Is this anxiety?

[anx mum]

Im really struggling at mo feels like i cant breath proply been in tears most of today. Feels like im not getting enough air? This is affecting my life is this anxiety?

[lleksam]

This is a common symptom of stress and anxiety. Try not focusing on it or some breathing exercises.

[nomorepanic]

This is from the symptoms website page on here:

Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation means over-breathing which is caused by the sufferer breathing faster then needed. This may be apparent by feeling very short of breath or you may not be aware of it at all.
In this way the body's balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen is disturbed.
Hyperventilation can lead to Panic because you start to breathe quicker and shallowly and this results in you breathing out more carbon dioxide than the body produces, thus keeping the carbon dioxide level in the blood stream too low.
Without enough carbon dioxide to maintain the acid/base balance of the body, the blood becomes too alkaline, a condition known as "blood alkalosis." Alkalosis causes the arteries to constrict, with the result that blood flow is restricted, especially to the brain. Although the blood contains plenty of oxygen, alkalosis also prevents the essential transfer of oxygen from the blood to the brain, muscles, and organs, as has been frequently verified in panic attack victims who have gone to the emergency room. This is known as the "Bohr Effect" and has long been recognized by those who study hyperventilation.
Under these circumstances, the oxygen available to the brain is reduced drastically. At first your vision begins to blur. The typical sufferer reports feeling dizzy, tense, anxious, jittery, and nervous. The sufferer often feels like crying, and feels weak and confused. Starved for oxygen, the sufferer feels as if they are suffocating.
As the condition worsens, the brain gets more confused and sends the wrong messages. One wrong message sent is the need to breathe even more deeply, which worsens the problem.
The heart is pounding by now, increasing (or lowering) blood pressure. Pupils dilate, parts of the face, hands, and feet become cold or numb, the hands tremble, and the sufferer sweats. Chest pain may be present. This is usually related to chest breathing and muscle spasms in the chest wall, but in some cases may be actual heart pain.
Another symptom directly resulting from this is tingling in fingers and toes. A sure sign of hyperventilation. The numbness is a symptom that its hard to get used to , why 3 fingers and not the whole hand or just the right side and not the left etc. This often leads people to self diagnosing strokes and fits whereas this is just hyperventilation and extremely easy to correct.
Hyperventilation is not a serious medical condition as the body will automatically readjust when you let it. However, the sensations are extremely unpleasant and frightening. In many cases the sufferer has lost the ability to control their breathing correctly and this can be remedied by re-learning a correct method of breathing , from the abdomen and longer the out breath (count of 11) than the in one (on count of 7) and as slow as you can make it.
8 breaths a minute is adequate for healthy adults at rest.
If you find that you cannot control your breathing then breathe into a paper bag or cup your hands over your mouth and breathe through them , as if it's really cold out , it does work and only takes a couple of minutes to take effect! Friends and family can help you by counting in and out for you.
Many articles on panic will tell you that although you may feel dizzy you will not faint. That's mostly true but in reality a very few people who cannot control the hyperventilation may faint which is the body's way of taking back control so it can redress the o2- co2 balance. The good news is that if you've not fainted by the time you read this it's most very likely that you will not do so. If this is going to happen, it happens on the first panic attack. If you have not fainted to date you will not start to do so - especially now you know what to do.

[nicola1980]

Hey hun, have u tried breathing into a paper bag?? hold it over ur nose and mouth and take deep breaths, this is def a sign of anxiety ive often had it xx

[AllInMyHead]

Or if you haven't got a paper bag, just try putting your hands together and cupping them gently over your nose and mouth. It's not quite as good, but it's better than nothing.

Concentrate on breathing slowly rather than deeply. If you're using your hands, concentrate on gently blowing the air out on to your hands. This gives you something to focus on, and takes your attention away from your breathing and gives your body a bit of space to sort itself out. x

[anx mum]

Thank u all so much for your comments will try and calm down

[nicola1980]

Have u used one of ur diazepam to help calm u down hun? xx

[anx mum]

yeah always bad around 2pm take 7mg makes me sleepy dunno dont seem to work anymore dont think what wrks for u?

[nicola1980]

I started citalopram 6 weeks ago which i think (fingers crossed) is starting to help! I take 2mg of diazepam if i need it, sometimes i need to take 4mg at once for it help, r u taking any other meds? xx

[anx mum]

god i have a list sertaline, pregablin, propanel,diazpam,olananpine

[nicola1980]

maybe u need to try something else if they don't seem to be helping u? have u explained to ur doc how ur feeling still even with being on all these meds? x

[anx mum]

yeh dunno to ask for an ecg as got a gym membership and scared