Please Help

[ldjohnsull]

I'm 28 year old male in great shape. I been exercising all my life but still i always lose my breath when things get tough and it takes time to recover. During a game if i have to run for a ball this is enough to affect me. I have had this problem all my life. I also live a very healthy lifestyle. I have been to my doctor before and have got no answers. Thanks in advance.

[mhop111]

have you been tested for asthma? i had exercised induced asthma as a kid and had to have an inhaler on hand even for things as simple as gym class. my breathing would get shallower and shorter with exercise, and even sitting still i couldn't slow it down, especially after running. it kind of burned too. if thats what your symptoms are like make sure to ask about it!

beyond the inhaler, my main solution was switching to defense/sweeper positions for soccer/field hockey/lax. i also find doing exercise like bikram yoga and pilates is a safer alternative, never lose my breath doing those and you can still get a serious workout!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
The simplest reason you could be having this problem of breathing and chest hurting is severe anemia. You should get a CBC or complete blood count done to confirm this. It could also be due to asthma like problems. However allergic problems causing breathing difficulties and chest pain are usually accompanied by cough, running nose etc.
Another reason for your problem could be a heart condition like a prolapsed valve. A complete set of investigations will be required for this which may include EKG and ECHO.
At times severe GERD too causes breathing problems with chest pain. However it will not make your lips turn blue (which actually indicate the oxygen is low in blood). A detailed and comprehensive investigation will be required including EKG, Chest X-ray, blood test for anemia, maybe CT scan of chest, BP recording etc. Please consult your PCP to start with. Take care!

[mklarson]

  It sound like you suffer from E.I.B. (Exercise induced bronchospasm).  One of the main symptoms is "Unusual Fatigue with Exercise" which can last minutes or up to many hours afterwords.  Basically, the lungs are not getting the amount of air needed to feed the muscles the oxygen they need.  Most people with asthma have this, but many without asthma suffer from this as well.  The good news is, that if this is the problem, it is easy to "fix".  Typically, this is treated by inhaling 2 puffs of albuterol 15 to 20 minutes before exercise. Some of the brand names in the USA are Pro Air, Ventolin, and Proventil. If you are outside the U.S. then Google "albuterol" to see what names it goes by.  This usually requires a prescription but not in all countries.  Good luck!

[BluCrystal]

Do you take a mutli-vitamin every day?  That may help. - Blu