Tips for dealing with asthma and the cold weather when riding please?

[Pidge]

Had a good lesson last night on Pidge and he worked really well, even starting to lift in the trot

so I was very happy. Much better when I can get my weaker left leg on, but boy does it hurt! Thanks to the advice from people on here I am concentrating on the positives

However at the end of the lesson, please bear in mind I was a bit tired at this stage

, we attempted a prelim test and OMG it was awful

think it was mainly down to me being tired, and I get asthma as well which is worse when its this cold. So any tips from others with asthma how they cope with this cold weather? I do take a puff of my inhaler before I ride but it doesn't tend to last the whole hour!

 

[Baileysno1]

Hi,

I have awful asthma and was in hospital in the spring for a week to be pumped full of steriods, if your blue inhaler isn't lasting the hour you are definately on the wrong dose of steriod,

I was taking two puffs of serevent (green one) and two puffs of becotide (brown one) twice a day and still needing my blue inhaler when I rode. I went to my asthma nurse reluctantly because I was having attacks at work and was having to get off when I rode literally every night and she put me on seretide, it is fab, it combines the preventer and the reliver and I just take 2 puffs night and day after a week I stoped taking my reliver completely and now don't carry it in my pocket when I ride, I had no idea I was suffering so badly and the nurse was appaled I was on such low doses, I feel fab, I can actually breathe!

I'm not sure how bad your astmah is but you certainly shouldn't need your reliver daily if you are on a steriod inhaler, please book and see about checking your prescription, you might get a good suprise,

 

[MagicMo]

Yep - sounds as if your preventative treatment is not working well enough - you will need to go back to see your doctor/asthma nurse.

 

[Seahorse]

I have changed to Qvar and I rarely have to use my blue inhaler now, ask your doctor

 

[michb52]

My husband dosnt ride but does play football at least 4 times a week in all weathers. He suffers from asthma and up until last xmas was going through a blue inhaler a week! He had a really bad attack on xmas eve and we spent most of it in a&e with him on the ventolator - it was really scary.
After this attack he went to his gp who put him on a purple inhaler called seratide. He now uses this twice a day and i couldnt tell you the last time he used his blue reliever inhaler. Another thing the gp did tell him was to make sure he protected his chest when playing by wearing those special tight fitting body armour tops - think adidas make them - this has really helped him too!

 

[Cop-Pop]

I used to get terrible asthma - it got to the stage when I was at the doctors once a week. I don't really like taking medincine so she suggested swimming therapy. I swim once a week and it really helps - I still have to use my steroid inhaler and I carry my blue one but rarely use it now unless I have a cold or find something I'm allergic to

 

[Twiglet]

[ QUOTE ]
I have changed to Qvar and I rarely have to use my blue inhaler now, ask your doctor

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto - Qvar is very good stuff........as long as I take the steroid one twice a day, I rarely need the blue one. Mainly just when indoors with heating or tumble dryer on, or around fluffy dogs.
My doctors gave me a 'puffa pouch' to put my inhaler in which hangs round my neck - is good for hacking or long schooling session as is to hand!

 

[Noodlejaffa]

I take Flixotide twice a day as a steroid and hardly ever have to use my reliever inhaler at all. Before I started on the steroid inhaler I was at the stage of not being able to go anywhere near horses without losing the power to breathe! I now compete nearly every week and am eventing at PN level without a wheeze!

Get yourself checked out by the Dr and go to an asthma clinic if there's one at your surgery. Don't suffer!

 

[ExRacers]

I use Seretide - purple one- 2 puffs twice a day and find that I very very rarely have to use the blue one. Really only if I've got a bad cold.

Can honestly say it has improved my life for the better & helps no end when dealing with or riding the horses especially in winter.

 

[filly190]

I have asthma and find in the winter when brushing the horses the worst time. It seems to be the mud dust and them being rugged and collecting their own natural dusts more.

I take a hayfever tablet before going down and that helps, I do agree the cold weather does tend to tighten the chest.

 

[Donkeymad]

I have to agree with others, you really need to speak to someone and either include or change a preventative inhaler. I would also recommend you try to keep the cold air out by use of a light scarf over your mouth when possible.