Originally Posted by
CrankyFranky
I've had asthma for close to six decades. It seems now that the inhalable treatments are pretty effective, but they do have side effects. For me, the problems are that they mess with my voice so I either sound like a teenager, or else like Brando in The Godfather. Also, I get prone to oral yeast infections. A few decades ago, before steroids, cromoglycate powder inhalers did the trick with no side effects - but they had to be taken 4 times a day, so not as convenient. I don't know why this is no longer available - it was cheap and really worked for me.
Cold weather causes trouble for asthmatics primarily due to lack of moisture in the air. I can completely eliminate this by wrapping a loose-knit acrylic scarf across my nose and mouth. The scarf retains enough moisture from exhalation to moisturize the incoming cold air charge. You just have to find the right weight of scarf - nothing too thick or dense.
Hope you find something that works for you.
I'm a pharmacist who has had asthma all-my-life that was poorly controlled until I moved to Advair, a combination of a long-acting albuterol-like drug and a steroid (like Symbicort). I take 2 inhalations of albuterol before hopping on the bike and I'm good to go... in the spring and summer. Come the beginning of colder weather, it comes back and eventually I keep the bike on the trainer starting around mid-October. I dug up this thread looking for ways to extend my riding season and I think I will try the scarf method - thanks.
I quoted this particular post because the yeast infections that you are mentioning are preventable by washing your mouth (swish and spit some water, then swallow a little more water). It is happening because the steroid is locally immunosuppressive and allows the yeast in your mouth (which is always there) to overgrow. If you rinse your mouth religiously it should stop it almost completely.
The other note of caution I wanted to sound is to the person who says (s)he manages asthma by feel. I do this as well, but you should know that you've lost lung capacity before you can feel the difference, so be careful with that approach and use the albuterol then.
The poster who said that Ventolin = albuterol is correct. Ventolin is a brand name.