Breathing Problems - Anyone can help?

[pharoah84]

Hello.

I'm in my late 20s.
Slim.
No health issues. Perhaps some sinus issues but done all the tests to rule out heart, lungs problems etc.
Not as fit as I used to be due to breathlessness on exercise.

Three years ago I had panic attacks for about 5 months.
Since then I've had persistent sighing, yawning and gasping for air.
Generally I feel massively fatigued that my heart and lungs and chest muscles are too tired to breathe.

Doctors say this breathlessness and air hunger is due to stress and anxiety.
I find it hard to believe since it's not relieved by rest or food or anything else.
I do find it hard to relax, even with things I used to enjoy because it bothers me even at rest and when I'm still.

If anyone out there has experienced something like this or heard about it, can you please let me know more about it or refer me on to information.
I want to find ways to resolve it. I've tried breathing exercises but always seems to be so temporary.

I've listed my symptoms here to understand where I'm coming from.
- persistent need to get a full breath and stretch/relax the chest and body
- yawning compulsively (as a way to achieve that relaxation),
- gagging when yawns are a strain to get full breath.
- yawns, gags, sighs and trying to get a full breath can feel like nerves at the back of throat, chest are insensitive and get numb from trying to breathe and just feel dissatisfied
- tired, weak chest and back muscles (maybe from breathing so hard)
- when tired, posture is poor
- tiredness makes it hard to talk, walk, do active things, just feel out of breath all the time. talking feels like losing air, can leave me yawning.

- abdominal bloating, gas, belching, intermittent long term diarrhoea
- restless sitting because i want a full satisfying breath
- chest and throat feels numb and fuzzy and wants to breathe, stretch and feel relaxed/calm.

- lying flat can be difficult to breathe fully to expand chest and relax
- restless sleep
- occasional gasping during sleep
- can feel chest numbness some nights with weak pulse, slow lagging breaths
- can awaken with numb, tingling limbs / pins and needles
- can get low blood pressure

ultimately, it feels like i need to breathe deep every so often to kick start my energy, wakefulness and heart. very draining.

[Anxious_gal]

Have you had your iron and b12 tested?
It's important to get both done.
If the levels are low it can cause a lot of symptoms.
The main ones being feeling tired, grumpy, forgetful, breathless, headaches, mouth sores, hair loss, early grey hairs, brittle nails, tummy issues, weightloss.

With me my heart palpitations which I'm told are harmless make me feel out of breath like I just went for a run.

I don't know if tyroid issues can cause it, but it's common to have it tested too if you have anxiety.

You can be too high in iron as well, but that's a gentic thing and your parents would have had it.

I would suggest taking a b vitamin suppliment or a multi vitamin in case you're low in anything else.
Probiotics and omega 3 are very good too for anxiety.

What tests have you had done?
I had my chest x-ray, blood work, stress test, ECG, heart Ecco.
I felt like I wasn't breathing right, my throat/neck felt weird.
Went to doctor who heard my palpitations, he sent me off for tests.

It might be anxiety but it might be something simple too such as being low on vitamins :)

A lot of people here who only have anxiety have breathing issues I've seen lots of posts in relation to the yawning you speak of.

[pharoah84]

thanks anxious gal.
i've had pretty much everything tested and it all comes back normal.
all blood tests are ok. incl. magnesium, iron, b12, chromium, glucose. etc.
even had sex hormones measured, they're fine too.
i've had echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, spirometry, bronchial provocation, sleep study and pulmonary exercise test (stress test).

besides the sleep study noting restless sleep, which in turn would make me tired through the day, the stress test was the only significant one that affected breathing.

at the 8 minute mark i started to get breathing trouble. massive chest breathing, short of breath, numb, confused about breathing, breath-holding. they're hideous symptoms and sensations.

the specialist's remarks were to improve sleep, talk to a counsellor and a possible de-conditioning - but this last one i find hard to believe.

i do find i harbour a lot of frustration and worry when it manifests itself in a physical symptom like breathing - i just didn't think it would affect breathing?

have you ever had breathing trouble?
what do you know about how people deal with it?..i'm still browsing through the posts..
because of abdominal issues (which i was told can occur as a result of stress and also a hyperthyroid), the doctor told me to take a probiotic until the stool sample and thyroid is redone.

how does the omega 3 help?

[Martin68]

Hi pharoh84

This sounds like a problem I had related to a GERD/Gastritis type episode, I found it hard to get a deep breath for days weeks even, would wake up at night with elevated heart rate, only relieved by walking which made me burp until I was able to breath normally for a few hours, turned out it was because my stomach was so bloated, that it was affecting my lungs, very common apparently. Fixed by a course of nexium never happened since. All your tests look good, so I really wouldn't worry actually I would love to have your test results.

Martin

[Annie0904]

Your list sounds very much like mine and I put it all down to anxiety.