outashape

I have sports induced asthma. I take my inhaler with me on trips and when I am going to specifically do hill training. Otherwise, I listen to my body and slow down when I start wheezing. I was quite surprised last saturday when I was riding with the club at a slow rate of 14mph (instead of 17-18) in the cold weather (about 3 degrees faren. not counting windchill) when I had a terrible asthma attack. I completely forgot that COLD AIR can be a trigger. When the trigger is sports and you slow down, breathing can resume to normal. When the trigger is cold air, and you can't breathe----the last thing you want to do is put something over your mouth to warm the air. I had been riding earlier with a baclava over my mouth and nose but after about 20 miles I warmed up and pulled it down. I was so thankful that a club member had their inhaler with them. I scared many people that day, including myself. Please be careful out there all fellow bike riders. Ride safely!

slider

I think I may have minor asthma. I've been racing cyclocross this winter and for two races it was at or near freezing. In both of those races my left lung filled with fluid so that I was constantly hacking and coughing. In the second race I had my heart rate monitor on and even though I was winded and out of breathe, my heart rate didn't get anywhere near my max. It was probably a couple hours after the race before I was back to normal.

How much does an inhaler help with this and is it legal to use during or before a bike race?

-s

outashape

I don't know if they are illegal in races, but I have heard that several Olympic athletics have asthma. The medicine can elevate heart rate. It is a stimulant. In fact, I went into a shaking spasm after using the inhaler. I have used an inhaler often without this symptom. I am not a doctor, but asthma is where the bronchial tubes or whatever constrict and only a small amount of air is either allowed in or out of the lungs. It feels like your clothing is too tight, and you can't get enough air, then it feels like someone has a pillow over your face and is trying to suffocate you. The more you fight it, the worse it becomes. It is very hard to stay calm and try to breathe in little wisps of air, when you are dying for gallons of air. An inhaler will give you immediate relief.

I thought water in the lungs is pneunomia. I have had it twice and it is confirmed by x-rays. I felt fine but as soon as I tried to do anything, I was week. My back was sore. Both times it was after laying in bed for a week with the flu.