Who says you cannot run with bad lungs !

My friend Kristen called me on Saturday morning in a frantic state. She was doing a 5K race when her lungs seized up ( asthma!) and she had to slow down and walk/run to finish her race. Yes asthma attack is very frustrating during a race. I have done many of my races with sub optimal lungs capacity and these experiences are certainly no fun.

I had asthma when I was young but it went away when I was 12. However, it came back to haunt me when I moved to San Antonio three years ago. The attacks gets really bad during spring/summer. Apparently, my lungs do not like something in the air in San Antonio. I have lived in many places without problems. This is the only place that is triggering my asthma. I am very allergic to San Antonio. Period. 

The first two years in San Antonio was more than frustrating. I did not know how to manage this monster and it ended up almost ruining me. 

The first year was not as bad as the second year as I was running indoor a lot on the dreadmill. However, my lungs got tight whenever I run outdoors. I did the San Antonio half marathon in 2010 with 5 puffs of inhaler. It was an awful experience. My lungs felt like it was exploding throughout the run. But I still did a sub 2 hours half which was not too bad. 

The second year was really bad. I was training for my first marathon and was running outdoor a lot. My lungs got really bad and I struggled a lot in my running. I was at the doctor's office almost every other week. I am a complicated case. My rescue inhaler does not work when I have an attack.  The doctors had to prescribe prednisone to make me better. I was happy with the first few doses of prednisone as they appeared to make me better and stronger. However, I started to get more frequent attacks and the doctors had to prescribe higher and higher dosage of prednisone. I began to feel really sick with each dose of prednisone. They made me wide awake at night. I started to loose control of myself. I got depressed and cried and got angry easily. My colleagues learnt to stay away from me when I am on a dosage as I snapped at people.. involuntarily of course. The medication was controlling me ! I have 2 steroids injections and at least 6 dosage of prednisone in 2011. I could hardly function without the prednisone. 

I was still running a lot as I was training for the marathon. The prednisone made me feel really awful but they also make me last longer and run faster in my runs. It was like double edged sword. I am not sure whether I was running faster because they clear my lungs or because they are steroids

I did my first marathon in Nov 2011 and completed it within goal time. But I have always wonder whether that was the results of prednisone, ie steroids. May be I should say that I was "fueled by prednisone" :)

2012 was a turning point for me. I was still being fed prednisone for the first half year of 2012. I started to do research on prednisone. The more I read the more I got worried. The evil of prednisone scares me  Finally, in August 2012, I decided that to be predisone free. I figured that I could die of an asthma attack or predisone overdose. I rather die of an asthma attack. 

Of course, I did not die of asthma. I learned to manage my conditions. I did a lot of research on asthma and had tried every single method of stopping/preventing an asthma attack available on google. I have tried turmeric tea, apple cider vinegar and coffee. I went on supplement spree and bought a whole pantry shelf of supplements including magnesium, B12 and quercetin. Yes. I went crazy searching for a nature way to control my asthma. 

I found that chopping onions and drinking coffee helped to relieve my symptoms and I have been sticking to them. We never run out of chopped onions in our house.

I also learned to run with my condition. Running at lower heart rate make me last longer when my lungs are bad. Yes. I am still running on days when I have my attacks. I grasp for air and wheeze as I run. My doctors would probably freaked out if they had known. But I am so used to running in such conditions that it does not bother me anymore. And I think I have more significant improvement. I used to run 9.40-10min pace on bad days. I could easily manage a 9.30 pace these days. I did the Nueces 50K with probably 80% lung capacity. I managed and I conquered. 

But yes. I do get frustrated. Very frustrated. And there are days where I throw tantrums when I get frustrated. The hubby learned to managed me as well. He will have a pep talk with me every Tuesday before we go to track " Remember, it is all about efforts. Do not get frustrated if you are slow.If you continue to train in sch conditions, you will be really fast if we find a cure for your lungs".  That poor boy probably has enough of my tantrums.

My lungs are still not at its best. I have 2 bottles of prednisone sitting at home. They were prescribed last two months when I see my doc. However, I have yet to open them and I am trying not to. I told my hubby that I will only take them only if I am in a life threatening situation. 

I had to do a lung function test before doing the skin test last month and the nurse almost freaked out when the results showed me at 80% lung capacity. They had to do an immediate nebulizer treatment before conducting the skin test. 

The allergy tests  showed me as allergic to dust mite, palms trees and cockroaches. The allergist does not think that these are triggers for my asthma and we are still monitoring and trying to figure out the triggers. However, the hubby and I took no chance and we did all precautions at home to minimize dust mites. We bought sprays for dust mite and "sterilized" the whole apartment.

I am currently seeing an acupuncturist as well. I figured that I have nothing to lose since I am rock bottom. She can only get me better. The last 2 treatments with her have been awesome. I felt much better and could almost breathe as normal person last few days. I am very much encouraged to continue with the acupuncture treatments.  

Well...Who say you cannot run with bad lungs ! I have ran many races in my condition. As long as you learned to manage.... you can !