Are you out of breath after an hour walk with conversation?

[Anonymous]

OP this happened to me just recently.

Chest x-ray a virus has attacked my lungs.
I now have an inhaler.

62 years old and healthy up until now. Never smoked etc.

I had a horrible virus in September lasted over a month. Dr thinks it damaged my lungs, they can see it on a CT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP this happened to me just recently.

Chest x-ray a virus has attacked my lungs.
I now have an inhaler.

62 years old and healthy up until now. Never smoked etc.

I had a horrible virus in September lasted over a month. Dr thinks it damaged my lungs, they can see it on a CT.

Are you sure that wasn't covid?

[Anonymous]

That really sounds like Covid

[Anonymous]

I mean you probably should have a drink after an hour walk. I’m not sure about the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m out of breath walking up hills and a flight of stairs and always have been. Have never been able to figure out why (did the treadmill test once upon a time, lung function test, lung ct scans etc). I am fairly active and this happens even in periods of my life when I’m exercising cardio regularly. I’ve just accepted this is who I am, at 45. I work through this and yes have a hard time conversing while walking uphill.

OP here again. Yes, I've always been like that too. Years ago, for something unrelated, I had a stress test done and it was normal, but perhaps it was too long ago and I need to have it done again. I've been hiking in the mountains and walking all my life, but I do get out of breath quickly. It's only just dawned on me that some other people aren't like this.

I will ramp up exercise intensity and see if I can get better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if whomever your walking companion is moves faster so you’re getting a better workout when you’re with someone. It might not be the talking but the faster pace.

Fwiw I’m 43 and when I go out on walks I’m at 15:00 min/mi pace.

This. 20 min is pretty slow to be winded.

[Anonymous]

Is it possibly the conversation making you feel a bit anxious or rushed? I've had that same experience while trying to walk and maintain conversations as an introvert

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m out of breath walking up hills and a flight of stairs and always have been. Have never been able to figure out why (did the treadmill test once upon a time, lung function test, lung ct scans etc). I am fairly active and this happens even in periods of my life when I’m exercising cardio regularly. I’ve just accepted this is who I am, at 45. I work through this and yes have a hard time conversing while walking uphill.

OP here again. Yes, I've always been like that too. Years ago, for something unrelated, I had a stress test done and it was normal, but perhaps it was too long ago and I need to have it done again. I've been hiking in the mountains and walking all my life, but I do get out of breath quickly. It's only just dawned on me that some other people aren't like this.

I will ramp up exercise intensity and see if I can get better.

Yes you aren’t in shape. You need to challenge yourself and get past your comfort zone consistently to see improvement on your daily walk.

[Anonymous]

I was getting out of breath all the time and thought I just wasn't in shape, but I was having heart failure and ended up getting 3 valves replaced. I'm skinny and very active, too.

Go get checked out by a doctor.

[Anonymous]

Get a check up, OP. Is it possible you might have asthma?

You can get a finger meter to check oxygen level very cheaply on Amazon. That might be good data for your doctor.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I’d be like huffing and puffing at age 65.

But for some reason, I have no problem swimming 32 laps hard in 30 minutes, and I can talk to you fine afterwards.

Not sure why.

[Anonymous]

do you have any existing or new allergies?

My allergies mainly impact my lungs and often cause breathing issues with exertion at certain times of year. I am allergic to tree pollen so right now I am struggling. In the fall, ragweed impacts me and then once the leaves have fallen and begin to rot I will also expect issues as I’m allergic to mold. Other times of year I am mostly ok and can walk, bike, and hike up hills without issue.

[Anonymous]

Could this be a relativity thing?

I feel like I've walked 3 miles after I walk three miles. It feels nice to come in, sit down, maybe have a drink. Typically I either jump right into the shower or grab a seltzer and get going on an errand or sit down to do work; most of the time, I never touch the drink (I just like security drinks).

If it's very cold I might shed a layer during the walk because it warms me up. If it's very hot I am more miserable, but not necessarily out of breath, just sweaty.

Sometimes I wonder about my fitness, but notice that almost every time I take the stairs or walk a hill with friends - almost all of whom are thin or healthy - they are the ones who are out of breath and in comparison I am unphased.

Is this a self-conscious assessment or are you really truly out of breath to the point you are uncomfortable? An elevated heart rate and sweating when it's warmer is expected of a 3 mile walk. I would not expect max heart rate/huffing and puffing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m out of breath walking up hills and a flight of stairs and always have been. Have never been able to figure out why (did the treadmill test once upon a time, lung function test, lung ct scans etc). I am fairly active and this happens even in periods of my life when I’m exercising cardio regularly. I’ve just accepted this is who I am, at 45. I work through this and yes have a hard time conversing while walking uphill.

OP here again. Yes, I've always been like that too. Years ago, for something unrelated, I had a stress test done and it was normal, but perhaps it was too long ago and I need to have it done again. I've been hiking in the mountains and walking all my life, but I do get out of breath quickly. It's only just dawned on me that some other people aren't like this.

I will ramp up exercise intensity and see if I can get better.

Pp here. Give it a try! When I was jogging 2.5 miles a few times a week I will say that I saw slight improvement in my breathlessness but nothing major. Like you, I walk, hike, bike and am fairly active and am not overweight. So I think there’s always been something else going on that I might just never figure out! One other pp said anemia. I’ve tested for that over the years and am usually slightly low but not crazy anemic. And my vit d is good. So, it’s a mystery. One jerk of a doctor once mocked me when I raised this complaint by asking me whether I was an Olympic running in my youth or something…. Otherwise he told me to just shut up and accept I’m not an Olympic runner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m out of breath walking up hills and a flight of stairs and always have been. Have never been able to figure out why (did the treadmill test once upon a time, lung function test, lung ct scans etc). I am fairly active and this happens even in periods of my life when I’m exercising cardio regularly. I’ve just accepted this is who I am, at 45. I work through this and yes have a hard time conversing while walking uphill.

OP here again. Yes, I've always been like that too. Years ago, for something unrelated, I had a stress test done and it was normal, but perhaps it was too long ago and I need to have it done again. I've been hiking in the mountains and walking all my life, but I do get out of breath quickly. It's only just dawned on me that some other people aren't like this.

I will ramp up exercise intensity and see if I can get better.

OP, I would get checked out BEFORE you change exercise intensity. I'd also get checked for exercise induced asthma, another possibility for your symptoms.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/exercise-induced-asthma/symptoms-causes/syc-20372300