Asthmatics and Running Outside?

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tryingtoshed
tryingtoshed Posts: 135 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone else have asthma that is aggravated by allergies? I just tried to go for a run outside, and I almost choked to death because my lungs just closed up. Any tips for this? I REALLY want to run outside!

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  • jandthebops
    jandthebops Posts: 28
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    Do you take your inhaler before you run? If not, try that. I just have to be more vigilant at this time of year about taking my brown inhalers morning and night. TBH, I haven't been too bad yet.
  • tryingtoshed
    tryingtoshed Posts: 135 Member
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    no, but that's a great idea! thanks for the tip!
  • raisingemilyjune
    raisingemilyjune Posts: 181
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    take your inhalers!! i'm asthmatic with allergies (environmental not seasonal so i have mine year round, totally congested/stuffed up) and for me i can't get a deep enough breath to feel satisfied and end up feeling like i'm suffocating. carry your inhalers and follow a breathing pattern, breath in for three steps, out for two, etc. i run up to 10k outside and morning runs help too, before everyone is on the road in their cars, before the humidity and before the heat.

    my inhalers are ventolin and adavair, so i feel ya sista haha.
  • Drea_ann
    Drea_ann Posts: 65 Member
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    I carry my inhaler and sometimes a menthol cough drop will do the trick (like trick my airway into opening better)
  • tkcasta
    tkcasta Posts: 405 Member
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    Yup, 3 things I do, take an allergy pill, use a daily steroid type inhaler (I use advair, most doctors will give flovent; I only use it on my running days because otherwise I don't need it daily) and then about 15 to 20 minutes before my run I use my rescue inhaler. Most of the time this cocktail works great, but if allergens are super high, I may just have to stay in and do something else. Good luck!
  • Trisha_Williams
    Trisha_Williams Posts: 33 Member
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    i go to the park to walk (can't do with car fumes ) i always have my ventolin with me.
    i have to watch when they cut the grass,
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
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    I take allegra daily. I currently don't have an inhaler (stopped using because I hated the side effects). I just do it. And I stop and/or walk if need be. I also try (and this is hard) to focus on breathing through my nose instead of my mouth.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Anyone else have asthma that is aggravated by allergies? I just tried to go for a run outside, and I almost choked to death because my lungs just closed up. Any tips for this? I REALLY want to run outside!

    Yup.

    1. Take your inhaler.
    2. Get used to it.

    I've learned how to control a lot of my breathing issues, so I don't have any real "attacks" anymore. So where running used to kill me, it's fine now.
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
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    Are you on a daily maintenance inhaler? Mine makes me less likely to have an attack because of one of my triggers. Other things I do, allergy meds (zyertec or allegra), a cup of coffee before I go out to open the bronchial tubes and on really bad days I put a little vicks under my nose too. I haven't tried it, but also heard that running in a surgical mask helps block the fine particulates.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I have more trouble in the cold than in the summer. In the winter I'll always take a puff before running. But I never leave for a run or ride without my inhaler regardless of season.
  • likeabanner
    likeabanner Posts: 88 Member
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    My enemy is humidity. It was so bad I had to quit a previous gym because they had 2 pools and I felt like I was suffocating.

    I get allergy shots, but I'm also asthmatic. The allergies obviously make the asthma worse. I have Symbicort for days where I know my Ventolin is not going to be cutting it. My doctor suggested to go on Symbicort when allergies/seasons are bad. I also take Singulair for my asthma... on top of Claritin for allergies, then Nasonex and Astepro nasal sprays.

    Perhaps it's time you see a specialist or get more advice from your Dr. I think you just might need different or more meds to help you through this.
  • OkieTink
    OkieTink Posts: 285 Member
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    Anyone else have asthma that is aggravated by allergies? I just tried to go for a run outside, and I almost choked to death because my lungs just closed up. Any tips for this? I REALLY want to run outside!

    I was running 6 miles a day when I had an asthma attack on a rural road. My first ever. I thought I was having a heart attack, thankfully I was able to flag down a farmer who got me to ER. The Doc said it was probably triggered by seasonal allergies, the dirt road I was on, etc. etc.

    I have some sort of mental block now, I just can't run outdoors. Not even with my inhaler in my pocket. I switched to a treadmill until I resolve the issue. I don't need the inhaler, which is good because I don't like the way y heart races when I have used it.

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