Asthma & Allergy Sufferers

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jesspi68
jesspi68 Posts: 292
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I have been working to make myself stronger and my end goal is to run a 5k in under 30 minutes a year from now. This time of year I find it so hard to breathe! I have terrible allergies (grass, trees, dust, pollen, mold, dogs, oh my!) and the ragweed kills me. Combined with this i have also had asthma since I was a child, I take a daily maintenance medication and I have a rescue inhaler. I really prefer to just get out and run down the street, I've gotten up to averaging 5.5 MPH when I got out, so I've improved by 2 MPH since the spring time! Anyone have any tips for keeping your lungs working when it's this sneezy out?

Also, if there's anyone who has similar problems who wants to can send me a friend request, it's always nice to be able to help motivate each other when we are in similar situations!

Does this seem like an attainable goal? I've been working really hard and I want to get there.
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Replies

  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
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    I have asthma and allergies, but now that I'm at a healthy weight and in shape, neither have seemed to bother me this summer at all. With that being said, up until this past weekend, I've mostly been running on the treadmill (but I have been biking on the trails a few times a week) but I'm moving outdoors because I have a race coming up next month. I just take my daily maintenace twice a day (I make sure to take one of the doses about 15 minutes before I run or bike) and I can't even remember the last time I actually had to take my rescue inhaler. I can run 5km. in under 30 minutes, so it's definitely doable. What's worked for me is to continually increase my speed by 0.1MPH each week. When I started running again about 3-4 months ago, I started at around 5.5mph and now I'm up to 6.5mph.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
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    I've never had asthma, but am a lifelong allergy sufferer. I had the shots and now take an antihistamine and have a steroid nasal spray. The spray makes a HUGE difference.

    If it's a peak allergy time for me, I exercise indoors at the gym. If you have to run outdoors, avoid early mornings, as that's when there is usually the most pollen.

    You should be able to meet your 5K goal, yes. One of the great things about being a new runner is that you will get faster and faster simply by doing more of it!
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
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    I have exercise induced asthma, which was never diagnosed until I turned 50 because I never exercised enough to trigger it. Embarrassing.

    Anyway, I pretreat before strenuous exercise with my inhaler. For me, the difference has been huge. Instead of wheezing and feeling like I can't get air when I'm climbing a very steep section of mountain, I just breathe heavy like everyone else.
  • Mrshunts
    Mrshunts Posts: 160 Member
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    I have asthma and allergies, asthma worse.
    I couldn't workout for two months this summer because I would just wake up short of breath.
    My doctor has now put me in these expensive singular pills for both issues and I don't even need my inhaler hardly ever.and can workout extreme almost.
    But I feel your pain, it's not a great feeling at all...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I'm in your boat, but my allergies aren't seasonal. I would, however, recommend a nasal spray.
  • jesspi68
    jesspi68 Posts: 292
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    I have exercise induced asthma, which was never diagnosed until I turned 50 because I never exercised enough to trigger it. Embarrassing.

    Anyway, I pretreat before strenuous exercise with my inhaler. For me, the difference has been huge. Instead of wheezing and feeling like I can't get air when I'm climbing a very steep section of mountain, I just breathe heavy like everyone else.

    Hills are the absolute worst for me. It doesn't seem to matter if I've used my inhaler or not. Stairs do the same thing.

    Thanks everyone for the support!! I am going to keep at it and hopefully I will be able to continue to improve over the winter.
  • jesspi68
    jesspi68 Posts: 292
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    I'm in your boat, but my allergies aren't seasonal. I would, however, recommend a nasal spray.

    Yea, once it turns colder I have to clean inside constantly because of the dust, mold and pet allergies. (not that we have a lot of mold, but living in the country we do get a lot of dust!)

    I will have to ask my doctor about the sprays. I used to have a huge issue with nose bleeds when I was a child and they thought they would have to cauterize somewhere in there. I have always worried that nasal sprays would aggravate that.

    Are there any OTC sprays that work or is everything prescription?

    Also, with the big name allergy pills being OTC now are there any better ones available with a prescription, or are the three OTC just as good?
  • graceylou222
    graceylou222 Posts: 198 Member
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    I feel for you. when I first started running about 5 months ago I was fine, and then once it got really hot out I felt like I was dying (breathing wise). I have had asthma since I was young and it always gets worse when it is really hot out. But don't be unmotivated. You can do it. Just talk to your doctor about other options and keep working hard. :)
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
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    I have asthma and allergies as well, both since I was a very young child. I am allergic to....pretty much everything, and in many cases cats & dogs would trigger an asthma attack.

    I have been getting allergy shots for 3 years and they are working wonders - so much so that we just got a SECOND cat (long haired, no less). I take Allegra every day still along with fluticasone nasal spray (just started that).

    For my asthma I use Advair twice a day, and a rescue inhaler before I exercise.

    It may not sound under control, but it's way better than it used to be. I used to wake up in the middle of the night and would immediately have a tight chest and need my rescue inhaler. No more. There have even been times I've forgotten to use the rescue inhaler before exercise and realized that after I was done....and not had any issues.

    If your insurance covers the allergy shots, I highly recommend them. They have completely turned my life around allergy/asthma wise. Oh, I'm sure the weight loss as helped some, too :smile:
  • ShannonGo
    ShannonGo Posts: 60
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    I don't have asthma, but I have super serious allergies. Before I had septoplasty, my allergies caused me to come down with sinus infections multiple times a year (more than 4 times per year). I take:
    Zyrtec (the generic Costco equivalent that is under $20 for 365 pills)
    Singulair (prescription)
    Veramyst (prescription nasal spray)

    If my allergies are especially bad due to spring tree pollen, I will also use Neil Med Sinus Rinse (its a clear-ish bottle with a black nozzle, a saline rinse - I bought it at Target) which results in me avoiding sinus infections at the height of the allergy season.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 768 Member
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    I have asthma and allergies, asthma worse.
    I couldn't workout for two months this summer because I would just wake up short of breath.
    My doctor has now put me in these expensive singular pills for both issues and I don't even need my inhaler hardly ever.and can workout extreme almost.
    But I feel your pain, it's not a great feeling at all...

    Singular is a Godsend.
  • kendib
    kendib Posts: 155 Member
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    My biggest help was sitting down with my asthma/allergy specialist and telling him very specifically what my goals were and the issues I was having trying to meet them. We talked through options and did a breathing test and at last results I have about 70-80% use of my lungs. I take an additional medicine during the spring when I tend to have more symptoms and that helps keep everything under control.

    That being said, I think your goals are attainable. For me, I have to plan more training time to get my lungs trained more than my legs. My last 5k was a bad asthma day which resulted in my waking up in the middle of the night before the race and my time was slower than I was anticipating. I was just happy I was able to finish it.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    I have had hay fever and the like, since I was a small child.
    When I hit 30, it became intolerable and I was wheezing and my lung capacity was down to about 40%.
    I started regular allergy shots and they changed my life.
    You will need shots several times per week, then it goes down to about once every 5 weeks or so.

    I strongly recommend you try this, it changed my life.
  • stephcthomas
    stephcthomas Posts: 78 Member
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    This is the most difficult time of year for me to get out and exercise. I normally and up and ready to get out there. I love to get my work out in. However, during allergy season I have a tough time getting out there. Right now it's a battle within to even get dressed to go for a run because I feel so fatigued. I would love some advice as well.

    Great goal by the way.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I don't have significant allergies, so I'm kinda out of place posting in this thread. But I do know a few people who have WICKED allergies, asthma or both, and they are able to train and run just fine (once they figured out how to manage them). It comes down to being determined enough to work through it and patient enough to find what works.

    Good luck.
  • guacamole17
    guacamole17 Posts: 109 Member
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    We definately have similar goals and I also have ashtma and allergies. I get allergy shots, take the standard allergy/asthma meds. Ive found the longer I can job (right now working on distance over speed) and the more weight I lose, the less my asthma affects my jogging.

    Though, I've not seen improvement in my day-to-day inhaler needs much. We'll see in a few weeks at my regular 6 month appointment!
  • emily356
    emily356 Posts: 318 Member
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    I totally feel you!! I have SEVERE allergies. I take Zyrtec every day of my life. Plus various steroid nasal sprays and herbal supplements. I started having exercise induced asthma recently, and can't exercise at all outside. Ragweed is coming any day now, and I usually get so bad, I have to take Sudafed 12 hour every day and still stay really sick. I seem to have passed this on to my daughter as well.:( Breaks my heart. Anyway, when we can afford it, I am starting shots again, and will take them as long as it takes!!! No advice from me. I live in south AL and it is just torture. If all of our family wasn't here, I would move out West to a drier climate. The humidity and being below the frost line just makes it intolerable.:cry:
  • josery1630
    josery1630 Posts: 205 Member
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    I have both asthma and seasonal allergies, but my son has them worse. When he went to the doctor in March, we were told that he needed to take a citirizine (Zyrtec) in the evening and in the morning. Since that makes him tired, the doctor told him he could take two loratadine (Claritin) in the morning instead, so Zyrtec is a much stronger pill than Claritin. We always get the generic.

    The nose spray should be prescription.

    I just slow down on the hills and push through it the best I can. This time of year is absolutely miserable for me too.
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
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    I was told that I have allergies to dust, pollen, some grasses, cats, perfumes, etc. I was on nasal sprays for a long time, claritin or zyrtec. I don't take any of that any more at all and have been doing great. After switching to a low carb/Paleo diet all of the symptoms of my allergies are either greatly reduced or gone and that has enabled me to stop taking medications both perscription and OTC.

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