Is there a cure for chronic hyperventilation syndrome?

Thank you, I have started meditation and hopefully I will learn to fully relax. I have spoken to a therapist but the sad part is, they don' understand that this is an actual thing, they just say "lay off the internet, you're just stressed, here take these pills"...it'a sad.

I actually have a scheduled hypno therapy session for Thursday so hopefully I will find the root of the problem of this.

Again, thank you for your words 💜

Hello,

I've been having the same problem! I finally somehow recently found out that it could be from chemical lung damage. Here's a little clip form this website that has some really great info about it: https://branchbasics.com/blog/digestion-and-lung-connection/

"Chemical injury to the lungs can result in an imbalance in the gases involved in respiration, carbon dioxide and oxygen. After chemical injury to the lungs, the lungs many times go into a chronic state of hyperventilation, constantly breathing 2-3 times more than the metabolic need. This disturbs the body pH and the smooth muscle function, which can result in lung dysfunction. This lung dysfunction is many times labeled as reactive airway disorder, occupational asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), etc."

COPD seems to be one of the more broad range issues. This website has some helpful natural remedies that might help. https://draxe.com/copd-symptoms/

There are a lot of things in our human world that have toxic fumes. Foam s a big one. You can buy covers for your bed that protect against these fumes.

This website has a great list of some toxic free, fume blocking mattress covers: https://thesoftlanding.com/pvc-free-mattress-covers/

I just found all this information so I haven't actually had a chance to see if any of these natural remedies work. But the breathing techniques have actually been helping, I find, just in the last couple days.

Ok! Take care! Hope you feel better too!

Thank you Ivy, I have a hypno therapy session appointment on Thursday to hopefully find the root of the problem because so far, no doctor or therapist have helped at all. They never heard of this syndrome and don't think it's a "thing" so they all just give me pills and I just want to be healthy but most of all happy and present.

Thank you for your kind words 💜

Keep us posted on your hypnotherapy .

Hi Elle

I read your response, very similar here too. I have tried doctor, psychologists and done the buteyko course too. Did u have any luck with the doctor who specializes in that area? I’m really hoping so and that u might have some tips to share!  I need to conquer this thing! 

Thanks

Cass 

Hi cass, 

My doctor is good but again he says it’s all in my mind! He agrees no doubt that I am experiencing all the physical sensations  and hyperventilating but he has given me relaxation tricks to work with. Think the main issue now is coz I think about it all the time, it doesn’t help and tbh I can’t see past a point where I wo t be able to think about it which just in turn makes the cycle worse. Just want my old life back,never have I taken anything for granted as much. Just don’t understand where this has come out of!7mo the ago I was fine and now I’m just a shell of myself.dread every single day,only time I’m comfortable is when I’m sleeping. Soon as I wake up I experience symptoms and thoughts and just wish the day away! Has anything worked for you at all?when did it start for you? 

Wow Thankyou for your response and for being so honest. I know how hard it can be to share your real emotions. I really sympathize because I understand. I like to go on pretending like I have the life that I used to but it’s really really not and I miss so much being able to go out and just relax and just enjoy myself and not have to think for a second about how I’m feeling or pay such close attention to my breathing! Like seriously we do it in our sleep with no thought or effort why do we even need to think about it in waking life?? At least we know one thing, we are breathing too much. We need to focus on breathing less. I truly believe with dedication to practicing “breathing less” everyday we will be delivered from this burden 😔

How long have you been suffering with it.just went over to pharmacy there to collect anti anxiety script as it’s just making me so miserable! I know, I miss just waking up and being able to worry about little things like “I need to do the washing”but what I miss most is just being able to come in from

Work and chill with my bf!i can’t relax at all coz I feel like I’m suffocating! It has to go away, surely can’t be stuck with it the rest of our lives! What techniques have you tried? Do you feel at all like you’ve improved? 

Just over 2 years 😔 my goodness I hadn’t actually thought about how long this had being on until just now.. How about you? As unfortunate it is, it is comforting knowing that I’m not the only one going through it. I am going to find a way out of it though. I just refuse to live with anymore. I’ve had enough. I’ve done a lot of research and I think the key is practicing good slow (not deep- despite what everyone says) breathing that has a certain rhythm that you’re comfortable with. See i know the reason why this happened to me is because I went through a really stressful period in my life, and I started to create bad breathing habits. So to fix it all you need to do is retrain your breathing habits. Like any habit it takes time and commitment to practicing. But I know I’ll see and you’ll see too that once we start Correcting our poor breathing habits (which sends signals to your brain to get you into dig into flight mode mode) the anxiety will melt away 

I’m literally gasping for air or taking that big deep breath in nearly every 20/30 seconds! What about you? Have you tried any antidepressants? Do you have a good support system? I’m on a waiting list to see a breathing physio but have also found a good website!unsure if I can mention it here? How old are you do you mind me asking? I’m 28,nearly 29 and have my whole life ahead of me! I can’t bare the thought that this thing is gonna be stuck with me!ive gone through extremely stressful events in my life and what brought this on was a serious bout of bronchitis. so obviously just got into a bad breathing habit with that and executable had a panic attack and ended up in hospital! Obviously our bodies are just on high alert! I be. And I pray that slowly but surely we can beat this! 

No it doesn’t happen as frequently as that for me now (although it used to at the beginning) would you like to chat more over email? 

Hi guys! Im just reading your conversation because Im also looking for a cure for cheonic hyperventilation!! I had a burn-out at 27 end of 2012 and then it started, obviously due to severe stressful events that happened in my life too. I got on antidep pills because I also had a lot of anxiety attacks that time and couldnt function anymore.. I had to graduate but couldnt even drag myself to the bus stop. The pills helped for only a short time, then the anxiety and hyperventilation just got back so thats not an option either! You will suffer more trying to get off those fckn pills, its very hard! Like you guys are also saying: I miss my old life so fckn much!! I just dont know what to do, I cant live like this, this is not living.. I did a buteyco course, (very expensive) and the breathing techniques only help at that moment, when I stop the hyperventilation is back again. Also with sleeping, the moment I wake up it there again.. I feel so helpless, can you send me the website you mentioned? And how are you now? Thanks so much for sharing your stories! At least Im not alone!! 

Hi guys! Im just reading your conversation because Im also looking for a cure for cheonic hyperventilation!! I had a burn-out at 27 end of 2012 and then it started, obviously due to severe stressful events that happened in my life too. I got on antidep pills because I also had a lot of anxiety attacks that time and couldnt function anymore.. I had to graduate but couldnt even drag myself to the bus stop. The pills helped for only a short time, then the anxiety and hyperventilation just got back so thats not an option either! You will suffer more trying to get off those fckn pills, its very hard! Like you guys are also saying: I miss my old life so fckn much!! I just dont know what to do, I cant live like this, this is not living.. I did a buteyco course, (very expensive) and the breathing techniques only help at that moment, when I stop the hyperventilation is back again. Also with sleeping, the moment I wake up it there again.. I feel so helpless. How are you now? Did you find something helpfull yet? Thanks so much for sharing your stories! At least Im not alone!! 

Can I please join your email/ private chat? Many thanks!

Hi Hun 

I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. I totally understand. It started for me also with a few stressful events and factors in my life which lead to severe anxiety, panic attacks, loss of my job of 10 yrs  and some depression too. I feel as though my doctor has just dismissed me now and given me a referral to a psychologist with no other recommendations other than meds. I have refused meds forever and I don’t want to start now. I used to remember during the buteyko course I would get moments of relief when the instructor would ask us to check our pulse. Something about looking for my pulse really helped calm and slow down my breathing even without me realizing because I guess I was distracted and focused on trying to feel it. I don’t know if it would work for others but helped me if I needed a few minutes of peace. How long have u dealt with this for? I finally don’t deal with this every moment of every day anymore (I used to in the beginning) but as I’ve been venting to “Elle” lately, I’ve had flare ups where it could come out of the blue and last for days 😔 I think a few elements of Buteyko helped for me. I believe hyperventilation is a behavior and it’s also a habit. One that we can train ourself to do everyday. So if we weren’t always like this, that means we know how to breathe normally. Which also means we can train ourself to breath normally again. The problem is we become far too aware of our breathing and it’s something we constantly notice and think about because one day when that first panic attack came on, it scared us so much and from then on we became on the lookout for it.. well if you look hard enough for something everyday you will find it! Some things that helped me were exercise, eating well, started a new hobby (dancing), positive affirmations (this is a big one and needs to be done DAILY, you can actually reprogram your brain by saying out loud the things you want in your life), prayer, also I had a baby during all of this who is the light of my life and keeps me very busy, that’s another thing, the busier you are the less you’ll notice it.. therefore the less attention you give it.. I hope some of this helps. If you want to chat more you can send me a private msg. All the very best, God bless. 

HI what medication are you on, I am prozac

Hey hope you've experienced some relief I'm struggling with the same exact symptoms you are and it's terrifying I literally think I will pass out or die anyday from.my air hunger I associate it with a severe debilitating disease and I fear for my life.

I am fairly young as well 26 years old and this has been going on for about 4-5 months of constantly needing to take a deep breath and the fatigue and the dispair and the tiredness that goes along with over breathing or hyperventilating whatever it may be.

I too have been to many many doctors who just cannot find the cause they just say it's a anxiety which I do have some pretty severe anxiety disorder and many phobias and fears that I've suffered from severe panic attacks for many years before the breathing problem ever came along.

I guess my anxiety and my phobias have manifested into a feeling of not getting enough air literally forcing myself to breathe I'll breath through my nose uncomfortably for about ten seeconds and then feel like I need a deep breath and I'll get a satisfying one and then the cycle continues.

Please message me back it effects my everyday life I'm constantly in fear of dying and running out of air it's like I'm always on edge literally 24/7 I'm on the verge of going into full blown panic.

Any second I feel like mentally I could take a turn for the worse. This effects my ability to workout, walk around a grocery store worry free go shopping it's like when I do those things it gets worse but I know when the body moves around breathing will change but it's like I feel the air hunger shortness of breath more intense when I'm moving. I may just associate moving around with shortness of breath. I'm totally neglecting my health and my body. Trust me I want to get this under control but I literally cannot it will not go away. I've seen many many doctors and I literally do not know what to do. When I went to a pulmonary I was barely able to to do the pulmonary function test it felt very distressing like I was going to faint or die. And he felt nothing bad wrong at all he said very very mild abnormalities he thinks was caused by anxiety and he said he does not think it is lung related and he said he thinks it is all related to my anxiety. But what do I do next I'm at a crossroads I want to be healthy I'm told I am but I literally feel and think I am on the verge of death qnd I feel this way 24/7 fatigue can't exercise fast heart rate bad breathing I am truly prepared to die from this I am always thinking about how far I live from the emergency room which is 15 minutes and I'm always thinking about when this takes a turn for the worse I won't make it in time to save my life. I no longer drive due to my symptoms and feeling like I'm dying. Even walking across the house puts me in a state of distress eating talking running all stuff that I am scared of now I want my life back please anyone have any advice I'm literally begging god to help my body. I do not want to die from this. But I'm getting no relief...

hi there! I also struggle and need a deep breath every 20 - 30 seconds. This has completely disrupted my life. I feel like I'm suffocating and can never get a satisfying breath. It's there from the time I wake up until I go to bed. I'm going on 3 years in April. This all started during an extremely stressful time in my life. I've had every heart and lung test possible and everything looks good. I'm 31 years old and dread the thought of this being forever. I do notice if I get completely engaged or distracted and stop thinking about it, it goes away, but as soon as I think "I'm not doing that breathing thing" it's right back. You're not alone.

how are you going hun?

i sympathize with you very much hun, i want to give you hope in knowing it will go away! youre going to be ok. and you are not alone, ok. i have had much relief in persistence of breathing exercises. Where do u live? i was able to get appointments with a physiotherapist who really helped. helped me retrain my breathing. it begins with keeping your mouth closed and breathing into the belly. yes both things most of us know but they are two very important tips. u r not alone, pray to God and have faith. Youre going to come through this a stronger person.

hi ellie just wondering how are you now this is me now any advice would be great thanks x

hi cass im going throw this now any advice would be great how are you now thanks x

Cass- What dod you do so that the overbreathing doesnt happen as frequently now?