Asthma?

[Shunsui]

So as a child I remember going through different types of asthma inhalers first it was the blue ones then I remember I used the orange ones temporarily, but I've never been consistent with them(never for a year straight). All my young teenage life I've loved sports played varsity basketball, soccer, and football. In every sport no matter how much skill I showed I was never able to be a starter. Reason was I could never run up and down a court for 5min straight at full capacity without dropping to my knees. It always frustrated me because I would do so well then all of a sudden I get extremely winded out, I've never had an attack but always felt like I was close to one. Also every now and then I feel a sharp pain in my chest that feels like a knife piercing through, making me clench chest because of the pain. I also have this problem with one of my nostrils being stuffy all the time, and I mean every single day as long as I can remember. I've also smoked cigarettes consistently for 3 years now, but I started quitting in the new year, and still going at it. So my question is does anyone know that if I get an inhaler now, would it do any significant change, because I love playing sports, and if I could I would play for hours. Don't say it's because of the cigarettes because this has been chasing me my whole life, just haven't been consistent with the inhalers. Do they really make that much of a difference? Also what else could be the problem, I did a check-up a few weeks ago, and doctor said my breathing was okay. Just feel that something is wrong lol....


Edit: Just to give you guys a picture, I'm 6'2 160lbs and 19 years old and I work out maybe once a week with the dumbbells in my room lol.

[diamondedge]

Gotta be consistent with them, and drop the smokes. Smoking may not be the cause, but it sure is holding you back...I've had asthma all my life, (I'm only a year older than you) but I've found I've gotten a lot better, just gotta be consistent with your inhalers. The orange one is your preventer, if you keep taking that, it keeps the symptoms away. The exercise is good as well, it helps keep your lung capacity strong.

[Barking_Spidre]

I have a preventer one as well, its called "pulmicort" I think. I got switched to a different pulmicort inhaler about 2 years ago, and it made a WORLD of a difference. If I don't play sports, I probably use my blue inhaler once a month, maybe twice. If you want, I can give you the full name of the pulmicort I use.

[Pacman]

The blue one will be ventolin which is a short acting beta agonist and will give relief very quickly.

The long acting beta agonist will be more of a maintenance product. The most popular one these days is Advair which comes in a purple inhaler or a "diskus" which contains power. I used to be on the orange one as well, but that was years ago.

Go and see your doctor and stop smoking. No, smoking didn't cause your asthma, but it can increase the frequency of the attacks and decrease lung capacity which doesn't help much.

[krazykhoja]

I have asthma ever since I moved to Calgary (when I was 7) and now I'm 22....up until when I was about I would say mid-teens (13/14...maybe a couple years after that also)...I would usually have to take ventolin before and/or during and/or after games (soccer/hockey mainly)...but after that I haven't used it very often since (a couple times a year max)...

I know my doctor gave me a new one last year I think its a purple one and she said if I take it once a day I won't have to worry about using the blue one...I think it worked as more of a precautionary one so I would maybe talk to your doctor about that...I used it for about a week and haven't since and I've been fine...

Stopping smoking will def. help for sure...and maybe try to do some cardio training, not sure but it might help to get you into a bit better shape so you dont get winded as easily?

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Shunsui
So as a child I remember going through different types of asthma inhalers first it was the blue ones then I remember I used the orange ones temporarily, but I've never been consistent with them(never for a year straight). All my young teenage life I've loved sports played varsity basketball, soccer, and football. In every sport no matter how much skill I showed I was never able to be a starter. Reason was I could never run up and down a court for 5min straight at full capacity without dropping to my knees. It always frustrated me because I would do so well then all of a sudden I get extremely winded out, I've never had an attack but always felt like I was close to one. Also every now and then I feel a sharp pain in my chest that feels like a knife piercing through, making me clench chest because of the pain. I also have this problem with one of my nostrils being stuffy all the time, and I mean every single day as long as I can remember. I've also smoked cigarettes consistently for 3 years now, but I started quitting in the new year, and still going at it. So my question is does anyone know that if I get an inhaler now, would it do any significant change, because I love playing sports, and if I could I would play for hours. Don't say it's because of the cigarettes because this has been chasing me my whole life, just haven't been consistent with the inhalers. Do they really make that much of a difference? Also what else could be the problem, I did a check-up a few weeks ago, and doctor said my breathing was okay. Just feel that something is wrong lol....


Edit: Just to give you guys a picture, I'm 6'2 160lbs and 19 years old and I work out maybe once a week with the dumbbells in my room lol.

I have very similar symptons as you that developed about 7 years ago. I tried everything and finally found something that works amazing!!!

Its called Symbicort, its amazing!!! Its a preventor, something you take in the morning, two clicks does the trick...LOL

Its a very fine powder, that you inhale in the mornings, and you will be breathing easy all day.

I've tried inhalers and other powder preventors in the past and they only made my symptons worse.

I don't feel I have asthma, but when I was just a baby I got bronchitis and it scared my lungs, and as I get older it seems I'm more sensitive to things.

You have to quit smoking though, that definitely won't help your matters.

I added a photo of what the product looks like.

http://www.edumedica.nl/images/SymbicortTurbuhalerklein.jpg

[z24_wheels]

As it has been said, the orange puffer is your maintenance medication. Regular doses of this will fight symptoms and keep them away. The Blue sulbutamol is for fast action, in case of an oncoming emergency.

You want to look at the way you take the dose as well. The discus and puffers coat out your teeth with the medication, possibly giving you thrush. You want to get an aerochamber. This is a small tube that allows the medication to get airbourne before you breathe it in.

As everyone said, stop smoking. Asthma and smoking have an almost synergistic effect on your breathing health.

You should try a netti pot as well. Great for clearing the sinuses and keeping them clear. You have to be dedicated to taking your maintenance meds and the netti pot on a frequent basis though, otherwise it is a waste of your time and money.

My lung capacity for my age, weight and height should be 6L. I was 5.2L two years ago and am now 7.6L.

[Shunsui]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I don't know if you guys read correctly, but I'm quitting right now so far its been 6 weeks.
I'm going to book an appointment with my doctor now and try to see what inhaler would work for me and ask him about Symbicort, and other "power" inhalers.

Cheers