Concerned

Hi maricz,

I have to say this sounds like classic hyperventilation. I used to do it a lot when I was young, and still find myself doing it now in times of stress.

Sometimes when we get stressed or anxious we hyperventilate - i.e. we breathe too deeply and/or too rapidly. However, this happens on an unconscious level and we're totally unaware of it unless we can learn to recognise it.

Hyperventilation has the effect of "rinsing out" too much carbon dioxide from the blood. This makes the blood too alkaline, in turn disrupting the electrolyte balance. The symptoms are nausea, light-headedness, tingling in the hands - and sometimes lips - and if it goes on for long enough, stiffening of the fingers. In spite of over-breathing, the sufferer usually experiences feelings of breathlessness.

The condition is quite harmless. Once the electrolyte imbalance reaches a certain level, the brain will gradually restore normal breathing patterns.

People used to be told to breathe in and out of a paper bag to relieve this condition when I was a student nu rse, but I've found from my own experience that this doesn't work. The science is sound: re-breathing some of your exhaled carbon dioxide should restore the body's normal pH. The problem is that if you ask someone who already feels they're not getting enough air to breathe from a paper bag you're going to make them feel even worse!

When I get into this state I concentrate on breathing just a little less often and less deeply than I feel I need to (in spite of the breathlessness). I keep this up for as long as I can - usually only about 30 seconds at first - before taking just two or three deep breaths, then returning to the conscious under-breathing. I repeat this cycle for about 5 minutes, by which time I'm usually over it.

You might want to look at anything in your life that could be causing stress. I note the word "work" appeared twice in your post. Speaking from personal experience, I can certainly say there's nothing like the workplace to stress you out!

I have a friend that was having a hard time catching her breath and they put her on the anti depressant Prozac and she's been fine ever since. She was having anxiety.

Thanks! That's great info! I have an appointment set for Tuesday with my doctor. I will mention this to my doctor. 

I was facing this situation a year back , I did contact doctor but after a while situation gone away nothing serious and very little medication  , I was diagnosed lybrinth . 

Few months later again I started suffering in cold weather heaviness in my ear , ringing sound , unbalance of body , miserable situation want to lay down all the time , could not live a normal life . If I don't sleep well my head is not in comfortable state just want to lay down , fullness of ear , in one ear only . 

I have extreme worse situation when I lost my body control and was out balance could not stand still , luckily I was coming out of my Car. Now my 2nd year this problem comes and goes . This problem started in Africa first time , may be cause of virus and I travelled a lot by air and by road . I am still suffering may be I didn't paid a lot attention . But my problem not spinning sensation movement . I just feel I lost control or balance or I am going to lose balance . Something between my 2 ears . Doctors said there is not cure it will go it's self .  God Bless 

Well along with those symptoms I have not been sleeping well at night I wake up a lot during the night it takes me a long time to fall asleep and then I can go back to sleep. I feel hot a lot of the time too and I normally don't. 

I'm not real big on taking pills so I'm not sure about taking anti-anxiety medication. I just know that I'm short of breath and then I get dizzy and asked her to feel shaky and I start to feel like pins and needles in my hands and arms.