Natophelia

This is the wierdest thing. When I first start out on a ride, I feel really out of breath. After about 10 minutes, my skin all over my body, even the top of my head, feels really tingly for about 10 seconds. Like the feeling I've heard people describe after lying in a tanning bed with that enhancer stuff on. It's very intense and I wonder for a second if I'm going to pass out, then bang it's gone and I feel better than when I started and my lung capacity seems to double! Very wierd. Been told I'm a 'good candidate' for asthma, so I'm wondering if anyone with 'official' asthma has done this?
Nat

oceanrider

No. What you are describing is not my experience as an asthmatic.

Jon C

I am an old geezer (56) who was recently diagnosed with asthma and am on routine medication for it. I certainly don't get the symptoms you are describing. I merely become somewhat short of breath after riding hard for awhile.

Rotifer

I would consult a physician. I assume that you don't use ephedrine or anything like that?

LittleBigMan

Natophelia, you might also check the ingredients of any supplements you are taking. Some herbs, Ma Huang (or "Ephedra") for example, have side effects very similar to ephedrine or other stimulants. I you are unsure of any of the herbal ingredients, look them up and find out what they are.

Natophelia

I'm pretty sure I don't take anything with that in it, but I'll keep an eye out for it. Maybe it has to do with my habit of holding my stomach in and 'chest breathing' from dancing. I get out of breath then realize what I'm doing and fix it. I'll pay close attention tomorrow.
Nat

pucci

Sure as hell sounds like an adrenaline rush...

RiPHRaPH

what you are describing is a fairly common phenomenom. it can be boiled down to your vascular system trying to catch up with its new demands. sort of like a prolonged, not as intense head rush when arising out of a chair quickly.

your veins dilate to keep up with the sudden demand for oxygen, nutrients, carry away wastes, etc. - and there is only so much blood to go around. a little warm up before heading out could help. i'm led to believe that dehyration can make this worse. i always try to drink water before the ride to dull the pins and needles and lightheadedness. it is like an allergic type reaction.

you dilate (flush) especially when in the sun (tanning bed) initially to cool your body off. your skin has many capillaries and veins. conversely we tend to get pasty white in the winter as our bodies conserve its heat through constriciton of these blood vessels. migraine sufferers will tell you of the same type of rxn. people who need dialysis will tell of the same type of fluid shift rxn

Rigid

On a more general note about cycling and asthma, I read an interesting article last year written by a serious cyclist who moved to London, Ontario and found the air pollution there aggravated his asthma to the point where he was hospitalised. He improved the situation enormously by increasing the amount of omega-3 fats in his diet since they are anti-inflammatory. The best sources are flax-seed oil (a couple of desert spoonfuls a day) and oily fish such as salmon and sardines. Worth a try? By the way, he also lost pounds of bodyfat without even trying - something to do with omega-3s and fat metabolism.

Natophelia

Well son of a .... It didn't happen at all yesterday. Hmph.. Maybe it's the heat. It was cooler yesterday because it rained so much. Boy where those trails muddy Loved it!
Nat