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medications/side effects, asthma

I was recently diagnosed with asthma. I also have allergies. I am a runner. I recently took prednisone, was put on Advair, use singulair, flonase and an albuterol inhaler. Wow, for someone who just wants to be healthy why do I sound like a walking medicine cabinet? Today I went for a run and had so much dicomfort, I had to stop, that just doesn't usually happen to me. 7-8 miles is a usual daily or every other day run. My leg muscles felt full like I had already run long miles & my body temp was very high, I had to walk. Could it be from any of the recent medications or perhaps just so many? I just want to be healthy & feel good, to manage asthma, not be managed by it.

Well, one of the medications in advair (serevent) can have a side effect of leg cramps. Though I would also wonder if you got tired quickly because you hadn't been running much while you were flaring. Are you pretreating before you run?

Becca

I didn't really cut back any on my running during the flare. If I should have, someone should have told me, like I said I'm new to this. I do use my inhaler before I run and take it with me just in case. I haven't really had trouble while running, just afterward.

Well you're on a few meds and Beca is right about the Advair, also the pred can make you feel like crap but also keep in mind you were just diagnosed so obviousy you are having issues so give it some time, take the meds and as you get better from the flair that lead to your diagnosis things should lighten up, just be paitnet I know its hard but come back slow work into it and keep in mind you were sick to lead you to the doc

Dear Emily, Welcome to our asthma message board. My best friend here in Tucson has the family name of Sherrill. I agree that your leg cramping was probably a side-effect of the long-acting bronchodilator in Advair (salmeterol). Your doctor must have felt that you were having a rather severe asthma exacerbation, since she prescribed a burst of prednisone (daily for several days). Until your exacerbation resolves, which may take more than a couple of weeks, you should avoid asthma triggers, such as smoke, exercise, and exposure to dusts and pollens. It's likely that once your current asthma exacerbation is controlled, that your doctor will be able to step down your asthma medications. You should then also be able to resume an active exercise schedule.

Learn as much as possible about YOUR asthma and asthma medications. Read a good book about asthma, such as the one by Doctor Thomas Plaut. Keep asking lots of questions.