I really need help = cant breath....

[tan235]

HI all,
Well I've started this year with a full on anxiety attack.

I find tht I can't get a full breath, I have to try and breathe in deeply and feel unsatisfied then I have to yawn a few times before finally I get a full breath then 2 mins it starts again!

It normally happens at night just as I"m falling asleep and of course as I write this.

I'm at the end of my rope, I have had three outbursts over the last three times, in tears, wanting to go to A&E but I know what they will say. My Dr tested my breath and oxygen in blood last time this happened and gave me a piece of paper on hyperventilation - like that helped.

I will be clear of it for months and now it's back.
I do deep breathing from my belly - but what I end up doing is taking Xananx just so I can sleep.

I have a 3 year old, I don't want to be this person anymore.

Any ideas on how to fix it?
I honestly tried for about 4 hours last night and finally gave up at 1am after going to bed at 8pm.

It's ruining my life this not being able to breathe and I know my Dr will just say antidepressants but will they actually work or exacerbate the situation?

I've woken up exhausted and can't do this again tonight.

AT the end of my rope - any thoughts, help, advice... please?:hugs:

---------- Post added at 19:02 ---------- Previous post was at 18:40 ----------

Has anyone successfully beaten this?
Any ways to know if it is indeed something else, like asthma?

---------- Post added at 19:52 ---------- Previous post was at 19:02 ----------

Really no one?

[wnsos]

Antidepressants can help. But it's often trying out different ones cause not one thing works for everybody. Nothing harmful in giving it a go.

[AlexandriaUK]

Yes for a time then it comes back and so on and so on, as you get older you realise its exactly what your Dr says it is, hyperventilation, or as I was told over breathing, its completely harmless, what my Dr once told me was exercise till you are puffed out, what this does is similar to the paper bag use, it burns up the excess oxygen in our systems and puts breathing back into its normal rythem, do you notice that if you are really engrossed in something it doesn't happen

[tan235]

It absolutely doesn't happen if I distract myself!
Problem is is that at night time - sleep time it's awful.
I will try the exercise - I have antidepressants sitting in my cupboard - but I know I over breathe!!! It's a cruel pattern - yawn, deep breathes then that feeling comes back - try to take a deep breath and I can't - start freaking out - calm down - take a deep breathe then repeat. Grrrrrrr

[Lemondrizzle]

Do you dream you can't breathe?

[honeybun44]

Any chance you have a touch of asthma?

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi tan235

I have had this most of my life which of course is something you dont want to hear really but I haven't had much help over all these years so I am sure that you can beat it with some help from CBT maybe?

A lot of people complain about not being able to get sufficiant air and "gasp and gulp" for air, yawning and sighing. But you always do get enough air but it's frightening, isn't it?

Dr Claire Weekes talks about this in her books, I suggest you read it, it may be helpful.

Apart from that I can sympathize with you knowing how hard it is to struggle.

Take care

Elspeth
xxx

PS. If you speak to your doctor they may give you a spirometry test to check your lungs and check for asthma as well.