Been dying of an asthma attack for about a week

[AnxiousPansa]

So basically I suffer from symptoms of trouble breathing and tight chest/throat which is I think hyperventilation. I also have stuffy nose and clogged throat from cold. But I seem to have convinced myself I have asthma. I dont weeze or cough and the trouble breathing/tight chest goes when im distracted. Yet I have got it in my head every one of these periods over the past few days (and theres been a few) is an asthma attack or the build up to a serious one. This is bearing in mind i have never been diagnosed with asthma. I went to nurse on mon but she told me its anxiety but she didnt actually check me so theres that niggly thought. Im going again next monday but im so terrifed because thses attacks seem to come from nowhere and they are quite frequent. Im so scared im going to die and was just wondering if anyone else experiences these symptoms and what they do??

[Catherine S]

Alot of anxious people suffer with this and its quite common to feel as if you can't get your breath. The nurse would have examined you for asthma if she thought it could be that. The thing is with anxiety and panic is that it feeds itself...its like a vicious cirlce. Anxiety makes us tense our muscles and that includes the chest wall muscles so its hard to take a deep breath unless we try to relax, then the muscles will relax. Adrenaline is bombing around too and that doesn't help as it produces agitation and the feeling of panic...which is what motivates us to get out of wherever we happen to be when the panic comes over us. Having a cold doesn't help though either...having a stuffy nose just makes our anx worse re the breathing fear and means you can't really do the breathing exercises to help you relax, breathing in for count of so many and out for so many etc. If you can loosen up your stuffed up nose it might ease some of your anxiety. If you don't want to use a spray try some menthol drops in hot water in a small bowl and just breathe it in. Hope you feel better soon.

ISB x

[Leslie735]

It sounds very much like anxiety. I have asthma. When I feel my asthma getting the best of me I get wheezy and start coughing. I know to go grab my inhaler and then I usually feel much better. Wheezing is usually my first symptom.