Air hunger all the time!
Posted , 21 users are following.
Im going to try to make this short, august 2017 I had my first panic attack and everything went downhill from that point on. My anxiety has gotten much better but since that episode I have been left with this air hunger feeling that happens all day every minute of everyday. The only time I dont feel it is when im busy doing something and dont have my mind stuck on it. The air hunger feeling feels heavy in my chest up until i have to force a deep breath otherwise I will yawn in order to get that satisfying breath. Most of the time I feel like ive been holding my breath and have to breath deep to feel a bit better before I need to take another deep breath within a few seconds/minutes. I take sertraline 50mg, also started to take a few natural pills from an holistic doctor which has been helping a little bit but still having this problem. Just purchased Chrysanthemum Floral Tea which I heard is good for this air hunger and hope to get some relief but any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
1 like, 37 replies
mayrasaleh323 rigena
Posted
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I SEEN DIFFERENT DOCTORS TO GET ANOTHER OPINIONS AND THEY SAY I HAVE ANXIETY DISORDER AND WAS REFERRED TO A PCHYATRIST THEY PUT ME ON PROZAC AND ANXIETY MEDS. IT HAS HELPED BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE STILL THERE AND NEVER GO AWAY EVERY MINUTE I HAVE THE URGE TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND IT SATISFIES ME AND THEN AGAIN THE CYCLE BEGINS AGAIN. I'M DOING A RESEARCH ON THIS BUT HAVEN'T FOUND NOTHING BUT ANXIETY DISORDERS. MY NEXT STEP IS I'M GOING TO A PULMONOLOGIST FOR A CT SCAN. I HAD ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT TEST CHEST XRAY , STOOL, THYROID AND PHYSICAL BLOOD TEST AND NOTHING.
naomi26687 mayrasaleh323
Posted
i still suffer with this myself not as bad as i use to, I do believe it is anxiety as you have said you have had loads of tests and nothing is showing so it is more than likely anxiety you might not feel anxious but your brain is telling you otherwise, I was given proparanol and sertraline and the sertraline has helped alot but not working as good as it was so im going to the doctors tomorrow to see if i they can up my dose i stopped taking the proparanol as i didnt belive it was doing much to help
leanne51754 mayrasaleh323
Posted
hi this is happening to me now how are you iv also had all the tests and scans im out of breath what ever i do i dont u derstand it all x
tracey01100 rigena
Posted
Hi Regina,
About twenty one years ago, when I had my son there were complications which threatened mine and my babies health and I was left with anxiety and panic attacks. My attacks were severe, I felt like I couldn't breathe and I had all the classic symptoms, sweaty palms and feet, fast heartbeat, chest pains and this feeling that I had to take a deep breath or yawn in order to remove the 'heavy' feeling in my chest. I would also hyperventilate and felt as though I had forgotten how to breathe. I worried that I would stop breathing at night and I would die in my sleep. I also felt that I couldn't talk properly because I didn't have enough air and my chest constantly felt like there was a tight band around it. I was in a really bad way.
At the time my GP was not supportive at all. One day my mum called him out to visit me at home because I was having a particularly hard time and he told me he would have me sectioned if I didn't pull myself together, which just added to my anxiety.
Like you I noticed that whenever my mind was occupied I didn't think or notice the feeling in my chest and my need to yawn or sigh, so, I decided to do some research. No-one had told me it was anxiety and panic attacks, I was just left to feel as though I was going mad.
I didn't have the internet then so had to make use of the local library. I found a book called When Panic Attacks by Dr Aine Tubridy (now deceased). It came with an accompanying CD with relaxation techniques. It was my saving grace. I practiced the relaxation techniques every night before bed. The techniques called for me to tighten and relax every muscle in my body. I also practiced a technique of breathing in for a count of five and out for a count of five and gradually increasing the count to what I could manage. There's apps out there that help with this. I'm 46 now and a student counsellor. I no longer have panic attacks and I haven't felt a tightness in my chest for as long as I can remember, at least fifteen years now. I no longer feel the urge to get that deep breath or to yawn.
When dealing with your panic I would suggest you read as much as possible to educate yourself about anxiety and panic attacks and be consistent with relaxation exercises, even if you feel like they are not working. The key is consistency. In order to get rewards you must keep up with them and gradually your anxiety will subside or you will be able to manage it better. It's also worth baring in mind that these symptoms will not harm you. You can come out on the other side, I'm proof of that. Good luck.
Tracey
leanne51754 tracey01100
Posted
omg this is like reading what im going throw now everyday is a struggle with this constant breathlessness and iv also got tight chest most of the time i also think everytine i go to sleep thats it its the end tonight was yours all the time like mine im now to scared to leave the house because of it x
diana42201 rigena
Edited
I experienced my first air hunger episode 30 years ago while at a stressful job. Since then, it has reared its head several times. Only now am I getting a handle on what it is - after having every cardio and lung test in the books. A good resource for understanding what air hunger really is and how to approach your healing is one of the books written by Australian physio Dayna Bradley. She seems to be the international go-to expert on this. Bottom line: we are not lacking in oxygen, even though it feels like it. What is happening is that we are over inhaling which is then causing us to release too much carbon dioxide. The lack of carbon dioxide is what is causing the air hunger. It is a breathing pattern dysfunction. The good news is it can be fixed. The bad news is it can take months to retrain the breath.
mark21119 diana42201
Posted
had it for a year driving me mad. how did you fix yours in the end
diana42201 mark21119
Posted
I wouldn't say so much hat I fixed it but rather that I've learned to manage it with physiotherapy techniques. Now when it comes back I know how to not let it get bad .
mark21119 diana42201
Posted
so when it does come back what breathing technique do you use? does it stop it coming on. im thinking about going on pregablin i think its all to do with aniexty too and after seeibg reviews it says it stops that dead. very hard once you have this to stop sucking in air for no reason
mark21119 rigena
Posted
have you fixed yours with the tea im trying had the same for a year or so
Guest rigena
Edited
I'm joining this discussion really late, but this is literally what happened to me a few weeks ago. I still have this air hunger feeling, and it's worse at night because that is when I notice it more, and when my anxiety attack happened. l have been assured that there is nothing else wrong with me, but it's like this lingering sensation that won't go away. It's making it difficult for me to relax at night, and I keep building it up in my mind, making the tension worse during the day. I've tried to be more careful about my posture, exercising regularly, and eating healthy, since that helps my mental state. As a result, I've noticed a very small, gradual improvement with my air hunger during the day, but does anyone have any tips to help it completely go away during the day (and at night) besides not obsessing over it? At this point, I will take any advice as I am tired of thinking about my breathing, and staying home all the time because of quarantine doesn't help either. Thanks!
nancy64314 Guest
Posted
HI Elizabeth, I have had what I am assuming at this point is air hunger every symptom imaginable from trying to catch that relief of air that sometimes I struggle for many minutes before I can get that relief feeling and it just keeps coming back also yawning frequently sometimes able to yawn sometimes just with my mouth open hoping that I can to get some relief. I have lost considerable amount of weight my family is upset with me as they don’t understand the struggle I’m going through. My appetite has diminished and I’m feeling tired all the time from trying to take deep breath‘s. I have been to many doctors and specialists and they are finding nothing. I have also been to the emergency room three times and after doing bloodwork and tests they say there is nothing they can do for me. I’m feeling so desperate my quality-of-life is down to nothing. I am an older woman so exercising as far as jogging or anything strenuous I am not able to do. If there is any suggestions from anyone who has this air hunger please reply it starts first thing in the morning and lasts throughout the day every day I am just so incredibly tired .
Guest nancy64314
Edited
Hi Nancy!
I am so sorry you are feeling so poorly! Mine actually turned out to be anxiety. I didn't see any doctors but I joined a Facebook group called Bye Bye Panic that focuses on anxiety recovery. The admin of the group has recovered from anxiety himself - a really inspiring and encouraging story, and others in this group have recovered or are recovering also. He taught me the cure to this air hunger, and it was the one thing I didn't try, and that was simply accepting it and letting it be there. He posts informative content and focuses on really showing us why we are feeling this way, and that has helped a lot! My air hunger and other symptoms are now almost gone, without meds, and I don't think about them anymore. I definitely recommend him as a coach, he offers free one on one strategy sessions, and has a mentor program if you are interested.
Guest rigena
Posted
Hi Rigena,
If this helps you any, I just wanted to let you know that I have good news from my earlier post here, I don't know if you saw that one or not since I posted really late on this forum. Anyway, long story short, I was experiencing air hunger after waking up one night feeling like I couldn't breathe, and after being stressed about it for three weeks I discovered it was due to a combination of anxiety and allergies due to life events and heavy pollen this season. After I realized what was going on, my symptoms have all but disappeared, and now I am only dealing with the usual allergies. I switched to using cetirizine instead of claritin, and drank a lot of water, which helped with that air hunger feeling. I would also recommend exercising (I know, it's painful when you have air hunger), and drinking green tea, as that helped also. It was super annoying, but resisting the urge to take that deep breath really helped me settle down at night as well. Finally, the main thing that really helped me was reminding myself that this was only a sensation, even though it felt real. Good luck, and I hope you were able to find a solution for yours as well!
james67815 rigena
Edited
hi people so again I'm back to air hunger problems . seems to be every year I go through this. from May to Sep tried inhalers . alligie tabs. honey and lemon. steam. humidifier. nothing helps. I also get pain in upper back both sides of spine inbetween shoulder blades. pain is on and off worse when laying. any info please reply