64 replies to this topic

[Ellie80]

Last week I started to experience a strange sensation of tightness/pressure on the chest and not being able to breathe. I ignored it firstly, but the next day it kicked in at the 5k mark of a run and there was no ignoring it and I slowly walked home not breathing comfortably until I was inside sitting down.

So I went to the doctor who diagnosed exercise induced asthma as well as bad allergies and gave me an Intal Forte puffer and some allergy medication. The things that I thought were also relevant were that we have had our kitchen replaced by our landlord and the amount of dust has been extraordinary - and the house is annoyingly and continually dusty anyway. I also get hayfever.

I have been taking the puffer before I run and whenever I have symptoms but yesterday I still had the symptoms at the 5k mark, and today it kicked in at 2k and the walk home was very unpleasant and it didn't seem to get better until I was inside sitting down again. It seems to be accompanied by light headedness at some points.

I will go back to the doctor to review as soon as I can but my questions are:

- anyone have experience with this and running? I thought asthma usually started in kids??
- I have read that breathing through the nose helps - any experience?
- anyone successfully managing this type of asthma? it is very disheartening, but loads of people run with asthma I am sure - I'd just love to hear from anyone who does!

Thanks

Ellie

[tomh]

Been asthmatic all my life. Fitter I am, the less I get it. Been on Intal and Intal Forte, neither did anything except aggravate it.

Slow shallow breathing controls attacks better than the recommended deep breaths. Through the nose warms the air which lessens the asthma a bit, but hard to do during a tempo run.

Asthma can start at any age. My aunt started at 40.

My advice would be buy a Ventolin puffer (no script needed). Take 1 or 2 puffs before you run and carry it with you and puff it if you get sypmtoms.

Edit:
Probably should add Intal are preventives, they will not stop an attack. A reliever like Ventolin will stop an attack.

Edited by tomh, 19 May 2009 - 08:02 AM.

[walker1st]

Ellie, what happens if You go stright into shower ?

by the way, what You described is not running specific, any increased physical activity will have same effect, sport or hard labour.

[Ellie80]

Thanks tomh - I will discuss that with the doc. Good to know that increased fitness is a benefit.

Walker1st - yes I think it is relieved a bit in the shower. THe problem is the 2-3k walk home from wherever I am when it starts. Doh. Even walking does seem to aggravate it a bit so definitely not running specific.

[blair]

Not running per se but I have had exercise induced asthma in the past. First, a few years ago when swimming and then more recently playing touch football. All I did for touch was to have some Ventolin before the match and again at half time and it seemed to solve the problem.

Dust and other pollutants in the air will definitely not help. Maybe you should look into getting one of those air purifiers that you jsut plug into the power point for your home.

[RunnerMick]

I had a bout of exercise-induced asthma 3-4 years ago during footy training..

It was an icy cold night, we were doing some interval sprints. From memory I felt fine until during one of the sprints I felt a sudden tightening sensation in my upper chest, and was reduced to a very slow jog and a struggling mess..

It was quite scary, I had no idea what was going on.. was hyperventilating for a good half an hour, tried using someone's asthma pump but that didn't help..

The club medico's had no clue, I had to actually drive myself to the nearest hospital while struggling to breathe!

It settled after about 30 - 45 mins, apparently it's most common during vigorous exercise in the cold.

I was prescribed an inhaler (which i never actually used) and just told to avoid hard exercise in the cold for a while..

I can't prescribe anything to you obviously as I'm no doc, but I am much fitter now and haven't had any occurrences since.. touch wood...

[brizza]

adult onset asthma is a pest and you need better than intal,it is best managed by a respiratory physician,a likely drug would be flixotide and serevent combined in one puffer and a ventilin prior to setting off on a run,the flixotide is a preventer and the serevent is a twelve hour reliever,all of the above can be reduced and stopped if the asthma is only caused by dust,maybe you have been sensitised by other things in the environment such as suspended particulate matter which can be excluded to a large extent,gps are great but try to get to see a consultant who can explain things better than anyone

[brizza]

hi ellie,i just realised you are in sydney,the best(and nicest)consultant is dr brian jarvie in randwick,he is a respiratory physician and has good insight into runners and exercisers

[kb]

I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma a few years ago. I had come down with a bad dose of the flu which I happily recovered from after a few weeks. Then mysteriously I would still get quite short of breath when I ran - it would start with coughing and then progress onto a full on wheeze. Once I even considered dropping by the Ambulance Station at Drummoyne and helping myself to some oxygen and ventolin (I am not a thief - this is where I work).

Now I have a few puffs of ventolin before exercise and I am just fine.

Cheri

[Ellie80]

OK well might need to change the thread.

I went back to the doctor who prescribed some prednisolone and also ventolin. I bought them, took the ventolin, and immediately had another 'episode'. Luckily I was closeish to the doctor so went back and she has gotten me into a cardiologist this afternoon because it looks like it is heart not breathing. But by the time she ECG'd me I was fine. So who knows...

Sigh.

[BEN-HUR]

Hi Ellie,

I am not an asthmatic but have had symptoms similar to yours whilst training hard (i.e. tempo run on a winter's morning). Probably in part due to not acclimatizing to the temperature (quick transition from warm air to cold air) i.e. starting fast & breathing deep a rapidly at the start of a steady pace run. I personally felt that diet also played a part in the symptoms as well as the rapid intake of cold air into the lungs. I found dairy food certainly exacerbated the symptoms. I thus have virtually no dairy in my diet (which is probably a good thing anyway... that's another discussion). I haven't had exercised induced asthmatic symptoms for many years now.

Also, a more natural alternative certainly worth trying is the following...

- before exercise to take 1/4 tsp of salt & two glasses of water before exercise. You only need 1/4 tsp a day but more of course if you sweat a lot & depending on size etc (everyone different). The reason some get asthma during exercise is in part theorized because of dehydration to some degree. I suggest using Celtic sea salt. Also an Iodine supplement could be helpful i.e. take Kelp granules twice a week.

Anyway, it's worth a try. I personally wouldn't want to take ventolin if it could be avoided.

Ellie80, on May 19 2009, 01:44 PM, said:

OK well might need to change the thread.

I went back to the doctor who prescribed some prednisolone and also ventolin. I bought them, took the ventolin, and immediately had another 'episode'. Luckily I was closeish to the doctor so went back and she has gotten me into a cardiologist this afternoon because it looks like it is heart not breathing. But by the time she ECG'd me I was fine. So who knows...

Sigh.

This is interesting. Two years ago I developed what I thought was exercised induced asthma during a recovery run on a cold July morning (after many years of not having an episode). What happened was the following outlined in this thread...

BEN-HUR, on Aug 8 2007, 09:49 AM, said:

Unfortunately I have been recently diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation. One morning I was out running & I was struggling with my breathing, had a tight chest with a bit of an ache around the chest & shoulders. I also felt physically weaker, as if all of a sudden & had lost a lot of fitness in a day. The previous day I ran a 14km tempo run in 46min. & not long before that I raced a solid 25km (so I knew I was in good shape). On this particular morning I had to cut my run down to 10km due to the above symptoms. This run ended up being an exhausting 45-46 min. 10km pace. At the time I put it down to the cold weather & a bit of asthma but the same thing happened over the next few training sessions to the point where I had to stop at half way bent over with my hands on my knees with exhaustion (after a relatively slow pace run). It is then I took my pulse & noticed it was irregular as well as soft & hard beats. An ECG by my GP gave me a diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). I was then referred to a Cardiologist where I had an Transthoracic Echocardiogram which also confirmed AF. Unfortunately he appeared a bit vague when it came to answering my questions (am sure he is good though) thus why am posting here. The above info. has been very helpful. However my treatment appears to be taking a different course to that mentioned above as I have been put on Warfarin to keep my blood thin as clots can form in the Atrium with this condition (thus risk of stroke). I have also been advised to have a procedure done under general anaesthetic to shock the heart back into rhythm. I have been told not to train until this gets resolved. This has all come as a bit of a shock to me as I am healthy, fit, have a healthy diet & wouldn't expect to have a heart condition at my age.
I would like to know if anyone else has had this, what was your treatment & how have you been since the diagnosis i.e. have you returned back to your normal training levels once the condition was resolved. Thanks in advance for your responses.
Kind regards,
BEN-HUR.

I thought... me of all people getting this... why?! I later found out that it is not uncommon for athletes (more so endurance athletes) to develop this. I don't want to alarm you but it just seems somewhat similar to my experience. My Atrium was shocked back in rhythm & I am now fine.

You may be fine & it could be just a diet/weather/allergy episode... but get this sorted out soon.

All the best!

[CantPaceIt]

brizza, on May 19 2009, 12:03 PM, said:

adult onset asthma is a pest and you need better than intal,it is best managed by a respiratory physician,a likely drug would be flixotide and serevent combined in one puffer and a ventilin prior to setting off on a run,the flixotide is a preventer and the serevent is a twelve hour reliever,all of the above can be reduced and stopped if the asthma is only caused by dust,maybe you have been sensitised by other things in the environment such as suspended particulate matter which can be excluded to a large extent,gps are great but try to get to see a consultant who can explain things better than anyone

Yep, Ellie if you do have asthma as i do i reckon this is the way to go. A medication which contains these ingredients is called Seretide. I've had asthma pretty much all my life, exercise induced as well as set off by pollens, dust mites, perfumes etc. I've also tried many preventatives including Intal Forte which tasted horrible and did nothing for my exercise induced asthma. I used to use Pulmicort as a preventative and then Ventolin as a reliever. The preventatives did little and I was stuck using the reliever at least 4 times a day, every single day for years and years. I could never run without using a reliever, ever!
About 5 years ago Seretide was recommended to me, though i was sceptical i used it and within a month or 2 I no longer required a reliever. So I've gone from using the reliever Ventolin several times a day to basically carryng it in my pocket for security and using it once or twice a year!

Having said all that, I'm not sure you actually have asthma, you may just be very senstive to dust since your symtoms only came about with that clean out.

Whatever you do, don't just use a reliever like Ventolin to control asthma if you are properly diagnosed with it. I had this conversation with a school acquaintance who was a martial arts specialist, fitter than me at the time, 6 feet under now.

As for breathing through your nose to control asthma, well I do that for the first km of my training. I think it really helps to stop an attack however you have to run slow enough to enable yourself to do it otherwise you just tense up. Another thing I always do before a run is, walk, jog, walk, jog etc till i feel comfortable

CPI

Edited by CantPaceIt, 19 May 2009 - 04:40 PM.

[walker1st]

Ellie I was going to ask You if You eat/drink any dairy,

now I see Ben-Hur already mentioned this as well as importance of daily intake of ocean celtic salt

from my data, everybody who has asthma issues (as well as sinus issues - different topic),
is a dairy eating person.


so far I have not come accross a person who is completely dairy free and would have these issues,

it can drag for many months after quiting the dairy, till the body gets rid of all of it and the imune system stabilize and recovers.

[undercover brother]

hey ellie!
dont sigh! there will be a way to sort it out.
apart from listening to you and your heart/chest there are tests that can help sort out whats going on: spirometry (lung/breathing), holter (24hr ecg), echo/stress echo (heart ultrasound)...
would be interested to hear if the gp actually heard a wheeze or not?!? or got you to do any breathing tests.
bro

Edited by undercover brother, 19 May 2009 - 05:44 PM.

[Ellie80]

Well - have now been to the cardiologist and am not a lot wiser. But I am certainly poorer

No actually he was great - he ecg'd me and ultrasounded me and structurally it all seems fine. He does seem to think that it is most likely inflammation or viral lung/heart and is sending me for a bunch of blood tests. I also have a stress test on Friday which will be interesting.
I have to continue to take my 3 days of prednisolone (sp??) which I believe is bad news but treats inflammation well.

I haven't really felt wheezy. More pressure/blockage. She got me to do one of those things where I blow into it and see how far the little tab moves up the line. I got 430-450ish which she said was fine. So I don't really know what the story is. The symptoms are back a bit now and it is quite unpleasant. Today has definitely been the worst day thus far so whatever it may be it is getting worse and not better.

Thanks so much for all this info guys - it is much appreciated.

[CantPaceIt]

walker1st, on May 19 2009, 05:08 PM, said:

Ellie I was going to ask You if You eat/drink any dairy,

now I see Ben-Hur already mentioned this as well as importance of daily intake of ocean celtic salt

from my data, everybody who has asthma issues (as well as sinus issues - different topic),
is a dairy eating person.


so far I have not come accross a person who is completely dairy free and would have these issues,

it can drag for many months after quiting the dairy, till the body gets rid of all of it and the imune system stabilize and recovers.

I'm also sensititive to most dairy products except for hard cheeses. I was a strict vegan from 1996- 1998 and still had the same asthma issues at the time.

CPI

[brizza]

ellie there is a really good cardiologist in edgecliff who is a pretty good runner himself.he si skinny and looks really fit,if you want i can get his name for you,ther is another guy in randwick i think his name is tony freeman,his wife runs a triathlon traing group and i used to see him at swim squad at the nsw uni i can dig him out too if you want

[Chelbub]

Hi Ellie,

Sorry to hear you are having these issues...they are annoying and troubling at the same time.

I am not sure if this helps but I thought I'd add my bit for thought...

During winter last year I developed a wheeze whilst running and found breathing very hard, I don't recall getting a tightness in the chest at this time, and found I had to slow right down in order to breathe properly. I went to the doctor who did an asthma test however I don't think these results were accurate as the nurse who did test made a mistake. I think it was the sprirometry test people have mentioned. I had to blow into a mouthpiece and it measured the input and output, then I had ventolin and had to blow into the mouthpiece again. However, on doing this (I tried really, really hard!) the nurse didn't press the button properly and I had to do another breath, by which time I was had it from the first one! I probably should have asked to do the test again later but was not bold enough to ask. So when the doc got the results he said that I performed worse after the ventolin...of course I did...I expelled all the air on the first breath that wasn't recorded! However, I mentioned this and the doc didn't seemed concerned and thought perhaps I have "Vocal cord disfunction" which is where my vocal cords tighten and swell and don't allow the air through. The information he gave me certainly see appropriate. Anyhow the upshot of it all was that he prescribed 'intal forte' (2 puffs before exercising) and I had to breathe out with an "f' sound - it changes the position of the vocal cord. I have to say that this certainly does help me however I find that when I want to increase my tempo at all the wheeze comes back and I struggle. Hence my speed hasn't changed in a while. I gave myself a bit of ventolin as well from time to time which helped.

Your issues sound more serious but perhaps some 'f' breathing may help. It does for me but just can't increase tempo over long period of time which concerns me.

On another note after the City2surf last year (had ventolin before the start) I had a very strange feeling in the chest (maybe this is the tightness that people are talking about and I didn't recognise it as this) but everytime I breathed it felt really strange...and made me gasp. It was almost a sharp tickle which was unpleasant....I felt the need for ventolin. I have only had that twice since and it seems to be when I try to work hard - after the Hill to Harbour and after a two hour trail run with Solace - it always seems to last for a few days. I have a doc's appt this week and will canvass that with him.....

I shall let you know what he says and maybe you could take that on board....anyhow, I write this to give food for thought. I had been thinking of posting about this so am reading all the posts with interest. Good luck and I am glad your heart is fine, that is one worry gone.

Having said all that I re-read your last post and have to mention that mine is exercise induced only - no symptoms at any other time.

[Ellie80]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. It has been a terrible weak and doesn't seem to have gotten any better. I am now short of breath most of the time which is getting quite depressing. Doctor stopped the asthma stuff today and have just spoken with the after hours doctor who has spoken to a pharmacist and I've now taken my first anti-biotic (only spoken to him on the phone but he reckons 'atypical chest infection').

Am settling in for an hour or two to see how I go before reassessing the trip to the hospital. Fingers crossed. It does seem to be feeling a little better, but it has done that before...

Anyway - thanks again - think I'll be visiting a respiratory specialist next week

E

[kathmandu]

oh wow ellie that sounds awful. i hope the antibiotics kick in soon.

look after yourself munchkin

[Chelbub]

Gosh Ellie...not sounding good....fingers crossed antibiotics kick in sooner rather than later..take care.

[SeanP]

I've had chronic fatigue for about 12 years now. It started after running a 10km pb of around 31.40. 6 weeks later I was lucky to be able to jog at 6min/km pace for 5 kms, and even that was exhausting from the first step.

I am much improved now, but one of the lingering effects seems to be exercise induced asthma. This only gradullay developed over the last 4 years, and was first evident when trying to do speed work. I'd be coughing so hard after each rep that I'd be retching. I finally visited Karen Holzer at Olympic Park Sports medicine. Karen knows her stuff, having done a PhD in EIA and regularly accompanies our national athletics teams to the Olympics and World champs. She has also worked with elite swimmers. She's a runner herself and so knows the frustrations. She sent me off for a eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation test - a sure fire test for EIA. You basically hyperventialte increasingly dry air and look at pre- and post-lung function tests. The test certainly didn't trigger the type of 'attack' I have running, but there was some evidence of EIA. She put me on Flixotide twice a day as a preventor to ease the underlying chroic inflammation, and Tilade taken pre-exercise to prevent the acute reaction. Both seemd to work OK but didn't stop things totally. They did let me get thru low intenisty training -e nough to complete and Ironman. Albeit very slowly. Since then, however, the EIA seems to have got worse, kicking in at lower and lwoer levels of intensity. It now seems my lactate threshold is about 140 bpm! go over that and I run out of oxygen, chest tightens and start coughing, and am usually reduced to walking by extreme muscular fatigue. Hardly a pace conducive to ever getting back to some sort of form.

I was hoping to race the 10k at sandown this weekend. with the very modest goal of 40 min for 10km. It would actually be my first pure running race since my pb 12 years ago. It has taken that long to feel I can actually maintain some sort of race pace. I'd been doing some OK training _ i have periods where I am up and the fatigue and asthma is less of a problem. I've stpped taking the tilade over the last few months as the flixotide seemed enough, but that no longer seems to be working as well. It's very expensive to take both in the doses recommended! especially the tilade when I was training twice a day.

But a visit to Karen again recently has meant a cahnge in tactic - she wants to focus on my ongoing sinusitis (another development of the last 6-7 years). she thinks at least some of the problem is due to this - sore throat, swollen glands and headache every morning and the like. the coughing had recently gotten worse, so that it wasn't just during exercise, but every morning for a couple of hours. karen reckoned this was due to the crud in my sinuses draining into my throat and lungs. ugggh! She put me on oral cortisone. horrid stuff. like taking 100 expressos every day. very hyper and unable to sleep, but gee I had some energy to run1 and it killed the lung inflammation and got me breathing again. but was only one that for a week and taking a 4 week course of antibitotics (clarythromycin). had this before. it does help kill any bacterial infection but gives me nausea, bloating and leaves me quite fatigued. next step is CT scans of my sinuses and probable operation to drill them out. Anyone had any success or otherwise with this? I am pretty loathe to try it but feel I've got nothing to lose anymore.

I am at about rock bottom at the moment. haven't been able to raise more than a jog the past two weeks. Had to actually pull out of my run at ferny creek yesterday - only 3 kms into it and the asthma was worse than ever. Not as though we were running hard! The attempt at sandown this weekend is gone - I'll be relegated to cheering yet again.

ellie, I hope you find some solutions. I understand that asthma generally repsonds very well to treatment. Every second olympic athlete has at least a bit of it! My probs are more findamental it seems, but thought my saga might be instructive.

[bones]

Ellie80, on May 23 2009, 06:09 PM, said:

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. It has been a terrible weak and doesn't seem to have gotten any better. I am now short of breath most of the time which is getting quite depressing. Doctor stopped the asthma stuff today and have just spoken with the after hours doctor who has spoken to a pharmacist and I've now taken my first anti-biotic (only spoken to him on the phone but he reckons 'atypical chest infection').

Am settling in for an hour or two to see how I go before reassessing the trip to the hospital. Fingers crossed. It does seem to be feeling a little better, but it has done that before...

Anyway - thanks again - think I'll be visiting a respiratory specialist next week

E

Hi Ellie,

I've been an asthmatic all my life, though well controlled now with Serotide, but I know how awful it is when breathing difficulties arise.
I know you've probably already discussed this with your doc, but have you had blood tests? I had serious breathing and energy issues 18 months ago; could hardly take a step and it got steadily worse. Turns out I had really, really low iron (I had been eating mostly veg and fruit and GF grains for quite some time, but I don't want to go into that for fear of starting another food flame war)- that on top of the asthma was awful.
I'm not suggesting for a minute that that is your problem - there are many, many things it could be - but worth having blood tests done if you haven't already.

[Ellie80]

well I remain baffled and getting really disheartened. The constant shortness of breath is awful. Still we have ruled almost everything out now so who bloody knows. Been on the antibiotics for 48 hours now and no miracle... (although yesterday was quite good, today was not, be tonight really isn't).

Who knows. My iron is borderline, it could be allergies or I oils just have to be patient with the antibiotics. Patience is not my strongest suit...

[brizza]

my feeling is that you have an atypical chest infection,possibly even viral so the antibiotics may not even work,take your temperature several times over a few days,half a degree can still be an infection,i think you may struggle with this for a while,there are a few strange bugs around these days,in the early eighties i was working in an area of glasgow which had a legionaires desease epidemic and many people died,we were all swabbed and i had the bug on my mucous membranes and had had only had bit of a sniff,others were found to have atypical pneumonias with no symptoms and otherwise well,deseases aren't what they used to be

[Ellie80]

Well we have a new contender on the diagnosis front which seems to make sense... acid reflux! Who knew that something in your stomach could cause shortness of breath. That is the verdict from the respiratory specialist and there really is nothing wrong with my lungs - I have truly had every test known to mankind.

What the tricky thing is, is whether or not it was the original problem, or the result of the prednisone steroids and antibiotics.

In any event I now have some drugs to make my stomach acid subside (Nexium) and am not taking anything else. Anyone have any experience with this??? In particular I want to know how quickly the Nexium is going to work. I have had good parts of the day and not so good parts in the breathing department. The shortness of breath is definitely food related (timing wise) and it would explain the particular problem breathing when I lay down to go to sleep.

Any advice appreciated!

[walker1st]

I am getting more and more terrified by medical industry.

person with acid reflux is loaded with steroids and antibiotics,
only because nobody has any clue.

It remaids me of advice about stock investing DIY or use teh broker -
throw the darts at finacial page of the papers and You have beeter chance to be correct, that the broker with his research team.


sorry Ellie, not constructive for You atm,
I again can only ask - what You eating ?

as people who are vegans focused on water bolied vegs and some raw fats usualy do not have reflux or stomach acidity issues, this is again like most of any health issues, just a lifestyle choice
with the consequencies

[emjay]

Ellie80, on May 27 2009, 04:10 PM, said:

Well we have a new contender on the diagnosis front which seems to make sense... acid reflux! Who knew that something in your stomach could cause shortness of breath. That is the verdict from the respiratory specialist and there really is nothing wrong with my lungs - I have truly had every test known to mankind.

What the tricky thing is, is whether or not it was the original problem, or the result of the prednisone steroids and antibiotics.

In any event I now have some drugs to make my stomach acid subside (Nexium) and am not taking anything else. Anyone have any experience with this??? In particular I want to know how quickly the Nexium is going to work. I have had good parts of the day and not so good parts in the breathing department. The shortness of breath is definitely food related (timing wise) and it would explain the particular problem breathing when I lay down to go to sleep.

Any advice appreciated!

I had similar problems, both when taking high doses of predisone and also more recently. both times, it coincided with a prolonged period of taking nsaids which caused gastric irritation. nexium takes a while to kick in but will eventually help. in the meantime avoid gastric irritants like coffee and alcohol which can make the problem worse.

[Phil S]

Nexium reduces the production of gastric acid which is the cause of the symptoms of reflux. Nexium does not reduce the reflux.
Nexium should start acting within days, but is usually taken for 4-8 weeks initially. The drug is considered safe to take for long periods of time if necessary. Nexium is usually taken half an hour before breakfast once a day (if symptoms are mainly during the day), but may need to be taken twice a day for severe conditions.
You could try elevating your bed by placing blocks of wood under the head of the bed so gravity helps in preventing reflux while sleeping. Or you could use pillows etc to help achieve the same affect.
Do you get a dry irritating cough with your symptoms ?
Phil

[Ellie80]

Phil S, on May 28 2009, 07:47 AM, said:

Nexium reduces the production of gastric acid which is the cause of the symptoms of reflux. Nexium does not reduce the reflux.
Nexium should start acting within days, but is usually taken for 4-8 weeks initially. The drug is considered safe to take for long periods of time if necessary. Nexium is usually taken half an hour before breakfast once a day (if symptoms are mainly during the day), but may need to be taken twice a day for severe conditions.
You could try elevating your bed by placing blocks of wood under the head of the bed so gravity helps in preventing reflux while sleeping. Or you could use pillows etc to help achieve the same affect.
Do you get a dry irritating cough with your symptoms ?
Phil

Thanks Phil - great info Yes I have a bit of a cough - on and off - quite annoying actually.

Does anyone know if there any good temporary tablets to relieve the pressure (there is no burning, just the breathing symptoms and chest pressure) that can be used with Nexium?

[Phil S]

Ellie80, Although the chest tightness does not sound like typical acid reflux if it is the cause then you could try something like Mylanta Antacid or Quickeze for symptomatic relief. I would have suggested trying a Ventolin Inhaler for the breathing symptoms but I think you had a bad episode with one.
Out of left field could the chest tightness be caused by overbreathing which could also make you feel lightheaded. If this is the case try breathing slower and shallower whilst trying to be relaxed.

[bones]

Ellie80, on May 27 2009, 03:10 PM, said:

What the tricky thing is, is whether or not it was the original problem, or the result of the prednisone steroids and antibiotics.

Ellie, I think it could quite probably be from the antibiotics. I've had extremely painful acid reflux, and I think a hole in my oesophagus, from taking doxylin. My problems arose soon after I started taking the antibiotic so the correlation seems to be there. You need to be careful how you take antibiotics - with food and lots of water - but from my experience even then problems can arise.

I hope your problems are soon resolved.

[nite_time_runner]

Ellie80, on May 18 2009, 03:39 PM, said:

anyone successfully managing this type of asthma? it is very disheartening, but loads of people run with asthma I am sure - I'd just love to hear from anyone who does!

Thanks

Ellie

Hi Ellie,
I have EIA - and asthma on and off since birth. I am still learning to manage it, but i have learnt the following:

• start easy when exercising - ease into it
  
• preventers have always made me lose my voice after a few days of use - no matter what i try - inhaler devices, different types, mouthwash afterwards. So i only take it for a day or two before a race.
  
• i carry a ventolin with me - always. OK, sometimes i don't, but thats only by accident

Don't let it stop you doing anything, just be prepared, and it should not hold you back at all!!

[Leaf]

walker1st, on May 27 2009, 04:29 PM, said:

person with acid reflux is loaded with steroids and antibiotics,
only because nobody has any clue.

Ellie said that the reflux might be caused by the antibiotics and steroids, not that she was prescribed them as treatment for the reflux.

[brizza]

reflux can cause bronchospasm and exercise can cause acidosis(it is supposed to),reflux can happen to some people at the start of a run and may go on for varying lengths of time,but if it is then why now?,a change in habits,it does go away as your body adapts again,heres hoping it is something simple

[RunRunRun23]

How you doing?

Just thought I might add my two cents worth... your symptoms and experiences sound hauntingly similar to what my bestie experienced earlier this year. She spent a few days in hospital, and the 50 million heart/lung/blood tests they ran left them none the wiser. My hubby said out of left field "I reckon your back's out." By then, she was ready to try anything so took herself off to see a manipulative physio and a couple of visits later she was back to fighting fit. Turned out she'd injured something (I don't remember the actual diagnosis) but it was put down to poor posture used when picking up her toddler. It was all referred pain / not being able to breathe in properly because of muscles being hurt etc.

Just something else to consider if you're not getting better yet!

[SeanP]

You might also investigate VCD - vocal cord dysfunction. I'm being investigated for it now after unsuccessful treatment for EIA.

[walker1st]

another thing to consider,
is the effect of chemtrails

however no docotr will be willing to act on this or investigate this, so not really any hope
to get personal answers....

while this is becoming an epidemic in usa, when the new branch of cardiology is created - teh environmental cardiology (instead of calling teh issue what it is),
and teh meterology created new name for new types of clouds, not known 10 years ago...
(the attitude of meteoroly is similar to trying to milk Pamela's silicons)
its not cloud, its created artificialy as result of chemtrails.

anyway, the symptoms to exposed people are various and many,

asthma, hearth, lungs etc, as well as dementia, alzheimer, depression etc.

while it used to be american speciality (they were poluting over canada too, without any serious protest from canadians pupets).

now it is happening in OZ as well, with approval of envirominister who is onnly too familiart and experienced in poisoning own body with chemicals.
well done Rudd pupet, but Your family is exposed to this as well.

It is amazing how could father aprove poisoning of own children, billy approving poisoning of his daughter Chelsea, no surprize in Bush allowing the poisoning of his drunken offsprings, now pupet Obama is happy about his kids being chemtrailed as well.

perhaps it will be the Alaskan hockey mum to wake up first, when her kids will be down chemtrailed ?

we talking nano aluminium, mercury, barium, aerosolized influenza,

it comes down as rain, into water soil, its in the air, winds keep pushing it all over the world.

however in naivity, they do not chemtrail Washington, so they must be hoping it can stay localized ?

[BOD]

walker1st, on Jun 9 2009, 03:38 PM, said:

another thing to consider,..........

well done Rudd pupet, but Your family is exposed to this as well.........

now pupet Obama is happy about his kids being chemtrailed as well.

It is also clear that the same conspiracy is stealthily removing the letter 'p'.

Just last week a Chaser prank became rank.
Our local dominatrix sank without trace, when she really meant to spank.
Even the young kid next door is talking about his new laymate.
Worst of all, my PBs look even less impressive now they are merely Bs.

On a brighter note the apples in my kitchen have turned into a six-pack of ales.

Where will it all sto?

[Ellie80]

righto...

anyways - latest theory remains that it is caused by something gastric and as it irritates my eosophagus it is triggering bits of the lungs to tighten up causing the shortness of breath.

i am a bit better with an acid reducing medicine, but still not 100%. If it is an ulcer (possibly caused by a bacterial infection) then that makes sense as it will require a combo of the acid reducing medicines and antibiotics. But it is easily treatable.

i had to cancel a trip and have an endoscopy booked which I am not looking forward to - but I am very much looking forward to getting a clear diagnosis and getting better and going for a run.

[sfGnome]

Ellie80, on Jun 9 2009, 09:13 PM, said:

I am very much looking forward to getting a clear diagnosis and getting better and going for a run.

So are we, El. So are we!

[MiniMani]

Currently in the process of getting my girlfriend to accompany myself in my running exploits and it turns out she has asthama. And it seems it only ever appears when she excercises. Her and I only really noticed it when she was running on the treadmill at the gym and she would go bright red and look like she was gasping for air. I initially did what i usually do, I made several inappropriate jokes and suggested she get fitter. Situation took a serious turn when she came for gentle jog with me and within the the first k she started to struggle for air, started to sweat, started gasping for air and had to stop since she felt very ill. Since this, she has had a chest x ray and the truth has come to light. Now as it stands she will probably follow nite time runner's advice of -

''1.start easy when exercising - ease into it
2.preventers have always made me lose my voice after a few days of use - no matter what i try - inhaler devices, different types, mouthwash afterwards. So i only take it for a day or two before a race.
3.i carry a ventolin with me - always. OK, sometimes i don't, but thats only by accident''

But is there anything else I should b aware of - for example she gets exhausted after running about 2.5k's, is this due to the asthama? but she does not suffer attacks all the time! Does this type of asthama affect your lung capacity? Can this be overcome?

Just curious.

[tiger angel]

Hi Minimani,

After a few bouts of bronchitis last year and complaining about lack of breath and my chest/throat hurting when I ran I was diagnosed with EIA. It is worse in winter esp. early mornings or late arvo/evening. I now use Seretide (long acting puffer) morning and night and always use 2 puffs of Ventolin about 30mins before aerobic exercise. The difference it has made is huge. I'm no faster but I don't struggle with getting air. My sis-in-law is a GP and she recommended using a spacer with the inhalers as they found this allows the medication to get in more effectively and on a trial of one I have to agree.

I will still get a bit of the asthma style cough during winter between sets at a night track session but it is ok. As for your other queries , yes she could be exhausted because of the asthma or is she running to far to soon ? As for lung capacity, it doesn't really change but the meds help with what you have. There is a product called Powerbreathe that may help - don't know anymore than what I have read.

Anyway good luck to working it all out. As NTR says don't let it stop you. Apart from being really crook this week with Bronchitis ( only once this year - yeah) I'm aiming at mt first HIM in October. It's a solvable problem

[bones]

MiniMani, on Jun 25 2009, 12:37 PM, said:

But is there anything else I should b aware of - for example she gets exhausted after running about 2.5k's, is this due to the asthama? but she does not suffer attacks all the time! Does this type of asthama affect your lung capacity? Can this be overcome?

Just curious.

It can definitely be overcome with improved fitness. I am an asthmatic, have suffered with EIA all my life and have now run 2 marathons and will run my third on the 5th (Perth). I run 5 or 6 times a week and in marathon training average 75km a week, and I only ever turn red when I running track! Swimming is also a great way to improve EIA

[MiniMani]

TA - You hit the nail on the head, she suffered two bouts bronchitis during end of last year and early this year with antibiotics she seemed to get over this ( mind you she went on two courses of anti-bio's before she got ok ) but since then she has had the aforementioned problems. I shall be pointing out this thread to the GF, hope it gives her some ideas. She is so incredibly supportive of my running that it seems such a shame if she can't join me once in a while. Cheers TA.

Bones - If she runs a marathon oneday I would absolutely delighted for her! ( lets hope I beat her to finish line tho! )

[BarefootSimon]

Ellie80, on May 19 2009, 08:39 AM, said:

- anyone have experience with this and running? I thought asthma usually started in kids??
- I have read that breathing through the nose helps - any experience?
- anyone successfully managing this type of asthma? it is very disheartening, but loads of people run with asthma I am sure - I'd just love to hear from anyone who does!

I'm a few months late with this reply, sorry!

All my life I've been asthmatic until a few years ago when I was "cured" using the buteyko technique. However, this "cure" is really just the result of good breathing habits:
* quiet nasal breathing while awake
* mouth taped shut at night
* nasal breathing while running
If I stop doing these things, the symptoms will return.

I've run 4 marathons - the first two (2000/2001) I had my inhaler in one hand and used it frequently. The last two (2007) I didn't even take it with me. I can run on cold mornings now without fear of symptoms. I don't use steroid inhalers (or any other medication) any more. Previously I always had to use my inhaler at the beginning of a run, and it was much worse in the cold.

However, don't be fooled into thinking nasal breathing while running is easy! Initially I could only walk it was so difficult. It took about 6 months of slowly building up before I could run comfortably while nose breathing. Any number of people will tell you that you can't run fast and breathe nasally. That's only true in the short term. If you choose to train yourself, gradually you will improve until eventually the nose is no longer the thing holding you back. (For a 100m sprint or if you're being chased by an angry bear, why not open your mouth?)

[virtualkerri]

BarefootSimon, on Oct 26 2009, 09:05 PM, said:

I'm a few months late with this reply, sorry!

All my life I've been asthmatic until a few years ago when I was "cured" using the buteyko technique. However, this "cure" is really just the result of good breathing habits:
* quiet nasal breathing while awake
* mouth taped shut at night
* nasal breathing while running
If I stop doing these things, the symptoms will return.

I've run 4 marathons - the first two (2000/2001) I had my inhaler in one hand and used it frequently. The last two (2007) I didn't even take it with me. I can run on cold mornings now without fear of symptoms. I don't use steroid inhalers (or any other medication) any more. Previously I always had to use my inhaler at the beginning of a run, and it was much worse in the cold.

However, don't be fooled into thinking nasal breathing while running is easy! Initially I could only walk it was so difficult. It took about 6 months of slowly building up before I could run comfortably while nose breathing. Any number of people will tell you that you can't run fast and breathe nasally. That's only true in the short term. If you choose to train yourself, gradually you will improve until eventually the nose is no longer the thing holding you back. (For a 100m sprint or if you're being chased by an angry bear, why not open your mouth?)

Hi BarefootSimon,
Thanks for your story. Did you attend a Buteyko course and can you comment on benefits of doing the actual course? I've been reading up on the web and found that after years of sinus/blocked nose issues I can now clear my nose in 5 minutes which is just fantastic. I'm trying to nose breath as much as possible, but struggle to keep it up when running, and in general occasionally find myself mouth breathing and consciously adjust.

I think it is slowly getting easier, but have been thinking maybe I should go do the proper course so would love to hear what you thought.

Cheers,
Kerri.

[FatboyCsaba]

Ellie80, on May 19 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

Last week I started to experience a strange sensation of tightness/pressure on the chest and not being able to breathe. I
Thanks

Ellie

Stay away from additive 220 or you will get asthma for sure............

[Ellie80]

I don't know if I ever discussed what turned out to be wrong with me... it wasn't anything to do with lungs or hearts, but was actually (probably) a virus in the rib cartilage causing costochondritis which meant that the ribs wouldn't move much, which gave the sensation of limited ability to breath.

I still have pretty sore back/chest, and if I don't keep it all moving it seizes up and brings some of the symptoms back. So running more really is my 'prescription'.

Hoping that it will go away fully soon.

[blkbox]

My ongoing issues with my chest have got so bad over the last month I have taken the plunge and have organised an appointment with a Buteyko practitioner next week.

I have been constantly taking steroids and antibiotics for what seems an age now.

I knew I had to do something yesterday when I had an asthma attack whilst sitting on the lounge watching TV, and before you ask I wasn't watching anything to make me go breathless