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
saran73323 luke08690
Posted
Any idea ? any one got out of this issue ?
i am struggling for the past 3 months ...
Initially it started heavy , there after its like i am always able to sense i have shortness of breath
can some one help in this how to over come ?
I tried to restrict myself to this forum instead of googling all over as we all are in the same page.
its better if we get the remedy for this . its not allowing me to concentrate on my regular work , watching tv etc .
how do we do this when breathing sensation is there ....
nicole89934 luke08690
Posted
have you guys found any solutions? i have been on lexapro and haven't noticed a difference yet and i don't know what it could be. doctors are telling me it could be anxiety also. i do have a question for you guys. do you sometimes have chest pain for a little with it? also, do you feel that on some days it is worse than others? thank you in advance.
saran73323 luke08690
Posted
Exactly i have the same thing. its kind of not allowing me to sleep
any one got any cure ? what to do ? i am also searching searching
this looks like its not a problem so there wont be any answers
its up to the individual to not to think and relax like cool manner
but i have this always.
any break through ?
for me all started due to covid news. I never expected our mind will grasp this much negative
sorry to write more . any ideas how to get out of it ?
tori13596 luke08690
Posted
HI everyone... i have had anxiety off an on since i was 10...i am 35 now. i was on zoloft for about 2 years and it helped so much, i started feeling so good and got off of it... i have been fine for almost 2 years with maybe a little anxious feelings here and there from time to time.... last week something triggered me and i had a full on anxiety attack...now i have been short of breath 24/7, its awful. As soon as i wake up in the morning my first thought is "can i breath" and if i try to take a deep breath unsuccesfully , i immediatly have a racing heart and my whole body gets a hot sensation. i called my doctor and she put me back on zoloft, but zoloft takes a good two weeks to start working and after googling it shows that zoloft can actually make your symptoms worse in the first few weeks..... im on day 6 now of zoloft and i cant say i have been feeling any better yet... the best i felt in the last 6 days is actually right now after reading that im not the only one with this awful feeling of chest tightness, and shortness of breath, I was wondering if this all has something to do with the pandemic (covid19)..... i didnt feel like the pandemic was bothering me but I guess deep down maybe it is. my doctor also gave me .25 xanax... i started panicking even more after taking one because in the past taking one would completely calm me down.... with this going on one is not cutting it. I too have zero appetite, i force myself to eat something because i know i have to. the side effects of zoloft are also decreased appetite. hope everyone in this group feels better. I sure hope i will soon.
saran73323 tori13596
Posted
Are you able to sleep ? i am not able to sleep at all either day time or night time even though i like to sleep.
How to control this ?
tori13596 saran73323
Posted
hi saran sleep is not great... i doze off more or less... so last night i went to bed around midnight and woke up at 3 and then again at 7, I guess thats better than nothing.... are you taking any anti anxiety meds? i know zoloft effects your sleep in the beginning and thats where i am right now... im on day 7 today...
saran73323 tori13596
Posted
oh .. i think you are bit better than me. i am almost 2 months
first month we went and took all the xray ecg etc . All are ok .
this month with back to my family homeopathy doctor. but he says its in my hand only.
i dont take any tablets
10 PM to 3 AM sleep ; after 3 PM no sleep
or
no sleep till 12AM , then sleep till 3 AM. after that no sleep
Mainly during this time i woke up and i dont know what i am doing
mind is in fear and keep checking i want to sleep , whether morning came ?
loosing confidence , not able to concentrate on work . shortness of breath sensation always there.
Dont know . doctor says there is no problem in my body . but this anxiety is causing all these. they say it will reduce slowly .
How are you coping with this ? managing tricks any ?
leanne51754 tori13596
Posted
hi im suffering also have you got any better x
Breathhelp saran73323
Posted
Ive had this 24/7 shortness of breath and air hunger for 15 months now after a bunch of stressful situations caused a few horribe psnic attacks and now its never gone away. Ive been doing belly breathing exercises and meditation. After reading that amitriptyline helped someone by the name of Austin11 and others on this patient portal recover, as well as reading a case study from the Mayo Clinic that this med. cured hyperventilation syndrome, Ive started this medication. I started on 10 mg and my shaking and feeling of doom went away, as well as a tight throat. my chest tightness is getting a little better. I read that the person who had success with it was on 30 mg for 6 months before very slowly getting off of it.
tori13596 luke08690
Edited
HI everyone... i have had anxiety off an on since i was 10...i am 35 now. i was on zoloft for about 2 years and it helped so much, i started feeling so good and got off of it... i have been fine for almost 2 years with maybe a little anxious feelings here and there from time to time.... last week something triggered me and i had a full on anxiety attack...now i have been short of breath 24/7, its awful. As soon as i wake up in the morning my first thought is "can i breath" and if i try to take a deep breath unsuccesfully , i immediatly have a racing heart and my whole body gets a hot sensation. i called my doctor and she put me back on zoloft, but zoloft takes a good two weeks to start working and after googling it shows that zoloft can actually make your symptoms worse in the first few weeks..... im on day 6 now of zoloft and i cant say i have been feeling any better yet... the best i felt in the last 6 days is actually right now after reading that im not the only one with this awful feeling of chest tightness, and shortness of breath, I was wondering if this all has something to do with the pandemic (covid19)..... i didnt feel like the pandemic was bothering me but I guess deep down maybe it is. my doctor also gave me .25 xanax... i started panicking even more after taking one because in the past taking one would completely calm me down.... with this going on one is not cutting it. I too have zero appetite, i force myself to eat something because i know i have to. the side effects of zoloft are also decreased appetite. hope everyone in this group feels better. I sure hope i will soon.
leanne51754 tori13596
Posted
hi im suffering also hiw are you feeling with it now x
saran73323 luke08690
Posted
Thanks a lot. Hope your will power is more . my doctor says its in my hand only .
Till now i see solution is within our hand not with doctors or any medicines .
But its really tricky as mind will keep thinking lot. I am trying all these , but not sure when i get my break though.
Mich_1987 luke08690
Edited
READ CAREFULLY!!!
No one seems to look his personal messages and all the comments.
I have found the solution so please read!!!
First thing you have to try is an anti acid pills for a week- e.g. omeprazole and if the shortness of breath goes away it means that you have acid reflux.
Second thing is that you go and give a blood sample and you have to be sure that you iron is in normal quantity. If it's low that can cause shortness of breath.
Third thing is ANXIETY!!!
That's the most probable cause of your problems. It took me years to find the right antidepressant to cure this!
Before you try an antidepressant try for two weeks to take magnesium with vitamin b6 in it and a suplement called 5-htp. If this does not help you will have to take an antidepressant to cure this. If the solutions above does not help contact me with personal message and I will try to help you.
IMPORTANT!!!
Don't take antidepressants before consulting with a doctor!
emma85053 Mich_1987
Posted
hi !!
yes please help me, i am on antidepressents and my iron is normal and clear what is 5 htp?
Mich_1987 emma85053
Posted
Since you are on antidepressant you don't need 5htp.
You need to change the antidepressant since is not working for you.
What antidepressant you are taking?
grace1616 Mich_1987
Posted
hi, what antidepressant worked for you?
emma85053 Mich_1987
Posted
hey mitch im taking venaflaxine sandoz!
anything else ??
Mich_1987 emma85053
Posted
hi Emma, maybe you mean Venlafaxine 😃
It depends on your symptoms.
How are you feeling now?
For how long you are taking the pills?
In what dose?
emma85053 Mich_1987
Posted
been taking these for about 4 months
not as bad as it used to be but its still there its so uncomfortable
Mich_1987 emma85053
Posted
Since it's better you are not taking the right dose. Also it will be great if you take also magnesium with vitamin B12 it will help a lot. Also check your blood iron levels.
Breathhelp Mich_1987
Posted
Hi! what antidepressant did you take? Is your shortness of breath gone?
Im currently on amitriptyline. I started 10 mg two weeks ago and jist moved up two nights ago to 20 mg. Because of my nervous system having gone on overdrive, my iron and vitamin d are really low so im now on iron and vitamin d suppliments.
Mich_1987 Breathhelp
Posted
Hi 😃
I am on venlafaxine, but this does not mean that you should be as well.... First of all, having low iron and vitamine D, is one of the main reasons for your shortness of breath. Note, that it is very hard to bring your iron levels to normal.... it could take months, so first bring your iron levels and vitamine D to normal and then decide on the antidepressant. Also two weeks is a short period for the low dose to be felt. Now when your dose is higher, see for your self, how you will feel after a week or so.
Breathhelp Mich_1987
Posted
Thank you for responding to me! It seems like people have two different breathing issues. They either have "air hunger", which is the feeling they cant get a full deep breath or they have "shortness of breath" where they feel like they are over breathing and out of breath like one feels when they walk up the hill. What did you experience? Air Hunger or Shortness of Breath?
I mostly feel out of breath from what I think is over breathing. Ive tried reduced breathing exercises where I hold my breath to try and slow my breathing but it did nothing. Im now doing biofeedback exercises with belly breathing breathing and that hasnt helped either. Do you suggest just trying to ignore it? Im now on 20 mg of Amitriptyline for 2 weeks and still no change in my breathing. The only positive change was my tightness in my throat (globus) went away. Im taking iron, vitamin D3 still to bring up those two levels that was low for me. I also added vitamin c with flavanoids.
If im overbreathing do you think biofeedback exercises where I breath in deep and breath out deep for 20 minutes twice a day will help or do you think it will make it worse? I doctor gave me these exercises saying shortness of breath is from shallow breathing, but I thought I was overbreathing if Im out of breath. Thank you for your help!
Mich_1987 Breathhelp
Posted
So, first of all, you have to try to ignore this feeling, since it's giving false signals to your brain and you are over breathing.
The excersises are very good thing since they teach you how to breath properly and change the pattern.
My advice is to give the excersises and the medicine 2 weeks and if you see that there is no change, then you can contact me and I will give you some additional suggestions...... Try to keep yourself concentrated in a game or movie and see if the shortness of breath goes away.
Breathhelp Mich_1987
Posted
Mich_1987- May I ask how long did you suffer from shortness of breath?
Did you feel it all day regardless if you wete sitting or was it only when you moved around?
Was it a feeling like you get when you just walked up a long flight of steps, when you ate out of breath? Or was it more like you couldnt get a deep breath in?
Did you do breathing exercises, and if so what and how often?
Did the shortness of breath come back ever again?
Thanks for giving me information on how exactly it was for you.
Mich_1987 Breathhelp
Posted
I've suffered 3 years, and it was constant, no matter if I am sitting or moving around.
The only time that I was not getting short of breath was if I am sleeping or concentrated in a game..... I know the feeling and it is horrible..... For me the feeling was that I am under water and my breath is running out.... Also I was not able to get a deep breath.... It was like I have a barrier in my lungs..... About the breathing exercises, I got them from one yoga class and the goal of this breathing exercises is to change your breathing pattern, because I suspect that you are over breathing like me..... thinking that you are not getting enough air, but this are false signals from your brain. The shortness of breath is coming from time to time for a minute or so when I am anxious to remind me that I have to change 😃 I feel your pain and I know how unlogical and horrible this is..... Be sure that you/we will find a way to cure this......
Breathhelp Mich_1987
Posted
I know for sure I am overbreathing and for that reason I dont feel that Im not getting enough air. Instead I feel like I am getting too much air because I feel every breath in is too deep and its starting in my stomach and all the way up to my chest. The way one breaths extra heavy when they are walking up a hill but since Im not, I feel out of breath all day. It feels like everyone on this forum feels like they cant get a deep breath in their lungs except me. I hope this dont mean I have some weird breathing pattern thats not curable like the way you cured yourself.
Can you tell me what your yoga teacher taught you to do, and how often you did it each day to end the overbreathing?
Also, when you werent doing the yoga exercises did you intentionally not try to overbreath the rest of the day, or did you just allow your body to breath the way it wants to and you just tried to ignore it best you can?
I apologize for all the questions. I just feel like nobody in my family or my doctors understand how debilitating this is.