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Perimenopause/Menopause and shortness of breath/chest tightness/ Belching

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Gypsy014
Gypsy014

Anyone have the symptoms of shortness of breath with chest tightness, (air hunger) with lots of belching after eating? If so please describe... And does it get better? Mine started like 3 weeks ago and it's awful feels like i can't get a deep enough breath.

I'm also experiencing food allergies/sensitivities also to soaps and flowers and different smells, all make me choke/ cough and feels like chest tightness. Never ever have I had asthma in my life but feels like it now! My anxiety/ panic attacks are bad, antibodies are high for rheumatoid arthritis, and hashimotos, just don't know how to deal with all these new symptoms that keep getting thrown at me other than to sit and cry, cry cry! Anyone else having similar issues??? Are these symptoms all consistent with the menopause change??

15 likes, 197 replies

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  • franki1217
    franki1217 Gypsy014

    Edited

    Hi, I was googling to see if anyone is experiencing shortness of breath from perimenopause and stumbled upon this discussion. It clearly sounds like I am not alone- breathing issues (comes and goes on a 1 month stint of it now), lump in throat (yes I have thyroid issues) heart palps that actually sent me running to the ER before because I didn’t know what it was, thought I was dying etc. So has anyone found anything to help? I know for me I have got to make drastic changes with my diet but I can’t possibly exercise because I can’t breath. I am an asthmatic and on my 2nd round of prednisone since mid December due to my breathing right now. I scheduled an appt with a holistic doc but can’t get in until May. I sure hope he can help me because I can’t come to believe this is the new breathing norm for me for the rest of my life.
    • liz67338
      liz67338 franki1217

      Edited

      Hi Franki I do many things now to try and help me cope better with all the daily issues, on the shortness of breath after a lot of practice I've learnt to deep breath many times throughout the day and this has helped with the shortness of breath symptoms - I breath slowing through my nose for 4 counts, making sure to fill my tummy not chest with air...I hold my hand on my tummy to feel it expand, then hold breath for 4 counts they slowly breath out through my mouth for 8 counts. When I'm at my worst ie for me in over heated or poorly ventalilated places I'll do it in the middle of an 'attack' and it helps steady my breathing again and prevent my body going into panic (when it first started happening I used to get full blown panic attacks as I don't think there's anything worse than feeling you can't breath properly!)

    • tish07339
      tish07339 franki1217

      Edited

      acupuncture helps ALLOT.. I mean it really helps with anxiety which causes allot of the symptoms, mindful breathing helps, and I do a tiny bit of mediation right after I just wake up, before getting out of bed just to center myself it sounds hokey but it actually really works..
  • mmcalpine80
    mmcalpine80 Gypsy014

    Edited

    Hi.  I am currently going through menopause  (18 months no cycle) and I am only 46.  I have been having many of the symptoms described on this page and started researching them online and found this discussion.  It's so good to know I am not alone!  I thought I was going crazysmile My main issues are shortness of breath, racing heart, aches in my right shoulde and right side of my back, pain in my chest when I wake up, night sweats, hot flashes and just constant irritability.  I am mad noone ever told me this would happen - it's not something people ever talk about!  Does anyone else get backpain?  I am going to try accupuncture since I was not happy with the hormone drug lopreeza.  

    • katherine41206
      katherine41206 mmcalpine80

      Edited

      This is exactly me except I also have an esophageal hernia. All these tests and they come back with me being fine. I wasn’t however, admitted for electrolyte imbalance, but that’s because I was advised to fast.
  • elaine16907
    elaine16907 Gypsy014

    Posted

    Hello ladies

    Gypsy your not alone!!

    Im 45 and started having Meno symptoms 6 months ago. I've recently started HRT Femonston tablets nearly a week I've been taking. I had childhood asthma but in my 20s to 40s rarely needed to use inhalers or suffered. I noticed over the last few weeks a feeling of shortness in air when breathing not tight in the chest though! and have started to use my inhaler not sure if its a side effect of the HRT or whether a Meno symptom I read on A. Vogel that lung issues can be previlent at this time?

    Also noticing I'm squeezing a bit. Although I do have hayfever during the summer this seems that I have more sensitivity in general. Itchy skin too.

    Crying spells have been plaguing me since December too and anixtey in waves. I recently had my blood results and confirmed oestrogen is low (43) and therefore well into perimenopause! There seems to be a lot of information on line but as through my GP nothing. I'm due to see a GYNo next week and hope that to discuss the HRT prescribed by my GP (not sure he knew what he was doing ).

    Are you planning to go on HRT ?

    There's another fourm on this site link down below you all may find useful too;

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/66-peri-menopause-menopause-symptoms-you-may-experience-which-may-help-some-ladies-271903?page=14&utm_source=forum&utm_campaign=comment-notification&utm_medium=email#3051909

    Regards

  • joyce64658
    joyce64658 Gypsy014

    Edited

    I,too, like a lot of the posts, am thinking I have some kind is lung disease or something wrong with me. I am 55 , yeah, lucky me, I get to go through menopause late in life. I am a healthy person. I am not overweight, I eat right and exercise 2 times a day. I had pneumonia in November , 4 months of feeling yucky with post nasal drip, chest congestion, dry cough, throat clearing and difficulty taking deep breaths at times. 5 doctor appts and 4 antibiotics, because during that course of time I also got bronchitis and a sinus infection. BUT, I wonder if any of these symptoms can be from peri menopause?  The post nasal drip, throat clearing , cough and difficulty taking deep breaths at times never really seem to completely go away.  Anyone else having the same symptoms? Do they eventually go away?  Doctor confirms I have no other symptoms to suggest anything else 
    • becca86016
      becca86016 joyce64658

      Edited

      Praise the Lord!! I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking up the symptoms that I have, making myself crazy & dying!  I am so grateful that I am not the only almost 55 year old that is still getting her period every 28 days!  I have been experiencing for the past 2 weeks the air hunger, right shoulder pain which makes me think I’m having a heart attack! Low body temp which could be hypothermia which could also lead to heart attack, brain fog, clumsiness, thinking I must have a brain tumor or aneurysm, lump in the throat (also have thyroid nodes) have slight hasimotos, last years thyroid blood work was good.  I exercise 3 days a week with a trainer, not to mention prob making him crazy, I eat fairly healthy, I do like my wine...take whole food fruit & veg supplements, thyroid & adrenal supps, a few different herbal supps as well, Vitamins D, B complex, fish oil, essential oils diffusing always. CRYING 😭 😭😭, more so than usual, cried  my eyes out reading all theses posts, thankful that all you ladies have some of the same things going on as I.  I can say at this very moment I feel like my old self again.....So glad I found this chat and that I’m not dying!  

    • Saggi17
      Saggi17 becca86016

      Edited

      I think bcoz of our hashimoto we hv feeling of lump or cough in throat . Im unable to bend when this aggrevates . Fatigue and tiredness , pain in muscles and blood clots on skin as I hv been told these are symptoms of premenopause
    • becca86016
      becca86016 Saggi17

      Posted

      Aw, I know it’s awful, give me back the 40’s!! well I hope you’re trying to do other things to supplement and alleviate some of your symptoms
    • Saggi17
      Saggi17 becca86016

      Edited

      I do try to practice accupressure myself and it gives immediate relief. My cycles hv been irregular since last few months. At 48 life seems to hv been hell bcoz of this feeling of lump in throat. I have been taking homeopathic med as prescribed by my homeo doctor. It has been amazing since last decade as i had these symptoms in 2008 when had to undergo series of tests from endicscopy FNAC but everythg was normal in them and came to know had Hoshimoto. I nvr had abnormal T3 T4 TSH levels till date only my antibodies increase upto 600 .. any one who wish to take homeopathic med I can share with that person. Had stopped taking fr few years in btwn as used to take SOS. Now again taking hopefully with changed diet, yoga breathing exercises ,my walk (as i walk 5 kms daily ) will help me again to being normal. Heavy ness in chest and shortness of breath force me to wear loose clothes only otherwise i feel suffocated. Accupressure and Yoga (breathing exercises) will help u all. No citric acid products in diet to feel better in thyroid as advised by my homeo. Love to all keep sharing . 
    • becca86016
      becca86016 Saggi17

      Posted

      Thank you for that, I’ve done acupuncture, helps tremendously but can be expensive as it is mostly out of pocket! I will be aware of citric acid, good to know 
    • Collie2018
      Collie2018 becca86016

      Edited

       I know how you feel! I often start to wonder if I should write down a list for my husband and my son so they can help take over my business if I just drop dead or don’t wake up.  It’s definitely a roller coaster and some days are better than other days but the good news is that we all have each other to help hold one another up through all the symptoms. I went through the sadness and the weepiness and interestingly enough, I started taking a melatonin product  for sleep that had 5HTP  which I didn’t know when I bought it is known to help with anxiety and depression.  Literally in 24 hours, my sadness was gone and pretty much has not returned  and I sleep like a baby. You might try that if your sadness comes back.  Hang in there girl! 
    • tish07339
      tish07339 joyce64658

      Edited

      http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/symptoms.shtml

      Just check out this site, it may help a bit, but just know any weird symptoms your having are most likely just a peri menopause or menopause symptom, to stress too much just know that there are millions of women all over the world feeling exactly the same way you are right now.. If your feeling sad or blue just come one here and commiserate with other women, it does help, and you will feel less sad and anxious...I  have had almost all of the symptoms on that list, the funny thing is, it all can end, one day you will wake up feeling normal and you won't even remember what all the fuss was about.lol  good luck girl.

    • nicola7687
      nicola7687 becca86016

      Edited

      I've just googled and found this forum and am now feeling exactly the same! I'm driving my husband insane with all the "what if's" I keep feeling. I suffer de health anxiety anyway but this peri has sent it into overdrive! Thank you all on here for your reassuring posts!

    • cissy2020
      cissy2020 nicola7687

      Edited

      I do the same to my husband. I know I'm dying and he needs to know what I want done when it happens. lol

      I don't understand why doctors dont tell you about the crazy symptoms they just let you think your nutts and or dying. the heavy chest and throat are my worst... well my anxiety is Proble the worst. I already struggled with it before with ptsd but now..... forget about it. some days I can't leave my room. I just pray my husband makes it threw this

    • shelley85069
      shelley85069 Saggi17

      Posted

      Saggi & Bec,

      Wow thank you for sharing your stories! I have tight lump feeling in throat and also borderline hashimoto but thyroid level is apparently fine. I am 44 and in perimeno and full of anxiety and aches and up late with pain in left rib area. Omg this is hell. I would love to hear more of what your homeopath has mentioned with diet and supplements when you have time. x

    • shelley85069
      shelley85069 becca86016

      Edited

      becca,

      thx for sharing. you've eased my mind tonight as i cant sleep with so many similar issues that youve described! i have elevated thyroid antibodies but thyroid normal on bloodwork so borderline hashimoto also and thyroid nodules. how often do you have them checked? god help us all man this is no fun having shortness of breath and air hunger is so scary. add chest pains on top of it all. all started just after i turned 44. glad we can all connect here to get through this.

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