Exercising with asthma? Getting back into fitness

[PookieDo]

I am so so so unfit, I used to be a bit fitter but I have a couple of health issues

1. Asthma - my lungs burn so badly if I try to run, so I don’t. My peak flow at its best ever is 550 and I am currently at around 475 consistently.
2. Ruptured L4/5 disc a year ago - steroid injection into spine (avoided operation for time being!)
3. I’m now overweight

I am scared of irritating both these conditions so I avoid strenuous exercise which isn’t helping. I was immobile/crutches for a few months and packed on the weight. This hasn’t helped my lung capacity!

Right now I am walking at a fast pace 3-4K a day, more if I can handle it. Everything seems to burn in and out and I know I need to keep going. Anyone have any tips on what I could/should be doing to push it a bit? FYI I can’t do swimming and can’t afford a gym. No local pools I can afford or have suitable swim times (I work and is mainly free in the day).

I am considering one of the fitness DVD’s, like a shred but I don’t know if this will be me biting off way more than I can chew

Sorry, I went to bed. Is your asthma well controlled or do you get wheezy and tight ? You should be able to get out of breath without getting wheezy. I spent last year really suffering because the clinic decided to change my preventer and the new one didn’t work nearly as well! I couldn’t run on the new regime as the asthma was completely out of control - I couldn’t even run for the bus without getting tight and wheezy and having to resort to lots of ventolin. The clinic has as put me back onto my old preventer now and I am much better and have just started back running - but very slowly and warily - so I take lots of walking breaks and slow jog rather than go full out.
If your asthma is well controlled I think the burning sensation will settle down once you are used to the exercise.

I think it is well controlled but it has dodgy phases

it doesn’t feel very comfortable lying on my left side, I always feel tighter and seem to get a lot of palpitations
GP not interested in my palpitations and I don’t notice them at other times as much

Walking is getting easier. I’m out of breath less and recovering faster

I haven’t lost any weight yet though. I have found this a bit demoralising but going to keep going. I think I need to adjust my diet again. I have been walking 2-3k at a fast speed most evenings, squats and some other toning type exercises

Is there any way you could walk further? Could you walk for an hour at a good speed? Or work up to it?

Do you have any fitness apps? There is a free version of MapMyRun, but you can change the settings to walking, cycling etc. You can input your stats and get some idea of calorie burn.

I spoke too soon. Got a virus and my peak flow keeps dropping down to 300-350. GP today. I haven’t done any excercise for about a week because I feel awful!

Poor you . Set up an appointment for a fitness chat while you're there, then relax and get better! Then you'll feel you've done something positive.

Prednisolone 40mg for 5 days
Then asthma review
I feel rubbish

Poor you
prednisolone always makes me feel rubbish - it sets you up on a bit of a high and then when you stop your mood plummets. They used to put you on a ‘reducing dose’ so you came off it slowly to try to stop this but they don’t do that anymore.
Good you have an asthma review though - hopefully they can help with advice about the exercising

Asthmatic here too, my peak flow is usually around 300 (not great I know) and exercise is one of my triggers. I used to do more exercise but I've found weight lifting and long distance alternating slow with brisk walking every couple of minutes is the best way for me to exercise and swimming if I can get to the beach or somewhere with a chlorine free pool.

Pred affects my sleep the most but usually helpful for giving me false energy to tidy my house
Slept upright I had a cocoon of pillows and PF 400 this morning which is the right direction!

Are you feeling any better Pookie?

I’m similar - same disc and asthma. I did have surgery and it helped loads, about 50% decrease in pain. I find the gym really helped, the local council ones offer cheap medical referrals or disabled memberships here plus expert trainers who help people recovery from injury/stroke etc. Asthma was ok as it wasn’t high on cardio, mostly weights and the bike with a chair type seat.

I lost weight with diet over the last two years (less than two stone so not much) and took up running last summer. When it got colder I got a new inhaler and stayed indoors on the treadmill. Losing weight has helped with fitness, less weight to lug around I guess.

I’m now thinking about trying Pilates/Yoga etc but know, even with being fit and strong now it won’t be possible to do all the moves. So forget the classes, unless physio led, see if you can get a gym referral and start from there. Keep the cardio on the low side as you build fitness and you may feel better by summer when it’s warmer.