Slower Runs area sure sign for me that I have been near an allergen that triggers my asthma. I have previously blogged about my trouble with dogs. No matter what dog breed (some claim hypo-allergenic breeds), I am triggered by certain dog dander, it seems especially true for shorter pet fur. I feel badly when I need to opt out of gatherings where a pet will be , but I just always regret it during a run when I feel sluggish and tight in my chest. I will also awake in the middle of the night with an attack needing a releiver to get back to normal. This is what it looks like in my lungs when an attack hits:
There is nothing I can do other than avoid those allergens. Allergy pills only take me so far. Running has changed my attacks and my asthma seasonally has been phenomenally better, but certain triggers can throw my running times and my energy off for weeks after exposure. It is not like my old attacks either. Now I must watch that I am not having an attack thatis not so much wheezing and coughing but more lethargy and feeling out of breath. This is due to my running and my body being efficient at oxygen use, I am certain. That is actually good, this means less meds needed. What is not good is my inability to idientify it as an attack. Using an aerochamber with my inhalor tends to help me get better bang out of my emergency meds. Nebulizers a the hospital treat the overall non-wheezing attack for a long while. But prevention for me must be key. I have had to learn to be unapologetically leery of exposing myself to triggering allergens.
