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Is Strength Training Safe While Recovering From Bronchospasm?
Question: For previous pulmonologist i had before
I am still recovering from bronchospasm. After a week, i exercised twice more and did well with no sob. About 1-2 miles. Then yesterday i tried a little strength training also, and had to stop. Mind you, i am out of shape, anyway. I was trembling for a while and felt sob. It stopped but today i feel lightheaded and fatigued and some sob. Obviously i overdid it and pushed myself. I am hoping that this will get better soon and i can exercise again (more carefully) and with guidance. This is not considered an exacerbation?
The spirometer i have is registering higher numbers (still low) so i assume that the bronchospasm is healing. It probably needs at least two more weeks. I am going to ask my doctor if i can hire a certified trainer at the hospital wellness center. Once i feel better.
Normally i feel ok and do not have sob except for incidences like this from bronchospasm. I hope i am not getting worse as far as stages. I will know soon.
Any thoughts appreciated.
I am still recovering from bronchospasm. After a week, i exercised twice more and did well with no sob. About 1-2 miles. Then yesterday i tried a little strength training also, and had to stop. Mind you, i am out of shape, anyway. I was trembling for a while and felt sob. It stopped but today i feel lightheaded and fatigued and some sob. Obviously i overdid it and pushed myself. I am hoping that this will get better soon and i can exercise again (more carefully) and with guidance. This is not considered an exacerbation?
The spirometer i have is registering higher numbers (still low) so i assume that the bronchospasm is healing. It probably needs at least two more weeks. I am going to ask my doctor if i can hire a certified trainer at the hospital wellness center. Once i feel better.
Normally i feel ok and do not have sob except for incidences like this from bronchospasm. I hope i am not getting worse as far as stages. I will know soon.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Brief Answer:
You may have had an exacerbation
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. I have reviewed your question and some of your previous questions. My understanding is that you smoked for a long time and recently quit, and that you had been diagnosed with COPD.
The damage that occurred with the smoking will probably not reverse much. If you have quit smoking for good, then hopefully you will not advance into more serious stages. However, whenever you experience something stressful to your lungs, such as overexercising or have a cold or pneumonia, this can set off some bronchospasm. I would call this an exacerbation and that seems to be what happened when you were exercising.
From your previous questions, it also seems you recently had pneumonia. This can set off bronchospasm. After the pneumonia clears, it may take awhile for the bronchospasm to improve. Also not uncommonly, even if the pneumonia is no longer visible on the chest x-ray, it can still be present and causing irritation in your bronchial tubes.
If you have COPD, there are times where you may get exacerbations. Once they are treated and the cause is no longer present, you should get back to your baseline. But you can expect more exacerbations in the future, depending on your activity and susceptibility to infections. This does not mean you are advancing into a worse stage, but it is part of having the condition of COPD. So you don't need to worry about this right now, especially since your numbers are improving. Just continue the appropriate treatments given by your doctors and try to avoid overexertion. A certified trainer is a good idea to help you get back into things gradually.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
You may have had an exacerbation
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. I have reviewed your question and some of your previous questions. My understanding is that you smoked for a long time and recently quit, and that you had been diagnosed with COPD.
The damage that occurred with the smoking will probably not reverse much. If you have quit smoking for good, then hopefully you will not advance into more serious stages. However, whenever you experience something stressful to your lungs, such as overexercising or have a cold or pneumonia, this can set off some bronchospasm. I would call this an exacerbation and that seems to be what happened when you were exercising.
From your previous questions, it also seems you recently had pneumonia. This can set off bronchospasm. After the pneumonia clears, it may take awhile for the bronchospasm to improve. Also not uncommonly, even if the pneumonia is no longer visible on the chest x-ray, it can still be present and causing irritation in your bronchial tubes.
If you have COPD, there are times where you may get exacerbations. Once they are treated and the cause is no longer present, you should get back to your baseline. But you can expect more exacerbations in the future, depending on your activity and susceptibility to infections. This does not mean you are advancing into a worse stage, but it is part of having the condition of COPD. So you don't need to worry about this right now, especially since your numbers are improving. Just continue the appropriate treatments given by your doctors and try to avoid overexertion. A certified trainer is a good idea to help you get back into things gradually.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Hi, thanks. The bronchospasm i had 12 days ago was during day surgery. The slight pneumonia also was at that time. I understand both of these are a strain on my lungs and exacerbations. Since i have not been able to see a pulmonologist yet, i did not know that trying to exercise would cause a problem a week or so later. The first two times i was fine, it was the free weights tryout. If this is an exacerbation i am really very concerned. Although i had no medical advice about the bronchospasm from my doctor at surgery, only deep breathing and stay XXXXXXX
So it looks like i should not have exercised. Imdomnot knowvhow long to wait now but i do see the dr this week. I do see improvement in my spirometry at the same time this happened so i guess the original bronchospasm is healing.
Sorry for all the details, i just can't seem to get better. Would you advise anything to improve my getting over this? I happened to go to a gastro dr today who said my lungs were clear but i just checked and i have a fever.
Thanks...
So it looks like i should not have exercised. Imdomnot knowvhow long to wait now but i do see the dr this week. I do see improvement in my spirometry at the same time this happened so i guess the original bronchospasm is healing.
Sorry for all the details, i just can't seem to get better. Would you advise anything to improve my getting over this? I happened to go to a gastro dr today who said my lungs were clear but i just checked and i have a fever.
Thanks...
Brief Answer:
Improvement after pneumonia takes time
Detailed Answer:
People often continue to have problems for a month or so after pneumonia clears up, so don't be overly concerned about an exacerbation. Your lungs are still not completely healed, so minor events may cause bronchospasm to reoccur temporarily. Since you have damage from the COPD, you will be more susceptible than the average person to having it occur occasionally, even after the current conditions have improved.
Bronchospasm is a tightening in the muscles of your breathing tubes. So the bronchospasm does not heal per se. The conditions causing the muscle tightening such as pneumonia can heal or go away, in which case the bronchospasm may clear up. But because of the damage from the COPD, your lungs will be more "twitchy" and prone to future episodes. This is the typical course with stable COPD. Since your spirometry is improving, it means you are returning to your baseline, but you will remain more susceptible to future episodes because of the COPD. Your doctor can advise you about medicines and inhalers that could help prevent some of the recurrences.
Hope this clarifies your situation better. Feel free to ask more questions if necessary.
Improvement after pneumonia takes time
Detailed Answer:
People often continue to have problems for a month or so after pneumonia clears up, so don't be overly concerned about an exacerbation. Your lungs are still not completely healed, so minor events may cause bronchospasm to reoccur temporarily. Since you have damage from the COPD, you will be more susceptible than the average person to having it occur occasionally, even after the current conditions have improved.
Bronchospasm is a tightening in the muscles of your breathing tubes. So the bronchospasm does not heal per se. The conditions causing the muscle tightening such as pneumonia can heal or go away, in which case the bronchospasm may clear up. But because of the damage from the COPD, your lungs will be more "twitchy" and prone to future episodes. This is the typical course with stable COPD. Since your spirometry is improving, it means you are returning to your baseline, but you will remain more susceptible to future episodes because of the COPD. Your doctor can advise you about medicines and inhalers that could help prevent some of the recurrences.
Hope this clarifies your situation better. Feel free to ask more questions if necessary.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
It does help. Thank you, it is a difficult situation. I am on Combivent since the bronchospasm and also on Advair. My question is i believe i have a fever of about 100F. The other thermometer says 99.4 so i am not sure. Should i go to the ER or just wait it out? I feel fatigued and a bit lightheaded but no sob. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
Call your doctor about this
Detailed Answer:
I am not sure that an ER visit is warranted right now. Certainly it would be if you were having shortness of breath. I am a bit concerned that the pneumonia may not be totally cleared up if you are having fevers. (Above 99.4 is considered a fever, so you are kind of on the border here.)
Give your doctor a call. He or she knows your situation best, and may just call in an antibiotic prescription for you. Or might advise you to go to the ER or just follow up with him or her. Hope you get over this difficult situation soon.
Call your doctor about this
Detailed Answer:
I am not sure that an ER visit is warranted right now. Certainly it would be if you were having shortness of breath. I am a bit concerned that the pneumonia may not be totally cleared up if you are having fevers. (Above 99.4 is considered a fever, so you are kind of on the border here.)
Give your doctor a call. He or she knows your situation best, and may just call in an antibiotic prescription for you. Or might advise you to go to the ER or just follow up with him or her. Hope you get over this difficult situation soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I am also concerned about pneumonia and fevers. But i have no sob. It is late now and i would not be seen in the ER until probably after 10 or 11pm. Too late to call the dr.
I think i will wait it out and go very early if i have a higher fever or sob. Thank you.
I think i will wait it out and go very early if i have a higher fever or sob. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
Agree with your plan
Detailed Answer:
You could probably wait it out, but do go in if you start having high fevers or sob. Also, doctors usually have someone on call all night if they're not available and problems arise, so do not worry that it is too late to call the doctor. Take good care of yourself!
Agree with your plan
Detailed Answer:
You could probably wait it out, but do go in if you start having high fevers or sob. Also, doctors usually have someone on call all night if they're not available and problems arise, so do not worry that it is too late to call the doctor. Take good care of yourself!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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