Help: Lungs shutting down after exercise

[stratus5]

After never having a single allergy my whole life I now get chronic hayfever every summer. Moving to Tableview and the refinery seemed to coincide with the problem.

 

Now when I exercise if I do any sustained effort of more than 90% max heart rate I start to cough. After a race as I cool down I then start to wheeze ... no real trouble breathing, but the lungs seem flooded with thick mucus.

 

It could be exercise induced asthma (bummer), but I want to find a doctor who can have a proper look at this rather than my local GP who tends just to hand out antibiotics etc.

 

Anybody recommend a good doctor in the Cape Town area who can do a professional evaluation of my breathing problems?

 

If I did not race my bike, I would not be aware of this problem, apart from the usual sinusitis issues.

[EigerSA]

Go to the doctor and get a lung function test, this will help to determine whether you have asthma. I have asthma and honestly with today's medications, it's easily controllable. I think you've just became sensitized and now have hayfever which I think is worse. The doctor can also run some tests easily enough to determine what you're allergic too.

Try the sports institute in Cape Town since it may be exercise induced. good luck man.

[geecee]

i find certain drinks do this to me

 

but i did have child hood asthma, no longer an issue now. Other than being sensitive to certain mixed juices

[Fit Dietician]

I agree with EigerSA, your doc or Sports Science Inst. may be able to help you. This may be your first choice and if you dont find that these practitioners are helping you, you can go directly to a specialist, as now days you dont necessarily need a referral from your doc.

 

A Pulmonologist also does all the same tests if not more and there is one at the Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital.

 

Dr Wisal Chabaan Pulmonologist Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital (021) 554 5174

 

Good luck!

[cat-i]

might be exercised induced asthma, if it is it's easily curable ... or the symptoms at least - and if it's not, you have to go rule out all other options - go see a doc

[SL7]

Hey Stratus5,

 

How long have you been riding? If you're new to cycling or intense exercise, your lungs probably need to adjust. I had somthing similar when I started. If the coughing is really bad though, it could be serious - so have it checked out.

 

Good luck.

[stratus5]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I have been cycling for a while and done aerobic activity most of my adult life. Its only cycling that brings out the cough and the asthma like symptoms afterwards. I need to have been at 85+% heart rate for about an hour before the first tickle starts. If I actually cough, then its all down hill from there.

 

Most of the symptoms seem to match exercise induced asthma, which a surprising amount of people seem to suffer from.

[Groenies]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I have been cycling for a while and done aerobic activity most of my adult life. Its only cycling that brings out the cough and the asthma like symptoms afterwards. I need to have been at 85+% heart rate for about an hour before the first tickle starts. If I actually cough, then its all down hill from there.

 

Most of the symptoms seem to match exercise induced asthma, which a surprising amount of people seem to suffer from.

 

Hi, I had exatly the same thing happen to me, also happens only when I exceed 85% HR. I am 36 years old and very fit, living in Pretoria.

 

My cough starts at night when I lie down after excercise. Two GP's said it was asthma but I had lung function tests performed by a pulmonologist who said there was nothing wrong with my lungs and that I did not have asthma. When the season changed (to summer), I found it made a huge difference- my suspision is that it is as a result of dust and or pollen that gives you a post nasal drip- try ACC 200- I find it works well taking it after exercise but not on an empty stomack.

 

A friend who is a doctor however suspects that it is heartburn- must say that from time to time I have had this, which links back to the comment by the person talking about training drinks. It could create acid that gets into your lungs and make you cough. Try changing your drink or stick to water for a test ride or two and see if it makes a difference.

 

All the best!

[BGS]

I suffered with this for YEARS. At first it was exercise induced asthma - except that i did not know it at the time. I thought it was a result of me being overweight and unfit etc etc. It just kept getting worse and worse to the point where at night whilst sleeping, the wheezing in my chest due to mucus would wake me and the household up. It was like i had continual bronchitis yet i was not sick and had not been ill in months.

 

So after suffering for about two years with the continual hacking up of muck and the years prior with the exercise induced, i finally dragged myself off to the doctor.

 

He promptly put me on an 8 week testing program which involved lung function tests. At the end of this i was diagnosed with chronic asthma and am now on a twice daily cortizone inhaler. It has totally changed my life! This all happened in April of this year. I wish i had looked further into it about 6 years ago!

 

I dont get asthma attacks as such, but i carry a reliever inhaler especially whilst out riding, just in case my chest decides to clamp up. But if i miss just one day of my twice daily cortizone inhaler, i start coughing muck again.

 

I say go see a doctor who will listen and not fob it off as allergies. Being diagnosed properly has literally changed the way i do things, and how i go about daily life as i am now able to breathe and no longer hack up muck for days on end.

[eitan]

Exercise induced asthma normally strikes early in the session - it is caused by a combination of an intense burst of effort with cold legs and the sudden breathing of cold air. I suffer from it and find that to avoid it I must induce an attack as early as possible in my warm-up by sprinting up a hill or something. I then have to stop, almost pass out and use my Venteze allever pump. This seems to act as a prophylactic for the rest of the ride or race.

[stratus5]

Been off to doctor. Got some fancy new stuff to try for the lungs and some treatment for the allergies. I think most of my problems are side effects of sinuses running on full tap.

 

Will see how it goes .. I have a follow up in one week.

[Roer]

Watch out for the asthma diagnosis. Forget the GP (I'm sorry, went that route for 2 years and was treated for the wrong thing the whole time). Go straight to the Pulmonologist. After numerous tests I was informed that I have mild asthma and that its not my problem at all. Chronic sinusitis is sinus infection that lasts more than eight weeks and can keep on coming back, which in my case it did. If you don't treat it, it's like a poison. Effects your lungs, etc. If indeed it is chronic sinusitus, swim in the sea. Don't laugh. Just do it and do it a lot. Trust me, it will help clear you up. Good luck. I completely understand the frustration.