Shortness of breath even when im not having an anxiety attack!
Posted , 234 users are following.
Hello I'm a 32 year old female,I have been having anxiety and some depression for about four years now!!so I understand everything that everybody on here is going through!!!!I started back on my meds almost 3 weeks ago....I can just be sitting there on my bed and start getting shortness of breath,even if I'm not having an anxiety attack....ive been to the er so many times because of my panicking....I've had xrays,ekg's,and lots of blood work done,& the doctors tell me that I'm healthy....my psychiatrist told me that I think about the breathing too much and that Its just in my head,but it scares me!!!does anybody else have that same problem???I have read other stories with the same issues!!!I just want to know that I'm not the only one going through this!!!!!
22 likes, 351 replies
c.far G.mommy
Posted
I am having the same issue. just went to the hospital day before yesterday. I have anxiety and PTSD. I have panic attacks but this felt like a heart attack. I'm still having shortness of breath and get dizzy and lightheaded when walking now. I can't even clean without getting winded. I feel so bad because my 3yr old expects me to play with her and I have no energy. you are not alone. I have started my meditation again. I feel like I'm going crazy and I'm crying so much more.
Guest c.far
Posted
The heart attack feeling hits home for me too. When my heart starts racing, my panic gets worse, and it's a negative spiral into shortness of breath, tightness in chest, feeling faint and that my heart is going to stop because it's getting so overworked. I think my heart can't take this day in and day out for such a long period of time, which makes the situation worse ultimately and increases the severity of the symptoms and amount of the attacks. Then certain situations and places start to trigger it more and it becomes a vicious cycle of panic. What has helped for me is trying my very best to accept the fact that death is a part of life and everyone goes through death at some point when it's their time. I've been medically checked out, so I will keep doing everything I know to do to live the best life I can. This might not help everyone, but it kind of helps me with the heart anxiety issue to a degree. I keep striving for the goal to 100% get over this fear....I'm still working toward it and celebrate any progress I do make.
rachel_35350 G.mommy
Posted
me too and I'm really struggling. I get other symptoms with it aswell like i feel my body going tingly like my hands and my mouth feels dry and i feel like i can't even talk I've had ecgs and xrays too and all clear xo
crystal27104 G.mommy
Posted
I have all these symptoms also. Sometimes my face feels like it's tingling. This shortness of breath is the worst. Got an appointment to see a dr soon. hopefully get some relief with meds.
Guest G.mommy
Edited
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vladlen85063 G.mommy
Edited
Hey!
I'm just a little older than you, I'm 34
I also faced anxiety and depression that lasted for 5 years.
Symptoms followed me everywhere: at home and during working hours.
When I started doing small physical activities at home, I was faced with shortness of breath. But this was not strange.
But now I can just sit or lie down watching TV and start to choke.
Doctors also cannot tell me what the problem is, because I am healthy in all respects.
I was recommended to try yoga.
hellofriend22 vladlen85063
Edited
hey have you had any update? does your breathing ever get bad enough that you have to stand up or can't be laying down. or even feel like you need the ER
steven42825 hellofriend22
Posted
yep
Bellab5177 G.mommy
Edited
im so happy I found this discussion. I have been dealing with this for so many years. I’ve experienced what all of you are describing. Going to the hospital thinking there’s something wrong because i can’t breathe..... it was after many doctor visits that I finally acepted that it was anxiety. it comes and goes but in the last week the breathing issue has started again. I just reached out to my doctor today to ask if she can help me with medication for it.
loubnarha Bellab5177
Posted
Instead of medication Try to control it with breathing techniques, and it shall pass, just while having that anxiety attack know that it's going to pass and you will be fine, because it happened before and you were fine after it.
Bellab5177 G.mommy
Posted
im so happy I found this discussion. I have been dealing with this for so many years. I’ve experienced what all of you are describing. Going to the hospital thinking there’s something wrong because i can’t breathe..... it was after many doctor visits that I finally acepted that it was anxiety. it comes and goes but in the last week the breathing issue has started again. I just reached out to my doctor today to ask if she can help me with medication for it.
matt130288 G.mommy
Edited
hi everyone. this will be a long message so hope you dont mind. im a 33 year old male and since the age of 21 my life has never been the same. the root cause of my problems was my nan passing away yhe doctors said. so i used to live life to the max look forward to everything. i was fit played played 3 90 mins games of football a week and could run 5/6 mile woth relative ease. so my life since then. i have this horrible feeling of not been able to get a breath, i have to force a yawn and hold it till i get a satisfactory breath. this is every breath of eveey second of every day. it is hell. even when im sitting watching tv i am yawning and gasping for air and its like its habitual now. i do no excercise as im scared i might have a heart attack i cant so stuff with my kids i want. i have had 2 ECG tests blood tests and lung capacity test and all normal. albeit five years ago they were but my mind wont think that i think since those five years i might habe developed something else. i feel my pulse dailly if ive got belly ache i think its stomach cancer. if i got weak legs i think its muscle dystrophy. i have been on and off medication for 12 years, sertraline, citalapram, fluoxetine and its still there although have drank most weekends on this medication but that makes me feel better till thr next day where my breathing will be ten times worse. i genuinely wake up and think here we go again and i hate it its so draining. i describe my lungs to be like a car running out of petrol amd I'm gasping amd yawning for something satisfactory to fill my tank up. please any help or medications or methods to help me please. sorry for such a long winded message, i just want to get better and be my old self all them years ago. thanks.
loubnarha G.mommy
Posted
Hey! you are not alone, I've been suffering from this for years, sometimes it doesn't need any trigger, because sometimes we suppress our emotions, and they surface one day without us knowing causing an intense response, that's why you should keep tracking your mental health, consider mediation, or relaxation techniques daily, Journaling can help empty your chest from all worries and thoughts, and talk to someone, a friend or partner about your fears and all what might trigger your anxiety.
you are not alone, I am dealing with shortness of breath for 24 hours now, and I have been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder. you are safe, just remember when it happens that you are safe and it shall pass like all the previous times.
much love
stay strong
jamie99266 G.mommy
Edited
i recently started doing this myself. ive been to ER 6 times since saturday morning. all my labs, EKG, CT shows i am healthy my lungs are clear, heart is healthy but i am constly having shortness of breathe. no matter what i am doing driving, siting watching tv, laying down relaxing ( what it seems to feel like im doing) always short, through nose or mouth. bedtime i close my eyes wake up grasping for air, do it all night long, even during naps. dr keep telling its my anxity but i dont have other symptons, fast heart rate, numbsness feeling like im gonna pass out. can anxity cause this constant shortness of breathe without other symptons? i was given xanax 0.25 but 1mg dr told me to break them down but im scared so i havent taken any yet. i feel like i am going crazy! i cant even work at this point, bearly sleep, or eat. i see counslor monday 23rd.
if anyone has taken 0.25 what did it make you feel like? im worried its gonna realax my breathing to much that im not gonna be able to breathe at all.
dip58448 jamie99266
Edited
I have this exact same thing. Short of breath no matter what I do. It's actually worst when I am trying to relax. And just like you, I have no other symptom of anxiety - my heart rate and blood pressure etc. are all perfectly fine. I have some mild asthma, but 90% of my symptoms are apparently related to anxiety. I would take meds like xanax if I wasn't trying to get pregnant. This is because the symptoms are so frustrating and affecting me so much. I can't exercise, or even do household chores, without gasping for air. It is one of the worst things. Other than that, I try to keep myself busy. I tell myself I am healthy, and this is just my mind fixating and making something feel like a problem when it's not. If you do try xanax, let us know how it goes. Wishing you all the best - trust me, I know how much this sucks!