how cold is too cold?

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mtmarty

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Hi, I am having new problems with asthma. I am 48, and had exercise induced, broncial asthma in high school. I learned how to control it by monitoring my breathing, and slowing down for a bit. Then I had no problems (so long as I paid attention while running, etc.) until we had a heavy forest fire year, 9 years ago. The particulates really got me. Since then, any time we have had heavy smoke, I get out my mask, take the drugs, and live near my air cleaner. Then last winter I had a sinus infection (battle them all the time), which became bronchitis and asthma, which progressed to pnumonia. The asthma wouldn't shut down, so I took prednisone, and a host of other goodies. A month after things quieted down, I got another sinus infection, accompnied by asthma. So now I am on advair full time, but rarely needed the albuterol until this winter. Now the exercise induced is back, and I seem to have trouble with cold air. When I first noticed it, the temps were quite cold, 0 to 15f. I tried my respirator mask, which helped. Then the temps warmed up to around 32 in the daytime, which felt very nice, esp. when the sun is out. So I tried not wearing the mask, which seemed to go ok. I'm outside alot, have a small farm with animals, and like to play pond hockey. Then had two horrible days. Felt ok in the morning, but progressively worse through the day. The days have been warm enough to work without a coat on. Not strenueous work. Today I went back to wearing a scarf around my face, was outside for much of the day, and feel fine. So how cold is too cold? Will it depend on how many other triggers I'm dealing with? I've been consistent with the medicines, advair 500, clairaton D, singulalr, albuterol as needed, and zinc, vit d-3 to help my immune system. I already do regular battle (mostly sucessful) with sinus infections. Is there a chance that if I can get the other triggers under control (mold allergy which keeps the sinus inflammed) that the cold intolerance will decrease? Thanks for reading, just trying to get my head around this new set of challenges.
 
It was hard to tell from your narrative but do you pre-medicate before exercise? What I mean is two puRAB of albuterol 15-20 minutes before? People with EIA do this as do normal asthmatics who jog, etc. I have mild asthma but have to before jogging. You might try that before going out into the cold for any length of time.
 
Thanks for the response,Titchou.
I do premedicate before exercise, with albuterol. I suppose I could take albuterol before going outside, but that would mean taking it all day. I am in and out all day long, either at work, or at home. Is that good for the system? Or do I need to limit my time outside? I try to wear a mask of some sort whenever I am outside now, and have noticed a difference, but it is still very easy to overload, doing 'normal' things, like unloading the car of sacks of feed or tools. I am trying to identify if there are any other triggers, but I guess that is a work in progress. So far, a mask does the most good; I don't feel so lousy by the end of the day. I'm sure I can make some changes in my house. My bedroom is a fairly safe place. The bed is wrapped, no carpet, no animals allowed on the second floor, and a hepa filter running all the time. The rest of the house is another matter. We have made a big effort to increase our farming activities this year, and the housework has definitely suffered. We know that we need to get back on track with that, but the stuff outside is a major reason we live where we do. We've lived here for 25 years, and are finally getting to do the things we really like. Again, thanks for letting me rant.
 
Well, I owuld do it only if you are going to be outside for a length of time - say an hour or more. use the kask otherwise. And the 2 puRAB should last you for up to 2 hours. Besur to do it 15minutes or so before going out.
 
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