Asthma Inhaler

The auto inhailers (CFC easyibreath ) aee bulkier and awkward to fit in pockets, I agree (they also dont much care for getting wet or dropped IMHO!)

Speak to your GP/Asthma nurse/hospital consultant, there are lots of different types of inhailers out there and if you explain your needs there may be one that they could offer you instead.  Unfortunatly even within the same type of inhailer, sometimes the different manufacturers vary (hence why I take that bit of the prescription to a different chemist because they always seem to fill it with one that is about 2cm shorter than the standard ventolin evohailer!)

If you are getting regular symptoms , even exercise induced, maybe think about visiting your Dr or Asthma nurse and getting your prventer meds reviewed?

If you can get symptom free then less need for reliever?

Hey SazzaG

Symbicort is good stuff  , though I have found that the turbohalers are a bit more inclined to not like getting damp (or downright wet, when it fell out of a canoe.....oops)

Its nice to know that there are people put there who are running despite their asthma, exercise-induced or not.  I used to do some running as a kid, when at school, mainly as a method of getting and staying fitter for team sports.  Over the last few years I have tried a few times, somewhat unsuccessfully, to get myself back into running, although initially that has as much to do with my motivation (or lack of it at 6.15am) as anything else; however over the last year or so things have been a bit more haywire, with somewhat more visits to my local A+E than I would have planned (a bit embarrassing when you are working there, although not quite as bad as ending up on a ward that was looked after by the same medical consultant who I was on placement with recently - out of dozens of bloomin wards in the hospital!).  Im just interested about whether there are people like me successfully running out there; I have a feeling my consultant(s) would laugh and tell me not too be so bloody stupid if I told them my ambitions - running (well and other exercise) keeps me sane, I find that there is something about me (plus/minus dog) and road/field/mountain that is tremendously powerful and helps put life in perspective for me (that probably sounds a bit mad I guess!)

It was my asthma that got me into running.

My triggers are dust / pollen, sudden changes in air temperature (like going outside on a cold day) and running.

After having my lifestyle restricted for many years because of the fear of an asthma attack, I decided that enough was enough and that I was going to combat my asthma by taking up running.  I was sure that if I could run without getting an attack then I could do almost anything else.

I always take a puff of salbutamol before exercise otherwise I am guarenteed to have an attack.  If it is cold out then I sometimes have two puffs.

After that I am OK.  I carry my inhaler on long runs, but often don't bother for short runs any more.  I'm supposed to be doing a 20 mile race on Sunday, so there is proof that asthmatics can still do proper running.

Incidently, I now very rarely have an attack at any other time either.  Sometimes my chest gets a bit tight but it has been over 2 years since I had a 'proper' attack.  I am sure that running has improved my tollerance (if that is the right word) to asthma although the asthma nurse says that she can see no change in my lung function over this period.

Got to agree with others that Symbicort is great. It has made a huge difference to my asthma management.

I can not run without carrying a salbutamol. 99% of the time I dont use it. But if I realise I'm out without it I start to get wheezy !!

I have no problem getting it into the back zip pocket of my Nike shorts.

Callan - hee hee I think that is sod's law!

SuperCaz - I wouldn't be surprised.  Physiology was never my strong point, but if exercise improves your capacity to breathe more effectively, not only potentially in your total lung function, but also with a view to the muscles that you use when breathing is harder work (from exercise, or from asthma!) and even to how well you naturally regulate your breathing pattern (there are those who say that anyone with asthma is prone to hyperventilation because your body tries to compensate) - then it makes sense that increasing your exercise tolerance can improve your ability to manage any degree of asthma, which could include compensating so that you are actually less aware of a degree of bronchospasm that you may have previously found activity-limiting

Wish I could do 20miles

*coughs up some more green gunk*