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Can't take deep breath sometimes...

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Posted 6/18/2010 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe this site will help me... I'm tired to see the doctors and get no answers.
Little about me: 35yo female, I have anxiety disorder for at least 15 years ,anxiety attacks, time to time getting panic attacks as well (got rid of them a while ago and that was my biggest victory).
about 2 years ago I noticed that I can't walk and talk at the same time, I felt out of breath. I'm skinny, but not toned, so I thought maybe I'm getting out of shape due my sitting work in front of computer all day. I went to see the doctor and asked for stress-test to check my heart and it was OK. 6 month later I went to doctor with the same problem, because I started getting this "out of breath" feeling more often. I checked my heart and did lung x-ray - showed nothing. Couple of month ago I did checked for asthma (the test where you breath in and out air in the tube, not sure how it's called) and doctor didn't see nothing unusual. Now I'm getting this feeling almost every day. I'm trying to yawn, or have this urge to take a deep breath, and do succeed every now and then but not every time. Also, I don't feel hyperventilated. I don't feel fainting, or tingling, it's just annoying feeling. I'm very paranoic about my health, I think that it caused by anxiety, but doctor today prescribed me Preventil inhaler, just to check if this will work for me. I afraid to use any inhalers, specially if nobody diagnosed me with asthma. As I know, asthma attacks comes sudden, and you feel suffocated. For me , my unpleasant feelings can stay for hours, I'm not feeling suffocated, I just have urge to take a deep breath. I guess my writing is confusing, but maybe somebody had or have the same thing and will advice me something. Now I even afraid to do some sports in order to get asthma attack (doctor told me "maybe it's a little asthma" so I put in my brain and now I'm afraid of it!).
I also afraid to try anti-depressants, tried Effexor for 2 months, had horrible nightmares and stopped the medication. I use Xanax 0.25mg time to time and Clonopin (also smallest dosage and not every day).
Posted 6/18/2010 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
I get this a lot, I am always saying to myself if only I could get a deep breath, I read that the body only takes a deep breath when it needs to that you can not force it, it comes naturally, Every time this happens to me I remember that sometimes it helps sometimes it dont lol......Good Luck to you
Posted 6/19/2010 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
It sounds like you hv a case of health anxiety for sure
the inhalers are not just for asthma they can be used for yr problem n other things....
many ppl hv health anxiety you r def not alone in this
i would try the inhaler n see if it helps out if it were me
ppl with asthma can play sports n do basically many things
as long as they dont overdue it n tk their meds..inhaler with them
the doc should know you hv anxiety over yr health so saying what he/ she did was kinda out of line imho
know you are fine n just try the inhaler to see
also learning proper breathing techniques might just help
hoping you let us know if you try inhaler n how you are doing
lyn
Posted 6/19/2010 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hello there,


Welcome to HW. I think you have received good input from our members. It feels to me like you have health anxiety also known as health phobia. Health anxiety refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.

Often, health anxiety persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured them that their concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, the concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease.



I would try the medicaiton (inhaler) and if you still have feelings of SOB without a cause perhaps seeing a therapist should be discussed with your physician.



Please know we care and we are here for you.



Kindly,



Kitt
Posted 6/19/2010 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you very much for all responses.... Unfortunately I have bad experience with doctors. I was misdiagnosed with my hip displasia at birth and had to have 4 operations later due to this mistake. Now my mom is dying from stage IV of cancer which wasn't found on time because she didn't had any lung symptoms. My father is barely alive too, diabetic and have heart failure... So, I don't really freaking out from the "air balloon". Thousand of people getting undiagnosed that's why I prefer to do more tests to know what I have, specially when I pay 200$ from my pocket to have medical insurance (my boss pays other half) I think I deserve to check my self as much as I want. Yes, I agree, people with anxiety very concern about them selves , but still, I think it is better to check twice.. I was a bit upset with my doctor, because I did chest x-ray an year ago and he didn't send me for another one. Also, I did stress test 2 years ago and he told me that my insurance will not cover if I go with same reason for another one. But it was 2 years ago! It's not like every month I'm asking tests. Well, I don't know, maybe I should try inhaler. I just afraid that if inhaler will release my spasm they will start treating me from asthma. Maybe my spasms are from my anxiety not lung function... how will I ever know?
As per therapy session, I've seen couple of therapist, each one time only. I don't feel comfortable with them. Unfortunately I read so much things about anxiety and psychiatry that nothing new they can tell me... I guess I have to try again untill I find a good one.
I also feel air hunger when I'm in crowded place, like busy restaurant, or when I take any educational classes. That's why I think it is more anxiety... Well, will see.
Thank you again.
Posted 6/20/2010 1:13 PM (GMT 0)
I hope you find an answer to what is causing your shortness of breath. Good luck to you.

Kindly,

Kitt
Posted 6/22/2010 9:27 AM (GMT 0)
I have had the same thing. It's called CHRONIC HYPERVENTILATION syndrome.
You are always thinking about breathing, that your taking too many breaths and causing you to get shortness of breath.
You should either go to the doctor to get it checked out, or you should just accept that its anxiety and dont worry about it anymore.

When you finally accept its anxiety, it will most likely go away. Thats what happen to me!
Posted 6/22/2010 11:53 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe... but I'm not feeling hyperventilated. It is also scares me that I actually can hear my lungs in the morning when I take deep breath. When I'm laying down for an hour or more and then taking deep breath, I can hear my lungs. Not whizzing, but feeling like air goes into lungs for another second after I stop inhaling (not even feeling, but I actually can hear sh-sh-sh-sh, like a pump). When I heard this first time I became paranoic and now I'm trying to take deep breath every morning to hear if my lungs has the same sound, it is getting worse or not (nothing changes by the way). That's weird... I don't cough, I don't have any phlegm. I have post-nasal dripping, maybe that has something to do with it, but usually people cough in the mornings if that's the case. Maybe it is normal to stretch for lungs, and I noticed only now (we have strong echo in the apartment, so all the sounds are really louder). Now, all weekend, I stayed at home, doing some home work and I didn't had any problems with my breathing at all.. Also, I didn't tried to inhale on purpose to check, I tried to not think about. I started drinking herb tea and doing some breathing exercises, maybe will help. Thank you for answer, I will google-it "chronic hyperventilation" to read more about.
Posted 6/23/2010 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
sCaReD_23, I've read about Chronic Hyperventilation syndrome... omg, it is all about me! :-) I was walking all day today and decided not to pay attention to my breathing at all, and I was just fine! I'm going to read some more and thank you very very much for this hint! Exactly as was said on the web about this syndrome, that patient would go to doctors undiagnosed and they would not find anything. That's my case I guess. I will start paying more attention to abdominal breathing and I hope this is it!
Posted 6/23/2010 8:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there
It is a great you may hv found smtg that might be the anwser
i think its now time to be more poractive with this

sef diagnosis is not good imho
i wish you all the best in getting a good dx and treatmemt
lun
Posted 6/23/2010 1:30 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you.
Posted 7/2/2010 5:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lan:

I also feel the same when I'm in crowded place, like busy restaurant, even at work esp in a meeting, in a party and even in the mall. I feel comfortable staying at home but I dont want to spend the rest of my life staying in our house and doing nothing outside. I'm suffering fr GERD and anxiety. the doctor prescribed me Clonotril and it helps but the moment i stop taking that med, everything comes back. And everytime im upset to someone or upset with the news, i suffer fr palpitations and the world seems closing.
Posted 7/19/2010 9:35 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Marj... I had before what you have now. I started reading a lot of books about anxiety and it helped me a bit, so I'm not freaking out from crowded places. But I feel uncomfortable eating in the restaurants. Not all the time, I even can't understand what diff. betw. one event and the other, but one time I will totally OK and another time I can't swallow food, feel very anxious, specially when people around me talking very loud. I think this is Social Anxiety disorder. I'm taking Clonazepam too (Clonotril is Clonazepam as I checked now on Google), but not every day. I afraid to get hooked on any meds, so I try to make a breaks. If I will panicky I take Xanax (which is same, but works best on Panic Attacks). You know, doctor suggest me to take antidepressants, because all these (Clonazepam, xanax) like a band-aid to skin. Same as you said "when I stop taking symptoms come back". Have you every consider taking antidepressants? I honestly scared to take one.... about 2 years ago I got prescribed Effexor and it was horrible experience for me and the doctor told me that's the smallest dosage I was taking. Day time I felt OK, but at night I had so-real nightmares that I used to get panicky from them. I stopped on my own... I tried only for 2 month and I never took anything again. Now I'm wondering if good shrink can help better then pills? Haven't found one yet, went to couple , but quit after 2 session. I don't feel comfortable.. Also, my reg.doc. told me to get exercise. But I can't even start. I bought a membership and not going... I'm skinny and tall, so it is not just loosing weight, it is more for mental health, but I don't want to go... Well, probably a lot of insecurities and problems around keep this anxiety in my body and now I have another problem to deal with. I watch my breathing now, and I really think that I have Chronic Hyperventelation, when I try to to inhale "extra" I breath ok for most of the day, it seem like I have to think about one more thing. I hate being anxious. I'm also shy and getting red fast... what happened to me... I was young and happy girl and now I'm pretty 35 yo woman, but will all these insecurities and troubles. I wonder if we can fix our selves, without chemical interference...
Posted 7/21/2010 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there. I had real issues w/shallow breathing. I found relaxation CDs and CDs that show you how to breath deeply for relaxation very helpful. I got 2 on Amazon that I really like: Sleep Solutions (The Calming Collection) by Roberta Shapiro and Letting Go of Stress by Steven Halpern, Emmett Miller. Lucinda Bassett of the Midwest Center also has a Relaxation CD you can probably get on Ebay for cheap.
Posted 7/21/2010 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I actually started to use some CD. Thank you very much for suggestion! There are a lot of diff. CD out there, but never knew which one is good. Definitely will buy!
Strange that I went to doctor and I told him that probably I have hyperventilation syndrome and he agreed with me, showed me some breathing techniques. I'm tired finding my diagnoses from Google and forums, I probably just should change my doctor :-)
Posted 8/5/2014 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
I have had the same issues. Finally went to the ER and was hooked up to all the heart monitors etc... with chest X-rays. The Dr. was pretty quick to diagnose it as anxiety. I took all the charts to my primary and he said the same thing and wrote a Rx for Lorazepam 1mg. Not sure if it works since the symptoms come and go, usually for weeks or a month at a time.
Posted 8/5/2014 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Oldwave and welcome!

I am sorry to hear of your symptoms and anxiety struggles. The good news is that you are taking steps towards gaining recovery.

Seeing your doctor to rule out anything physical in nature...and reaching out here for support are two great moves.:)

Your Lorazepam is perfect for itinerant symptoms. It is a med that it designed to be taken as needed. It does not need to be taken daily, or stay at a level system in the body...so for times when you are asymptomatic, you can (and should) skip it.:)

You can also utilize self-help techniques to help get you through rough patches as well.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=104206



Here is the link to our Resources with a whole collection of helpful coping skills to check out. Practicing these daily can really make a difference in how you feel.

Keep posting with us as well if you find it helpful. Support is key!

Scaredy Cat

Posted 8/6/2014 7:06 AM (GMT 0)

sCaReD_23 said...
It's called CHRONIC HYPERVENTILATION syndrome.

BINGO! I have suffered from this condition on and off since June 2012 and when I get to the point where I can’t take a deep breath I simply make a deliberate and conscious effort to slow my breathing down. It works like a charm.
Posted 8/6/2014 7:53 AM (GMT 0)
Just stay calm and try to control your breathe I mean just slow it down slowly. Do not panic at this moment as it would be more harder to breathe in panic situation.
Posted 8/6/2014 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Ian - I have been doing the same thing for the past month or so. If I don't think about my breathing I am just fine. I haven't hyperventilated, but it makes me crazy- feeling like I'm not taking deep breaths. I am fine laying down, when I can feel my stomach going up and down - but unfortunately I can't lay down all day. I have a job, and it's not a busy job, which makes things worse. I am trying to find things to do that take my mind away from the breathing. Just think, YOU have been breathing just fine for years and years without thinking about it. Best of luck - hope we can BOTH lick it!
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