Exercising with Asthma-tips?

PJman93
PJman93 Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello fitness pals! I just recently joined, I'm looking forward to losing weight with ya'll.

I just have a question for those who have more experience in exercise.

I find it hard to start or feel motivated when exercising. Unfortunately due to my Asthma I can only run for about 5 minutes before I started to wheeze/get tight chested.

Would it be better to just walk for now? Or gradually build up running.

Thank you!

Replies

  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    Do you have an inhaler you can use?

    I used to have exercise induced asthma and I had a hard time running, but I found if I used my inhaler maybe 5-10 minutes before and slowed my pace way down, I could sustain running for much longer. Your body will eventually adjust to after awhile. I now have no asthma at all and run 5-6 days a week.
  • PJman93
    PJman93 Posts: 11
    Thanks for the reply!

    And yes I do have an albuterol Inhaler, I was also taking advair for some time.

    Sounds like a plan! I always just thought inhalers were only really used for emergencies.
  • emlee01
    emlee01 Posts: 102 Member
    Hi! I'm no doctor, but I've been an asthmatic all of my life. May I ask if you are on maintenance medication for your asthma? Your description seems to imply that either your body experiences a fairly immediate reaction to vigorous activity in spite of your medication or you are not on medication. If you can (or haven't already), I would definitely recommend consulting your physician about your weight loss and exercise plans.

    My doctor and I worked up a plan that included changes to my meds that allowed me to start off with daily walks and no wheezing. Since my asthma was triggered by allergens, I opted for indoor walks on the treadmill during high pollen count days and walks around the block when the pollen was low. As the weight came off, I could opt for more vigorous exercise (such as dancing and inclined treadmill) while adjusting the type and amount of medication needed.

    You can definitely do it! Start out slowly and build up to your ultimate goal(s). :smile:
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    Like you, I can't run consistently for more than a few minutes. However, I find that I can do an aerobics class or some form of anaerobic sport that is fast and slow - like badminton, for example.

    Also HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is very suitable for asthmatics. Hit it hard for a minute, and recover for a minute. Works great for me anyhow.

    It's not a problem to take your inhaler before exercising. It will open your airways to capacity. However, I still can't run if I do that. So, I'd opt for fast/slow stuff. Walking is good for you too, and you'll be fine weight training.

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • KristyAnn81
    KristyAnn81 Posts: 128 Member
    I have asthma. Most times, I just use my inhaler before I start because I know what will come and things work out just fine. That works for me!
  • wiscck
    wiscck Posts: 185 Member
    I have asthma, too. Start slowly and exercise for short intervals and build up. I agree with taking your rescue inhaler 5-10 minutes before you start exercising, and have it handy in case you need it during exercise. If you want to start running, maybe try Couch to 5K since that will slowly build you up to longer intervals of running.

    Good luck!
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    I can do up to two puffs of my inhaler before exercise. So I do one hit about 15 minutes before and another five minutes before. When I first started, I was doing Singulair daily as well, but as time went on, I didn't need it anymore so my doc ended that prescription. Even if you don't feel like a star right away, give your body time to heal, transform, and adapt. Fast forward a year or two and I'm killing it at whatever I want, physically. Hopefully yours will be completely manageable, too!
  • whennatalietakesover
    whennatalietakesover Posts: 1
    Do you have an inhaler you can use?

    I used to have exercise induced asthma and I had a hard time running, but I found if I used my inhaler maybe 5-10 minutes before and slowed my pace way down, I could sustain running for much longer. Your body will eventually adjust to after awhile. I now have no asthma at all and run 5-6 days a week.

    ^^^^ Yes! I also have athletic induced athsma, and my inhaler is basically a lifeline for exercise for me.

    I would suggest starting out by doing lower intensity cardio like elliptical with a high incline and slow pace. Or low intensity swimming. Best of luck!
  • PJman93
    PJman93 Posts: 11
    Thanks for all the awesome tips and well wishes! :D

    I have a feeling that I will finally feel motivated with all this friendly support :3
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    I have regular asthma. Wasn't diagnosed until I was 15, but it is safe to say I've had it since childhood. Albuterol gives me migraines so I do not take this before I run. I'd take it if I was on the verge of needing to go to the emergency room, but not for preventative meassures.

    So I manage my triggers. Colds and allergies are my biggest woes. I take flovent during cold and allergy season (advair gives me migraines as well). I also measure my peak flow during these times to see if I'm better off on the treadmill. I've got different ranges that mean different things and I keep a notebook where I note how I felt during my run at different peakflow rates.

    So the running portion. Currently I run 5 days a week in the 30-40 mile a week range. I finished c25k in May of 2012.

    To get to where I'm at with asthma, the first thing I did was start managing my asthma via my meds and monitoring my peakflow rate. And I started gradually with c25k. I made sure my run intervals were super slow. Once I was finally at 5k, I was averaging 13:30 per mile. It actually took me 3 attempts at c25k before I got to 30 mins running. But once I was finally there, my asthma started to improve as I continued to run many slow miles. On a normal day (good air quality, no allergies, no cold) I don't notice my asthma at all now unless I push to faster than an 8 min per mile pace.

    So there is no quick fix. Take your rescue before you go out, run very slow, start with intervals (mix of running and walking, gradually increasing running and decreasing walking) and be patient! If you put the work in, running will improve your asthma.

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