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Excessive Yawning and Constant Need to Breathe Deep

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FlutterbyPie
FlutterbyPie

For the past few days, I've been yawning a lot, much more than average (once every few minutes I feel the need). If I'm not yawning I'm breathing in as deep as I can to get similar "satisfaction". Often I cannot get the "satisfaction" from these and so the urge grows and grows, meaning it can get quite uncomfortable. When I do manage it, the urge is back a few seconds later. This is whether I'm tired or not, almost all day. 

I'm not particularly anxious about anything in particular, and get the same amount of sleep as before this started. 

This also happened at some point within the past year which continued for a month or two if I remember correctly. 

Does anyone have any idea what it is or how to make it a bit better? 

Thanks.

27 likes, 1426 replies

1426 Replies

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  • panda96255
    panda96255 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    It’s comforting reading this, as a servire anxiety sufferer I just knew the doctor would say oh it’s youre anxiety playing up when in actual fact I know my anxiety and knew this horrid random urge to “breath deep” and yawning to get the satisfaction was NOT my anxiety and it is really making my chest hurt... I haven’t experienced this before so it got me really worried that something more serious was going on, they have told me that I have sinusitis and that I need to clear my air ways, I’m hoping the prescription given helps as it’s been 18 hours and it’s becoming a huge pain in the backside!!!!! 
  • 77ben77
    77ben77 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    I am so glad I found this forum. I have been dealing with this issue on and off for as long as I can rember, I am 40 years old.

    My mom was a respiratory therapist and never found anything wrong with my heart or lungs. Out of the blue about 11 years ago I was struck with intense panic attacks. I was placed on high doses of xanex and klonopin. After a couple of years I weened myself off them because I felt horrible. I had also quit having panic attacks. I didn't experience the shortness of breath unless I really ate a ton which I rarely do.

    In August my panic attacks suddenly returned with a vengeance and so did this feeling of not being able to get a satisfying deep breath. It is so frustrating and when I can finally get one I may as well be having an orgasm, I'm just as happy. I've often thought about asking my Dr about this or looking online but I was sure I was alone and how do you even explain it to someone? Now I wonder if this feeling is causing my panic or if it is a side effect of my panic disorder.

    When I am having a bad stretch anything I eat or drink except water makes me feel extremely bloated and brings on the breathing issue. Due to an unexplainable back pain I sleep in a recliner as it does not cause me any pain but after 4 hours in any bed I'm miserable so definitely elevated when sleeping. I'm a big guy but I'm very active, I'm a park ranger in summers and work outside at a ski resort in winter's so I'm always on the go. At work I don't notice it to often but it can come on out of nowhere. Sometimes I'll be moving quick uphill or working hard and suddenly I'm out of breath and I can't get it back and I feel like I'll pass out which can instantly kick off a panic attack.

    My Dr. won't prescribe xanex or klonopin anymore. He says it is too big a risk to his practice the way it is viewed these days so, that is out. I've landed in the hospital twice with panic attacks. I'm sorry anyone else has to deal with this but I am so glad I'm not alone. At least I have a couple of things to try.

  • jeanine55801
    jeanine55801 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    I have this now and have had it in the past. For me it seems triggered by fake cigarettes which I use only occasionally.  I am thinking it may be inflammation. Horrible feeling that wakes me up in the middle of the night. Can't wait till it goes away.

  • jodie48446
    jodie48446 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    I had these abnoxious and sometimes debilatating symptoms for ten plus years. It followed a couple back to back bots with pneumonia. I went to my general phycisian just to be told it was all mental and to seek therapy. I got a new primary after years of struggling with feelings of guilt and shame. I was a smoker and other reckless areas of my life had left me emotionally distressed and aparently breathless. Not true. After seeing dozens of specialist and going through all the test i ended up meeting a cardioligist who fount my help. He put me on nitroglycerin not knowing if it would help but he said it can not hurt. The moment i took it i could breath on both sides again. I always felt i was starving for oxygen and my left lung was worse. I dont know how many times i told someone i felt like forcing a straw through my chest cavity. I had been to the hospital E.R. so many times. I felt embarrassed and helpless, because it seemed like a simple problem that i was blowing out of proportion and wasting their time. Its been years and i just wanted to say dont give up. Be your advocate. I ended up quiting smoking and to the nitroglycerin for about a year.
    • john01128
      john01128 jodie48446

      Posted

      Curious! How much nitro 0.4mg? In the morning? Daily? Did you have high blood pressure? I took one before and it helped as well! It’s a vasodilator and makes sense if you were a smoker. I used to smoke too but haven’t in 4 months now! I’m wondering if it was the vasoconstriction from smoking! Even tho all test passed...
  • kolina
    kolina FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    Hi to everyone smile

    I have this constant not able to take a deep breath feeling too for about 10 years. It's the same all the time at rest and exercising. Pulmonologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist, endocrinologist don't know the reason, made a lot of test, all came back normal. After few years of this air hunger have brain fog, not able to sleep, o feel sleepy all the time, muscle pain, strange head and neck heatin feeling sometimes. What I have found on forums, most of people having this, still have no answers, but some have, if it would help someone, I can write few:

    1) GERD

    2) wrong blood/saliva ph (you can check it with ph strip test, usually it's respiratory acidosis)

    2) pulmonary or heart disease

    3) thyroid problem (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism)

    4) being nervous (alprazolarm, valeriana officinalis helps at once)

    5) some ingridients from diet soda drink cause it

    6) anemia 

    7) spin diseases

    8) hyperventilation

    There is also cheap enough device for checking your blood oxygen level - pulse oximeter (you can buy it on ebay or elsewhere). But if its normal it doesn't mean your tissue gets enough oxygen... for ex. if you have anemia, low blood pressure,  wrong pCO2, oxygen saturation still could be normal (but at least you will know, that oxygen normally enters to blood through lungs).

    And sorry for my bad english, I am from Lithuania.

     

  • amy_57955
    amy_57955 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    My daughter had this same problem and when I researched this many people seem to get this.  It comes and goes, sometimes lasting a day or two, the longest was 2-3 weeks.  There are some breathing techniques read about that you train yourself how to do and it helps.  We think it was anxiety related even though she says she knows what anxiety feels like and she didn't feel she was anxious when she got this.  But she was anxious about her job even tho she didn't feel like she was.  Seems you are the same.  Are you stressed about something? 

  • deborah51289
    deborah51289 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    Was wondering if anyone found any solutions for this yet.  I know for a fact mine is not stress. Mine started when walking my dogs. It was on a hot day and I lost my breath when walking my dogs. Kept taking a deep breath, well trying to because I could not seem to catch my breath. After going on like this for a bit, went to my doctor and my doctor sent me off to have my asthma tested. My puffers were a little off and my lungs were a wee bit weezy so they did up my puffers and sent me on my way. Sad part, it still went on. I went back to my doctor again. She then sent me to my cardiologist. He did a holter and noticed my heart was not happy when I walked and  noticed my blood pressure was high put me on a heart medication. It had gotten better but still acting up so he put me on another medication so now on two heart medications. It did get better for a bit. Then winter came and the cold did a huge number on me. Cold really knocks out my lungs. I cannot walk far in the cold it really makes it so I cannot breath. I have now started to do this deep breath thing while watching tv. I feel I cannot breath right and end up taking a deep breath. If I do not my lips feel funny. I have had my oxygen levels tested and they are fine. That blows me the heck away. I feel like I am being choked. Like something heavy is sitting on my chest and I cannot get air in there. I have gone through a nuclear heart testing and there was an abnormality but there was also a "boo boo" of some sort and they cannot say if the abnormality was from the boo boo or my heart.  So I have to take the test again. I think it may have been I took a deep breath during the test. The damn god forsaken deep breath. The first part of the test I know I did it cause I always do it now. Second part the lady came in and asked "did you take a deep breath" and I said, "yes" and she said, "well we will have to do this over, you can breath normally only" I think the issue they saw was my deep breath and there is nothing wrong with my heart. Me taking this again is a huge waste and trying to tell my doc this is like talking to a brick wall, they will not tell me when they "boo boo" happened I could solve it all if they would speak to me and not at me.  I am thinking I am in the wrong area, maybe I should be somewhere else.. maybe there is a tumor in there putting pressure on a lung making me take a deep breath... this makes no sense but it is getting worse. I do not smoke, I have a tummy issue and take things for tummy acid so no that is not a issue that is kept in check, I watch my diet and do not eat junk food I have too many food allergies and I am allergic to booze so I do not even drink wine. I do not have much in this life, I have the ability to walk my dogs which I am losing. I need a way to get it back... it is how I enjoy my day and they get to see the world, we are slowly becoming trapped.. we need to be set free and I would welcome anyone's suggestion on how we can do this smile 

    • paul09240
      paul09240 deborah51289

      Posted

      I still suffer from this but have seen a massive improvement from cutting down on my bread intake, no red bull or high energy drinks, and coffee intake....dont know if any of this helps , and yep i was fobbed of by docs after various breathing tests blood tests xrays....so its trial and error....

    • lynn59093
      lynn59093 paul09240

      Posted

      Cutting down of bread?? Everyday i take bread for breakfast... I should try it... I am suffering this problem for 20 years... desperately will to heal from this
    • paul09240
      paul09240 lynn59093

      Posted

      Yes i used to eats lots of bread , sandwiches for work snap and then with meal in the evenings...im now down to 1 slice a day as ive found it makes me feel really bloated and doesnt help at all with my breathing.....i still suffer with the breathing issues but not as bad....
  • jametodd59
    jametodd59 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    Very important message! During these times you feel the air hunger someone needs to get their labs drawn. I believe it is a deficiency. I would have mine drawn but I don't currently have insurance. If someone gets them drawn please share your results. I believe the air hunger is either a deficiency or an allergy because when I drank I got dehydrated and depleted my body of something. Hence resulting in low levels in my body. I think Labs will give us some info. Possibly low potassium or sodium. Would be very interesting.

    • deborah51289
      deborah51289 jametodd59

      Posted

      I do know I am not low on potassium and I have to be very careful of my sodium (tend to swell) ...  trying to get a doctor to take this as anything other than what they think is damn hard. Right now my guys are stuck on heart. Yes I agree I do have a wee bit of heart issue but I do think mine is under control with meds and this lack of air thing is not the same as the heart... I do not think it is my asthma. I have had numerous asthma attacks and this does not feel like that. I feel like something sits on my chest and I cannot draw breath in... after a little bit of a struggle I am able to get a breath on my own. If I am walking it makes it worse, if I sit down it calms down (hot and cold weather affects it and will make it sooo much worse) . When sitting if I have the need for air, a deep breath solves it all. I do not eat much bread and when I do eat bread it is pumpernickel only I do have a tummy issue and a lot of things I cannot have it irritates my stomach.  If it is an allergy I cannot figure out to what. I have a very simple diet, no junk what so ever (once again tummy issue) I do not drink (allergic to booze) I do not smoke (asthma) I do not take drugs (balance issue due to brain surgery, nothing that will throw my balance off I live alone and have two dogs I need to be able to walk them) I have been researching this online cause I am pulling at straws. My heart doc wants to do another Nuclear heart test. One of the meds used to get the heart rate up for the test sends my stomach into cramps and it is still bad from my last test last week. I cannot believe how sore my tummy is. I would love to find what this is so I do not have to endure this again, it hurts so bad!!! In all fairness the techs said they had never seen anyone with my reaction to the medication before and they were a tad worried, I looked so pale and shaky when they were doing the test they thought major things were going to go wrong.  They asked if I wanted it stopped, I said just go the three minutes be done with it I never want to do this again.. now look I am doing it again!!! Someone mentioned diaphragm ... now has anyone had theirs checked and if so how was it, any possibility this does have something to do with the diaphragm (paradoxical breathing?) ... yeah I am pulling at straws 
  • charlesWallace
    charlesWallace FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    So, three years later I'm sure someone else has mentioned this in the myriad of text above, but if anyone skips to the bottom,arrow  I just burped and feel 100% better. Try fizzy lifting drinks or just an antiacid tab.

    That is all. Thank you.

  • marion_91604
    marion_91604 FlutterbyPie

    Posted

    I just got this today and am grateful that I am not alone. I am yawning and can't seem to finish the the yawn. I am not anxious, just depressed, but not more depressed than I was yesterday. Stayed home today after going to the farmer's market. I bought some rye bread and have been overeating that all day. Could that be the source. This is scary not being able to catch my breath. Thank you all for sharing i don't feel so alone. I live alone and thought maybe I will fall over dead with lack of oxygen.

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