ChildOfTheKing
07-04-17, 17:08
Hello all,
I've been dealing with general anxiety for a few months now & one of the most prominent symptoms is constantly feeling like I can't breathe enough or am not breathing deep enough, like every breath feels pathetic. Second most prominent symptoms is a lightheaded feeling whether it's dizziness or feeling disconnected most of the day. When I feel especially distressed about these sensations I feel awful. My heart will randomly pound as well which is usually when I feel very distressed. I've had so many medical tests over the last 3 months including blood tests, ECG, echo cardiogram, spirometry, head & neck MRI, and chest x-ray. All are normal, the only thing being that 2 months ago I was found to be *slightly* anemic during my hospital stay (RBCs dipped a little under at the last blood draw, before in those couple of days at the hospital I had a lot of blood drawn vials upon vials for tests & was on an IV the whole time plus started my period which is likely why) but the doctor said not enough to cause symptoms. So I've been taking iron. I'll be getting another CBC in ten days to check up.
I've been going for CBT & counseling to combat my anxiety and it has been helpful. I am able to step out more in public than before (though very anxious) where as before I was scared to even get out of my room. I go to the gym almost daily and typically exercise for a total of an hour with a break for water & bathroom at the 30 minute mark. I had a job interview earlier this week which went better than I thought it would even though I was absolutely frightened & felt the room was spinning.
That being said I still can't shake certain symptoms and one of the big ones is this obsession with my breathing. As said before it feels like I can't breathe enough & need more air, my chest & stomach feel tight, sometimes my chest will hurt, I think I manually breathe a lot. I wake up & moments later the thought of breathing comes to my mind and we are off for the day. The few moments in-between where I don't think about it I don't feel bothered but it's like my mind goes "hi you're not thinking about your breathing" and then the cycle just continues. Even when I'm working out I still think about it except I can't really control it because when you're speed walking, running, or biking, you can't really take control. I mean clearly I don't have a breathing issue if I'm able to exercise without keeling over? I think this obsession contributes to the lightheadedness i feel most of the day as well. Anyone else have this problem?
And then yesterday I got really freaked out. I was on the treadmill and was slowly working into a run as I usually do. Once I was running I felt good & like I could go faster & longer, so I picked up the speed on the machine. I hadn't really been running in months so the last couple of weeks or so I've been working it back in. My breathing picked up and the impact from my feet was greater and all of a sudden I couldn't feel my heart pounding in my chest like I usually do when running. I checked my pulse on my neck and also checked my heart rate on the machine through my hands which ranged from 160-170 BPM. As freaked out as I was I kept running for about a minute more and then slowed down to a walk, though my chest still felt odd as if I couldn't feel my heart beating even though I still had a pulse. I stopped at 30 minutes as usual and felt very anxious like I was going to have a panic attack or faint (I never faint so thinking that's the anxiety) went to the locker room to drink water and calm myself a bit. After about 15 minutes I walked back out and got on the bike rather than back on the treadmill and went for another 30 minutes more. Anyone else ever encounter this? I freaked out thinking that maybe the tests missed something but I think I'm just hyperaware maybe? I just got over my costochondritis flaring up sometimes when I run, which I'm sure is muscular because when I press I can recreate the pain. Now this has me freaked!
I've been dealing with general anxiety for a few months now & one of the most prominent symptoms is constantly feeling like I can't breathe enough or am not breathing deep enough, like every breath feels pathetic. Second most prominent symptoms is a lightheaded feeling whether it's dizziness or feeling disconnected most of the day. When I feel especially distressed about these sensations I feel awful. My heart will randomly pound as well which is usually when I feel very distressed. I've had so many medical tests over the last 3 months including blood tests, ECG, echo cardiogram, spirometry, head & neck MRI, and chest x-ray. All are normal, the only thing being that 2 months ago I was found to be *slightly* anemic during my hospital stay (RBCs dipped a little under at the last blood draw, before in those couple of days at the hospital I had a lot of blood drawn vials upon vials for tests & was on an IV the whole time plus started my period which is likely why) but the doctor said not enough to cause symptoms. So I've been taking iron. I'll be getting another CBC in ten days to check up.
I've been going for CBT & counseling to combat my anxiety and it has been helpful. I am able to step out more in public than before (though very anxious) where as before I was scared to even get out of my room. I go to the gym almost daily and typically exercise for a total of an hour with a break for water & bathroom at the 30 minute mark. I had a job interview earlier this week which went better than I thought it would even though I was absolutely frightened & felt the room was spinning.
That being said I still can't shake certain symptoms and one of the big ones is this obsession with my breathing. As said before it feels like I can't breathe enough & need more air, my chest & stomach feel tight, sometimes my chest will hurt, I think I manually breathe a lot. I wake up & moments later the thought of breathing comes to my mind and we are off for the day. The few moments in-between where I don't think about it I don't feel bothered but it's like my mind goes "hi you're not thinking about your breathing" and then the cycle just continues. Even when I'm working out I still think about it except I can't really control it because when you're speed walking, running, or biking, you can't really take control. I mean clearly I don't have a breathing issue if I'm able to exercise without keeling over? I think this obsession contributes to the lightheadedness i feel most of the day as well. Anyone else have this problem?
And then yesterday I got really freaked out. I was on the treadmill and was slowly working into a run as I usually do. Once I was running I felt good & like I could go faster & longer, so I picked up the speed on the machine. I hadn't really been running in months so the last couple of weeks or so I've been working it back in. My breathing picked up and the impact from my feet was greater and all of a sudden I couldn't feel my heart pounding in my chest like I usually do when running. I checked my pulse on my neck and also checked my heart rate on the machine through my hands which ranged from 160-170 BPM. As freaked out as I was I kept running for about a minute more and then slowed down to a walk, though my chest still felt odd as if I couldn't feel my heart beating even though I still had a pulse. I stopped at 30 minutes as usual and felt very anxious like I was going to have a panic attack or faint (I never faint so thinking that's the anxiety) went to the locker room to drink water and calm myself a bit. After about 15 minutes I walked back out and got on the bike rather than back on the treadmill and went for another 30 minutes more. Anyone else ever encounter this? I freaked out thinking that maybe the tests missed something but I think I'm just hyperaware maybe? I just got over my costochondritis flaring up sometimes when I run, which I'm sure is muscular because when I press I can recreate the pain. Now this has me freaked!