In case you were wondering — it’s going sucky, thanks. I’m telling you this to reassure you in case your exercise routine is also going sucky because I’m running anyway and that’s supposed to be the encouraging part.
At the beginning I was having regular progress despite these lousy shin splints and now the shin splint pain has subsided (hasn’t disappeared but I no longer limp off the track and ice packs are a continued help) but my breath is gone, daddy, gone. I think it’s allergies. I went from lengthening my run to having to stop ten minutes in to wheeze my breath back. My lungs shut down so much that I swear I whistle while I run and when I first stop, I can’t talk. I mean, even when I get my breath back, I can’t talk for a minute because it’s like my bronchial tract just shuts down. I just whisper. It ain’t pretty.
I think it’s allergies.
I think this because I’m having some breath issues even when I’m not running and my voice is cracking and I wake up feeling like an elephant is curled up on my chest. Now at work, I don’t have these problems and at work I have air conditioning. Coincidence? Surely not.
I didn’t have allergies growing up but then when we moved to Portland I started having some trouble (my very allergic sister said it was likely the mold) and then we came back here and I noticed some problems but nothing like this because we always had an A/C.
I don’t take drugs for it because: 1) it’s not debilitating (except when I’m running); and 2) the one time I took benadryl, I had not such a great reaction. (I took it at work during my first board meeting and spent the rest of the afternoon trying NOT to fall off my chair, unable to listen or speak because NOT falling off the chair took all of my concentration.) I figure it’s a bad idea to take something that made me feel lightheaded right before I head out to jack my heart rate way up.
Now there’s a lesson in all of this for me, which is to unbuckle the goal from the process (this is a recurring lesson in my life because apparently the universe recognizes that I’m a slow and reluctant learner). It’s been a kick in the head for my running to deteriorate the harder I work at it and frankly a lot of the fun is gone because of that. I liked steadily jogging past my goals, puffing up my chest and thinking about bragging rights and the first time I had to slow down to walking early was a bad day indeed. But I have two choices here: Run or Not Run and the running is more fun than the not even when it sucks so run I will. And even when it’s NOT fun (because sometimes it’s just miserable) the thought of starting over makes me want to cry so I figure I may as well keep going out there even if it means I have to break to walk three times before I’m done.
Whatever’s bothering me allergy-wise will have to go away eventually (it wasn’t around in the spring, I guess, since I was running fine then) and hopefully I’ll be back to where I was before it started sprouting or shedding or doing whatever it is that it’s decided to do.
It is frustrating though. I’m going on faith that I’m getting stronger even though I’m not seeing much progress. I have been able to push further than I was when I first hit this wall although yesterday when I stopped I was a little scared that I wouldn’t get my breath back (for just a millisecond, mind you, just because I let my thoughts drift there when I couldn’t catch my breath right away). I’m still running for longer than I thought I ever could when I started this even though I’m not running where I was just six weeks ago.
I don’t like going backwards; I don’t like it at all. But I’m typing this all out to say that if it’s a life-long habit a person is trying to create then part of that is accepting the vagaries of life, including asthma apparently brought on by allergies. Right? So I’m running anyway. I’m running then walking then running again because that’s what it takes right now so that’s what I’ll do.
Possibly related posts:
Could be ragweed – that always bothers me around this time of year. http://www.weather.com/activities/health/allergies/?from=secondarynav will show you a pollen count for your area.
I’m on prescription stuff myself, but you can also use a saline spray or neti pot to rinse the pollen out of your nose/sinuses before & after you run and see if that helps. It’s a lot cheaper, anyway.
I think ragweed is a good guess because eating honeydew bothers my throat and I know they’re related.
Brett has a neti pot but I am totally uninterested in squirting saline up my nose as much as he loves it and swears it’s awesome. And irony? I’m the one who talked him into the neti pot, which goes to show you my ability to talk HIM into stuff totally outweighs his ability to talk ME into stuff.
As a fellow allergy sufferer I say, get thee to an allergist if you can! Mine has me on a once-a-day inhaler because when your allergies compromise your lungs like that, it can really cause problems.
That being said, I’m going to start running tomorrow. No, seriously — a work colleague and I are meeting to do it so I have to show up! Couch to 5K, here I come.
Total side note: one my friends who runs recommends ChiRunning for helping not hurt yourself. I have no idea if it helps, but I’m going to find out.
Take the benadryl at night. Yes, you will still be tired in the morning but you won’t be *as tired.* And you’ll wheeze again as the day goes on, but it will help your morning feel a bit betters. Srsly. Do it.And then go to an allergist (What she said, Julie).
Why take benadryl when you can take 24 claritin or zyrtec? OTC, generic. Claritin is non-drowsy, zyrtec should be taken at night.
I also think the impact on your lungs is troubling – I found out I had asthma when I started running in grad school. Started merrily along until this time of year and then whammo! Couldn’t breathe. Just as an FYI.
I’m working on a post just like this. I started reading No Need for Speed by John Bingham (on one of your facebook friend’s recommendation) and it has brought all of the joy back for me. There’s an assumption that we have to constantly improve, when sometimes it’s just enough that we’re being active. Very freeing.
That was the lovely Marjorie. I did add him to my feedreader but also he (and you) are actual runners while I’m suddenly not able to run a mile without stopping two or three times after thinking I broke that barrier so on my good days, it’s inspirational to read him and on my bad days it just pisses me off.
Please, please, please see a doctor about this. Not being able to talk is a sign of asthma. Please see a doctor about a once a day pill (zyrtec) or inhaler or a rescue inhaler. Asthma (and not breathing in general) can kill you.
Even mild asthma? (sigh) I hate drugs. I’ll ask my doc for a recommendation at my next annual. An emergency inhaler makes sense. I’m hoping it all goes away in the fall anyway. I’ve never ever ever had allergies before or problems breathing like this. Never. I just figured it was living w/out AC making my life suck.
I also recommend to check out asthma treatment. Asthma is an allergic reaction and you might only need meds during the season when the thing you are allergic is around.
I told my doctor that sometimes I thought I was getting symptoms just because I was thinking about getting symptoms having trouble breathing because I was thinking about it too much. He said, “Stress can bring on an allergy attack, and any time you are having symptoms you are damaging your lungs, so treat it.”
They are more aggressive about treating mild asthma because the meds are better and their understanding of the risks are higher.
(Just realized someone below gave you the “get asthma symptoms checked out” spiel. I would delete this, but I went to all the trouble to write it… Next I’ll find where you already wrote that you’ve made an appointment…)
I’m going to third the rec to talk to the doctor. My husband was diagnosed with asthma at 32, when he was training for a tri-athalon. He had always figured it was “just” allergies (funny, he gets the melon thing too…) and then it got bad when he started running, and worse when we moved to the West Coast. Then out of the blue he had a serious attack. The first of his life. It was scary. Now he’s on daily medication and it’s about 95% controlled.
As mentioned above, Claritin and Zyrtec are both 24 and OTC and both work on the type of environmental allergies that are most likely triggering your asthma (that and the poor air quality from summer air).
You said you dont like to take meds but you also dont like to see your running progress slip away. So why wouldnt you do something to make it better?
I’m a lifelong asthmatic (and runner!) who cant run without taking my meds.
i second the suggestion that you go to a pulmonologist.
whatever you have, lung problems can be very serious.
i thought i had asthma, i have gerd and have been diagnosed with
barretts esophagus, not being able to breathe can be interfering with your oxygen intake. it was with mine. both very serious.
I agree with the people who say you need to get checked out. And it sounds like pretty classic asthma to me. I don’t have symptoms normally, but this spring I had an allergy-induced period of asthma. I took Claritin with no side effects at all, and I’m sensitive to drugs. Then, a few weeks later I stopped and I was fine. Whatever was blooming had stopped. But an elephant sitting on your chest? That’s not good!
However, yay for you for continuing to run! That’s some good perseverance.
My sister (asthmatic) talked to me today, too, and I’m going to try the Claritin, definitely.
I told my mom that I wanted some, “oh Dawn, you brave hero!” comments but only got good advice and I was grouching about it (jokingly but not joking at all if you know what i mean) so I think you particularly for your next to last line. Because I am a baby like that. Heh.
hows the claritin working.
are you wheezing less.
we all worry about you, you know.