Feel like I'm suffocating...please help!

[Lucky07]

Hi,

Please help....

I'm a 29 y/o f with anxiety disorder and mild hypertension and for the past year I've had this "air hunger" feeling come and go. Somedays worse than others and somedays don't have it at all. I've had it now for a week straight and it's the worst it's ever been. I feel like I'm going to die of suffocation. I keep yawning but it hurts because I can't get a satisfying yawn. I havn't been sleeping much because of it. It seems to be worse when I am just sitting around "relaxing" but I'm feeling it all the time.

My dr said I was fine and that it's probably chest soreness and to take ibuprofen.

I went to to the ER a few months ago when it was really bad and pulse ox was 100%, chest xray clear, dr told me it was caused by the atenolol and probably anxiety too.

Couple months after that I went to a cardiologist. He said I was fine (didn't do any tests other than cholesterol which was great), but that atenolol can uncover asthma in some people and to get on another blood pressure drug and that I didn't need to see a cardiologist.

So I finally decided to wean off the atenolol, boy that was fun. :( I was off it for a month, bp was actually great, but I started getting more and more anxious, GERD flaired up and also got the air hunger bad. So it's not from the atenolol. I am starting the atenolol again.

Should I see the doctor again? I'm so scared I could be dying of lung disease or heart failure or something terrible. I took a half of a lorazepam last night and felt about 70% better and was able to sleep for a couple hours.

I've been reading on this site about hyperventilating so I've been trying to do the tummy breathing and it helps a little, but this seems too bad to just be caused by breathing wrong.

[doglover]

Hi
I dont know if this helps but I have been suffering from chest tightness and feeling i cant take a deep breath on and off for over a year now. Sometimes it lasts for days. I have been told its the chest muscles being affected by all the tension i hold in my back as all the muscles are closley connected. Sometimes the chest wall hurts if i press it in certain areas but not always.
There are some stretches which can help. One is to stand infront of a doorway. Put your hands either side of the door frame at chest height and walk through the door keeping you hands on the frame until you can feel the stretch across your chest. Hold that position for about 30 seconds and repeat.
This doesnt solve my problem completely but does help. The more you think about the breathing the worse it gets, I know!
Hope this may help you too.
Donna

[Lucky07]

That's interesting because my chest wall is sore in places, if I push on it it really hurts. I will try the stretches. Thanks!

[belle]

Hi there..

For the last 10 - 12 weeks i have had the worst hyperventilation
i've ever experienced. I can be sitting on my sofa, not at all panicky, anxious and then suddenly i will start to need to take deep breaths and then that will get more frequent and suddenly its like i simply cannot take any breath in - at all!!!

I am awaiting tests on my heart etc. Its got so bad i am scared to go out just in case i can't get my breath.

Its a horrible thing.

x