Any GP's on the forum?

Quick cycling question - In cold weather and cycling at effort I'm finding my throat closing up and that's restricting my breathing. It doesn't seem to affect my chest or provoke coughing but does seriously impact my ability to breathe properly - any ideas or solutions?

Do you have eggs for breakfast....?

Serious question. My mum found that her throat was constricting and her breathing getting difficult when she went on her Sunday run, only to find that she had (in her early 60s) developed an allergy to eggs, so her regular pre-run breakfast of poached eggers on toast was the culprit.

That said, you can develop an allergy to almost anything at anytime so it is quite difficult to diagnose.

My mum is a grandparent.

no eggs - nothing changes from my normal routine other than the cold weather.

An amusing side effect is that I start talking like Mickey Mouse, squeaking 'car back' doesn't carry quite the same in a group ride when it sounds like you've been on the helium

Not a doctor, but I do have asthma, and my symptoms sound very similar to yours. Exercise and cold weather are my main triggers, which makes cycling in winter Not Fun. Wearing a scar/bufff over your mouth might help as that warms the air before it reaches your lungs.

Probably worth going to see your doctor to get a checkup - they'll test your lung function and should be able to tell you whether it's an allergy or asthma or similar.

Cold air constricts, warm air dilates.
What can help in these instances, and i appreciate it may not be convenient, is to get on a trainer or rollers before your journey, to 'warm up' and allow the elastic properties of your lungs and respiratory muscles to warm up too.....

Loads of people with asthma (chronic or otherwise) get this when they ride in extreme cold, or in the kind of cold they've not had time to adapt to. As well as the warming up pistaboy mentioned, many also have a pre-emptive blast on the blue inhaler before leaving home. Also, where possible, favouring nasal inhalation and oral exhalation helps, at least at low intensities. I'm not a GP.

Quitting Smoking thread >>>

#sickburn

Any GPs (plural)

(GP's is possessive)

So there is no need for the apostrophe

*Are there any GPs on the forum?

Have you seen my GP's underwear anywhere?*

grinning pervert's

DFP is an expert in all things medical. He knows far more than a lowly GP.

Good call.

Have you tried the nicotine inhaler rather than fags?

do you reckon I can get one of these in crabon?

Sounds like Asthma on exertion. As BMMF says warming up is the answer. Does this happen early on in the ride or later?

Also not a GP.

^I reiterated what pistaboy said (don't like taking credit for other people's work).

^ Legend.

Sounds like laryngospasm brought on by cold air. Try a few deep breathing exercises before you start cycling, first in the warm then in the cold to get your throat used to the cold air.

If that doesn't work then see your doctor, but then I would say that.

I'm a doctor but not a GP.

Exercise induced bronchospasm, often worse when exercising intensively in cold weather. The lining of the windpipes constrict with rapid cold air inhalation with resultant asthma-like symptoms. Suggestions above all good. You want to achieve bronchodilation to permit maximum volume of air passage.

Good call.

Have you tried the nicotine inhaler rather than fags?

You could ask JayJesus to lend you one of his electro-fags and see if you get on with it?

You will look like a total knob though (not really sure how Jay pulls it off)

He doesn't.

especially with his new LadyFag(tm) model plug in