Ventolin(preformance enhancer)?

[brauluver]

Dealing with a chesty cough that is upon me at the moment.
Bisolvon is breaking up the crud and taking the bark out of it.

I've had experience with Ventolin as a kid, with chronic, repetetive bronchitis which I seemed to outgrow.Used to take oral tablets to open up the airways and help with shifting mucus,along with postural drainage/back thumping.
I know only too well the side effects of this medication.
Wife was prescribed an inhaler a few months back for a chesty cough, but was extremely sensitive to it and stopped aftera couple of days.
As fit as I've been I've always found the first 10 k's or so of a ride the hardest until my airways finally open up and stop burning, allowing me full air intake/deep breathing.
I ferreted out the inhaler this morning and had a toot before my morning commute in an effort to counter the current chest bug.
Man the difference was awesome.Straight from the get go my airways were open and clear as a bell allowing me to power on much earlier with less effort.Never really noticed any elevated/irregular heart rate or dizziness either.
In this circumstance I would say that ventolin was definitely a performance enhancing aid that I would consider as a pre ride helper on a regular basis.

[trailgumby]

Another take is that it is helping you to hit "normal". Ventolin works by helping the muscles surrounding your airways to relax, IIRC.

Are you taking a preventer like Seretide as well? This is important and you should see a GP and get an asthma management plan happening, both you and your wife.

While I have only once gone close to a full-on attack, people do die from asthma every year. For me it's much worse after colds and flu.

[brauluver]

Neither of us are Athsmatic thankfully.
ventolin is also used to open airways to facilitate mucus shedding in Bronchial issues.
My issues with getting my airways opened adequately during exercise are I believe a hangover from the hammering my lungs and airways got as Kid with severe bronchitis.

[foo on patrol]

Don't know that it is a enhancer but, it does help you to open up your air ways, if you have restrictions with breathing.
I myself am on Spiriva as my lung capacity was down to 43% 18 months ago. After being on it for 3mths my lungs opened up to 91%, but I do need to stay on it now!
Considering I am not a smoker and was a top 5 rider in QLD when I was racing in the 70s, makes me wonder whether I had this problem back then?

Foo

[bigfriendlyvegan]

There seem to be a lot of pro riders who are asthmatic and need ventolin. It must be all the fresh air they get. Ventolin is approved for those with appropriate medical conditions and in therapeutic doses.

David

[toolonglegs]

I have a small amount of "normal asthma" and I was tested for exercise induced asthma as well...I lose 20% of my lung capacity apparently under hard exercise...and as I have low lung capacity for my size I found it certainly helped.No more pursuiter's cough at the end of really hard efforts!.But since I had my sinus / nose job I found I didn't really need it anymore...and my 1 hour average power was as high as the year before and I think I would have gotten it even higher if my back hadn't blown.
If it is performance enhancing it isn't very much...unless you actually have asthma and then the improvements could be quite high.
Even my asthma attacks seem to have stopped since my op.

[DrJay]

Yes, ventolin and all bronchodilators are performance enhancing drugs.

However, if you notice a dramatic difference with it, you may well have residual airflow limitation continuing into adulthood. Discuss with your GP would be my advice.

Jarret

[trailgumby]

Neither of us are Athsmatic thankfully.
ventolin is also used to open airways to facilitate mucus shedding in Bronchial issues.
My issues with getting my airways opened adequately during exercise are I believe a hangover from the hammering my lungs and airways got as Kid with severe bronchitis.

Actually, what you're describing is a manifestation of asthma. What you're experiencing is a restriction of your airways driven by sensitivity to an irritant, are you not?

That irritant can be allergens, sensitivities or pathological (like viral infections such as colds or flu). Can also be psychological, like my father's anxiety about having an attack actually bringing it on.

If your airways are not as open as they could be if free of the irritant, it's still asthma. It's just what most people consider to be the usual symptoms.

Consultation with your GP would still be recommended.

[sogood]

But since I had my sinus / nose job I found I didn't really need it anymore...
If it is performance enhancing it isn't very much...unless you actually have asthma and then the improvements could be quite high.
Even my asthma attacks seem to have stopped since my op.

If you no longer needed, then the Ventolin wasn't likely to be effecting the improvements through your lower airways, but some other mechanism/s. For asthmatics, Ventolin effect is through the lower airways.

[toolonglegs]

But since I had my sinus / nose job I found I didn't really need it anymore...
If it is performance enhancing it isn't very much...unless you actually have asthma and then the improvements could be quite high.
Even my asthma attacks seem to have stopped since my op.

If you no longer needed, then the Ventolin wasn't likely to be effecting the improvements through your lower airways, but some other mechanism/s. For asthmatics, Ventolin effect is through the lower airways.

Yeah it is quite noticeable that the attacks have stopped even thou they were pretty mild...saying that I haven't done any exercise for going for 5 months now...and it is a bit seasonal.Oh well got much bigger worries these days.