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smokedetector · Aug 19, 2008, 03:35 PM

Last October I was diagnosed with bronchitis (not chronic). Then, I was told I went back to exercising too soon and my lungs were "touchy" and I developed asthma (diagnosed after a pulminary function test, haven't yet taken an allergy test to find out if it's allergen or exercise induced). Is this something that will go away if I stay away from exercising until I fully recover, or now that I developed it, do I have it and have to manage it, etc? Can you have just a short term astma stint, or is it a long term, maybe one day will go away but doubtful within the next year or so thing? I've heard that kids can grow out of it, but I'm an adult.

Fr_Chuck · Aug 19, 2008, 03:45 PM

True asthma can not be cured only treated and controlled. So if you really have asthma you will always have it.

J_9 · Aug 19, 2008, 03:48 PM

As has been mentioned asthma will stay with you, it is not curable, only treatable. Now, there is a such thing as exercise induced asthma (my daughter has this), and is treated by a rescue inhaler.

Fr_Chuck · Aug 19, 2008, 03:52 PM

But please see your doctor and follow all of his suggestions. As one who has three different inhalers and two pills to take at least twice a day on top of a resue inhaler, it is not fun at all when it gets bad.

smokedetector · Aug 19, 2008, 04:18 PM

I have never been a great runner, but I always just thought that it's normal for people to not be able to breathe well after exercising. I had started a pretty vigerous exercise regimine, then got sick with bronchitis and sat out. When I went back, it was late fall and I had a terrible time trying to breathe while running. My chest gets tight and I feel like I can't get enough air, and I don't know if my throat gets tighter because I can't feel it, but I have to suck in hard to get any air. So I took a pulminary function test (where you puff with the mask, then breathe in the albuterol for a while and puff with the mask again) and he said I had asthma and gave me an inhaler. On the way home, I was really jittery and agitated and I went into a fit of histerics and had to be driven back to the doctor where he said I had a bad reaction to the albuterol and gave me a different kind of inhaler. I don't know what the difference is. I went back to working out and it didn't get any better, even with the inhaler, and I started having panic attacks on top of asthma attacks because I was freaking out that I couldn't get any air. This summer I tried running on the treadmill and I feel like I used to, it's hard to breathe, but I can slow down and get enough air to keep going.

Does the weather (hot vs. cold) make a difference? If it's harder to breathe during a certain time of year, is it considered exercise induced, or the cause of an allergen? Are all inhalers albuterol? I had an appointment where I would have asked all these questions, but my doctor had a heart attack (he's OK though) so I have to find a new one, but need answers asap as I'm about to start exercising again next week.

Fr_Chuck · Aug 19, 2008, 04:35 PM

Yes cold can make it worst and yes albuterol can make you so nervous, I can not hold a ink pen and write for about 30 min or so after I take some of my medication. And still have some shakes all day anyway.

But yes exercise will trigger an attack. But so will various allergens it all depends. So I just dream of exercise, walking up a flight of stairs will bring on an attack for me