AN and Running

[ColleenS]

My husband and I ran in a fundraising 5K event last night. I did get through it but boy was breathing an issue. My AN is pressing on my brain stem so I hope that is what is going on with my breathing. I breathe perfectly fine unless I am running - if I go fairly slow (13 min/mile) it is not too bad, but increasing to 11min/mile had me feeling pretty light-headed and very out of breath. My surgery is in a couple of weeks so I suppose I will find out soon enough if this symptom will go away. Has anyone else had this issue of breathing before surgery? My AN was 2.5 in Feb and it sure feels like it has grown some because of increase in symptoms. I will get a second MRI next week to be sure. Thanks for any helpful feedback.

[voron999]

My husband and I ran in a fundraising 5K event last night......

Colleen,

Overall are you well fit for running 5K (at pretty high pace, to be sure)?
Do you routinely run OR you just went for it it being unprepared?
Not clear to me from your writing and this is an important context.

I am a good runner but did not run much over the winter and just now getting back in shape again.
Even though I did a good amount of working out with kettle bells over the winter (a great cardio workout) I can tell - my running is on a heavy side for now.
So this may have to do with your general fitness and not AN.
A good place to start theorizing from..

[ColleenS]

Voron, I run regularly, but not as in "training." I generally run 3-4 times per week for about 2.5-3.5 miles. Breathing has been getting more difficult the last 6 months or so. Before I was diagnosed with AN I attributed it to my ex-smokers lungs, but I have been quit for 10 years. It is most definitely worse in the heat.

[voron999]

Voron, I run regularly, but not as in "training." I generally run 3-4 times per week for about 2.5-3.5 miles. Breathing has been getting more difficult the last 6 months or so. Before I was diagnosed with AN I attributed it to my ex-smokers lungs, but I have been quit for 10 years. It is most definitely worse in the heat.

Colleen:
OK; so sounds as if you are fit enough; maybe AN is somehow in the picture indeed.
Did you try to "google" this yet?   

[mac84]

Colleen, I'll bet Dr. Rivas would be happy to answer the question. I suspect that it's mostly the aerobic aspect of the running. I run 20 miles per week and my pace is around 8:30 per mile. But, there are days when it sure feels a struggle and I'm running slower than that. So many things can impact how much effort we give when running. More hydration during the week can be a help for this as well. My AN is smaller (1.4cm) and not pressing on the brain stem so that's different than yours. But would ask Dr. Rivas about it.  I'll see him on Tuesday morning for my yearly!

[ColleenS]

Thanks for the replies. Mac - that is a great time for your mile run.

[riabovamd]

Coleen, I was running every day last year, and with may many 5ks, and couple of 10ks, I had AN pressing on the brain stem, and it was  removed the end of January.  Somehow, thinking back, I realized that running with its constant small jerks,  bumps and vibrations, might have made it grow more and become more cystic.  This is all very subjective, but reading my 5 page surgical report gave me a picture of multitude of small and big blood vessels, connective tissue, pockets that constitute the tumor, very tightly connected to vital structures in the base of the skull.  I made a conscious  decision to stop running at least until after my MRI in May.  I miss the runners high, but do my conditioning, yoga, kick-boxing and other classes.  I feel that decision is right for me....Respiratory center is not affected by AN, though, your dyspnea is not directly related to your AN.

[ANSydney]

Respiratory center is not affected by AN, though, your dyspnea is not directly related to your AN.

What about brainstem compression. Does this not affect respiration?

[djsunshine21]

Riabovamd,

Would you be willing to elaborate on your tumor being cystic? I have my appointment with my neurosurgeon soon, and was told to direct questions about any difficulties a cyst may bring to surgery to him, because he does most of the work around that location, not my ENT surgeon. I have read up on it some. In your experience did the cyst make removal more difficult? From my research a cyst within the tumor can cause it to grow faster and complicate things more, and I was wondering if this was your experience.

[ColleenS]

Thanks for the responses - I was told to not stop running or anything else I do but, I can see your way of thinking. I know I do have brain stem compression but wasn't sure if that related to my breathing issues. Hey, I am still running so I am not saying I can't breathe, just that it is much harder and I am running noticeably slower due to needing air. Well hopefully I will be able to run after surgery and I will let you all know if it is any different, breathing-wise. It could just be I am just getting older

[voron999]

I am running noticeably slower due to needing air...... It could just be I am just getting older

Unsure if getting older or the AN means needing more air.
I would, actually, research into this.
There could be other unrelated issues.

I myself am approaching 50 and right now running for me is somewhat hard (just feels heavy) as I lost some shape.
Gaining that back by playing soccer lately; however, needing more air is never an issue.

[riabovamd]

Respiratory center is not affected by AN, though, your dyspnea is not directly related to your AN.

What about brainstem compression. Does this not affect respiration?

Respiratory center is in the brain stem, and if compressed (in some stroke or ICB victims) it causes death, not shortness of breath. AN will not do that, unless it blocked all CSF flow.

[riabovamd]

Riabovamd,

Would you be willing to elaborate on your tumor being cystic? I have my appointment with my neurosurgeon soon, and was told to direct questions about any difficulties a cyst may bring to surgery to him, because he does most of the work around that location, not my ENT surgeon. I have read up on it some. In your experience did the cyst make removal more difficult? From my research a cyst within the tumor can cause it to grow faster and complicate things more, and I was wondering if this was your experience.

Yes, I have good new for you- per dr. Schwartz (AN guru from House clinic)- cystic ones are much easier to operate on than the solid.  They get deflated at the start of surgery, pressure gets relieved and brain structures return to normal position.  The surgeon then has to deal with the cyst wall peeling off and not with hard core mass removal.

[ANSydney]

Cystic tumors appear to be a two-edged sword; easier to operate on, but more likely to grow rapidly.

[Willbur]

My husband and I ran in a fundraising 5K event last night. I did get through it but boy was breathing an issue. My AN is pressing on my brain stem so I hope that is what is going on with my breathing. I breathe perfectly fine unless I am running - if I go fairly slow (13 min/mile) it is not too bad, but increasing to 11min/mile had me feeling pretty light-headed and very out of breath. My surgery is in a couple of weeks so I suppose I will find out soon enough if this symptom will go away. Has anyone else had this issue of breathing before surgery? My AN was 2.5 in Feb and it sure feels like it has grown some because of increase in symptoms. I will get a second MRI next week to be sure. Thanks for any helpful feedback.

Runner here. After surgery I can't go on a treadmill anymore. I get too dizzy. Mine was also on the brain stem but I could run 3 miles in 24 minutes. Now I can barely run without getting dizzy so I stick to weights and elyptical.