shortness of breath feeling

[Ethansmom]

I've been taking medication for several weeks now and it's helping a teeny bit, however I have moments where I feel winded- like I need to keep taking deep breaths. It's very distressing. Last week I was plagued with tension headaches (that's all I focused on), and now the shortness of breath is my issue. I know that I've had this before and I've even been to the doctor for this. She says it's anxiety related. How do you deal with this? I did do some deep breathing exercises last night and eventually felt asleep. The breathing is all I can focus on.

[Catherine S]

It's probably because you're focused on it that it's happening. After you fell asleep your breathing continued without your help as it always will. When you're awake the tension returns and with it all your tense muscles including chest wall muscles. Anxious and fearful people tend to shallow breathe and only use the top part of their lungs. This alters the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the blood stream and can make some people feel lightheaded and feelings of suffocation.

Breathing exercises do help but only if you do them correctly, otherwise they can make you feel worse or have no effect at all. Yoga is pretty good for teaching good breathing. Singing can also do this.

Check that it isn't a side effect of your meds too, some doctors refuse to acknowledge drug side effects and dosage.

ISB ☺

[Ethansmom]

Thank you, ISB.

[denim03]

I have this as well at times and the more I focus on my breathing the worse it gets. Breathing exercises don't really work for me either because, yet again, it puts focus on it. I only find it to be a lot better when I get distracted.

[Ethansmom]

yes, it was a lot better this afternoon. I've been at working and talking on the phone a lot, so It's a forced distraction. I hate the feeling though!

[Keli]

Hi Ethans mom - how are you getting on with this now? I have been having a similiar feeling although I think mine are palpitations? I also feel winded, like my breathing quickens without me doing anything and it's like a mini gasp for air almost, over within 2-3 seconds. Were these your symptoms too? I hope you are feeling better now.

[Frog]

I am going through a very bad phase of this at the moment. I feel like I am struggling to breathe. I know my anxiety levels are quite high for the past 2.5 months and I am feeling low. I have no motivation to do much and I am not sleeping. So, its a mixture of lots of things.

To describe it, I feel that I just can't breathe in enough...I almost get a pain in my chest area from forcing myself to breathe and I then end up trying to yawn to satisfy my needs.

My back muscles are rigid and my ribs ache.

My health anxiety is telling me its something more sinister than anxiety. :(

[Frog]

Wow, here I am again...18 months after posting the last post on this thread with the Same symptoms. I am clenching / squeezing my stomach muscles and I am experiencing similar breathing difficulties. Off course my health anxieties are through the roof...but on reading my last post I should be relieved to see that I survived my last bout of insecurities.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[percythetrain]

Hi Frog, are you feeling any better? hope you are. I'm having the same issue for the past couple of weeks. Thinking it's muscle tension.

[Frog]

What is it with me?
I'm back yet again with the same bloody symptoms. Shallow breathing again and having that need to yawn to fill my lungs.

I know that most people are anxious these times considering what we are all experiencing. Its not helping me either. I'm sick of this and not sure how to address it. Its going on for years now. Coming and going and I use this forum to help me to document it because it tends to help me see that I had it before and it went again without intervention. What i need to figure is, how do I address it going for good. I can't keep having these episodes.

[AnxiousGirl1]

It’s somewhat reassuring to read through some of these posts. Has anyone had it where it literally just feels like the sensation of being winded periodically and in that moment it feels like my bodies not getting enough oxygen? I’ve felt my heart rate at the time and it feels somewhat weak. Really freaking out and wondering if I need to go to the emergency but I live in the USA and don’t have insurance right now…

[Chlobo]

Hi ethansmum.
If you look back on my previous posts you’ll see I suffered with this a few weeks ago.
It lead me to have a breakdown but it was anxiety. The worst thing is to pay attention to it, and I know that’s so hard but you’ll tune in and be listening and concentrating on every breath you take and it becomes an obsession.

[wasdhu]

I got this unable to breathe feeling a lot as a kid - in hindsight it was anxiety but because I was so young I didn't understand what was going on. I still get the feeling occasionally. I think what's weird about it is that it's anxiety symtoms without actually feeling that anxious. Might not work, but some sort of mindfulness/meditation and a mantra like "I am able to breathe" helps me