First a comment on the "legal doping" comment ....... not all of us are or want to race. Some of us, and I'd venture a guess that it is actually most of us, just want to ride. And those of us who just want to ride want to ride comfortably, without passing out on the road. If that is a problem for you, then I hope you develop EIA as badly as I have it. Enjoy the feeling like you are cycling under water.
Secondly, about EIA. I was officially diagnosed with it just about exactly two years ago, but suspected I had it for years before that. I didn't think it was a huge problem until about 2.5 years ago, when it suddenly became significantly worse. With me, it isn't just a little congestion and wheezing, although it started like that, now it has developed to the point where any stress (public speaking, cycling, running) but especially stress in adverse weather conditions (coolish, damp air) can set me hyperventilating to the point where I cannot breathe ... I feel like my lungs are collapsing or are full of water, and I start to be come faint and dizzy.
I have been given two inhalers. One is a fast acting, but short-lived one for emergency conditions when I need it RIGHT NOW. The other is slower to act (I have to take it at least 30 minutes before I go out on the bicycle), but it last for up to about 12 hours. I use it on my long rides.
As for warming up, it never seemed to help me. In fact the "warmer" I got, the less I could breathe. Getting fitter hasn't seemed to have helped either. I've been getting fitter and fitter as the years go by, by my EIA has been getting worse. However, the inhalers help. I've gone from feeling the fear and panic of not being able to breathe on just about every strenuous ride to being able to do all my rides fairly comfortably. It's nice.
