Breathing difficulties

"Harry The Hipster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been running for 35 years, including 8 marathons. Starting about 10 years ago, I began
experiencing asthma-type symptoms that have become more severe over time, although I've been
screened for EIA and am negative. Almost as soon as I start, my breathing becomes ragged. I have a
lot of congestion, my ears feel blocked, windpipe constricted and am generating lots of mucus,
which impedes breathing. This raises hell with pace, and its at the point where I approach running
like a chore, not a pleasure, never get into a comfortable groove, even at a very slow pace. Don't
get anything like this when biking.

I do have moderate GERD (reflux), meds control the heartburn but don't touch this, which is like a
laryngeal reflux. Bronchodilators do a little, but not much. The GERD may be the cause, but has
anyone else encountered the same problem? Any thoughts on how to control these symptoms? The docs
don't seem to have any answers. I'm open to anything reasonable.

Harry, I have the same problem. Well, had. I have solved it, but it took a while.

I have severe GERD, (the no-heartburn kind, though)which at first was diagnosed as asthma.

I actually collapsed during a race from the build up in the throat. It felt like I was suffocating.
Day in and day out, constant throat clearing. No heatburn, but classic aggravators such as coffee
and alcohol were there. I became depressed from not being able to solve it.

Finally tried ranitadine (Zantac, etc). Results were immediate, about 80 - 90% improvement, but
the problem was that I needed WAY more that the max dose to control it. I was taking 150mg 6 to
10times a day, occasionally more. At the time I didn't care - as long as I could have some relief
it was worth it.

After a few months of this, I knew where all the Zantac/generic equivalent sales were at any time in
all the pharmacies in town. It grew costly, and I was afraid of what I was doing to myself. Also, I
hated the weird "non-effect" ranitadine seemed to have sometimes. It was like I never took it. To
race while having to clear your throat every minute or so is horrible, to you and the people beside
you. Well, you know what I mean.

Now I am on esomeprazole magnesium tryhydrate, better known as Nexium (that "purple pill"
commercial), and it is almost perfect, although ity seems to leave me with a bit of dry mouth. I
take two a day - you may only need one.

I believe trying Nexium could be worth it, if my story sounds similar. It's a prescription drug, but
your doc will probably have samples to let you try, etc.

good luck,
--
David (in Hamilton, ON) www.allfalldown.org "The most insecure people are the ones you see, putting
other people down constantly."

Harry The Hipster said:

I've been running for 35 years, including 8 marathons. Starting about 10 years ago, I began
experiencing asthma-type symptoms that have become more severe over time, although I've been
screened for EIA and am negative. Almost as soon as I start, my breathing becomes ragged. I have a
lot of congestion, my ears feel blocked, windpipe constricted and am generating lots of mucus,
which impedes breathing. This raises hell with pace, and its at the point where I approach running
like a chore, not a pleasure, never get into a comfortable groove, even at a very slow pace. Don't
get anything like this when biking.

I do have moderate GERD (reflux), meds control the heartburn but don't touch this, which is like a
laryngeal reflux. Bronchodilators do a little, but not much. The GERD may be the cause, but has
anyone else encountered the same problem? Any thoughts on how to control these symptoms? The docs
don't seem to have any answers. I'm open to anything reasonable.

I can see why your docs are puzzled! I'm sure they've thought of allergies. Have they thought of
medication reaction? That's a real stretch, and it would presume you are on a med to react to! If
they've tried with you a trial of inhaled bronchodilator, I bet they've also tried trial of inhaled
corticosteroid.

Start having them refer you up the sub-sub-subspecialist line to ever bigger and better sports
medicine experts. Someone has got to have seen something like this before.

Best of luck. -- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse

SwStudio said:

Harry, I have the same problem. I have severe GERD, (the no-heartburn kind, though) which at first
was diagnosed as asthma.

Finally tried ranitadine (Zantac, etc). Results were immediate, about 80 - 90% improvement, but
the problem was that I needed WAY more that the max dose to control it. ...Now I am on
esomeprazole magnesium tryhydrate, better known as Nexium (that "purple pill" commercial), and it
is almost perfect, although ity seems to leave me with a bit of dry mouth. I take two a day - you
may only need one.

Dear Dave, It's a darn good suggestion you give, but likely one already tried. Unfortunately, most
docs these days prescribe those super-strong acid suppressing meds, the PPI class (includes
omeprazole, Prilosec, esomeprazole, Nexium, Aciphex, Protonix, lansoprazole, Prevacid), right off
the bat, which is a shame because they are terribly expensive (appx $117 U.S./month, as I'm sure you
know), when cheap generic Zantac ($11 U.S./month, ranitidine) will often do. So when he says he has
GERD and is being treated for it, it is very likely he is already using Nexium or its equivalent in
the other very potent PPI meds. Glad you are so much better! -- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse

"Josh Steinberg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Harry The Hipster wrote:

I can see why your docs are puzzled! I'm sure they've thought of allergies. Have they thought of
medication reaction? That's a real stretch, and it would presume you are on a med to react to! If

they've

Quoted message said:

tried with you a trial of inhaled bronchodilator, I bet they've also tried trial of inhaled
corticosteroid.

For me, they completely missed the EIA even though it was my first thought when I went to the
doctors. That combined with the allergies made it real difficult to breathe. I get the feeling some
docs dismiss EIA becuase they don't really know the symptoms.

Quoted message said:

Start having them refer you up the sub-sub-subspecialist line to ever bigger and better sports
medicine experts. Someone has got to have

seen

Quoted message said:

something like this before.

Best of luck. -- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse

"SwStudio" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have severe GERD, (the no-heartburn kind, though)which at first was diagnosed as asthma.

I actually collapsed during a race from the build up in the throat. It felt like I was
suffocating. Day in and day out, constant throat clearing. No heatburn, but classic aggravators
such as coffee and alcohol were there. I became depressed from not being able to solve it.

Finally tried ranitadine (Zantac, etc). Results were immediate, about 80 - 90% improvement, but
the problem was that I needed WAY more that the max dose to control it. I was taking 150mg 6 to
10times a day, occasionally more. At the time I didn't care - as long as I could have some relief
it was worth it.

After a few months of this, I knew where all the Zantac/generic equivalent sales were at any time
in all the pharmacies in town. It grew costly, and I was afraid of what I was doing to myself.
Also, I hated the weird "non-effect" ranitadine seemed to have sometimes. It was like I never took
it. To race while having to clear your throat every minute or so is horrible, to you and the
people beside you. Well, you know what I mean.

Now I am on esomeprazole magnesium tryhydrate, better known as Nexium (that "purple pill"
commercial), and it is almost perfect, although ity seems to leave me with a bit of dry mouth. I
take two a day - you may only need one.

I believe trying Nexium could be worth it, if my story sounds similar. It's a prescription drug,
but your doc will probably have samples to let you try, etc.

Hi David,

I was interested to read your experiences with reflux (and its treatment) as yesterday I ran for 4
hours with a guy who coughed, hawked and spluttered his way through the whole run. He's always had a
"signature" cough and he's easy to recognise at a distance from the noise he makes and watching him
yesterday, I realised his coughing is much closer to wretching. I think there's a strong chance that
he suffers from reflux too.

I've forwarded this thread to him and he's very interested in your experiences. With luck, he could
be on the road to successful treatment. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Tim

Thanks guys. I went through Nexium, Aciphex, wtc. which weren't too effective, am on Protonix now,
40 mg X2. Putting it as delicately as I can, big problem is heavy mucosity, and none of the PPIs,
antihistamines, sprays, etc. make much of a dent in that. I sound like Dumas' Camille when I'm
running, I'm sure some of my neighbors would like to ban me from adjacent streets.

I've fooled around with herbal medicines, ginger root extract, etc. Sweish Bitters actually seemed
to work for 6-8 weeks, then I slid back into it again. Frustrating. I'm thinking about the new
microsurgical techniques as a last resort - want to get off meds anyway.

My wife says maybe I should listen to my body. I tell her "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to
follow it's advice..." Nothing more stubborn than a thwarted runner.

HTH

How were you assessed for EIA?

"Harry The Hipster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been running for 35 years, including 8 marathons. Starting about 10 years ago, I began
experiencing asthma-type symptoms that have become more severe over time, although I've been
screened for EIA and am negative. Almost as soon as I start, my breathing becomes ragged. I have a
lot of congestion, my ears feel blocked, windpipe constricted and am generating lots of mucus,
which impedes breathing. This raises hell with pace, and its at the point where I approach running
like a chore, not a pleasure, never get into a comfortable groove, even at a very slow pace. Don't
get anything like this when biking.

I do have moderate GERD (reflux), meds control the heartburn but don't touch this, which is like a
laryngeal reflux. Bronchodilators do a little, but not much. The GERD may be the cause, but has
anyone else encountered the same problem? Any thoughts on how to control these symptoms? The docs
don't seem to have any answers. I'm open to anything reasonable.