Breathing problems

[anx mum]

Im so worried my breathing feels all wrong if im rushing i get out of breath and sometimes find it hard to get a breath:weep: other times i feel i have no air which is really scaring me been to my gps a number of times shes done bloods and xray just waiting on results. Just wanna feel well again

[nomorepanic]

Did you try the abdominal breathing and paper bag I suggested Bev?

[eva82]

Just sent you a PM... Also did you have a chest x-ray? They gave me once when I went to the A&E with chest pain and tightness and shortness of breath (I was obviously hyperventilating since I was worried about the chest pains). It came back normal..I'm sure yours will too!! We just need to learn to relax and breathe properly again..but how?? Anyone have this issue and was able to overcome it?

[potato11]

Hi anx mum

It is a horrible feeling when your breathing is uncomfortable. Two tips that help me:

1) Your breathing is the way it is because you are anxious, NOT because something "is wrong". As hard as this is to believe, you can test it. You might feel like you "HAVE" to breathe for yourself otherwise something terrible would happen, but you can challenge this belief by holding your breath for as long as you can - and you'll find that your body FORCES you to take a breath after a short while - this shows you that you aren't "Responsible" for your breathing.

I know it is still scary and you might wonder why you feel so uncomfortable. This is where understanding of the physiology of the "fight or flight" response comes in handy. When you're anxious, your chest and stomach muscles tense - so you take fast shallow breaths. This is handy if you are about to run away and need all the extra oxygen - but if you're just sitting still or walking normally, it means your body is getting too much oxygen - which you mistakenly think 'breathing more' will help with - but it won't, because what actually needs to happen is, you need to relax your stomach - you'll feel your lungs have more room to expand then. And as your breathing becomes more relaxed, and you stop "overbreathing" your carbon dioxide/oxygen levels will gradually come back to normal in your blood, so you won't feel as desperate for air.

I learnt these techniques in CBT. Have you seen the program on NMP?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=91696

I really really recommend it. Concentrating on my breathing used to be my number one trigger for panic attacks too, but the techniques and advice Robin (one of CBT therapists who wrote the program) really helps you to understand and realise that it is panic causing it, and not some other 'sinister' problem!!

Feel free to pm me for any support :)

[hyppiegirl]

Yes this happens to me all the time thinking I cannot breathe, or that I am not getting enough oxygen look at you fingernails are they pinkish. So when I feel that way I check my fingernails and then of course they do not look right to me so then I just compare them with my sons he does not know this and I realzie it anxiety.

[anx mum]

Thank u all for your comments its a horrible symptom have had it before so shouldnt be so scared my doc has said to put a book on belly and deep breath make book rise so this is what ive been doing