allergies and seasonal drops in performance

Jerry-

Glad to hear you've found a potential solution to your problem.

I am also from the NW. At various times of the year I used to have burning eyes, achy joints (feeling like ass during runs), difficulty sleeping, etc. I always assumed overtraining (maybe it was) but it is interesting to see that your symptoms are similar to what I used to go through and perhaps allergies were a contributor.

Thanks for putting this online as you have probably helped a few people who may be going through the same thing...

Keep us updated on your performances and good luck.

You have to be careful of "cause and effect", i.e. most problems resolve themselves over time, regardless of what we do and whatever you happen to be doing at the time that the problem resolves itself gets the credit.

I have allergies too and went through shots with no effect. I notice that when I race out of town, I'm a lot more bothered with allergies than I am at home. I think thats because I'm exposed to a whole new array of pollen or mold. Pollen is highest in the early morning and mold in the evening. Are your allergies during any particular time of day?

I would be careful to make sure everything around the house is washed, especially bedding. Take showers after every run. Keep the windows closed and the AC on. Drive with the windows up and the AC on and take one of the over the counter drugs (maybe ask the local pharmacist which one).

My worst runs during the past 2 months were in the afternoons and when it was warmer. I moved the majority of my miles and hard workouts to the morning during this period but I still felt crappy, just a little less so. I've also had problems with racing out of town (even at other times of the year). The doctor I've been seeing mentioned the same thing as you concerning the different pollens and molds that are present in different locals. As for your cause and effect comment I agree that one needs to be carful about this, but in this case it seems just a little too cut and dry. After feeling so terrible for 2 months I don't think my symptoms would just disappear within 24 hours like they did just because they suddenly resolved themselves. Still, what you're saying is a possibility, but regardless, I'm just happy I'm feeling alive again. Thanks for your other advice as well.

Also, thanks to the previous posters for your comments and encouragement. Cheers,

Jerry

hey JZ, I got the exact same thing as you !

This winter I ran 8.04, easily. I thought I would run under 13.50 this year but sedenly I got bad sensation,I droped my mileage but nothing changed. I ran 15.04 on 5K at eugene, I felt good for 2k and sedenly was out of gas.Now, I am taking nasonex and fexofenadine 180mg. It works wonderfully, I started one month and after 3 weeks I was already back

Good to hear you're coming back "shnapie". Turns out that Graeme Fell (Canadian record holder in the steeple with 8:12.58) had the same condition when he was competing. He told me that when he started taking the right medication he felt like he had come down from altitude. This is exactly the way I've felt for the past five days now. He also had the same experience in races as you and I. He would be running :66/lap in a steeple race and then at 2k suddenly drop to :72s.

schnapie and JZ ran their fast 3000s on the same day. On the same track. In the same race.....the plot thickens.

hey JZ, he is right, maybe we were on the same track,the same day.

here is a non official email,

nadialabonne@hotmail.fr

I will send you my official email right after

that would be funny that we ran together.

Another thing you might try is indoor running during the summer months. Initially, i felt a little weird, running on a treadmill while the sun is shining brightly but I got over it. Boredom is the main problem but I keep my iPod loaded with fast paced songs and the time goes by quickly that way. I hope this helps. Its a tough thing to deal with, I know.

I might also mention doing kind of an inspection of your house for mold. I set up an office in my finished basement and came down with horendous problems. I moved it to the attic and was cured immediately. Of course, in the intervening months, I went to 3 MDs none of whom asked about where I spent my days. I figured it out myself. There are some also good books available on improving your home and work environment.

GREAT NEWS, JERRY!!! :)

JZ,

Sounds like you have gotten to a solution on the medication side of things. That's good news. I've had the exact same issues for many years. Also note that when you're having reactions to allergies, you're body is working harder every second of the day - therefore, you do not recover in the same period you did when you could breath properly. So, you may have to adjust recovery periods during the Sprintime.

A word of caution with the medication you're taking: when you're taking this, your tendons are more suseptible to strains. I've strained my achilles about 8 of of the last 10 years (in the Spring) so pay attention. The medication I take is a bit stronger but still, pay close attention to the tendons. Also, drink more water when you're on the medication.

Allergies forever,

I appreciate the advice, particularly since I've already been having problems with tight achilles tendons lately. Your comments about recovery are also interesting. When I started taking the medication I thought that it would mainly be my breathing that would feel better, but I'm now more amazed at how fresh my legs are feeling day to day even though I'm running faster on all my runs.

Skuj,

Thanks my friend. I'll send you an email soon.

Jerry

gwi wrote:

I agree that weekly allergy shots might help.

I'm kind of strange in regard to allergies though. It seems I have them really bad when I'm not running, but during exercise, they seem to go away. I have no idea why...

I always thought this was due to natural cortisol taking care of the allergies.

JZ and schanpie.

I'm pretty sure i've suffered from allergies in the past but didn't realize it until this year.

Did you get tested by an allergist? I think I will but don't really see the point as I'm going to be allergic to springtime air. i think more importantly is finding a treatment.

And did you feel terrible or just a little bit off.

Back in 2003 when I ran 28:06, for the first time in my life before that when I'd go down to workout I would just have really mediocre workouts. I'm usually very consistent and most days am not trying to go to the well but I just struggled through workouts. The air was super dry and I'd cough up a storm sometime afterwards but just figured it was the dry air.

I didn't feel aweful day to day and couldn't figure it out but thought about allergies. This year, and last year, I now realize I have them as spring comes around and I don't feel aweful but will have what I used to think a head cold was for weeks on end. I've goe one a few weeks ago and now its back again. It has to be allergies.

I'm planning on going to an allergist but was wondering if you all did.

Thanks

No, I did not do any test.

I just realised that because there werent any other possible explanations.

At the beggining I believed it was iron then I took iron, it did not work.

After I believed I was just overtrained, I rested, it was even worse.

After 9 months, I have just assumed that it was allergies and I was right.

Wejo,

Just a quick note before I head out for a workout. I did have an allergy test. It was a scratch test on the skin and it didn't reveal anything. However, the allergist and both doctors I've seen told me that a scratch test on the skin doesn't necessarily mean my sinuses and lungs aren't reacting to the air. Also, many of the molds that are out there do not have tests yet. Molds tend to be more prevelent in the afternoons (which is when I have the worst problems) so the assumption is that this is what I'm reacting to. There are so many different types of shyte in the air at this time of the year though (especially when you live in a city) that I'm unsure if I'll ever be able to pinpoint exactly what the substance is. It could be a certain combination of things that need to come together along with the heat to cause the inflamation to occur. I'll write more later. Cheers,

jerry

Jerry, check your email. Sorry for the delay.

Just joining the thread, but I've also been very frustrated in recent years with allergies/asthma. My situation is different in that I'm older (40s) and not training to race, but I'd still like to enjoy an hour run without suffering. My main running symptom is dead legs, particularly if going uphill and I live in a very hilly location. I've been through the wheezing phase, but treatment seems to be helping that portion of the equation.

My problems were first noticed about 7 years ago when I would start feeling tight in the chest or experiencing a little wheezing (just during the month of June). Also, I generally, and still to this day, feel fatigued in June. Albuterol seemed to solve my initial problems, but then about five years ago during a run (in September) I had an acute case of wheezing and extreme tightness in my chest. My doc sent me to an allergist and I did all the tests. My main allergens are trees, grass, and weed -- pretty tough to avoid! So for 5 years or so I've been doing the allergy shots and taking an assortment of drugs -- serevent, pulmicort, and singulair daily and albuterol and allegra as needed. Also had Xolair shots for a couple of years. In general, my allergies themselves are doing fine, but running often feels more difficult than it should. I'm starting to ramble on, but wanted to add to the thread and see if anyone else had other suggestions.

Also, "Check it Out" mentioned pycogenol (pine bark extract) -- has anyone else tried it? Can I try it while taking my other drugs or should I stop the others when trying pycogenol?

Wejo, if I were you, I'd definitely recommend seeing an allergist, as they could do a better job of finding the best treatment for your allergies.

I was searching throught the board, and found this thread and figured I would post my situation. I've had asthma all my life, and its usually at its worst in the spring and summer. Usually one or two inhales of my albuterol, and I would be guarded from any problems I could have on my run. But the past week, my breathing has been terrible. I have a feeling of tightness/constriction in my throat while running or resting. I've never had this before, my normal symptom was a little wheezing. Anyway, I went to my allergist, and I did some allergy tests, and I'm allergic to some bad weeds/molds that are in the air right now. So I was prescribed singulair. Anyone have a similar situation to this?