Please help !! Constant urge to take a deep breath or yawn for over 10 months!!
Posted , 93 users are following.
Okay. Short history. I have had health anxiety for about 5 years now. I am a 19 year old male who is otherwise pretty healthy. 10 months agp, around February-March I began having this sensation in my throat/chest area that was only relieved when i was able to get a good deep breath or yawn. The issue is that this breath or yawn isn't always satisfying so I am constantly taking a deep breath or yawning. I had this issue when I was younger though it went away instantly, this time however it has stuck around and I am in fear that its here to permanently stay. The last 10 months have been absolutely horrible. Some days are better than others, there are times where i don't feel the issue (at the gym, when out with friends). But for the past 3 weeks it has been absolutely unbearable. i feel embarrassed when outside as i think people are often judging my deep breathing. My job requires me to talk on the phone for 6 hours so you can imagine how unbearable this feeling is. I just need advice/help.Anyone out there who has gone through this or is going through it what helps? Will it ever stop? This issue is bringing my spirits very down as i feel that i will be having to deal with this for the restof my life. Please help me get my quality of life back!!
1 like, 140 replies
brittany69244 louise55470
Edited
Ive had this for a few months now.
constantly having the urge to inhale deep but feeling like it gets stuck halfway down, can't complete yawns, heart rate is all over the place.
all tests (blood panels, xrays, ekg/ecg, holter monitor, echo, ultrasound) came back fine.
i had a good week where it subsided but randomly came back one morning and has been here ever since. It was dismissed as "psychological" and i was just handed beta blockers, zoloft and an inhaler (none of which help).
I'm currently talking to a new Dr about getting checked for Gastrocardio Syndrome. it's basically upper GI distress that interferes with your Vagas nerve which controls all your involuntary functions (i.e breathing, heart rate). it makes sense for me being that I already have lower GI issues and I notice it's worse for a couple hours after I eat. it may be something for you to look into as well❤
I'll edit after my appointment with any updates on potential treatments.
denis78343 brittany69244
Edited
Hi Brittany,
I noticed a few people here or that I have spoken to do not have an irregular heartbeat like myself. I have this sensation when my heart rate is at rest level. Some possibly do have an increased heart rate when they panic that they aren't taking enough air in.
I have come across a research article that calls it Sighing Dyspnea. A lot of the event that are mentioned in that article I can relate to.
Link to article:
https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0021-8707(38)90466-6/pdf
dawn13650 louise55470
Edited
Hi Louis
I've struggled with what i call "getting the good deep breath"and constant yawning for 15 years. It isn't constant and sometimes i have really good year. Years back when it began I went to the doctor many times and was diagnosed with asthma. I do feel mine has an allergy type component as it regularly worsens in the winter and cigarette/marijuana smoke, and really dusty areas do trigger it. Things that can help to make it worse are a bad night of sleep, drinking more than two alcoholic drinks in a night, and dairy. However, if I'm in a good stretch, none of those things will bother me. i do not see a direct link to anxiety for me. I've been under crazy stress for long periods of time due to work and family emergencies and have been fine. My doctor never found anything wrong with me and eventually i stopped looking for answers in that capacity. I am healthy, and at my goal weight (although this has fluctuated slightly throughout the years). I have always worked out 4-5 days a week etc. The only thing I saw in all these comments was someone mentioning acid reflux. I haven't ever had any uncomfortable sensations that would make me think that would be my problem. I do feel your pain about having to talk for long periods of time when you are struggling with this. It's horrible because I feel like I am not getting enough oxygen. I also struggle with fatigue. May we one day find the answer to these problems.
fatma25240 louise55470
Posted
I literally have the same endless problem, i started thinking to stop eating or drinking and till die.
It's really painful and frustrating, It's causing me anxiety.
I almost cry every day and nothing works
denis78343 fatma25240
Posted
Dont give up. If you go to sleep without waking up during the night due to breathing then 95% of chance is that its all in your head.
Try and keep busy, stop thinking about it. Have a attitude of "it is what it is". What I mean by it is that you need to build a mentality which thinks "well if I am going to die, then so be it!". Then you will realise that this sensation or thoughts start to go away.
joseph33739 fatma25240
Posted
Please don't lose hope. This will come and go. If you haven't yet, I would suggest reading all of the replies on this thread for some great insight and some ways to manage this junk so you can have your life back. I first started with this around 20 years ago. Sometimes it flares up and frustrates me, but I've had many more good days than bad days over the years. Get good sleep, eat right, exercise, practice proper breathing and keep your mind on something else and off your breathing. Start there and see where it takes you. Best of luck. and remember, you're not alone.
matthew36489 louise55470
Edited
i created an account just to reply to this. I've had this problem on and off for over 20 years. it wasn't , anxiety or acid reflux for me. my back would get outright in the middle - right behind my diaphragm. that would stop it from working properly and stop my lungs from fully inflating and I'd only breathe with the top of my lungs. That shallow breathing that made me want to yawn constantly.
I've never gone to a doctor over it but have gone for massages and to the chiropractor. both of those have helped.
i am replying now, 6am on a Saturday morning because i woke up at 5am to drink some water, rolled back over and now I'm having that same feeling again. I haven't had it for about 2 yeas and I'm really not happy that it happened again.
ayway, i hope this helps and gives you another option to look into.
joseph33739 louise55470
Edited
I have also suffered from this exact thing for several years on and off. I've gone years without it being a big deal, and I've gone through rough patches. There are several factors I've come to believe are responsible. 1. Anxiety absolutely plays a role. The more distracted you are, the less you notice it, right? If you go out for a few beers, you stop really noticing it. When you sit around and let it consume you, it does just that. 2. Medications/conditions. Acid reflux can cause this, as you esophagus erodes. To combat acid reflux, we take proton pump inhibitors (nexium, prilosec, etc.) Those medicines, when taken for extended periods, can cause anxiety and depression. Anxiety causes a heavy chest, labored breathing, etc. In addition, these medications limit stomach acid, meaning you cannot properly absorb certain vitamins and minerals, specifically magnesium and b12. Deficiencies in these areas can also cause you to feel the way you feel. 3. Lifestyle/weight. Are you overweight? Are you active? I was in amazing shape for years, and I rarely had this issue. After my shoulder surgery 5 months ago, I put on a good 30 pounds. Now I find myself sucking in my gut constantly, causing me to breathe extremely shallow. Teaching yourself to breathe from your diaphragm again is definitely a priority, as much of a pain as that is. 4. Stomach Acid. If you eat and drink garbage, then lie down, stomach acid creeps up into your esophagus and can irritate airway linings, thereby constricting them. I suspect this would make a person feel the need to breathe deeply constantly. This deep breath thing, over the years, has given me severe panic attacks and even put me in a very dark depression. But it's not permanent. It does go away. Don't let it limit you. Do your daily activities and take the power back. In addition, stop sucking in your gut, breathe from your stomach, eat a healthful diet, get plenty of exercise, check your magnesium and B12 levels, and address your anxiety with a form of therapy. Cognitive Behavior Therapy works well. I'm currently in a cycle myself, and I'm starting to follow my own advice today. Hopefully I can post back in a week or 2 and share positive news. Good luck to everyone on this thread, and God Bless.
keith01451 joseph33739
Posted
what was the longest period of time that you have had this? Mine has been about 7 months.
joseph33739 louise55470
Edited
https://www.google.com/amp/s/nijp.org/amp/sigh-syndrome-in-children-a-prospective-study/
This study really sheds some light on this situation. It appears Sigh Syndrome is a physiological response to a period of shallow breathing. Our body forces this in order to keep those deeper alveoli from collapsing, because we are breathing very shallow and not using them. The fix is breathing techniques/proper breathing coupled with some relaxation therapy. Addressing triggers/stress is also key. I hope and pray this helps people who suffer from this wicked syndrome. God Bless.
keith01451 louise55470
Posted
its been tough. but this discussion board is really helpful.