General Cycling Discussion - Exercise induced asthma/pneumonia

Last spring, February I think it was, I was riding home from work and was using my mountain bike instead of my road bike. It was very cold and dry, about -5C. I tried to keep up with a roadie going up a few hills but eventually gave up. The cold air felt like it was going straight into my lungs and when I got home I had some kind of asthmatic attack and had trouble breathing. The attack lasted about 10 minutes and I eventually recovered. I have never had asthma previously or since. About two weeks later, I became very ill and thought it was some kind of virus. I was bedridden for 4 days and ,to make a long story short (x-ray, cat scan, broncoscopy), I was eventually diagnosed with pneumonia. It cleared up on its own but my lungs still gave me some problems and I did not cycle until July. I am fine now but wonder if any other riders have had a similar problem during the colder months.

Yes there is a condition call “Athletically induced asthma.” Consult your physician.

Very cold, dry air can irritate the lining of the lungs and cause them to spasm which is what happens in an asthma attack. For some all they have to do is start with small rides and go longer as their lungs adjust. Some need inhalers during the winter. There is sports induced asthma, which you may want to talk to your doctor about that.

Definitely talk to your doctor. There are many effective treatments for asthma these days. Wish they were around when I was a kid and had it. My son, now 15, had it as an infant/toddler, and even since then they've come up with several more effective and less awful treatments. I grew out of it, and so has he, but I'll never have all that great lung capacity.

I just got diagnosed with Pneumonia today in one lung. I had a head cold awhile back and a cough and I think that combined with riding in the cold weather had something to do with it. They gave me some pretty serious anti-biotics to get rid of it. I hope they work. I don't like being off the bike. I also had a asthma like attack at the end of the Tour de Tucson. My lungs literally ached for a day and a half but were fine after that. I think it was the drink I was using that caused my lungs and throat to flem up more than usual on the ride.