Bike Challenge

Life has a funny way of keeping you pretty busy.  In March I went back on IVs, had finals, and got the phone call to go to Stanford for Pre-transplant testing.  Quite a bit of stuff in such a short amount of time.

I will be in Stanford April 12-16.  I'll be bringing my notebook to give you an idea of what goes into the consideration process.

For now though, I thought I'd post about an project I am trying out.

While in the hospital, my doctor had me try using an exercise bike while inhaling my Hyper-Sal. Now there aren't really any scientific studies on combining exercise with breathing treatments, but if the wads I was hacking up are any indication, this is a subject worth investigating.

We know that exercise is good for our lungs. That's why I incorporate it into my daily life. When I'm sick, I take brief walks. When I'm healthy, I hike, bike, and swim. Inhaled medications are also important for maintaining our lungs. What happens when you combine the two together?

I know immediately, I start hacking up wads. But what about long term? so I've decided to try a little experiment. You are welcom to join me on this little test. In twelve weeks I'll be posting the results.

Here, I have outlined my mini experiment.

Equipment:

Exercise Bike

Pulmo-Aide with nebulizer

Hyper-Sal

Methods:

It would be gereat to start this after a doctor appointment so you know your current lung function and O₂ sats.

Do your treatments as you normally would. When you get to Hyper-Sal, hop on the exercise bike and go at a steady pace. The bike and Hyper-Sal should be done twice daily (every 12 hours).

Week 1:

Bike for 5 minutes twice daily while inhaling Hyper-Sal.

Week 2:

Bike for 10 minutes twice daily while inhaling Hyper-Sal.

Week 3:

Bike for 15 minutes twice daily while inhaling Hyper-Sal.

Week 4:

Bike for 20 minutes twice daily while inhaling Hyper-Sal.

Week 5-12:

Bike for 20 minutes twice daily while inhaling Hyper-Sal.

During the 12 weeks, record your lung function and O₂ sats from each doctor visit. Keep the rest of your routine the same.