1. #1
    Honorary PvM "Mod" Darsithis's Avatar
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    Shortness of breath outside of exercise

    Just curious about something. I had a bout of adult asthma in 2009 (I was 26, I'm 29 now) from the beginning of that year all the way until September. I was warned not do to the Warrior Dash that year (first year it started), but I participated anyway and by the end of the race I couldn't breathe for coughing.

    Since then I've paid very close attention to breathing and I've noticed something over the years that I'm not sure is normal and I wonder if you fitness buff will be able to tell me if it is or if it isn't.

    I get winded incredibly easy. Just getting up from my desk at the office and walking 20 feet can make me have to breathe deeply a few times, as can bending over to tie my shoes! Heck, just sitting still does it! I regularly feel the need, an overpowering urge, to take deep breaths on a regular basis. I can't imagine this is an issue with being out of shape, as I do 30 minutes of high-intensity sport intervals, 30 minutes of weightlifting, and speedwalk 2+ miles a day to and from the office, 6 days a week. Funny thing is, I seem to breathe just fine while exercising, but at resting something is just wrong. I should take that back. I'm not sure if I'm breathing right because I never sustain an intense activity for more than 30 - 45 seconds, but sometimes if I try to push it I'm forced to breathe incredibly rapidly, like a huff huff huff huff huff, though this usually happens when I get my heart rate over 175.

    My EKG is perfect. My blood pressure is excellent, as is blood levels of nutrients and I have no cholesterol issues.

    Is this normal for you guys, too? Do you feel the need every minute or two to take deep sighing breaths when you're doing nothing? My partner is always asking me what's wrong because I can't seem to stop doing it.

  2. #2
    I sort of have the same thing, but it's where I can never quite feel like I've caught my breath. My throat and nose are flemmy most of the time and I usually have to hold my nose open to breath properly. I tried running for maybe 20 seconds but that makes me cough alot and feel like there's liquid trying to get out. When I don't take deep breaths every few minutes I get this weird "lazy" feeling in my head.

  3. #3
    I had my first and only asthma attack when I was 7. For years and years after that I would breathe heavy from simple things like going up the stairs. I also would notice my breathing seemed short sometimes, as if my lungs weren't filling up all the way. I don't think it has anything to do with being out of shape, it's most likely just your asthma. I'd recommend seeing a doctor about it. They gave me an inhaler which helped, but I always forgot to carry it around.

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    Honorary PvM "Mod" Darsithis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Raybourne View Post
    I sort of have the same thing, but it's where I can never quite feel like I've caught my breath. My throat and nose are flemmy most of the time and I usually have to hold my nose open to breath properly. I tried running for maybe 20 seconds but that makes me cough alot and feel like there's liquid trying to get out. When I don't take deep breaths every few minutes I get this weird "lazy" feeling in my head.
    That sounds kinda scary. If you're coughing during exercise I'd say you definitely have a lung problem you need to have checked out.

    Quote Originally Posted by poltic07 View Post
    I had my first and only asthma attack when I was 7. For years and years after that I would breathe heavy from simple things like going up the stairs. I also would notice my breathing seemed short sometimes, as if my lungs weren't filling up all the way. I don't think it has anything to do with being out of shape, it's most likely just your asthma. I'd recommend seeing a doctor about it. They gave me an inhaler which helped, but I always forgot to carry it around.
    That actually sounds like a good idea. I never thought that it could be lingering damage from the asthma; I just wondered if it was normal and I just never noticed that I was always like that. I never checked to see what kind of capacity I had before it, but it sure seems less now
    Last edited by Darsithis; 2012-08-17 at 01:36 AM.

  5. #5
    Are you on Asthma medication/steroids? If not then you should be. I lived with Asthma through my whole childhood with it being quite bad at times, but in my later teens I worked through it through switching to a more healthy diet and joining a gym to work on my fitness levels, and doing mountain biking. Generally strengthening my body and cardio fitness, but it can come back when my fitness levels drop or if I am ill.

    1. See doctor, get medication, an asthma pump can do you wonders and can last years. Ask him for advice about the following.
    2. Check your diet, try to work in some light cardio in order to improve your lung capacity and how efficiently your body uses oxygen
    3. Along with that check up proper breathing technique and exercises to help with it.


    Reading your post leads me to think that this shit is serious and you should sort it out.
    Last edited by Bigbazz; 2012-08-17 at 02:51 AM.
    Probably running on a Pentium 4

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    Honorary PvM "Mod" Darsithis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigbazz View Post
    Are you on Asthma medication/steroids? If not then you should be. I lived with Asthma through my whole childhood with it being quite bad at times, but in my later teens I worked through it through switching to a more healthy diet and joining a gym to work on my fitness levels, and doing mountain biking. Generally strengthening my body and cardio fitness, but it can come back when my fitness levels drop or if I am ill.

    1. See doctor, get medication, an asthma pump can do you wonders and can last years. Ask him for advice about the following.
    2. Check your diet, try to work in some light cardio in order to improve your lung capacity and how efficiently your body uses oxygen
    3. Along with that check up proper breathing technique and exercises to help with it.


    Reading your post leads me to think that this shit is serious and you should sort it out.
    I'm not on any medication any more; once the asthma cleared up I had no use for the inhaler. I currently do 30 minutes of high-intensity cardio every day at the gym, which is why I'm confused about experiencing this issue at rest. I think I will speak to my doctor about it.

  7. #7
    Warchief Letmesleep's Avatar
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    No, Darsithis, I work out 5 times a week and don't have any issues breathing afterwards. You seem to have already come to the conclusion that you should seek a doctor, and I agree with you. Don't put it off, what you're experiencing isn't normal for someone who isn't morbidly obese. Hope you can get that taken care of soon.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Darsithis View Post
    Just curious about something. I had a bout of adult asthma in 2009 (I was 26, I'm 29 now) from the beginning of that year all the way until September. I was warned not do to the Warrior Dash that year (first year it started), but I participated anyway and by the end of the race I couldn't breathe for coughing.

    Since then I've paid very close attention to breathing and I've noticed something over the years that I'm not sure is normal and I wonder if you fitness buff will be able to tell me if it is or if it isn't.

    I get winded incredibly easy. Just getting up from my desk at the office and walking 20 feet can make me have to breathe deeply a few times, as can bending over to tie my shoes! Heck, just sitting still does it! I regularly feel the need, an overpowering urge, to take deep breaths on a regular basis. I can't imagine this is an issue with being out of shape, as I do 30 minutes of high-intensity sport intervals, 30 minutes of weightlifting, and speedwalk 2+ miles a day to and from the office, 6 days a week. Funny thing is, I seem to breathe just fine while exercising, but at resting something is just wrong. I should take that back. I'm not sure if I'm breathing right because I never sustain an intense activity for more than 30 - 45 seconds, but sometimes if I try to push it I'm forced to breathe incredibly rapidly, like a huff huff huff huff huff, though this usually happens when I get my heart rate over 175.

    My EKG is perfect. My blood pressure is excellent, as is blood levels of nutrients and I have no cholesterol issues.

    Is this normal for you guys, too? Do you feel the need every minute or two to take deep sighing breaths when you're doing nothing? My partner is always asking me what's wrong because I can't seem to stop doing it.
    I'm a runner with Asthma, and we're about the same age, and I am an adamant runner, but I am not sure what this is. Asthma has caused me problems in the past, and I still can't consume milk products and run, but I've never had any of the problems you are describing.

    The only time my Asthma really messes up my run time is when I bulk up to 185 (even though it's mostly muscle), it is like my lungs literally aren't strong enough to support that type of body. So I don't know if you've gotten massive in the last 3 years or if it's something else.
    Last edited by Jersovic; 2012-08-17 at 08:45 AM.

  9. #9
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    I got Asthma at the age of about 23, I am 26 now. My experience and what I've heared from experts are:
    1) There is no cure for it but there are medecines to keep it down (Pulmicort, Oxis for instance).
    2) If the asthma is not treated with above medecination it can easily get much worse by time. It is important to start early, befor it is too big of a problem.
    3) Except medecine, regular condition training (running, bicycling etc) works wonders. Often you dont even need the medecine if you regulary excersise. Ofcourse it is a matter how far your asthma gone. It seems to been untreated for too long though.

    My advice is to go to a doctor, preferably someone specialized on asthma. Untreated it will only get worse. There is a chance this is not related to your asthma (seems unlikely at this point) but that would the doctor know of.

  10. #10
    Honorary PvM "Mod" Darsithis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jersovic View Post
    I'm a runner with Asthma, and we're about the same age, and I am an adamant runner, but I am not sure what this is. Asthma has caused me problems in the past, and I still can't consume milk products and run, but I've never had any of the problems you are describing.

    The only time my Asthma really messes up my run time is when I bulk up to 185 (even though it's mostly muscle), it is like my lungs literally aren't strong enough to support that type of body. So I don't know if you've gotten massive in the last 3 years or if it's something else.
    lol not massive. I'm 188lbs and 6'0, muscled. Nothing big, mind you; I'm not a body builder. What does milk do to asthmatics?

    Quote Originally Posted by studkaw View Post
    I got Asthma at the age of about 23, I am 26 now. My experience and what I've heared from experts are:
    1) There is no cure for it but there are medecines to keep it down (Pulmicort, Oxis for instance).
    2) If the asthma is not treated with above medecination it can easily get much worse by time. It is important to start early, befor it is too big of a problem.
    3) Except medecine, regular condition training (running, bicycling etc) works wonders. Often you dont even need the medecine if you regulary excersise. Ofcourse it is a matter how far your asthma gone. It seems to been untreated for too long though.

    My advice is to go to a doctor, preferably someone specialized on asthma. Untreated it will only get worse. There is a chance this is not related to your asthma (seems unlikely at this point) but that would the doctor know of.
    I was never aware that you could develop asthma over time. I used to have excellent lung capacity: I once sang Corner of the Sky from Pippen on stage and held the final note for five measures. So if I still have it, if it never went away even after using the inhaler in 2009 (I had that pink disc inhaler thingy called...Advair, I think), then yeah I should see a specialist.

    Many of the times I breathe deeply are probably related to actual exertion. Walking to work from Ogilvie is about a mile and I take it at 4mph or so, which is pretty damn rapid for just walking. But in the time I sat here to type out this message I took 3 deep breaths.

    Thanks for the advice guys. I see my normal doctor every three months and an appointment is coming up, so perfect time to ask for a referral.

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