Shortness of Breath: Anxiety or COVID-19??

[THoltz]

Hello everyone,

so the past hour or so, I’ve had come and go shortness of breath. It’s not bad or anything but I have a lot of anxiety right now because of the Coronavirus. There have been a few confirmed cases in my area. I’ve been working from and really haven’t gone out except to grocery store. I still feel very much on edge.

I have a mild cough the past week or so but don’t have any other symptoms. It’s like I am obsessing over these symptoms.

I’m age 28 male and in good health/shape.

I feel a bit better as I am writing this but I still have the anxiety.

[dorabella]

Sounds like you have been working yourself up with anxiety and overbreathing - hyperventilating. That would probably also account for the mild cough.

I'v been feeling like that all week myself (am in London) - when you are stressed like that every muscle in your torso will eventually tense up, restricting the diaphragm and your normal deep breathing function (which is normally subconscious or autonomic). In this situation you are taking too much breath in and not breathing enough CO2 out - and your blood gases get out of whack. A mild and often phlegmy cough and constant throat clearing often go hand in hand with this - some refer to it as the anxiety cough or arrgh humm bug.

Very good book on this syndrome by Dinah Bradley ' Hyperventilation Syndrome. A Handbook for Bad Breathers' - check it out on abebooks.com

If it was Covid19 as described by the current government boffins, you would have a fever first, followed by cough then possible breathlessness - you are describing a completely different sequence but quite understandable in the current climate of fear.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[ErinKC]

Hello everyone,

so the past hour or so, I’ve had come and go shortness of breath. It’s not bad or anything but I have a lot of anxiety right now because of the Coronavirus. There have been a few confirmed cases in my area. I’ve been working from and really haven’t gone out except to grocery store. I still feel very much on edge.

I have a mild cough the past week or so but don’t have any other symptoms. It’s like I am obsessing over these symptoms.

I’m age 28 male and in good health/shape.

I feel a bit better as I am writing this but I still have the anxiety.

Anxiety and also possibly allergies. Spring allergies are in full force and they give me a dry cough and shortness of breath..... but I am so familiar with this that it doesn't worry me. Plus, the most common symptom of Covid-19 is fever. If you don't have a fever you probably don't have it OR you have such a mild case you don't have to worry.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Hi. It sounds like anxiety to me. I've been experiencing a similar thing recently with tightness in my throat. Yesterday I thought "I haven't felt that throat tightness for over a week". Sure enough, within the hour I started to feel it again. I think if you focus on any part of your body enough you'll start to feel sensations. And if it's something that's constantly in the news and in the back if your mind, it's probably more likely to happen. It sounds like you're fine for now. Obviously if you develop a fever or start to feel very unwell then get checked out. Otherwise you're good :)

[THoltz]

All

I am working from home now. I rarely go out now.

I don’t have a thermometer so I can’t check to see if I have a fever. I feel a lot better now.

It’s funny but I think I may have already had the virus.

A couple months ago a friend of mine had a bad respiratory virus. He had a fever, cough and lost his appetite for a week.

He though the flu but his tests came back negative. So he thinks now it was coronavirus. We played golf when he had symptoms. A week later I had a nagging cough. I didn’t think anything of it tbh. This was back in January. I live in Georgia and we didn’t get our first confirmed case until a month later.

I think this virus has been in our community for awhile

[glassgirlw]

There are a lot of people in my community saying that as well. I know I started with a nasty cold that turned into horrible chest tightness and cough right after New Years. Never went to the doc, just waited it out. Had a low grade fever too. Then in feb I got sick again, this time went to doc and diagnosed with flu B. It’s been a rough winter so far for illness!!

as far as your shortness of breath though that can most definitely come from anxiety. Happens to me on and off too.

[MartinZ]

Hi,

same is happening to me since last Wednesday. I live in Sydney, which has lots of confirmed cases, but i work from home and rarely go out. However my brain is trying to convince me that i have Covid. I feel pressure on my chest, and have very mild cough hear and than. Sometimes i feel like i have fever but when i check it its normal. Never above 37 C. It really crazy how my anxiety is working and making me really feel the symptoms. I also noticed that when i wake up i feel fine, than of course i check the news and sure enough - chest is getting tight again.

[THoltz]

Also I feel like I some mucous in my throat. I feel like I am clearing my throat a lot. I know post nasal drip is not really a sign of coronavirus
at the same time I notice the cough isn’t as bad when I am not focusing on it.

[Panicattacka]

Hi,

same is happening to me since last Wednesday. I live in Sydney, which has lots of confirmed cases, but i work from home and rarely go out. However my brain is trying to convince me that i have Covid. I feel pressure on my chest, and have very mild cough hear and than. Sometimes i feel like i have fever but when i check it its normal. Never above 37 C. It really crazy how my anxiety is working and making me really feel the symptoms. I also noticed that when i wake up i feel fine, than of course i check the news and sure enough - chest is getting tight again.

Alarmist news can trigger all kinds of psychosomatic symptoms, so how about not watching any news, at least for 24 hours, and see how yo feel? Trust me, if anything REALLY important happens in your neighborhood you'll know about it any way, so do you really need to know how many people are dying in a foreign country 24/7?

[WiredIncorrectly]

Needs moving to health anxiety thread.

[MartinZ]

Alarmist news can trigger all kinds of psychosomatic symptoms, so how about not watching any news, at least for 24 hours, and see how yo feel? Trust me, if anything REALLY important happens in your neighborhood you'll know about it any way, so do you really need to know how many people are dying in a foreign country 24/7?

Yes, i definitely need to try the news detox:)

[THoltz]

So today I went running for 3 miles and felt fine afterwards. I went to the grocery store today for a few things.

i am still paranoid about catching it though and my anxiety is causing me to manifest symptoms :(