Expert: Marc Rubin, RPh Asthma Educator - 1/26/2010

Question
I have mild asthma, I use a brown inhaler (Beclometasone dipropionate) 4 times a day and a green inhaler (Salmeterol) also four times a day. Before exercising I do two puffs of Salbutamal (blue inhaler). I have recently started running having not really done much exercise in the last year (apart from a couple of miles walking to and from uni a day which tends to be speed walking!

At the moment I can barely jog a couple of hundred metres on flat ground. I have to stop and walk every couple of minutes cos I can't breathe when I'm running. When I have finished running and sitting down my chest feel very painful and hurts more when I try to breathe in. Just feels like there is a heavy weight on my chest. After running/jogging a mile and a half I end up having to sit/lie down for over 30 mins or more to recover and feel back to normal.

When I walk up a flight of stairs I am getting breathless as well as walking up gentle hills. I've never had an asthma attack before and don't know if any symptoms I'm having are to do with the asthma or me just being extremely unfit? any help with this would be greatly appreciated.  

and I'm no sure if feeling like this after I run is due to my asthma or being extremely unfit?

Answer
Hi Carrie,

My first concern is that you are using the Salmeterol 4 times a day. This is a twice a day medication, and there are risks with excess dosage.

My second concern is that you have had increased inflammation, leading to greater impairment. Do you have a peak flow meter, and if so, how is it relating to a personal best established in the past 6 months?

If your peak flow levels are below 80% of your recent personal bests, I'd get in touch with your physician before any further workouts. I feel you are experiencing a worsening of your asthma.

Let me know what transpires.

Sincerely,

Marc