Exercise with asthma

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jodiealgar
jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have recently joined a gym but I am having problems with doing more than 45 minutes without struggling to breathe (mainly because of the heat coming from my body and the small gym room itself) which then leads on to an asthma attack. It happens almost every time I use a machine other than the rowing machine.

Does anyone have any tips or advice that could help me healthily exercise?
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Replies

  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    Go outside. More then a few have learned to workout with asthma; some do marathons.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    45 minutes??? you're fine. you're probably at that point, exhausted and tired. you probably just need to breathe better (in through the nose, out through the mouth).

    have your inhaler on hand if you use one. personally, i control my asthma with a daily pill. maybe talk to your doctor about changing medicine.
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    Capt_Apollo wrote: »
    45 minutes??? you're fine. you're probably at that point, exhausted and tired. you probably just need to breathe better (in through the nose, out through the mouth).

    have your inhaler on hand if you use one. personally, i control my asthma with a daily pill. maybe talk to your doctor about changing medicine.

    Thanks! I do feel a bit silly taking puffs of my inhaler in front of all of the fit and healthy people who do 2 hours solid on a treadmill, damn lungs.
  • tinygirldancing
    tinygirldancing Posts: 12 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Go outside. More then a few have learned to workout with asthma; some do marathons.

    I would absolutely not recommend running outside with asthma; especially this time of year, allergens such as pollen could also trigger an attack, especially given the increased demands with exercise.
    I work in pulmonary rehabilitation (basically physical therapy for the lungs) with many patients with asthma. Our course of treatment over 15 weeks is to have them work at a level that produces a 2-3/10 rating on shortness of breath, and keep increasing the workload as you feel you are more able to breath with increased workloads.
    In asthma cases its really important that you warm up and cool down slowly, as rapid changes in temperature or humidity of the air you are breathing can trigger an attack. If you find that you are getting too hot which is setting your attacks off, you might look into having a fan nearby. I would also recommend looking up pursed lipped breathing.

    Finally I would recommend talking to your doctor; there are some medications that can be used before exercise to help prevent an attack, and remember that advice given on the internet can never replace the in person opinions of a doctor/physical therapist/exercise physiologist
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    tinygirldancing wrote: »
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Go outside. More then a few have learned to workout with asthma; some do marathons.

    I would absolutely not recommend running outside with asthma; especially this time of year, allergens such as pollen could also trigger an attack, especially given the increased demands with exercise.
    I work in pulmonary rehabilitation (basically physical therapy for the lungs) with many patients with asthma. Our course of treatment over 15 weeks is to have them work at a level that produces a 2-3/10 rating on shortness of breath, and keep increasing the workload as you feel you are more able to breath with increased workloads.
    In asthma cases its really important that you warm up and cool down slowly, as rapid changes in temperature or humidity of the air you are breathing can trigger an attack. If you find that you are getting too hot which is setting your attacks off, you might look into having a fan nearby. I would also recommend looking up pursed lipped breathing.

    Finally I would recommend talking to your doctor; there are some medications that can be used before exercise to help prevent an attack, and remember that advice given on the internet can never replace the in person opinions of a doctor/physical therapist/exercise physiologist

    Thank you for this, I honestly had no idea there was other medication available other than standard inhalers. I shall bring it up during my next appointment.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,067 Member
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    I use my inhaler before I exercise ... twice. Once about 30 min before I exercise, and again right before I exercise.

    I also use a preventer once a day.

    And yes ... talk to your Dr.

    As for non-medication methods ... I'm mainly a cyclist, but do other exercise as well.

    Warming up and cooling down helps ... but where I live, that's not easy to do because I'm climbing hills within seconds of leaving home.

    I have found that focusing on the exhale helps me. Puffing out, and letting my body handle the inhale itself.

    Someone else also suggested that perhaps I was overheating on climbs (where I was experiencing my worst symptoms). I tend to be cool on a bicycle, so I probably overdress a bit, and then I encounter a hill, and next thing I know I'm pouring sweat. So I started underdressing a bit, and that seems to have helped a little.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    tinygirldancing wrote: »
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Go outside. More then a few have learned to workout with asthma; some do marathons.

    I would absolutely not recommend running outside with asthma; especially this time of year, allergens such as pollen could also trigger an attack, especially given the increased demands with exercise.
    I work in pulmonary rehabilitation (basically physical therapy for the lungs) with many patients with asthma. Our course of treatment over 15 weeks is to have them work at a level that produces a 2-3/10 rating on shortness of breath, and keep increasing the workload as you feel you are more able to breath with increased workloads.
    In asthma cases its really important that you warm up and cool down slowly, as rapid changes in temperature or humidity of the air you are breathing can trigger an attack. If you find that you are getting too hot which is setting your attacks off, you might look into having a fan nearby. I would also recommend looking up pursed lipped breathing.

    Finally I would recommend talking to your doctor; there are some medications that can be used before exercise to help prevent an attack, and remember that advice given on the internet can never replace the in person opinions of a doctor/physical therapist/exercise physiologist


    i do 99.9% of my running outside.

    OP, i take cingular nightly. i have a rescue inhaler that i've used about twice in as many years. warm up and cool down properly, and do be mindful of humidity and pollen. personally, i prefer morning runs, they seem to be better for my breathing.
  • tinygirldancing
    tinygirldancing Posts: 12 Member
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    Capt_Apollo wrote: »
    tinygirldancing wrote: »
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Go outside. More then a few have learned to workout with asthma; some do marathons.

    I would absolutely not recommend running outside with asthma; especially this time of year, allergens such as pollen could also trigger an attack, especially given the increased demands with exercise.
    I work in pulmonary rehabilitation (basically physical therapy for the lungs) with many patients with asthma. Our course of treatment over 15 weeks is to have them work at a level that produces a 2-3/10 rating on shortness of breath, and keep increasing the workload as you feel you are more able to breath with increased workloads.
    In asthma cases its really important that you warm up and cool down slowly, as rapid changes in temperature or humidity of the air you are breathing can trigger an attack. If you find that you are getting too hot which is setting your attacks off, you might look into having a fan nearby. I would also recommend looking up pursed lipped breathing.

    Finally I would recommend talking to your doctor; there are some medications that can be used before exercise to help prevent an attack, and remember that advice given on the internet can never replace the in person opinions of a doctor/physical therapist/exercise physiologist


    i do 99.9% of my running outside.

    OP, i take cingular nightly. i have a rescue inhaler that i've used about twice in as many years. warm up and cool down properly, and do be mindful of humidity and pollen. personally, i prefer morning runs, they seem to be better for my breathing.

    Awesome! Outside exercise is definitely possible for people with well controlled asthma, maybe that's something op can work towards. However, if she is already struggling inside, it might be tricky to also add the additional stressors of being outside right away
  • DLove9321
    DLove9321 Posts: 67 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Iv'e had asthma all my life. And it has been a struggle. It was a lot worse when I was younger. And it still bothers me as an adult. I have a rescue inhaler, (I always take a puff before i start any cardio exercise) But recently I was suddenly getting winded and wheezing shortly into a workout. Or id be fine for a few days and then one random day something would bother me and half a mile into my run i had to stop because of my asthma. Now i have a preventative Inhaler i take everyday and that has pretty much stopped. Running outside for me has never really been a problem, unless its a little cold. Then its a bit more of a struggle and i have to run with this weirdo mask that covers my mouth and nose and makes me look like hannible Lecter. LOL. But yeah talk to a doctor. maybe a preventative inahler would help. It worked for me.
  • _emma_78
    _emma_78 Posts: 64 Member
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    I have asthma and run all the time, usually my asthma isn't bad when it's hot but when it's chilly though. Just take two puffs before you exercise or ask your doctor to get on a different medication and have the inhaler as a backup in case of emergencies.

    I assume you're looking to lose weight/ become fitter by being on this site which is awesome because I've only lost and kept off 10 pounds over the last two years and it really has improved my asthma! Good luck!
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    Thank you for the replies everyone! I do have a preventer and a reliever inhaler at the moment. I never really thought of using the preventer before exercise as I was told to only use it first thing when I wake up and last thing when I go to bed.

    @_emma_78, that's awesome! I've been told by my doctor already that losing weight will help improve my asthma but it's just losing it without feeling as if my lungs are about to give up on me LOL.
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    My asthma is always at its worst in the heat, maybe going for a walk or even a slight jog early morning will help before the sun comes up? (Not that it's up much at the moment haha.)
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    I too have asthma, I am on a preventative because its so bad without it(Im talking attacks several times a week with no relief from my rescue inhaler). I take advair which is a corticosteroid and accolate, which is a pill for asthma. I still have a rescue inhaler but very rarely need it due to the other two meds. yoga can help with breathing as well. talk to your dr to see what kind of asthma you have(allergy induced,exercise induced,etc) and then go from there. Before I even started getting fit my asthma still bothered me but since I have started my lung capacity for air is much better,they are much stronger, and I can do more now in the last 2 1/2 years than I could before even with the above meds.

    Breathing exercises can help tremendously.you can do like everyone else and take your inhaler before exercise and then after if needed, but definitely talk to your dr and see what he/she thinks is best.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    jodiealgar wrote: »
    Thank you for the replies everyone! I do have a preventer and a reliever inhaler at the moment. I never really thought of using the preventer before exercise as I was told to only use it first thing when I wake up and last thing when I go to bed.

    @_emma_78, that's awesome! I've been told by my doctor already that losing weight will help improve my asthma but it's just losing it without feeling as if my lungs are about to give up on me LOL.
    yeah the maintenance(preventer) is only to be taken like it says to take it. do not use it more than its recommended dosage. your rescue inhaler can be taken before exercise(albuterol,ventolin,proair,etc)
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    Thank you @CharlieBeansmomTracey, I've never thought of breathing exercises either. I may have to look into this!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    yw, it has helped me out a lot and like I said yoga helps you learn how to breathe properly as well. Meditation does too.good luck getting everything sorted out
  • jodiealgar
    jodiealgar Posts: 43 Member
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    There are weekly yoga classes at the gym I go to which I have always been keen on trying! Even more of a reason to now ;) thank you @CharlieBeansmomTracey x
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    you are very welcome
  • xMarisaJeanx
    xMarisaJeanx Posts: 26 Member
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    I also have severe asthma and I run and do all kinds of different workouts. I always take two puffs of my rescue inhaler before exercising, and I always have it with me when I go out for my runs just in case. I feel your pain! :(
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    a couple of ideas try some swimming or water based class-it will control the heat for you
    Try splitting your workout into 2 parts ie 30 minutes on treadmill some weights or ab work or stretching then 30 minutes on ellipitical
    and YE do use your puffers

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