Exercise induced asthma

For the longest time, I’ve had issues with breathing while working out.  I always thought it was a mental issue where I got so excited for working out that I literally couldn’t get a deep breath in. My boyfriend said to me once “If it’s mental, you should be able to force yourself to breathe. Asthma causes your airways to constrict so you literally cannot suck air in.”

My friend who I used to go running with me, tried to talk me through the breathing troubles, which worked sometimes. Then I quit running.

The other day, I was working out at CrossFit and again, a new girl working out there asked how I was feeling (small world, it was Stephanie’s friend!!!!). My breathing was off and I’m sure it scares people if they’re not used to seeing it. I hold my stomach and try to get a really deep breath in, and it usually doesn’t work, so I have to wait a few seconds and try again. Like I’m gasping. Quietly, so people won’t notice.

I was getting ready to roll my eyes at her, and go on my spiel about how this always happens to me and that I’m okay as soon as I stop. But instead I kept quiet and told her I was okay and my breathing always gets like that. She mentioned that she had the same symptoms as I do and she finally went to get a puffer since she was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma.

It’s funny though, because I thought I had asthma as well. Two years ago, I went to a drop in clinic who then referred me to a specialist at the hospital and I got a pulmonary function test. They didn’t put me though any sort of exercise activity at all. I was sitting down breathing through a tube, then holding my air with this tube. Of course the results came out fine, above average in some cases.

Well, I’ve had enough of this breathing issue and not being able to take deep breaths or get enough air into my lungs. Yesterday, I went into a drop-in clinic to ask for a prescription for a puffer. I was so nervous that the Doctor wouldn’t believe that I needed one. It was quite easy to get a prescription from him. He just listened to my lungs and of course as we both knew, my breathing was normal.

I don’t have any issues with wheezing when I workout, which concerned him that this inhaler may not work, as I just have shortness of breath.

He gave me this inhaler to try out for a while and he mentioned if I don’t see any results within the first week or two, to come back and we’ll have to do more tests. He said it could be issues with my heart (!?) and to do ultrasounds and x-rays.

Let’s hope it’s just what I thought it was after all, exercise induced asthma.

I’ll report back when I can of how it’s going.