loonarider77
26-05-22, 09:19
Warning long post*** but I'm losing the will to live with this issue and hoping, praying !(not religious but desperate) someone can help me. :(
Since September last year, everyday I've been having a strange break upon inhalation - it can come and go all day without rhyme or reason , but it seems to get worse when lying down at night. It's like the voice box flap (?) closes shuts the door for air and then opens midway during the inhale again. Sometimes it takes a while before it opens up so I can continue on the inhale. It's so wierd and then it causes me to panic because I cannot breathe smoothly. It's a broken up breathing pattern.
I have suffered with anxiety and panic disorder for 4 years now and largely had it under control. Then last September, this weird inhale weird obstruction thing has been happening pretty much daily. With anxiety I'd get the chest tightness and just being unable to breathe, this is too sophisticated to what I'm used to and I'm not liking it.
Spoke to two doctors within that time and they checked my vitals in the doctor's office - nothing wrong.
They said it's hyperventilation, but I'm having a hard time believing that. I would say I'm a bloody connoisseur when it comes to anxiety related breathing. This is different and I'll try describe it again - (also bear in mind that I'm on medication that has put my anxiety to rest for a good 7 months to date).
So, I am just breathing normally, but as I inhale let's say on average it's about 3 seconds, it's not forced deep inhale like doing a breathing exercise and I'm occupied so I'm not anxious etc.
Then midway through the inhale (let's say 1.5 secs), the inhale breaks and stops and a weird sound in my throat as if it's struggling to continue and I don't get air in and this break or pause can last between 2-3 secs which is pretty long when breathing is autonomic. Then what feels like the flap covering the voice box? Opens up, it literally feel like that's what happens. So weird and frustrating. Makes me feel asthmatic as there's a wheezing sound when that obstruction feeling occurs.
It isn't like the breathing issues I've always had, this is unrelated and I feel the docs when I describe it, all too easily chalk it up to anxiety or hyperventilation and it's becoming frustrating now. So I feel I'm getting fobbed off.
It's ruining my quality of life where I just break down crying and my partner wishes he can help but can't do anything obvs.
I feel like this, whatever it is, is rare? I've searched on other forums, medical sites etc, to see if anyone has the same symptoms but nothing and I'm losing the will to live with this. Really have felt suicidal because I'm not breathing normally. At least when I had anxiety shortness of breath I could just do some deep breathing and it would disappear, not with this. I've tried everything to do with breathing techniques, consistently to no avail which is why I think this is a different and unrelated
If it were asthma wouldn't the exhale also be laboured?
Maybe I need another check up?
Doctors keep saying it's hyperventilation and I almost feel like it's condescending since I KNOW all about hyperventilation, you could say I'm a veteran in it LOL.
But seriously this is ruining my life. It literally came out of nowhere last year September and hasn't shifted.
P s. Few things to note - I notice 'sometimes', that if I clear throat it gets marginally better? But I'm not sure if that is a direct correlation, as sometimes there is no change when I clear my throat.
I've tried chewing menthols, strong mints, and other lozenges in an attempt to clear my throat as a process of elimination. Sometimes feel brief relief but it comes back. What does that mean?
So many questions I have and HOPING someone here has experienced this strange symptom which is unlike the usual anxiety related breathing problem. GP don't seem bothered, but this is really ruining my life. I finally got my anxiety managed and breathing issues then this weird stuff.
Hope someone can help. I'm so tired of it 🥺
Since September last year, everyday I've been having a strange break upon inhalation - it can come and go all day without rhyme or reason , but it seems to get worse when lying down at night. It's like the voice box flap (?) closes shuts the door for air and then opens midway during the inhale again. Sometimes it takes a while before it opens up so I can continue on the inhale. It's so wierd and then it causes me to panic because I cannot breathe smoothly. It's a broken up breathing pattern.
I have suffered with anxiety and panic disorder for 4 years now and largely had it under control. Then last September, this weird inhale weird obstruction thing has been happening pretty much daily. With anxiety I'd get the chest tightness and just being unable to breathe, this is too sophisticated to what I'm used to and I'm not liking it.
Spoke to two doctors within that time and they checked my vitals in the doctor's office - nothing wrong.
They said it's hyperventilation, but I'm having a hard time believing that. I would say I'm a bloody connoisseur when it comes to anxiety related breathing. This is different and I'll try describe it again - (also bear in mind that I'm on medication that has put my anxiety to rest for a good 7 months to date).
So, I am just breathing normally, but as I inhale let's say on average it's about 3 seconds, it's not forced deep inhale like doing a breathing exercise and I'm occupied so I'm not anxious etc.
Then midway through the inhale (let's say 1.5 secs), the inhale breaks and stops and a weird sound in my throat as if it's struggling to continue and I don't get air in and this break or pause can last between 2-3 secs which is pretty long when breathing is autonomic. Then what feels like the flap covering the voice box? Opens up, it literally feel like that's what happens. So weird and frustrating. Makes me feel asthmatic as there's a wheezing sound when that obstruction feeling occurs.
It isn't like the breathing issues I've always had, this is unrelated and I feel the docs when I describe it, all too easily chalk it up to anxiety or hyperventilation and it's becoming frustrating now. So I feel I'm getting fobbed off.
It's ruining my quality of life where I just break down crying and my partner wishes he can help but can't do anything obvs.
I feel like this, whatever it is, is rare? I've searched on other forums, medical sites etc, to see if anyone has the same symptoms but nothing and I'm losing the will to live with this. Really have felt suicidal because I'm not breathing normally. At least when I had anxiety shortness of breath I could just do some deep breathing and it would disappear, not with this. I've tried everything to do with breathing techniques, consistently to no avail which is why I think this is a different and unrelated
If it were asthma wouldn't the exhale also be laboured?
Maybe I need another check up?
Doctors keep saying it's hyperventilation and I almost feel like it's condescending since I KNOW all about hyperventilation, you could say I'm a veteran in it LOL.
But seriously this is ruining my life. It literally came out of nowhere last year September and hasn't shifted.
P s. Few things to note - I notice 'sometimes', that if I clear throat it gets marginally better? But I'm not sure if that is a direct correlation, as sometimes there is no change when I clear my throat.
I've tried chewing menthols, strong mints, and other lozenges in an attempt to clear my throat as a process of elimination. Sometimes feel brief relief but it comes back. What does that mean?
So many questions I have and HOPING someone here has experienced this strange symptom which is unlike the usual anxiety related breathing problem. GP don't seem bothered, but this is really ruining my life. I finally got my anxiety managed and breathing issues then this weird stuff.
Hope someone can help. I'm so tired of it 🥺