Before everyone starts telling me to go see a doctor, I already have an appointment set up. But I’m curious as to whether anyone else has had this same experience and if you can impart any advice based on them.
I got sick in early March. I think it was a bad cold, not exactly the flu. But I was coughing up a lung every night for 3-4 nights and barely got any sleep. After a week the coughing subsided, but when I went running or biking outside I would get into fits of coughing afterwards. It’s been 3-4 weeks since I was sick and I’m still coughing after a aerobic workout (no coughing after swimming though).
Has anyone been through this before? Is this exercise induced asthma? Can I take medication and train through this? Or should I rest until it’s all better (this option would kill me)?
I have this exact same problem. In January, I got a cold, followed by bronchitis. Weeks after I finished the antibacterial medicine, I still would cough somewhat frequently. While that has now stopped, I still have coughing fits after outdoors hard intervals. No problems after swimming, no problems after indoor trainer intervals. For what it is work, I’ve long had coughing fits after hard outdoor aerobic work. Personally, I just live with it, because it is not so bad that I’ve ever felt anything worse than annoyance.
Before everyone starts telling me to go see a doctor, I already have an appointment set up. But I’m curious as to whether anyone else has had this same experience and if you can impart any advice based on them.
I got sick in early March. I think it was a bad cold, not exactly the flu. But I was coughing up a lung every night for 3-4 nights and barely got any sleep. After a week the coughing subsided, but when I went running or biking outside I would get into fits of coughing afterwards. It’s been 3-4 weeks since I was sick and I’m still coughing after a aerobic workout (no coughing after swimming though).
Has anyone been through this before? Is this exercise induced asthma? Can I take medication and train through this? Or should I rest until it’s all better (this option would kill me)?
I’ve never had coughing fits after exercise before. Even after hard intervals. I can’t tell if this is adult onset asthma or if it’s just me recovering from a sickness. Any opinions?
Also, did you just push through your training while coughing? Would you recommend it?
Thanks for your response.
Here are a few links regarding Exercise induced asthma, I have experienced similar coughing spells post exercise after upper respiratory infections eventually they resolved. I noted you have an appt. scheduled perhaps these articles will be helpful in sorting out your issue with your Doctor.
I have the EXACT same thing! Same onset, too- early March, no sleep for a week, just coughing, no other real symptoms. I don’t usually cough during training, but start coughing almost the instant I’m done. I will cough for up to 8 hours after a workout, and it is a lot worse when the temperature is below 32F. I had some bouts with EIA last year, but using the inhaler doesn’t seem to prevent this coughing, and it only got really bad after that cold in March.
Do you also cough when taking a big breath, at any other time during the day? If I inhale really deeply, 50% of the time I’ll cough once, then I’m fine.
I haven’t seen my doctor about it, because it seems to be cold-weather related, but if it doesn’t stop when the temps warm up, I will probably go again.
Here are a few links regarding Exercise induced asthma, I have experienced similar coughing spells post exercise after upper respiratory infections eventually they resolved. I noted you have an appt. scheduled perhaps these articles will be helpful in sorting out your issue with your Doctor.
Wow. Yea, this is eerily similar.
My coughing lasts awhile after a workout, and it’s worse in the cold too. I was thinking about getting an inhaler as well, but you’re saying it doesn’t prevent the coughing?
Also, did you keep (or are you) training through the coughing? I’m asking because I’m wondering whether doing so will just prolong the issue.
Btw, I don’t really cough after taking a deep breath. I can feel the slightest “need” to cough, but it doesn’t actually induce a cough for me.
It is eerie- and I almost started a thread about it today, too, because I did a 2 hour cyclocross race Sat and was coughing on and off until 9pm Sat. night.
I am still training, and for the most part, my training is going quite well- the coughing really only sets in right when I stop. In fact, if I pause during a workout (a rest during speed intervals), I will cough, but it goes away as soon as I start up again. I am not having a problem during indoor bike rides or swimming- it’s just long outdoor rides and running (hard) under 32F. So for me, it’s cold+intensity/duration.
I don’t use the inhaler for every workout, so maybe it does help, but I can’t tell a difference. I also have never tried the inhaler while coughing/post-workout, to see if it stops any further coughing. Maybe I should try that…I’m just hoping the weather changes this week, and I won’t have to deal with it anymore.
The deep breath thing- for me, it is a strong urge to cough, and a lot of the time I can suppress the cough, but it still comes out some of the time. What an annoying cough- I hope it’s not whooping cough!!
This happens to me almost every winter. I get a bad chest cold and it eventually goes away but the coughing lasts for weeks. It’s most aggravated right after a run. One winter I was coughing so hard after runs, I actually strained a muscle in my back.
Wow. Yea, this is eerily similar.
My coughing lasts awhile after a workout, and it’s worse in the cold too. I was thinking about getting an inhaler as well, but you’re saying it doesn’t prevent the coughing?
Also, did you keep (or are you) training through the coughing? I’m asking because I’m wondering whether doing so will just prolong the issue.
Btw, I don’t really cough after taking a deep breath. I can feel the slightest “need” to cough, but it doesn’t actually induce a cough for me.
the regular inhailer didn’t work for me but the advair one has helped greatly.
JoeO, how long does it usually take before it goes away? In your experience, does it go away faster if you don’t train? Or does training not make a difference to the duration?
Happens to new as well, normally after hard workouts though - bike or run. What I’ve found that helps is a shot of whiskey. Calms the cough and helps me out tremendously. There’s a reason drunk people can choke on their vomit - alcohol suppresses the cough reflex
Before everyone starts telling me to go see a doctor, I already have an appointment set up. But I’m curious as to whether anyone else has had this same experience and if you can impart any advice based on them.
I got sick in early March. I think it was a bad cold, not exactly the flu. But I was coughing up a lung every night for 3-4 nights and barely got any sleep. After a week the coughing subsided, but when I went running or biking outside I would get into fits of coughing afterwards. It’s been 3-4 weeks since I was sick and I’m still coughing after a aerobic workout (no coughing after swimming though).
Has anyone been through this before? Is this exercise induced asthma? Can I take medication and train through this? Or should I rest until it’s all better (this option would kill me)?
Thanks!
I live in Iowa which is one of the top 5 states with allergy problems in the US, according to my doctor. I would get coughing fits after any workout even if it was easy, just an easy 1-2 hour bike i would get done and immediately start having issues. I’m on proair and singular both as needed and it has been fine since. I’ve had asthma problems for awhile but normally it was only after hard efforts. The easy efforts are what threw me for a loop and went in to see him.
Prior to using allergy meds, I often had this problem in the spring. I’d get sick as a result of allergies, then have those terrible coughing fits after exercise. Using an inhaler, inhaling steam if possible and using some allergy meds to keep things calmed down finally pulled me out of it. I finally bit the bullet and had some allergy testing done. I found out that grasses are a big problem for me. So I now take Zyrtec as soon as it starts to green up, and also use one of those saline nasal flushes. That and keeping chlorine out of my nose seem to be keeping me far healthier.
JoeO, how long does it usually take before it goes away? In your experience, does it go away faster if you don’t train? Or does training not make a difference to the duration?
Also do you take any medication for it?
For me it just slowly fades away over the course of 3-4 weeks. I don’t know if it goes away faster if I don’t train because I always train.
I don’t take medication of any kind unless I absolutely must. Not even an aspirin. Just a symptom like coughing - no matter how bad - isn’t enough to make me do it.
I see. How long does the coughing last after your workout? The problem is if I work out in the evening, I tend to end up coughing into the night disrupting my sleep pretty badly.
I see. How long does the coughing last after your workout? The problem is if I work out in the evening, I tend to end up coughing into the night disrupting my sleep pretty badly.
When it’s at its worst it can last a couple of hours. Gradually tapering off
Ahh! Alaina! This has been happening to me for years. At the end of almost every long ride I do, I cough violently for 30-60 minutes. Doesn’t seem to be related to temperature, though, because it happens in the summer as well as the winter.
It’s the strangest thing, it starts the minute after the ride ends. I pretty much just live with it. Are you going to try the inhaler post-workout? Let me know if it helps.
