Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was wondering if anyone else here as asthma and how they handle it?
I have asthma and have 3 things that get it to act up. Stress (which I've learned to control thankfully!) laughing can sometimes cause it, which sucks because I laugh all the time, but I have learned to calm down and slow down enough to breath so I don't have to hit the inhaler.
And the last is exercise. For the most part, I can bike with out having too much difficulty breating. If I go too fast or have a lot of huge hills, it's tougher, but if I stick to a slower pace, I'm fine.
But when I weight lift, my breathing is slowed down to the point it causes my asthma to act up. Because as I do a lift, I slowly inhale and slowly exhale as I do each lift. It doesn't get me my first few lifts, but by the end of the work out, my last lift or two, I usually break to breathe. Anyone else deal with this?
Most other exercise things cause it to act up too. Running, swimming, fast pace walking...hills, stairs. And I know it's not just short of breath, I have the weezing and everything that comes with asthma
What I'm wondering, is if it's possilbe to train your body how to breath while exercising. I've only had asthma for about 1 year and I love to run, but I hate medication. I use an inhaler when I need it, but I really want to learn to push through it.
I'm not asking how to cure it, but is it possible to be able to train your self to breathe longer and hold back on the asthma attack?
My fiance and I both have asthma and we will soon be working on speed running workouts. A big thing with that, is learning to breathe properly while running fast. For those with out asthma, they learn to breathe better while running. Can those of us with asthma do the same? Can we train our lungs how to breathe better during exercise?
What are your thoughts on this? ANy tips?
Thanks
Hello, I do not know your age, but that is an issue in itself, with people who have asthma. I am 58 and I use to be very active. Only had alergies for many years. One day I landed in a hospital for 1 month. I had walking phemonia (sp), It brought me to a new lease on life..Chronic asthma.. I have found everything irritates it. Hot/Cold. damp/dry. chemicals,cleaners,pesticides, some interiors with ne vinyl, carpet, paint etc. I have good days and I have bad. Exercise is somewhat of a delima. I found that isometric exercises work and help. walking. I have a Gazelle that I use and that helps build up cardiovascular and leans me out some. I used to swim, bike, hike, do free weights, and I surfed as well. PS ..I am a Girl!! So all I can say to you is to be positive, look at each day as a blessing and do as mauch as you are physically able to do in comfort of your ailment. Hope this helps. Woodslady
Thanks. I'm 22 and I too am a female. I've learned to calm my breathing when I get a stress enduced attack, but I'm still working on the exercise one unfortunatly!
I rarely have attacks now and even though I dont have albuterol inhaler it is the best inhaler on the market.
Far as exercises to build stronger lungs I would suggest taking up swimming.
Start off with just regular swimming and every so often try to swim under water. Maybe start at one end and go far as you can under water and set it a goal to go longer distance each time. ( When I mean go further I mean across the pool and not deeper. Also you might want to keep your inhaler under your towel in case it is needed.
I also like steam baths they seem to open me up but Saunas make me stuffed up.
back in high school i was diagnosed with excercise induced asthma. i basically had the feeling that my throats and longs were being compressed.
an albuterol inhaler was okay, though it made me very "giggly" while i would excercise, and giggling while playing football is almost as bad as having asthma while playing football.
as for asthma during lifting, having a rythym to my breathing seemed to help a lot. i exhale while lifting, take a short breath in between reps, and breath in while lowering the weight. this doesn't work for all lifts, but i find it to be helpful.
Yeah, I usually exhale while lifting, and inhaling while lowering the weight, but a short breath between reps I haven't tried yet (with the exeption when asthma acts up!). I'll give it a try this week and see if it helps keep my asthma from acting up
I would discuss this with your doctor. Actually, doing things such as swimming and playing wind instruments are suppose to be very good for asthma because they do help to train and strengthen your lungs. My doctor recommended that I do both.
I also understand your desire to do this without meds, but perhaps there are meds that can help you get going as you work on training your lungs to do better?
I have allergy induced asthma. I went through a cycle of about 10 years where I would get really bad coughing spouts for months at a time, with every change of season. I finally found a really great doctor who took time to find the right preventative meds and I haven't had these problems in 5 years.
I have exercise induced asthma and I suppose maybe some other type as well because it's worse in the winter (cold, dry air). I also can't use albuterol as it makes me jittery, but my doctor prescribed MaxAir to use before exercise and it's great! No side affects.
The other two things I take year round are Singulair (helps with allergies which are bad for me in the spring) and Advair.
I have exercise induced asthma and I suppose maybe some other type as well because it's worse in the winter (cold, dry air). I also can't use albuterol as it makes me jittery, but my doctor prescribed MaxAir to use before exercise and it's great! No side affects.
The other two things I take year round are Singulair (helps with allergies which are bad for me in the spring) and Advair.
ADVAIR changed my life.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
