My Asthma Update

For those of you that have been following my running progress since my asthma diagnosis, here is a synopsis of what has happened so far.

November 8
After the NYCM I went to the allergist and begged for her to take me on as an asthma patient.  I felt that the pulmonologist had ignored my requests to change my medication and my performance during the marathon showed it (big asthma attack at Mile 16 and all).  So, she did.  She did my breathing test that day.  The numbers were: 81%, 74%, 84%, 63%, 78%.  She said these were not bad numbers but they were bordeline and for somebody on medication, they were bad.  The most important number is the second one (74%).  So, she switched my medication and asked me to come back three weeks later.

Prior to the change of medication, my 5K time went up from 24:02 to 27:30 and my marathon was a disaster.

The week after she changed my meds, I ran a HM in 2:15.  It was more a shoe disaster than anything, but it was the first time I had run without having breathing problems.

November 21
I went back in November with only two weeks of the Symbicort.  The test showed the following: 91%, 90%, 98%, 81%, 96%.  Amazing what the right medication can do, right?  She was very happy and recommended I started allergy shots for dustmites since we found out I was almost lethally allergic to them (as allergic as I am with shellfish).

I ran a 10K on Thanksgiving and ran 56:20, not quite my PR of 51:25 but getting there.  I also ran a marathon in December with a new PR of 4:46.  So there were a lot of improvements right then and there.

Two months after the med change, I ran a 5K in which I finished 25:59 (closer to my PR and stupidly raced, IMO).  I also ran the Disney Goofy with a new Half PR of 2:04 and doing it easily and as a soft PR race.  I also ran a 10K not long ago in windy conditions in 54:49 and for the first time, felt that my PRs were nearby.

January 23
Today was a bit of mixed news.  I had been having nosebleeds all weekend long, due to one of the meds.  I suffered from a cold that started 10 days ago and from which I have not fully recovered.  So, I came in and we did the test.  The numbers were: 91%, 87%, 95%, 71%, 110%.  The two important numbers went down to 87% and 71%, so the first thing she said was, you've just told me you've been running better than ever and have had no need to use the rescue inhaler (except in races), so something else triggered this.  She asked me: are you sick?  I told her no, but I was.

Then, she went hmmmm.  She checked my chest and I'm still a little congested.  She says that a cold that has moved to the chest lasts up to 5 weeks to get back to the original numbers.  She predicted that my cold affected the numbers by 5-10% and she said clinically, we don't see improvements but you were probably at higher numbers two weeks ago so that's good.  So, she believes I've improved lots since she last saw me and sent me home with no major change in asthma meds and 3 more months before I see her again.

She did have some bad news for me.  She said, due to this cold, don't expect to PR on Sunday.

As if.....

As if I'm not going to try, pfffffttttt.

Thank you for asking.

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