Wow, I think I just spilled a little ignorance onto the world

[wonky]

@SP2263

I ran track and cross country in high school and could never figure out why I couldn’t do better. I could run until I couldn’t breathe but I was never that tired. It’s definitely a different feeling.

That sounds like my experience, too. I would start coughing and get a tightness and a burning sensation in my chest, and while breathing in hurt, breathing out made me make almost a laughing sound, a “huh huh huh” sound. I don’t get it often any more, but honestly that could be because I avoid that intense exertion and pretty much have since I was a teen.

I may not have asthma, but the radio and the Dope have combated my ignorance.

[chiroptera]

@Zabali_Clawbane

Well, they made me blow into a fancy peak flow meter thingy for one thing.

Quite a few years ago I went through a quit smoking class at a hospital. They gave everyone lung function tests before class and again after 8 weeks, when we’d all (those of us who stuck it out, anyhow) had been quit for 6 weeks. I think they used one of those flow meter thingies; sounds like it from the description.
I measured high enough pre-quit that they did the test on me again & said I must have tons of lung capacity. Or something.
I doubt I actually have asthma! I’m probably just not in quite as good aerobic condition as I’d like, or as I think I am…
Oh well. We don’t live in a world with hairy mastadons and sabre toothed tigers any more - who needs to run fast for miles?

[Barbarian]

Cervaise You owe me an apple. The computer monitor I cleaned myself.

[Broomstick]

I have intermittant mild asthma, and have probably had it all my life, but I wasn’t diagnosed until my mid-20’s

The fact it’s intermittant does make it harder to diagnose - I can appear absolutely normal between flare ups, but that doesn’t mean I’m “cured”, just in temporary remission.

Getting it treated did make a difference for me. Especially, knowing I have the problem and treating it whenever I have a respiratory infection (i.e. cold and worse) makes for a much quicker recovery with fewer complications.

[rinni]

@Cervaise

Nothing too complicated. First, a large-gauge needle is inserted in your fingertip and slid up along the bones of your hand into your wrist. Then the doctor pounds your genitals with a mallet for a few hours. Depending on the results, it may or may not be necessary to drill a hole in your skull. Pretty straightforward procedure.

Oh. Oh crap. Er, I mean, I think I’m going to be washing my hair that day so I can’t make it.

Thanks, Zabali_Clawbane, for the links. And thanks to tremorviolet too!

I don’t think I have anything severe, after reading this thread and the links. It only really happens if I run or walk fast to get somewhere, especially in the cold. If I am exercising on my own at my own pace, I don’t have the symptoms. It just happens when I am running as a means of transportation because I am late. So I guess I just have to leave for work earlier so I’m not running up the hill, and I’ll be fine. And yeah, my shortness of breath comes way before my actual muscles and body get tired. But I’m not worried anymore.

@jsgoddess

That sounds like my experience, too. I would start coughing and get a tightness and a burning sensation in my chest, and while breathing in hurt, breathing out made me make almost a laughing sound, a “huh huh huh” sound.

Mine too, except instead of the laughing “huh huh huh”, I have a half-wheeze half-cough. Like the sound some people make when they laugh but their vocal cords don’t engage so it’s this almost whistly airy sound.

[wonky]

@rinni

Mine too, except instead of the laughing “huh huh huh”, I have a half-wheeze half-cough. Like the sound some people make when they laugh but their vocal cords don’t engage so it’s this almost whistly airy sound.

You sound like… er… oh crap. That cartoon character.

My brain went blank halfway through “you sound like.”

[Cervaise]

Muttley.

[rinni]

Haha! Yes!

That caused a mini gigglefit right there. Muttley!