Shortness of breath terrified all the time!!
Posted , 112 users are following.
What does everybody's shortness of breath feel like? I even feel really really out of breath even when I talk which worries the c**p out of me!
I wake up with it and go to sleep with it every night, I feel I have got to catch my breath every few minutes just to make sure I can get air into my lungs I have this like pulling sensation in the middle of my chest that makes me want to catch it every few minutes which dosnt go away at all which drives me barmy! Also feels like I have something lodged right in the middle of my chest that I'm breathing around awful feeling.
This all started after I had 2 full blown panic attacks 10 months ago and I woke up with all these crazy Symtoms the day after I had them is this normal?
Im on medication mitrazpine and propanolol which I'm thinking of changing the mitrazpine because I was on this while I had these attacks they put me on propanolol the day after I had these attacks 3 a day 40mg and I'm having CBT therapy.
My therapist says I should stop trying to catch my breath all the time as I'm feeding my anxiety but even when I try and stop doing it it will catch itself so I can't win which makes me think there is something wrong with my breathing!
I have tried breathing exercises which don't help. I have had a X-ray which was all good and 3 ECGs which were good and chest lisend to and oxygen levels tested to everytime I'm are the doctors which is always good, I just just can't take this no more!
I feel I'm on the brink here I can't live like this another day😢 Is this ever going to go away? or am I going to feel like this forever I feel trapped in my own body.
I posted this about ten minutes ago but I think it has been deleted for some reason nevermind.
7 likes, 309 replies
sandra01720 luke08690
Posted
And I know how it feels to be trapped in my body. It's a horrible feeling. I find being busy helps. Keep me from focusing on my breathing so much.
debbie17569 luke08690
Posted
Hi Luke
Im with you on this one, it's really really horrible. It just seems to start out of nowhere. I have had anxiety from a health scare since November and am on citalopram and diazepam as and when needed. Even when I don't feel anxious, which is towards the end of the day, I still get shortness of breath! Pees me right off and makes me more worried which in turn feeds the anxiety. Vicous circle! I've had all the tests and there is nothing wrong with me but can't get the anxiety to go away.
It feels to me like I have to take a deep breath but can't always get the air in. I guess that's what you're feeling too? Somehow we need to stop our anxiety. It's all in our heads and completely ridiculous but try telling our heads that!
Im going to try positive affirmations and mindfullness. No idea if I will be able to concentrate enough on it, especially when angsty but it's worth a go. I might also increase my citalopram, can't get any worse I guess.
youre not alone here, lots of people get the shortness of breath and chest pain. I often think if that would go away, I'd be fine!!! X
luke08690 debbie17569
Posted
Hi Debbie thanks for your reply🙂
It's awful isn't it with me it's so strong 24/7 I'm constantly focused on my breathing I feel where as before all this it was on auto pilot where as now I feel as though breathing is more of a chore rather than the body's automatic response to just get on with it and breathe if you understand me I feel like I will never get relief from this I fear I am going to be stuck with it forever.
I have started exercising to recently to try and conquer my anxiety which scares me a lot because of this breathing thing going on I can't win😢
Yeah you mentioned mindfullness there in already doing this I do 3 ten mins sit ins a day morning afternoon and before I go to bed to try and slow my breathing because it's all over the place.
debbie17569 luke08690
Posted
Hi Luke.
one thing I was told to try was always breath through you nose, just normal short breaths and when you feel like you need to take a deep breath try and resist as much as possible. When I tried it, it was damn hard as I just wanted to fill my lungs up. I managed a few times and the feeling went away. I just forget to do it and before I know it, I've gone for that big breath in!!! X
luke08690 debbie17569
Posted
Yeah I've been told that also but like you say there I find it really really hard not to take a big deep breath to try and fill my lungs up and when I don't donut my breath will catch it self it's so annoying my breathing is all over I don't know what normal breathing is anymore me?
debbie17569 luke08690
Posted
So somehow we have to retrain the brain. I've been googling all sorts to try and sort this but you get too much mixed information and with me, it goes in one ear and out of the other!!! Googling is not good!!!
i need to have a good swear but not sure it's appropriate on here!! If anyone ever comes up with a sure fire way of dealing with this, they are going to be a billionaire!!! X
gill21655 debbie17569
Posted
Hi Debbie,
Its best to watch a video or guided breathing relaxation ... Then you dont have to worry about knowing what to donas it guides you through.
Type in mindful meditation and breathing on the net... The site that you can watch video's on 😉
luke08690 debbie17569
Posted
Yes we certainly don't have been told that countless times of my therapist but how do you retrain your brain on How to breath properly it's a tricky one isn't it, She also tells me I have to retrain my brain to try and tell it in not in constant danger all the Time hense all the panic but I don't know I just can't get my head around it and yes I need a good swear to sometimes lol!
Head around all this it bewilders me how anxiety can do all this
luke08690
Posted
Yeah your also right about googling I also try and not to do that either because it just heightens my anxiety but it's hard not to with all these Symtoms I have araaaghhh I hate it I do!
emily83053 debbie17569
Posted
currently in the same situation .
feel as though i cant take a full deep breath or a full yawn . doctor says its my anxiety. super frustrated. and when i finally do get a deep breath i calm down a little but then just obsess about my next deep breath
louise35319 luke08690
Posted
Wow I'm going through the same tonight pain in middle of chest and breathlessness everyday there's a new pain I'm taking settraline but feel they are not working anymore hope u feel better soon x
luke08690 louise35319
Posted
Hi Louise thanks for your reply how do you cope with your shortness of breath it's really scary with me like I feel out of breath at times just when in talking and about setraline i have a appointment with my doctor
Tomorrow I'm asking him to put me on them in on mitrazpine now and propanolol I want to swap the mitrazpine for setraline is it any good I've heard mixed reviews about it? x
emily35507 luke08690
Posted
Hi Luke!
I, too, have been suffering from the awful shortness of breath for a few weeks now, so I can definitely relate. I've had anxiety for a few years and over the summer it progressed into health anxiety. First I convinced myself I had a brain tumor, now it's my heart. I've had echos once a year since I was 2 weeks old (I actually had heart surgery as a baby to correct a defect with my aorta). And even having those echos and tests every single year still never reassures me. My shortness of breath lately feels like a pulling/pressure right in the middle of my chest along with a burning sensation that runs through my chest and up my neck. It is terrifying and uncomfortable. I know it's awful right now, but it does get better! My brain tumor fear lasted for about 6 months and slowly it just started to go away. Sadly it's been replaced now by heart fears lol
luke08690 emily35507
Posted
Hi Emily
Thanks for your reply wow sounds like you have been through it when your where little like I feel for you.
I've always had anxiety but these panic attacks I had last year have just blew me out of the water they have nocked me sideways the day after I had them I woke up with all these crazy Symtoms going on literally thought I was dying I just can't grasp it how anxiety can do all this to a person bewilders me.
My shortness of breath is everyday which is so annoying to live with but I've had chest X-rays and ecgs and they say everything is fine so must be anxiety I suppose.
emily35507 luke08690
Posted
I know, right? I hate that you are going through this. It is absolutely crazy how anxiety can just hit you out of the blue and stay for as long as it wants to. I'm in the same boat as you with all the tests saying everything is fine, and still offering no reassurance. I went to the cardiologist in September and also went to the hospital because of a panic attack that I thought was a heart attack. They did ecg, Ct scan of my heart with contrast dye, everything! Still did not call my nerves. Health anxiety has got to be one of the worst versions anxiety has to offer lol I just keep telling myself that if there were something wrong with my heart, they would've seen it on all the scans. And for something to come up in as short of a period as five months is highly unlikely. But even telling myself that over and over again doesn't help half the time lol
luke08690 emily35507
Posted
I feel for you to, I didn't know anxiety could present
Itself like this like all physical makes me think there is a physical illness or something up with me I'm writing this to you now and my heart is pounding.
I havnt been to a cardiologist I've just went up the hospital with a ECG note of my GP and got 3 done there and a chest X-ray or is it the same thing as a cardiologist Ohhh and I'm waiting for a letter for a 24 hour ECG to.
Yeah health anxiety is one of the most horrible forms of anxiety I'll agree with you there I developed it after these panic attacks.
I often try and tell myself that to that if there was something wrong it would of got worse or something or like you say the tests would of picked it up but then my mind playes the "what ifs" and "but" tricks on me.
Araaaghhh it's so annoying lol!
emily35507 luke08690
Posted
The same thing happens to me lol it's like as soon as I rationalize with myself my mind freaks out again and starts coming up with other reasons to think I've got something horribly wrong!
The good thing is you did actually get everything checked out! That should always be the first step. Because you never know if it is something more than anxiety. And maybe once you receive your letter for the 24 hr ecg that might help ease your mind a little.
Oh and this might sound weird, but I've noticed that drinking something really cold helps me with feeling short of breath. I'm not sure what about it makes me feel a little better, but it does!
luke08690 emily35507
Posted
Yeah same here as soon as I have been thinking about something that i have really bad and so Symtom matching with Google that's wrong with me and then I'll stop thinking about it then my mind will Instantly think about something else to focus on that's really bad and start googling again I know i shouldn't Google but I can't help it with all these crazy Symtoms anyway I havnt done it in a while it just adds fuel to the fire.
I hope it eases my mind a bit have you had a 24 hour one and if you have how long did it take for the letter to come through just it's been 2 weeks this week since my GP referred me for me.
I've never really noticed that if I drink something cold lol I normal go through a strong packet of halls mints a day the black ones to make me breath abit better as mad as that sound like.
emily35507 luke08690
Posted
Yes, that is exactly why I don't google my symptoms anymore either. I see one symptom that is similar to something I have and start planning my funeral then and there lol
I have never had a 24 hr ECG, but I would assume the results should be in any day now. 2 weeks is an awful long time to wait!
luke08690 emily35507
Posted
Yeah I believe it's no good googling Symtoms well at least it isn't for me anyway just maximises my anxiety and my Symtoms.
Thanks for your advice🙂
shiva1985 emily35507
Posted
Did you ever get relief for the shortness of breath? I've been suffering with mines for years now. Please state if you got relief. Thank you.
Cantbreath2254 shiva1985
Posted
Prabh1 luke08690
Posted
kenzie91371 luke08690
Posted
Hi luke!I have struggled with signing dyspnea for almost four months now causing me to have complete episodes of not being able to breath 24/7 and youre not alone with this. Ive came across bpd(breathing pattern disorder) that is caused by anxiety and stress. Theirs so many exercises you can do to help get your breathing on point in about 3-5 weeks:) Just search up Breathing pattern disorder excercises.