Breathing problems

Hi everyone, I've been having problems breathing for a long time, im 16, and I think the first time I've had this was probably when I was about 10. It usually happens during the summer, and I have a bad cough aswell, which lasts for a few months. I get this every year, usually starts around now, up untill around september. During the winter months I find it hard to walk/exercise because the cold makes me cough so badly and I get out of breath really quickly. Im a fairly active person, I can walk for hours, and im quite good at cycling too, but after I've exercised my cough gets worse and my chest gets really tight, like its being crushed.

I finally went to the doctors yesterday, he said it could be asthma, but he told me to try some anti histamine tablets first, theyre called 'loratadine'. These dont seem to be helping, I was up all night last night, I was very tired, but my cough kept me awake (I had been on a 5 hour bike-ride up to the moors, it was very cold and I didnt wrap up well.) I was just wondering if id have to wait the full 28 days till the tablets run out, or I could go back and see my doctor in between as they dont seem to be helping. Maybe I should carry on for abit longer and wait and see?

ok first of all, dont go bike riding in the moors without proper protection when you have a cough!
try elevation when you're sleeping... try and sleep as close to sitting up as possible... (pile on the pillows...) this should help the breathing and the cough
antihistamines should really kick in right away, they're not like antibiotics that take a while to work... but I would give it a day or two just incase to see. If it doesnt start working, maybe they need to switch you to another antihistamine, or maybe a dose of steroids to clear things up (depending on how bad it is)

thanks its just weird I get these problems every spring throughout the summer, and back again in winter. it was freezing! but I didnt realise how cold it was going to be, cause on normal ground the sun was shining, but up there.. brr! lol

Loratadine (Claritin) should start to work within less than 12 hours. I'd say stop taking it if it doesn't work. It does sound like you have asthma, and I;m assumng the doc wanted to eliminate the possibility of allergies given that you have this breathing problem in allergy season. But poor air quality can cause it too, and so can very cold or hot air (bike rides).

I'm sure when you let the doc know the antihistamine isn't doing much, that you'll be given a couple of inhalers and you'll see a huge difference.

I hope so, anything to get rid of this, I cant stop coughin argh
my dog sometimes sleeps in my room, and I've noticed when shes very near me, its harder to breathe. My mum doesnt believe me, she said theres always something wrong with me, so I had to make the appt on my own ah well lol.
my parents both smoke, its also bad when im near them, when I've been out in the cold fresh air, and I come into the smokey living room, yuk.
and thanks for replying

actually doctors sometimes give antihistamines to people with asthma... since technically what's happening is the same sort of reaction...

but yes you may need an inhaler...

you're allergic to your dog? and yes smoke def isnt the best thing for you... mention it to the doctor... he might be able to persuade your parents not to smoke indoors...

I think I might be, but even when my dog isnt with me I still get the same symptoms.