Feel breathless after throat infection

[Lily83]

Hi Everyone. I'm new and have been reading this forum for a few weeks now trying to find someone who had a similar situation to me.

I am a 33 year old non smoker and rarely drinks alcohol who has lived a healthy active lifestyle.

In mid June I started feeling very lethargic like I was coming down with a cold so I didn't go to the doctor as I've never been really ill. Two weeks later I started feeling a tight airway so I went to the doctor who told me I had tonsillitis. They didn't give me antibiotics and told me to gargle with salt water. Two weeks after that I called the doctor to complain that it hadn't gone down so again the doctor told me to continue gargle with salt water then it will.

A month passed and I was struggling to breathe, not only with a tight airway, but the middle of my chest started to feel tight and it was such an awful feeling, I went straight to my doctor in a panic and started crying. I know, it sounds stupid as an adult, but I really couldn't breathe. My doctor finally put me on antibiotics (phenoxymethylpenicillin) and my tonsillitis disappeared after that the week's course of taking it.

I can finally eat solids and breathe through my airway, BUT my lungs now feels like it can't take enough oxygen and my throat still feels like it has little lumps in it? What is this? This is NOT a panic attack or anxiety. My chest doesn't feel right after walking a short distance.

Am I still recovering after last week's tonsillitis? I've been to the A&E and they checked my heart with an ECG and checked for any lumps on my neck and asked a whole bunch of questions. The hospital doctor said my throat still looks a little red so he believes it's just a throat infection.

What is this and what should I do? I'm at such a loss and living alone in the UK while my family is living abroad and all my close friends are travelling so I'm all alone for a few months and I'm so scared! Please help?

Am I still recovering from the infection after finishing my antibiotics a few days ago? How does tonsillitis affect the lungs? :weep:

PS: I'm waiting for my blood test results I did for Thyroid disorder and Glandular Fever.

[Beckybecks]

Tonsillitis can take weeks to recover from, not to mention the effect the antibiotics can have on your system. So give yourself more time to recover.

If the doctor has checked you over and you've been to a & e and had the all clear I think you should trust them.

I know you said that you feel it's not due to anxiety but breathing problems are VERY common with anxiety sufferers.

Being alone when you're unwell can be difficult and a worrying time. You may be focusing too much on your breathing which would make it feel worse. I've done this myself.

Give yourself some time to recover from your llnesses and try to relax and distract your mind. I know it's not easy but if you can accept its due to anxiety you'll be half way to recovering .

[Lily83]

I had my heart checked with an ECG, a lung x-ray, and blood tests. All normal!

The hospital doctor believes it's just the last stage of my throat infection and also terrible anxiety which could be affected by a mild thyroid disorder, possibly overactive thyroid. I'm still waiting for my thyroid blood test result which I should be getting sometime this week.

I'm crying all the time, really anxious and panicky, and very depressed since a month ago. I still feel like my throat is swollen and I keep swallowing. My chest pain is better, but I'm having difficulty eating and sleeping because I'm so incredibly anxious. Even going out in public now makes me incredibly anxious and panicky. Not my usual happy self :weep:

[Lily83]

Today my throat is feeling dry and tight again :(

What is happening! This is not anxiety. It's really getting to me and I can't concentrate!

I tried eating a little bit and it left me breathless. I feel like it's an allergy to something in the air!

[Lily83]

Breathing problems have now gone, but left with constant swallowing because my throat still feels a little bit inflamed and can feel a little slimy with slightly blocked ears.

It makes me panic and I get anxious so I keep swallowing.

Before this terrible throat infection that lasted six weeks, I was never like this. Now I'm so anxious all the time and I was never this sick before.

I just want this to go away so I can go back to the gym and not be afraid to go out and enjoy myself. My throat is still uncomfortable.

I'm also alone abroad which is probably why I'm feeling so anxious. I want to go home and have my family around me when I'm sick :weep:

[racdun]

Hope your feeling a bit better today. Its not easy to have no family near when your sick x

[Lily83]

Thanks. I'm feeling much better now. The only symptom that has developed after this virus is fatigue.