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| I have a friend who has asthma and her doctor wants her to stop ring because she does have damage in her lungs. So anyone have a things that help dealing with your horse and asthma. She loves her horse and I don't think she really wants to give it up just yet but it scared her when the doctor told her she could be on oxygen by the time she is 50 if she doesn't stop now. Any tips or advice would be appreciated . |
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 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
 
Location: Benton City, WA | I'm really confused on what this Dr was talking about...? I have asthma. I have friends with asthma. We all ride....? I have never heard of horses making it worse. I just make sure to bring my inhaler.
Sorry guess I'm not much help! LOL |
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Location: Texas | I am a respiratory therapist and if she is on the proper "controller " meds she should not have may exacerbations so riding should not be a problem as long as she keeps her rescue inhaler with her when she rides. The comments about needing oxygen by 50 doesn't make much sense either. Is this a pulmonologist telling her this or just her intern med or family practice doctor. I could se not riding when she is having a rough day, but to quit all together I don't see why unless there is more going on than what she is telling you. |
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Expert
Posts: 2258
| We are in Montana and she was just in North Carolina and had an episode because of pollen the dr there probably just a family dr wanted to do a chest exray . He told her to stop riding that it was the cause of her damage from coughing. Then she got home and talked to her normal family dr and she said the same thing and has been trying to get her to stop riding for years. I never noticed her having problems while we were riding, I know the dust probably isn't good for her but figured we could change a few things and help her out there.. I was confused a bit myself because she doesn't really have many bad days except when the pollen is high. I am going to tell her to come read this, she is a worry wart and just lost her dad to lung cancer so might be thinking a little too much about it. |
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Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I could see where the dust could cause her problems but it can normally. E helped by her rescue meds such as albuterol. Perhaps they are seeing something on her chest X-ray that worries them. Other than that I have no clue why they would tell her to quit riding. I would advise her to go see a pulmonologist of she is having significant problems. There are lots of newer longer acting meds that could help her. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | My husband and I both have asthma and live in east TN which is one of the worst pollen/pollution states in the country. My husband was so bad at one point that he had a respiratory arrest and died and was brought back.
As far as riding directly, she needs to change clothes and rinse off after being in the barn and after riding, and especially if she puts up any hay. It's amazing how much dust you can carry in your hair and on your clothes that you don't realize is there.
Another thing she may want to look at is diet. All kinds of dairy, including lactose free, can make asthma worse. You can have a sensitivity without having an actual allergic reaction and it can also increase mucous production. The same thing goes with other foods --- sometimes it's just a subtle reaction.
Also, supporting the immune system is important as that's what controls allergic reactions. DMG helps the body utilize oxygen & supports the immune system so that may be an option to try. Also, balancing the Omega Oils. |
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | I have asthma, I just keep my allergies under control and take a supplement called Epicor. It helps my allergies and in turn my asthma. I also make sure I buy good quality hay and only cuttings that don't have seed heads in them. I absoulutly cannot feed first cutting hay. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I have severe allergic asthma, i have a drug regumine that helps me be able to live a fairley normal life. Get your gp to send you to a pulmonologist. I am allergice to pretty much anything green, grass, trees, horses, dogs, cats. She knows i ride just cant talk about it to her nurse pract. But they make meds to help you on a daily basis. I have had this for 10 plus years. If you want to talk pm and i will give you my number. I am a nurse and she did tell me i could not be around sick people. |
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Expert
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| Thanks everyone she made an appointment with a specialist . I hope she doesn't stop she has been working so hard to get brave enough to come do some time only runs this summer. |
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Location: Stillwater, OK | I'm sorry that your friend is going through this. I have really bad asthma, so I (and many others here) can empathize.
The biggest issue is getting it under control. Daily medication, nebulizer, and rescue inhalers (and back ups). I use Xopenex inhalers and nebulizer medication. Xopenex is great stuff, but I understand if she'd rather stick with albuterol inhalers and nebulizer medication. As much as I despise the peak flow meters, if she does them regularly, they will help.
Also, as cliche as this may sound, if your friend plays or played a woodwind instrument in high school, picking that back up may help tremendously. I played the clarinet and studied clarinet in college and played in the wind ensemble at Oklahoma State, and the strength my airways developed helped a lot. Since I've quit playing the clarinet, I've noticed an increase in my asthma attacks. They also switched to generic Singulair (daily tablet), and that could be a big part of it. Obviously a peak flow meter has zero resistance compared to a clarinet made of Grenadilla wood (among other variables that increase resistance), but exercising the lungs dramatically helped my asthma and that peak flow meter may help her. Maybe her doctor can prescribe a peak flow regimine for her.
Also, when it comes to hay, I've really had to manage it. I'm allergic to everything (that may be your friend's case, too), so I need help with transporting and setting out hay. I rely a lot on alfalfa cubes with limited dust. Otherwise, I'm using my nebulizer every day or so.
I hope your friend can figure something out, get it under control, and enjoy a life around and with horses. Best of luck to her. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 563
Location: Small Town Iowa | cutnrunqhmt - 2014-03-20 4:29 PM
I have a friend who has asthma and her doctor wants her to stop ring because she does have damage in her lungs. So anyone have a things that help dealing with your horse and asthma. She loves her horse and I don't think she really wants to give it up just yet but it scared her when the doctor told her she could be on oxygen by the time she is 50 if she doesn't stop now. Any tips or advice would be appreciated .
All depends on what type of asthma she has. Extrinsic or Intrinsic asthma. Extrinsic is usually triggered from external factors like pollen or pet dander. Intrinsic is caused by her body's response to something internally like strenuous exercise, usually you see that more in runners though. She should request that she have a pulmonary function test done with a methacholine challenge done. A meth challenge will really dertimine the severity of the asthma and the PFT will give a good idea of the extent of the lung damage based on her vital capacity and her ability to diffuse oxygen across her aveoli. It might be something as simple as her using a long acting inhaler as a preventative before she rides. That is usually what is recommended in kids that have exercise induced asthma. Just my opinion as a respiratory therapist. I hope you friend doesn't have to give up riding though. |
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Expert
Posts: 2258
| Thanks for all the advice you have given her some hope that she can still ride . She learned more here than from her doctors so she can go into her appointment with some good information and ideas. |
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 Cyber World Challenged
Posts: 2526
Location: My Own Little World | I haven't read all the replies but certainly you have had some great advice. My son deals with this issue. The culprit here is allergies. Allergies cause the asthma to act up.As others have said, proper control is key. We went to an allery asthma specialist that determined EXACTLY what he was allergic to. So, we treat for the allergens that trigger his asthma and he keeps a rescue inhaler. Problem solved. Her doc sounds like a quack JMO |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 563
Location: Small Town Iowa | Another resource your friend could try is to see if there are any Asthma Educators in her area. The NBRC (National Board of Respiratory Care) has a credential for their respiratory therapist to become Asthma Educator and sometimes just a simple education visit with an respiratory therapist can clear up a ton of worries and concerns, and also if the respiratory therapist does education then your friend can learn ways to manage. Usually the education is a minimal if any cost, just in case a concern about money and insurance is an issue. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I also take a drug called xolair, which reduces,themallergins in yoir blood was in a 5 year study with the med it has been a life savor for me as it reduces the allergin in blood as i cant avoid allergins. Although, i take some of the modern meds that everbody takes. Get a good pulmonary doc. |
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