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is shortness of breath normal?

Posted , 5 users are following.

kristi.
kristi.

If you've been reading my other posts, you know my PHYSICAL symptoms started about a month ago. I had a panic attack and ever since I haven't been the same.. first were the palpatations, then came the chest pain.. now, the last couple of days, I haven't been able to breathe correctly. It scares the sh*t out of me. I feel like any second I could just pass out. I have the urge to take a deep breath every couple of minutes. It's been ALL DAY the past couple of days. sad( does anyone else have this? I just feel like I can't catch a deep breath.. then when I finally do, the urge comes back a couple minutes later.

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • littleannie84
    littleannie84 kristi.

    Posted

    Yes! When I first got anxiety I suffered terribly with this! You will get over it. Just try to ignore it coz the more you think and panic about it, the worse you will feel. You won't pass out. I suffered with this on and off for weeks and although it felt like I would, I never flaked out. Oddly when I went to the docs and was told my lungs were ok, this symptom just went away as I was able to apply the logic that it was JUST anxiety.
  • rawb
    rawb kristi.

    Posted

    Yes it's normal, that being said, any new symptoms should be discussed with your GP. We are not doctors and can't assess you. But anxiety & shortness of breath go hand in hand. Look up anxiety&hyperventilation there's a lot of info. Personally I used yoga breathing techniques to conqour my breathing troubles
  • Rahb01
    Rahb01 kristi.

    Posted

    Hi,

    Me too.exactly the same.

    Thats call hyperventilating.

    I get this usually when i try to eat or drink something.

    Its scares me that if i eat and all due to this,can trigger heart attack.

    Make me stay away from food and drink.

    Now i lost alot of weight.

    Had this for 5mths now

    • rawb
      rawb Rahb01

      Posted

      You can live for many many decades hyperventilating with no serious reprocutions, I'm sure you've seen many people on here saying they've had anxiety since they were in their young teens and now they're like 50.

      It's the same logic as saying eating greasy food can cause bad health. It CAN but it doesn't nesseccarily mean it will. Just spend all of your time fixing your bad habits and everything else will fall into place.

      Best of luck.

    • rawb
      rawb

      Posted

      Please be mindful of scaremongering, as a lot of people read this have severe anxiety already in reading stuff like this is not helpful. We all know that some symptoms can cause bad health problems there is a very very slim chance it will.
  • mari34228
    mari34228 kristi.

    Posted

    Hi Christina, quite a few times when my anxiety has been sky high I've had a similar problem. It usually occurs when I am trying to get to sleep, when I am more aware of myself (as in, I'm not doing anything else except lying there). At such times I can suddenly get the sensation of not breathing. It's like I can't feel the air physically moving in and out through my nose, and I start to panic! Then I feel like I have no air going into my lungs, even though I am concentrating on trying to breathe. My heart rate then goes through the roof and the panic is overwhelming and I start trembling.

    BUT....I am breathing!!! If I wasn't then I would be on the floor gasping for air, or passed out. But that never happens. I've learned over time that when I start to get that feeling to distract myself. Even if it's just getting up and going to the toilet. Eventually I will calm down again. 

    The thing is, have you spent your whole life having to conciously think about EVERY breath you take. NO! Your body does it for you. Normally you never think about it. Normally you AREN'T aware of the sensation of your breathing. It's just that when you DO start to focus on it you suddenly become very aware of it, and the panic starts to build and it suddenly becomes like some sort of a chore that you have to think about.

    If you are very worried then by all means speak to your doctor. But also try, as soon as the feeling comes on, to do something (anything to distract yourself. Make a coffee. Sing a song. Do the dusting! xx

    • rawb
      rawb mari34228

      Posted

      You're not wrong! You ask anyone even without anxiety to become vigilant of their breathing and it will become laboured for them too. Your subconscious brain does fine breathing for you, it's the conscious part of your brain that makes it hard for you
  • kristi.
    kristi.

    Posted

    Hello everyone. Just a quick update: I went to urgent care because of the labored breathing and they did not seem very concerned. The doctor told me my blood work came back perfect, and he doubts this has anything to do with my heart since I'm so young and no family history of heart conditions. He gave me 8 pills (xanax) to help me until my next dr appt next week. I took the first one 10 minutes ago, and do feel a bit more calm. Thank you everyone!
    • mari34228
      mari34228 kristi.

      Posted

      Glad to hear you are ok. Anxiety is the worst!

      Remember, if it happens again force yourself to go do something. Distraction is the key! xx

    • kristi.
      kristi. rawb

      Posted

      Thanks for your help/advice! Means a lot.
    • kristi.
      kristi. mari34228

      Posted

      Yes I agree! I never knew it could cause such physical symptoms.
  • lindathepinda
    lindathepinda kristi.

    Posted

    Shortness of breath comes along with anxiety. I had this too when last year when I was suffering from anxiety. I went to see a yoga/breathing therapist to learn how to breathe naturally again and also applied exercises like the ones mentioned on the bottom right of this page. It didn't just make the shortness of breath go away, but also improved my overall well being a great deal. It just took a few weeks of daily doing the exercises a couple of times. I still do them every day, just because if feels good and keeps me healthy.
    • kristi.
      kristi. lindathepinda

      Posted

      That's a great idea!! I'll have to see if I can find a breathing therapist. Any tips/advice you've learned, in the meantime?
    • lindathepinda
      lindathepinda kristi.

      Posted

      The Pursed lips exercise described on the right of this page.

      Really, it sounds too simple to work but it has a great effect. Start of slowly, with a few minutes, and build up over the days. Repeat 3 times a day. It takes some effort but it's a very good remedy in my experience. It takes some discipline, but you will be rewarded, I promiss.

      It works the best if you sit up straight, and concentrate on expanding your ribcage at the sides while breathing in. At first it can feel a bit uncomfortable, but after a few times it gets better. Your breathing needs to readjust, that's what you are feeling at the start. You will soon experience you will have more breathing space, and after a week or so you'll feel real improvement, and after a few weeks it even gets better.

      Let us know how it goes!

       

    • kristi.
      kristi. lindathepinda

      Posted

      Thank you so much! I'm going to try this when I get home. I really appreciate the advice.
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