Trouble at the end of a sport season - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

kel555 · 12-22-2007, 05:43 PM

I am a competitive high school athlete doing cross-country running, cross-country skiing, and track during the school year. But however I have been having trouble at the end of my races in high school. When I was in middle school I would just get physically exhausted at the end of race even though I was in good shape. In high school the distance and intensity increased and so did the problems. I seem to start out the season fine but when we start intervals and speed I start to realize problems. I usually seem to have problems when it gets cold too.
My freshmen year I would get dizzy, narrow vision, and feel like my legs were numb and heavy. I would be in the front and then the next second I would drop 10 or more spots without really an explanation. I have been told that I am wheezing and having shortness of breath but I am really out of it and don't notice anything. It feels like its not me when it happens. That year when these symptoms got bad I would usually pee my pants at the end of the race. Which I believe is normal in female athletes. Right?
My parents and coaches didn't really consider much of my problems during races. They thought it was dehydration even though I was drinking a lot of water. This past year, my sophomore year, it seemed to get worse. I had trained hard during the summer and only noticed problems going up hills but thought that everyone had the same problem. The season started out fine but by the third race I could feel a change. I got this feeling like something was stuck in my throat when I ran. The second to last race of the season I had peed my pants before the two mile mark in a 3.1 mile race and after that I got dizzy, narrowed vision, my legs felt heavy, and it felt like I started to gasp for breath. The last race of the season was the worst. I was in the lead and then again 2 miles in I had the same stuff except I had peed and soiled my pants. People said my face got white and my eyes looked like they were rolling back. I was so focused still on the race that I didn't notice my breathing but people said I was wheezing.
Afterwards my parents took my in to 5 doctors and we got a range of answers. I got a thyroid and iron test that both came back negative. I got tested for exercise induced asthma which came back positive so I was given an inhaler which doesn't seem to be working. The doctors have thought I could possibly have a vocal cord dysfunction, or have exercise induced asthma and hyperventilation. Although one doctor said that was impossible to have exercise induced asthma and hyperventilation. I have been trying singulair with my inhaler and its too early to tell if its working. Does anyone know what could be causing some of these problems? Is it all related to exercise induced asthma or is it something else?

janewhite1 · 12-22-2007, 08:59 PM

Okay, the difficulty running that gets worse in cold weather, yes, that could be asthma.

Vision going black: If that's from asthma, then you're getting pretty far gone.

Loss of bladder control? That is not normal.

I think you might have something else going on. Give the inhaler a try, though. It'll probably help at least partly.

One other suggestion, also. When you feel that bad, stop running. You can block out an enormous amount of pain and fatigue, especially in races, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt or something.

kel555 · 12-23-2007, 10:18 AM

Yes, the doctors are also confused on why I pee and/or soil myself during a race and why my legs feel numb and heavy. Has anyone else every had these things while running?
Earlier this week I was given singulair and I have been taking it every day with the inhaler before I work out. I haven't seen results yet.
I usually will try to stop if I feel these things coming on in a practice but if I'm in a race I'm really out of it and just try to finish. My mom was about to make me stop the last race but let me finish.

janewhite1 · 12-23-2007, 02:34 PM

You know, that could be a spinal problem. That could cause both numb legs and loss of bladder/bowel control. Do you ever have back pain while running?

I hate to scare you like that, especially since I have no way of knowing whether that's really the problem, but I think it's worth looking into.

kel555 · 12-24-2007, 09:34 AM

Well, I do have a very mild case of scoliosis and I do feel an ache in my shoulder sometimes when I'm running. Could the ache in the shoulder be related to back problems?