Hyperventilation

[meche]

Ok - I'm confused. I wrote another thread a few days ago regarding not being able to get enough air into my lungs and taking huge forced breaths which have now left me achy and exhausted. This has got worse over the weekend so I reluctantly phoned the doctor this morning who tells me what I'm describing to her is hyperventilation - basically I'm over breathing. I always associated hyperventilation with panic attacks and increased heart rate - of which I have neither. She told me if I wasn't getting enough air into my lungs then I would know - I would feel confused and my symptoms would be more serious. Apparantly, once you get into a cycle of deep breathing it's very hard to break. I'm not doubting her expert opinion but a) why is it only one side (she didn't know or seem concerned) & b) why has it happened so suddenly. She's asked me to do some breathing exercises which I will do and if it doesn't clear up within a few days to make a routine appointment for a checkover. Has anybody had any experience of this? xx

[PokerFace]

Yea I used to hyperventilate without knowing it all the time, still do occasionally! I don't worry about it anymore because I know what it feels like and what it is.

When it was at it's worst, I'd be lying in bed literally feeling like I couldn't breathe, like I couldn't get any air in at all but that was because I was taking in too much air. My breathing would return to normal overnight and gradually get worse, probably starting about five minutes after I woke up.

It's a horrible feeling but it is caused by anxiety and you can hyperventilate without knowing it, as soon as you become aware of feeling like you can't breathe, do what the doctor suggested and give the breathing exercises a try, it won't be instant relief with them (in my experience) but if it doesn't help at all, do go into the docs and get a check up.

Hope you feel better soon x

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:06 ----------

I took this from the symptoms page on this website, it might help you understand :) http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/symptoms/

Breathing/Shortness of breath

The hyperventilation as above plus your bronchial tubes dilate thus requiring more air than usual to fill the lungs so feels that it's taking more effort to breathe - it is , you're taking in more air at each breath.

What you feel:

You feel that your breathing is forced and laboured. You become conscious of how you are breathing and you have a hard time catching your breath. It seems like you have to force yourself to breathe, in fear that if you don't, you'll stop breathing and die. Or, for no apparent reason, you feel out of breath and find yourself doing an unusual amount of yawning in an attempt to catch your breath.

What causes this:

When stress biology changes the body, it quickens the breathing and respiration so that the individual is ready for immediate action. Unfortunately, this also means that the breathing becomes shallow in nature (unless we are physically exerting the body such as running, fighting, swimming, etc.) which results in the body not getting enough oxygen. That's why we feel out of breath. This is a natural occurring biological outcome resulting from stress biology.

Sometimes this symptom will be persistent from day to day, and other times it may appear for awhile, then disappear. Both are common. Once the nervous system calms down, you breathing will return to normal.
Also, because breathing is an automatic bodily function, you'll never have to worry about not breathing. Your body does it automatically. It may be shallow, but you'll always get enough oxygen.
Regular exercise helps to maintain regular breathing patterns.
As with all symptoms, when the nervous system gets sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and eventually subside

[meche]

Sorry PokerFace - I only picked up on your reply today! Thank you very much. I really needed to read that this morning because I was seriously thinking about making another doctor appointment. The breathing exercises are helping temporarily but I still have a feeling of fullness in my left lung. It feels like when I take a deep breath in and expand my lungs, the left lung doesn't deflate when I breath out - it's SO uncomfortable. Occassionally I can get a good breath of fresh air but not very often.
And you're spot on; the only time I get any relief from it is when I'm asleep but within a few minutes of being awake it starts all over again. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding it because I haven't been anxious at all lately and it was only last week I noticed I was doing it. Obviously I'm anxious now :wacko:! I'll give it another few days and see if there is any improvement. Again - thank you. xx