Have I suddenly developed a breathing problem in the heat?

I keep getting attacks where my airways close up amd fll with mucus, and I simply cannot get enough air in. It isn't hyperventilation, I know how that feels. Attempting to ignore it causes my vision to narrow and my body forces me to gasp. I took Diazepam for it when a doctor blamed anxiety and became a hundred times worse. I could literally feel the airway tissue closing, and an ambulance had to help me through. The leaflet said diazepam makes asthma worse, which makese panic I have it!


It seems to be connected to the hot weather or relaxing my body; being in a hot shower, lying in bed with duvets over me and windows/doors closed, being out in the morning and being in a car all affect me. Ice cream helped me the other day for a while. Is it normal to feel breathless in too hot weather, or do I have asthma and haven't realised for such a long time..!! All attempts to search for answers say you must have a breathing problem in the first place for heat to affect you!

Post Edited (Daxter) : 8/4/2015 1:38:40 AM (GMT-6)

Thank you; I sincerely hope it's anxiety - hayfever has never done this to me in my younger years, only in recent uears. No runny nose or itchy eyes/throat either. Either way I was given an inhaker, Ventolin. Will that help even if it does prove to be anxiety?

My grandparents have asthma which has given me a great deal of fear I've inherited it. Oh and scratch the heat thing, it happens regardless of temperature it seems, but heat certainly worsens things.

Post Edited (Daxter) : 8/4/2015 10:44:30 AM (GMT-6)

I live in a very dry climate and it has been super humid here for the past week. I have had a lot of trouble breathing in this humidity, and find myself trying to catch my breath every minute or so. I feel like the humidity is narrowing my airway or clouding up my ability to breath somehow. Of course this is because I am anxious, and when I feel better, I don't have this problem, even when it is humid. It's not really hyperventilation, but it's something called "air hunger."

Air hunger is when you (mistakenly) think you can't breathe well enough, so you try to compensate by taking extra deep breaths. Your body actually is doing fine on its own -- it regulates your breathing automatically. When you try to take over by consciously breathing your own way, most of the time your body doesn't need more air so you can't catch a satisfying breath! That just makes you more anxious and you feel worse. And the problem repeats.

I am not sure if this is the problem you have, but I am certainly having it! Many people who suffer from air hunger are mouth breathers (I am) and if you breathe through your mouth, you take in much more air than if you breathe through your nose. Then when you go to take a deep breath, you are really giving your body too much air.

The solution to air hunger is to breathe through your nose as much as possible so you aren't inhaling as much air every time you breathe. If you do feel the need to take a deep breath, try doing so through your nose, as deeply as you can, from your diaphragm/belly. If you can't catch a satisfying breath, wait for a minute and your body will do it automatically for you. If it needs more air than it can get through your nose, it will make you yawn so it can get it through your mouth.

I'm no expert on this, of course... I just learned about it a month ago. And this may not be what you have, but I thought I would share what I have learned anyway. I hope you feel better soon!

-Cat

Hi Daxter

Ventolin is very effective if you are having an asthma attack but yes it can increase anxiety some times so it's important you only take it when needed.

Do you take a preventer? Usually a brown or pink inhaler that you take in the morning and night which contain a steroid. I use mine and it really manages my asthma I can't remember the last time I had to use my Ventolin.

Hibee