How to tell if I have asthma or am just an out of shape fatty?

[Anonymous]

I used to run (casually...not hardcore), and while I wasn't super fast I could run farther and breathe better than I can now. Admittedly I am 25lbs heavier after having my baby, much less in shape and its a million degrees out and humid. But I seriously feel like I can't ever breathe. My throat feels like it closes up with phlegm and I feel like my breathing is what does me in, not my legs being tired. I've been running 2-3 days/week since May.

How can I tell if I have asthma, or if I am just really out of shape and it will get better as time goes on? Or possibly both? Can being out of shape cause asthma? Do I need an inhaler for the short-term? Just keep running and wait it out?

Any advice?

[Anonymous]

There is something called "exercise induced asthma" -- if that's what you have your doctor might give you an inhaler to use before exercise. Also, exercising in bad air (code orange or red) can cause problems. I would go see your doctor.

[Anonymous]

running inside or outside? If you're in an air-conditioned gym and you're having these symptoms, you might have asthma. Or you're just out of shape. If you're running outside, then the heat and humidity and various pollens are probably the culprits. Consider going inside on very bad heat/humidity/pollen days. Talk to your doctor, in any case - and keep running if you can, even if it's slowly. You'll eventually feel/run better once you're able to drop some of the weight, and running is the best way I know to do that.

[Anonymous]

You could have allergies. They can get worse when exercising (and can even lead to exercise induced asthma).

Have you gotten a cat lately? This is how I felt after I got a cat and exercised. The cat allergy (which I didn't have earlier in life) made it very hard to breath while exercising.

[Anonymous]

See a doctor.