My inability to take a deep breath problem
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi I will throw out this very frustrating problem as all breathing issues are frustrating. I'm a 57 year old male, good health, exercises regularly and do have an anxiety disorder but no ever diagnosed asthma or other COPD issue.
About a year and a half ago, had difficulty where it felt like I couldn't complete a deep breath and found myself gulping for air but if could take my mind off it it, would be better a period of time after. Was thought to be "stress" breathing by doctor. I sometimes would get this sitting down but then again would not getting when running furiously on the treadmill.
Fast forward to March this yea where I started to have "allergy" symptoms (in case this is related to breathing issue). Mostly nasal in nature, post nasal drip, irritated throat and chest congestion, generally mild in nature but sometimes worse enough so would feel like coughing. Still hasn't gone away and no allergy medicine has made a dent in it.
Beginning in April, started to have the breathing issue but much more intense. Had acute episodes where it felt like I constantly have to gulp for air so that I was ready to head to the emergency room but again, would relent at least to some degree after a period of time. During these periods of gulping air, oxygen meter was pegged at 99 percent. At this time I had a Covid test which was negative. Inhaler and a round of prednisone did not help (prednisone had major negative effect on my anxiety disorder). Gradually over a month, the acute episodes subsided and although it seemed like when thinking about it, could never take as deep as a breath as before, problem largely became a background issue.
Until a week or so when the problem has become more acute again although not as bad as April. Not sure if related but started about the same time I came off a 10-14 day stretch where my stomach and intestines were very gassy and I started on the Prilosec. The breathing issue became more prominent about the time the stomach became better although it's possible the stomach issues masked the breathing issues. I was in quite a bit of distress. At the advice of my allergist, I have started taking steroid inhaler for four days now but that has had no effect. There is a bit of chest congestion so that may be aiding as well but it seems like at all times, my breathing is compromised. It hasn't been enough to stop me from exercising. Exercising doesn't make the problem worse or better, meaning, I'm not getting out of breath any quicker than before. I assume the breathing problem is similar enough to what I have been having for over three months which has never went away, that it can't be Covid but Saturday, I did the quick results test (Antigen, can have more false negatives than traditional molecular ones (with results are now taking 10 days)).
I have a phone conversation coming up with my PCP this week. Any thoughts on what this could be and in which direction I should nudge him? Any "breathing" issue makes me nervous to go back to work. I wonder how much is anxiety related but the symptoms are certainly real.
0 likes, 4 replies
Supersport geepondy
Posted
I have the same. My doctor suggests investigating gastrointestine health issues.
geepondy
Posted
Some online diagnostic tools have suggested the same for me, as well as sleep apnea. Wouldn't think that sleep apnea would cause daytime breathing issues. What I especially don't understand how it can be so acute one moment and much more manageable 15 minutes later. It seems like I'm gulping for breath and then subconsciously holding my breath, instead of breathing evenly.
Supersport geepondy
Posted
During Covid19 the periods of inability to breath were much more frequent and much more intense. Shortly after or during the first round of recovery the dyspnea episodes become further spread out and less intense. Even to the point that as you mention you catch yourself not breathing - during your awake time.
I chalked this up to the fact that breathing had become such a hellish and frustrating nightmare for some many weeks that I put off taking deep breaths for as long as I possibly could. Then when the breathing improved I had to unlearn this behavior of not taking deep breaths. I had to relearn to breath deeply because now I can.
However as you mentioned in your earlier post, the dyspnea returned unexpectedly and it freaked me out because now I have no idea what I'm dealing with here - I thought that phase was cured. So manage it however you can. Breath by whatever means you have available right now. Be conscious of the fact that you now have to notice and check whether or not you are breathing properly. You will have to do this until it becomes second nature to you again.
Meanwhile you have to determine what physiological condition triggered the dyspnea again. Stomach acid spilling over into the windpipe during acid reflux is one example.
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geepondy Supersport
Posted
Sharon, were you actually diagnosed with Covid or are you just talking about the pandemic period in general and the extra anxiety it causes? Most people I've talked with who experienced Covid breathing said it was relentless, no come and go. As mentioned I was tested negative and have since tested myself twice including last weekend but this was the quick results test which provides more false negatives than the type they sent to the lab. Going into work is psychologically tough as I have to convince myself that this has been going on for three months plus so highly unlikely to be Covid. I think I'm going to take next week off to chill and maybe try to shake this. At best my breathing isn't too bad but not to the point where I can take a full enough breath to yawn. Luckily it generally simmers down when I go to bed. PCP is going to have me do an echogram and some sort of pulmonary function test.