Hi everyone,

I have embarked on a new exercise plan, primarily using the ChaLEAN Extreme DVDs. I do just fine during the weight lifting segments, but the cardio portions usually trigger an asthma attack. I have severe allergies, and I usually only have an asthma attack if I'm overwhelmed by an allergen (like cat hair.)

The attacks are not quite as bad if I take medication in advance, but if I forget, I end up really paying for it. Does anyone else have this issue? I've had it come up before when I've overdone it on the treadmill. Is there a way to deal with it? I'm wondering if starting slow on the cardio and working my way up to more difficult exercises will stop the attacks.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I'm in a similar situation, my asthma only acts up in really cold/humid weather or if I'm exposed to an allergen as well. When I jog I try and remember to take my meds prior, but like you if I forget it triggers my asthma.

I found that mine is mild enough that if I'm doing cardio and slow down the pace I get through it fine. I also found that the more I built up cardio-vascular system with the jogging the less and less my asthma got triggered.

Hopefully that helps you somewhat.

I have asthma and ARDS. Taking meds prior to exercise helps, but it never stops the all the flair ups, at least not for me. Remember, asthma is inflammation that causes oxygen deprivation and when you add in exercise, your body think you are depriving more oxygen to your lungs, jumps your heart rate up to grab some up that O2 goodness, and then voila! Asthma attack.

Your best bet, is get with your doctor to work out a plan that works for you.

My pulmonary specialist and I have worked out a work out plan that helps, a lot. Hitting the pool is an awesome way to get my cardio up without sending me into attacks every day. When I am doing high intensity workouts, I drop it down a wee bit and never fully push myself, but add minutes on to make up the difference. If my heart rate gets to around 150 (number my doc gave me), I bring it down to a walk and get my heart rate back under control before jumping it back up. I always start slow, work up, and bring it back down slowly.

The key is to exercise. Ultimately, doing something is better than nothing, so even if you aren't able to fully push yourself to extremes like many other people do, you are still doing your body justice if you push to your actual limits, even if it is much lower than what you feel it can be.

And hey, with time, you can get more intense. I went from an asthma attack after every walk to only one in the past two months...and I now do a heck of a lot more than walking (AND!!!! I might be able to decrease my medication...find out this afternoon...oh please oh please oh please oh please....)

I too suffer from exercise-induced asthma as well as general asthma and random allergies, some severe enough to require an epipen although we don't know what the allergen is

I always use my inhaler before getting on the treadmill whether I think I need it or not...it helps prevent a major attack from starting...I also carry my inhaler and set it on the treadmill when i'm running...I DO NOT run outside because it always triggers an attack...I ran in part of a marathon last summer and seriously couldn't breathe for the rest of the day

I do think that increasing my cardio fitness has helped decrease the amount of asthma attacks that I get while running...I also run intervals (walk, then run) because distance tends to trigger an attack...I can run high speed intervals, up to 8.1mph at the moment, but I just don't do distance, steady-state running

I also have Advair prescribed and that helped a lot too...I just don't use it anymore because I don't need it