period (i.e the odd puff now and then makes no difference, it needs to be sustained), and won't have any effect just before a race. And then there are another group (like symbicort) which are a combiend treatment, but really are still more long-acting.

Lastly, on the peak flow readings, it's a bit of an unreliable measure as technique really has a lot to do with it, so it works well for a patient to self-monitor, but isn't great as a once-off measure. And the predicted values are based on equations incorporating height, age and gender, so there's a huge range. A quick calcualtion gives me...

30 year old male, 6 ft tall...predicted PEFR 605 l/min
30 year old female, 5 ft tall...predicted PEFR 380 l/min

So a big difference!

biker_joe

Hey StudentC

Some great info there thanks, so I need to keep taking the symbicort each day ....
I am heading to the doc tomorrow, and hope to get sorted proper !


Biker Joe.

Zorba

I was diagnosed with sports induced asthma last year and was given nasal spray and an inhaler which did help a bit but was still gettting the attacks, ie shortness of breath and lack of energy on the bike, oh and lightness in the head too.

So decided to try giving up milk and going onto soya instead and hey presto asthma is gone, haven't used the inhaler in months or the nasal spray and my breathing is better than ever. Now seems i have to avoid all dairy because last week i was eating a lot of cheese which is meant to have only a small amount of lactose in it and i got asthma attacks when out on sunday. Haven't had any dairy since and was out for a run last night and felt great no shortness of breath at all.

Might be worth checking out if your like me lactose intolerent, will save money on them inhalers ! Do u feel that your nose is blocked up sometimes ? Especially at night ? If so it could be dairy and it'll take a week or so to clear the mucus out of your system. Eating a mixture of lemon juice and radishes helps as does raw garlic to speed up the process.

One more thing that the professionals apparently do before a race is do a few sprints to get totally out of breath, it's meant to open up the airwaves and prevent future attacks. It's like they are trying to bring on an asthma attack in the theory that once u get over one you'll be ok for the next few hrs. Worked for me a few times.

Hope this helps

StudentC

biker_joe wrote: »

Hey StudentC

Some great info there thanks, so I need to keep taking the symbicort each day ....
I am heading to the doc tomorrow, and hope to get sorted proper !


Biker Joe.

Yeah, taking the symbicort more regularly might be the way to go, but really, have a good chat to your doctor about it.

The thing about asthma (and in particular exercise induced asthma, or seasonal ones) is that it can take quite a long time to get a treatment regime right. The symptoms might only occur occasionally (i.e. only after certain exercise sessions, or only after exercise in cold air, or exercise in times of high pollen etc etc), so it can take time (and effort on your part) to work out what treatment works best. And then once you think you have your treatment sorted, something might change and you have to start again!

But hopefully that won't happen :rolleyes:

Good luck getting it sorted

Tawfee

This is a really interesting thread. I've been struggling with coughing & shortness of breath on and off for the last couple of years & have only recently been diagnosed with asthma. I didn't realise that so many others were in similar boats. I already know, as StudentC says, that it can take time to figure out the best treatment. I've been on a variety of different inhalers (each more expensive than the last!) but still haven't been able to get back on the bike for the last couple of months. Mite give up the dairy products for a while & see if that helps.

happygoose

Yeah great thread, I was diagnosed with asthma 5 years ago at 23 but only this year find that its turned into EIA. Training has turned into such a pain....can't get a good intake of air in, constantly feel lathargic and can't get to a level of fitness I want.

I'm on seretide and a nasal spray, but I hear of asthmatic friends that symbicort may be better, gonna talk to my doctor about it soon, but in the meantime I'm gonna try to stay away from the dairy products.

RobFowl

This is an article I wrote on asthma for the now defunct irish cycling news
Feel free to tear it apart :rolleyes:
(am a doc BTW)
Cycling with asthma

Asthma is a common illness that affects 5-8% of the population. It causes narrowing of the airways and is a reversible condition. It usually runs a variable course and sufferers will usually have long symptom free periods broken up by flare ups.

Cycling is one of activities which is most asthmogenic (along with Basketball, Long-distance running, Soccer, Cross-country skiing, Ice hockey and speed skating)
This means that it is one of the sports most likely to cause a flare up of asthma.
Simply having asthma does not stop anyone from cycling or even reaching the top (approximately 20% of the athletes at the Barcelona Olympics had asthma). Indeed there is research that shows that regular exercise reduces the likelihood of attacks. There are many high profile cyclists who suffer from asthma most notably Miguel Indurain (5 times Tour winner). That said if not well controlled it will reduce your ability to cycling for long periods of time and reduce the level of effort you can make. In moderate cases it can stop you cycling at all if not well treated and in extremes can lead to hospitalisation (or worse).

So how can you make sure that asthma does not affect your life and your cycling?

Firstly you should be properly assessed if you have or suspect you have it. Common symptoms include wheeze, shortness of breath, cough especially at night and a feeling of tightness. It can be confused with other conditions like bronchitis; pneumonia, gastric reflux and many others so always get it diagnosed by a doctor. All GP’s are well trained in treating asthma but if it is more complex can refer you for tests or to see a specialist.
Then make sure that you are on the right treatment. Inhalers medications are the main way of controlling it. Beta 2 agonist “relievers” like Ventolin (salbutamol) and Bricanyl are the most common. These are the blue reliever inhalers that should give rapid but short-lived relief. If taken 30 minutes before exercise they reduce exercise-induced asthma in 90% of people.
If you only get very occasional short-lived attacks then these are often enough.
If you are getting regular symptoms (typically once a week or more) than a “preventer” should be considered. The most common types of these are inhaled corticosteroids like Becotide, flixotide, pulmicort and beclazone. These are sometimes accompanied by long acting “beta agonists” such as oxis and serevent. Some drug companies make combined versions of steroid and long acting beta agonists e.g. symbicort and seretide.
There are other drugs like the new Leukotriene Modifiers and older mast cell stabilisers which are commonly used.
These are all good and effective treatments although there are a few types of inhaler and you should try to get a doctor or asthma nurse to check you are using it correctly (up to 70% of people don’t).

These medications are however mostly subject to anti doping regulations. If you are racing then you need to get a TUE or therapeutic exemption form filled out. This can be done through the Irish Sports council www.irishsportscouncil.ie if doing domestic events but if you are riding UCI or international events then also through the UCI (ask for advice through your club or Cycling Ireland.

There are also non-drug related ways of reducing the risk of asthma during exercise. A warm-up lasting at least 15 minutes has been scientifically shown to reduce attacks. There is some controversy about how intense this should be but the length should be at least 15 mins.
Avoiding training on days when the air is cold and dry or wearing a scarf or facemask on this sort of day can help. If asthma is bad then training or competition should probably be avoided.
Finally a good warm down helps prevent flare-ups afterwards.

Although in medical journals there is little evidence of effect, there are other techniques that may help. Pilates is a type of exercise which was developed in part to help breathing technique. Yoga has also been used to help breathing. These can also help core stability and should be considered by cyclists as part of their training regime (especially those with asthma).

The “Power-breathe” devices have a lot of support and seem to improve the muscles involved inbreathing. There is limited evidence to say they may help the frequency of asthma attack although they should be used in conjunction with and not in place of medications.

Asthma is a chronic illness. It can be controlled extremely well with the right treatment. Respect it and read the warning signs if getting bad but remember that exercise in the vast majority of cases will help. Cycling will flare it up if not well controlled but at the same time it should not prevent you from reaching any of your goals. If some one can win five tours, two giros, a world title, an Olympic title and the hour record with asthma, well it just shows how well it can be controlled.

PS If you do have asthma make sure the inhaler you have is not expired, not empty and in you’re back pocket on every spin.

StudentC

Nice article RobFowl

RobFowl wrote: »

These are all good and effective treatments although there are a few types of inhaler and you should try to get a doctor or asthma nurse to check you are using it correctly (up to 70% of people don’t).


The “Power-breathe” devices have a lot of support and seem to improve the muscles involved inbreathing. There is limited evidence to say they may help the frequency of asthma attack although they should be used in conjunction with and not in place of medications.

What RobFowl says about people not taking inhalers properly is so so so true. There's a technique to it, and it requires a bit of coordination. Lots of people think they are taking the inhaler, but the drug is actually ending up on their tongue, the roof of their mouth, in the room, on their face, etc etc. Briefly, (and depending on the inhaler type) the button needs to be pressed while you simultaneously take a big breath in, and then you need to keep your mouth closed for about 10 seconds, so's not to breathe it all back out again. If people think they aren't really getting the drug in properly, a spacer (something like this) can be very handy.

On the PowerBreathe thing, from what I've read I think the jury is still out on them, particularly in relation to conditions like asthma. We are playing around with a few little case studies on them in our lab at the moment, so I'll let ye know if we find anything interesting