So much effort to breathe! Anyone else?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi,
I'm still trying to figure out my breathing issues. My issue is that I need SOOO much effort to have a satisfying deep breath. My ribs and diaphragm breathing muscles feel sore from trying so hard. I feel like I want to expand my chest even more than I can. I miss effortless breathing. Each inhale takes so much effort to suck the air in. I also get short of breath very easily, just by doing regular house work. My doc says it's anxiety, but also thinking some mild asthma, so we tried different puffers, but nothing is helping. I'm 36, and before this happened a few months ago, I was very healthy.
Anybody else use a lot of effort to inhale?
0 likes, 14 replies
nicole0003 dip58448
Posted
i feel exactly the same... ive had anxiety for years but i got covid in october and since then even tho nt symptoms were mild digestive problems.. i feel so out of breath now a days... some days im ok but days like today i feel like i cant catch my breath... they say anxiety... i have a cardiologist appt soon... other than that.. its so hard to breath... sometimes... the other night i was laying in bed and it felt weird like if id skip a breath and id have to gasp for air and it was off and on til i passed out... how can anxiety cause this... sometimes i feel weak... like i cant even play a game or clean without getting out of breath and weak... im so depresed cause i want normal again... then my mind goes and goes cause i think thhe worst.... so i understand how you feel...
dip58448 nicole0003
Posted
I know how you feel, it is super frustrating! Do you just feel short of breath, or does each inhale take a lot of effort? I feel both, but the effort to inhale is the one really bothering me. I know what you mean by if I don't think about my breathing and take the next breath with effort, I feel like I would suffocate. Are you able to exercise? Anytime I even go for a walk, I get short of breath, and I can't breathe through my mouth normally - the air feels like it gets stuck in my throat. I have tried all types of inhaler, but nothing is working. I want to expand my chest more, because the inhale I'm getting doesn't seem like enough. I get very sad because right before this happenned I was very healthy, and loved exercising. And all of this just started one day. Hope we feel better soon. Keep us updated about what happens at your cardiology appointment and if you find anything that helps.
nicole0003 dip58448
Posted
wow thats exactly me ... its both but some days its hard to even breath at all... and i can walk... but i cant do anybting else .. no working out cause my heart starts pounding ugly and i cant catch my breath... and what you said about feeling like the air gets caught in throat yea i feel same exact way.. its not all the time but when it happens its scary to me .. i saw a cardiologist two years ago for anixety and it was all normal... i saw her yesterday and i told her everythjng ... they did an EKG and it was normal.. and she said its more thhan likely stress and im under alot of it .. im over stressed and i need to cut stress out and drink lots of water and walk and change diet cause i have high cholesterol... i have to do all those things and see her agian in three months... i get panicky so bad i hate it ... earlier my chest felt like heavy and i felt like i couldnt breath and had to sit up.. and it felt a little better ... but anxiety can make you feel like you cant breath... i even get pains in my neck and it feels tight .. so much due to atress and anxiety
dip58448 nicole0003
Posted
omg, all of this sounds awful. So sorry Nicole. How old are you? If you have stress, than likely that is what is contributing to this. We sound very similar. Only thing is I have no stress in my life, and am on summer break. Have you looked into either asthma or acid reflux as possibilities? Keep us posted about your progress.
jan34534 dip58448
Posted
anxiety definitely can cause a feeling of breathlessness or difficulty breathing. I’ve had this for over 30 years but have learned how to manage it. You really need to practice proper breathing for anxiety and practice it a lot. You can find some great practice on YouTube if you just search for breathing for anxiety or mindfulness breathing for anxiety anything like that.
dip58448 jan34534
Posted
Thanks Jan. Each breath seems to require so much effort. It seems strange that it would be anxiety. I will try to look up some of these breathing exercises.
moira43918 dip58448
Posted
I have this for years. I have been told im concentrating too much on my breathing!! It is a horrible feeling as if you are not taking a full breath. I get short of breath constantly. sore chest and back. ive been told to try and ignore the feeling to want to take deep breath and just take a small breath. ive tried this and all i feel is if im suffocating. . it is so nasty
dip58448 moira43918
Posted
thank you for sharing. I can't imagine living with this for years. Has anything helped a little? Any breathing techniques or have you tried meds? I don't know anyone in my life who has this, and sometimes I feel so unlucky to have this strange affliction.
moira43918 dip58448
Posted
OMG. I've tried everything. Counselling, meds, mindfulness apps. Everything ive tried only helps for a short time. Been on and off meds for years. The only thing i find helps me is diazapam but i can only take a certain amount of them. I drink too much alcohol because i then forget about how im feeling. i still manage to hold down a full time pressurised career with 3 kids. im not saying drinking to total excess but enough to help me sleep. It is absolute s**t. mx
dip58448 moira43918
Posted
I'm so sorry that nothing has been working for you. I find that once our brain is thinking about breathing, it can't stop thinking about it. It really is so strange. I find the only time I feel better is when I sleep. So I sleep a lot! But I have lost all my energy, motivation and excitement for life. I actually had something similar when I was 18, but after a few years, it slowly faded away and was almost completely gone for the last 12 years. I am hoping that happens again. I can't say I did anything specific to make it go away. Just kept living my life, and it slowly got better. Hope that happens for you too!
moira43918 dip58448
Posted
It is a nasty illness to have. I am 50 and suffered on and off since I was 18. Didn't know what the hell was wrong with me do didn't say anything. Because of it i have missed out on a lot of thingsn which i know if i just pushed myself i would enjoy ie birthday parties, weddings etc. It is always there in the background but this breathing thing is horrible. I can listen to the breathing apps on my headphones at night and fall asleep but its not so easy at work when your at work. Just going through the motions every day. It is no way to live. Are u in the UK?
dip58448 moira43918
Posted
I'm in Canada. I know what you mean by how it makes life extremely difficult. Breathing difficulties affects everything, and really takes over your life. Have you tried any asthma or reflux meds? I'm trying some now. Will keep in touch if anything helps.
dawn81303 dip58448
Posted
i use to have this a few years ago all day and night i couldnt breath properly i felt like a couldnt get my deep breath then ad be dizzi through breathing wrong .. i use to think i had asma but turned out it was all anxiety it lasted months it was horrible and one day it just went .. i do get the odd day tho were i have this attack but it usually goes again ..
dip58448 dawn81303
Posted
omg, makes me feel so much better reading this Dawn. It feels just like severe asthma. Even at rest, I feel breathless, like I'm suffocating with no air. Every inhale is so much effort it's exhausting. I can't even go for walks without getting uncomfortable. The thing is, I don't feel very anxious, and I have no stress - just extremely frustrated with this symptom. Did you do anything to make this go away? And did you feel anxious when you had this symptom? I am try meds now for asthma and GERD, but they are not helping. Any advice on how to deal with this, because I can't live with this much longer. Thanks!