Asthma

[BrooownAle]

Just out of interest really, who has Asthma and still runs the Fells?

My mate wants to run with me and is not sure it would be dangerous or beneficial to his health?

Any Doctors views would be good!!

[justlovestretching...]

Not a doctor but a physio who works in the exercise field. Is your friend already a runner or does he take regular exercise of some kind? Unaccustomed activity can be dangerous for anyone with or without a condition like asthma. If he is already a regular exerciser then the advice would be to ease gently into a new activity and listen to his own body i.e. unusual or new symptoms, signs of overdoing it. Hope this helps...

JLS

[Fat Bloke]

Not a doctor or a physio but an asthmatic plodder.....

I normally take an inhaler with me 'just in case' either in my hand or in my bum bag.

I never know if I'm going to have a good 'un or not till I start and if I go off too hard I get in oxygen debt but, having asthma, I can then never seem to shake it off. So I have to try and take it easy from the off.

I don't think it's any different to road running EXCEPT it's more committing and you need to be more responsible for and aware of your own condition.

One point; short midweek races in summer which involve twice round the cricket pitch to spread the field out from the start tend to bugger me up 'cos of the dust created during the initial two circuits.

FB

[Gaz]

BroownAle,

Look at my photos of Pennine Bridleway relay, leg 3; 1 bloke is using his inhaler at the top of the climb

Respect due man

[NotOnUrHelly]

I have asthma, Im usually really bad with it this time of year, it comes and goes. For example yesterday on the pennine bridaleway. I took my inhaler before my race and felt okay. After about 10minutes running I was really blowing, I took my inhaler on the way round but it did not help much. I really struggled all the way round and did not particularly enjoy it.

Usually if I was racing and felt this way (it very rarely happens tbh, Im usually fine), I would have inhaler and ease off. Until I got my breath back and recover slightly. It did not happen for me yesterday as I did not get much respite through not letting my partner down.

Im not sure whether having inhaler and running helps, but sometimes I feel great and controlled other times. I just cant get a grip on it like yesterday.

I think its the weather over this time of year.

So I'd rather take it and do this kind of stuff that not take it and struggle through.

I think if I set off slowly and bed gentle into a race im fine. Yesterday I went off like an idiot and blew up basically and this did not help the asthma.

About your friend I reckon its better not to let things like asthma stop him from doing things and if it means having his inhaler then so be it. Why miss out

[GeoffB]

Darren Dunn, who has asthma, managed a BG last year without much trouble. I carried his inhaler from Dunmail to Wasdale & he didn't need it at all.

Only once, at the end of a fast race, have I seen him struggling for breath (he's normally miles ahead of me, anyway!)

[tomcee]

I have excercise induced asthma - after races, those who've been running near me often tell me they thought i would keel over on route with my chronic wheezing.
In my experience if the treatment is right it can be controlled very effectively.
Paula Radcliffe has asthma, theres a good section in her book about it.

[NotOnUrHelly]

Geoff,

I seem to cope better on the longer races, more time to settle in and I dont seem to go off like Ive got a rocket up my arse.

Perhaps I should warm up a little more.

Tom,

I have had first hand experience of you wheezing past me when you lapped me at cross country.

[detritus21]

I've got exercise induced asthma and saw my GP who gave me ventolin then I went through work and saw a consultant who stuck me on a long acting bronchodilator and corticosteroid which works a treat. Running with asthma shouldn't eb a problem as long as it is controlled.

[NotOnUrHelly]

How often do you have to take the new treatments the doctor at work gave to you Detritus? Do you still use your inhaler?

Do you not get affected differently depending on time of year.

Cheers
Jamie