Difficulties breathing
I'm 27, 305 lbs, 5'7". Two weeks ago I started the Couch to 5k routine. I ended up having to skip this past Saturday because I am having severe knee pain and pops. I've decided that it's best I wait until the doctor says it's okay to run or until I get some of this weight off. I've always had problems with my knees. Anyways, that's not the point of this post. I noticed while I was exercising I had difficulties breathing. I expected some difficulties as my lungs got used to the workout but it seems it never got any easier at all. I would find myself gasping for air and feeling as if my lungs just couldn't hold enough air to satisfy my needs while running. Once I went back to a walk I would gasp for about 20 seconds and finally regain my breath. I found my upper chest near my throat hurt really badly when this happened and for the next day when I breathed in deep breaths there was pain in this area. When the weather is cold I find it even more difficult to breathe. I was wondering if this is normal when you're as out of shape as I am or if there's possibly something more serious wrong? I do plan to see the doctor soon but I'm just a little disturbed by all of this. I've always had perfect health for a fat person. I've recently been diagnosed with hypertension and a small thyroid imbalance. I'm like .1 over the borderline point...whatever that means. Anyways, I quit taking the BP meds about 3 months ago when I was laid off. My BP a workout with my pulse rate at about 80-90 is 140/90 and at resting rate 135/86 or so I don't think my hypertension is much of an issue anymore. It was 190/105 when I was diagnosed...
I don't think it would be a great idea if you continued to run. It may be an issue of muscle conditioning, where your chest muscles aren't used to you working out and the muscles have to pull your chest when you breathe more heavily, which would result in pain and fatigue.
The symptoms that you're describing could be something like exercise induced asthma, especially with the pains and shortness of breath. Another trigger for asthma is cold weather and being outside in it. The best bet is for you to go to your MD and get him/her to do spirometry on you to diagnose it. If it is exercise induced it won't show up on the spirometry report, you would have to either go to a specialist or a hospital where they perform the necessary tests to determine if you have exercise induced asthma.
In the meantime I would say to keep walking, especially while the weather is still kind of chilly. I would definately wait to see the MD about your symptoms. Your blood pressure seems to have improved, but I think it's probably better to keep track of it. Hope this helps!
I've already made the decision to stop running for now. I'm going to try and do some power walking for about 30 minutes instead. My knees can't take the running and I'm hoping they can take the walking but we'll see. I did a little more research on the exercised induced asthma and I believe you're right. My symtoms seem to fit. I have vacation next week but I plan to visit my PCP about the possible asthma after I get back. I've already got an appointment scheduled with an orthopedist about my knees. This is terrible. It took me all my life to finally commit to exercising and now I can't do the activity I want to do. I guess that's the price you pay for being slothful and an overeater. Hopefully my knees are okay and I'm sure there's something that can be done about the asthma so I'll be able to return to running. I've always dreamed of being a runner. Maybe not a marathon winner but I sure would like to be able to run 3 miles without stopping!
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