Asthma/anxiety/EIA

I usually exercise inside at home or gym.

It's normal weather atm sun most of the time.

I usually do a cardiovascular routine with some boxersise in there too.

Thankyou for the reply

My experience with EIA and reading up is it is most often during the first 15 minutes of exercise, or afterwards.  Usually goes away after 15 minutes.  However if you have a burst of activity like a wind sprint up a hill that can trigger.  Cold or dry air can cause it, although allergy also.

​If it happens at beginning take 1 puff albuterol (Ventolin) 5 minutes before which should prevent.  If it happens after take 1 puff it should clear within a few minutes.  If this is consistent you have EIA in my opinion.

 

Thankyou, I believe it's EIA as it happens 5-10 minutes after stopping but can clear without medication buts it's uncomfortable and scary. I don't cough just wheeze, it can happen after 15 mins sometimes. If i am walking in the cold that sets me off. I have had an infection and was told originally it was that. Had antibiotics and it still happened and the infection returned again, tonsillitis.

Thankyou for your help.

So as always - disclaimer - see a licensed MD for official medical advice ...

However ... in my humble opinion you have been misdiagnosed.  Or you did have some other things going on, and that can make you more sensitive to EIA but still it is EIA.  What you have is classic EIA.  Your trigger is a change in temperature.  Sometimes i used to get it after a cold winter nights run all hot and steaming the moment I came inside after the run I wheeze.  Even though I might just have run 7 miles.  Like you also cold air or dry air.  It's very personal and varies seasonally and random changes in your body.

Good news the treatment is so easy.  Look it up there is plenty online.  Depending on how long the workout the preventive puff before the start may prevent asthma after.  Or if not then just keep albuterol with your kit and take one when the wheezing starts.  The only thing  is I would not go back into workout immediately after a puff - give it 5-10 or 15 minutes if you can.

Whatever happens don't let it stop you! I can guarantee that EIA has absolutely no correlation with performance and exercise is good for asthma, period.

It doesn't surprise me you were misdiagnosed in my experience many docs do not know about EIA I have no idea why the symptoms are very specific and easy to spot & treat.

Thankyou so much, yes I've monitored my peak flow religiously and it never drops below 600

Seems to just be exercise and I won't let it stop me.

Puff of the inhaler stops the symptoms instantly so it will continue my workouts.

Any more advice would be great.

Hm.  Sounds really straightforward EIA.  1 puff for me does it.

I don't know why this comes up so much but docs miss it.  I had it on and off 15 years then I self diagnosed and read information online.  They don't know the exact cause but they think it is related to the cold or dry air rushing in and evaporating the moisture on the lining of your airway.  That somehow irritates and flairs asthma that may have been on the edge of irration due to your usual triggers. 

Other suggestions are a slower rate warmup period (this always works for me, but I don't always have time).  Breathing in through your nose and mouth for the first 15 minutes also helps a lot especially in the cold (breathe out through your mouth).  All these things serve to moisten and warm the incoming air.  In the snow wear a facemask until warmed up (but don't let it give you frostbite).

But the real go-to is the preventive 1 puff 5, 10 or 15 minutes before. Just experiment.  I like to be cautious with abluterol when I don't otherwise have asthma so during pollen season or early winter I'll do the pre-puff every time, rest of year I don't take the puff I just see how it's going, unless it happens a lot then I might for a couple of weeks.  It's just feel.  If you are not getting any asthma outside of exercise you will find it less likely.

 

Thankyou so much for advice, Yeh staying perfectly still and calm I'm always fine. Got the spirometry to prove that.

Have started having a funny throat outside of exercise but that could be an infection or mental the doctor said.

Any last advice is really appreciated.

Thankyouuuuuu so much

Throat thing is usually an infection and should not directly relate to asthma, but can spread and aggravate things.  Personally I give those two weeks before seeking medical attention if they are mild and not the type that causes asthma for me.

But ... if it lingers and lingers go see an ENT.  Frined of mine just went through nearly a month of all kinds of doctors visits, had walking pneumonia, cough lingered and lingered (waking her up at night) finally saw an ENT specialist and was told it was a common silent reflux thing ... new medication and problem solved in days. 

But I'm assuming you've had EIA for years ... I've always had it since 16 (again just occasionally) it never goes away and it's never a big deal once you understand it.

Hello, thank you I will wait awhile and see how it goes, I've had a few throat infections this year alone but I was told it's common for a growing male my age, and this EIA has really only be the last couple of months, I have started swimming and one Puff seems to be fine for what I'm doing at the moment,

Thankyou again

Hmmm.  I think 1 throat infection a year may be on the slightly high side of average.  I'm suspicious that the EIA started at the same time.  

1 puff sounds normal.  If it was me I'd continue what you are doing, stay healthy & fit, eat right, get sleep.  But keep an eye on that throat thing it seems a little suspicious.