Strenuous activity after using an inhaler

Something was bothering me one morning on vacation in Europe. I don't know what it was-sometimes that's how it is with asthma. 

 

You can't figure out what triggered an asthma attack. I decided I had better use my inhaler, and I felt much better afterwards.

We were visiting a beautiful old cathedral in Paris, and we had to wait some time to climb to the towers on the top and over look the city. I didn't think much of it until I started climbing the 350 stairs to the top. (And it was a narrow spiral staircase!) 

 

My lungs felt like they were on fire. And my heart was beating quite fast. I realized that was thanks to using my inhaler AND climbing a steep flight of stairs.

It was harder to climb the tower than I thought it would be. Luckily there was an older woman in front of me that had to stop to catch her breath. She apologized, and waved me on. 

 

I told her I wasn't going any faster than she was and I would wait. It gave me a moment to try to belly breathe and slow my breathing down. I couldn't have passed by her on that narrow spiral staircase anyway! 

 

We made it to the top and the view was certainly worth it!

But lesson learned, I have to be careful if I'm going to do strenuous exercise right after using my  inhaler. Some people can use their inhaler and then head out for a soccer match, basketball game, etc. 

 

It might not bother some people to use their inhaler right before exercise, but for me it does. Just another example that asthma is not a one-size-fits-all disease.