Breathlessness

[Chunky]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this and this is my first post but i have had anxiety on and off for a number of years now but until this current epsiode i have never had the breathlessness/ difficult in breathing feelings, which is quite scary.
Please can any of you out there who get the same feeling please describe how it feels to you and how long in your experience it lasts for, hours, days, weeks?
I feel like i have to make a real effort to draw breath each time, mychest is constantly tight, my mouth and lips are really dry and i can feel each breath.
Thanks,
:yesyes:

[chalky]

Hi Chunky,

All of your symptoms are classic anxiety/panic attack symptoms.
The body has a fight or flight mechanism in response to percieved threats.
In Panic,our body readies us to fight or run-we want to use the loo(clearing our bowels and bladder allows us to run away more quickly).Our chest muscles constrict thus affecting our breathing-we breath more shallow breaths.
Dry mouth is also a response to panic.
If necessary,use a brown paper bag to assist correct breathing.Concentrate on abdominal breathing-your stomach should rise and fall when breathing properly.This will also loosen the tight chest feeling.
Accept that it is panic and that it will pass.
A little Mantra-This too shall pass-can be repeated to help you through.
You are experiencing what lots of us have here already and we are all still here.
It is disturbing,even frightening but your body is strong enough to cope with this and much more.
Best wishes,
Chalky

[gtrgrl3369]

I aslo get the feeling of not being able to catch my breath and then I hyperventilate so bad it scares me. What I have learned is to breathe from my belly and relax with 6 breaths per minute. Feeling like you cant breathe is scary, but it will NOT kill you and it will pass as so as you stop fighting it. I hope this helps some. Also try listening to some music to calm you down. Take care...

[jotom]

HI Chunky

Mine has been going on for weeks unfortunately - been to the docs, everything OK. It does get better at some points during the day and when I get really scared and end up crying, it eases! That is what showed to me that it is totally driven by anxiety/stress i.e I have a good cry and feel better after!

I'm not suggesting that this is what you should do but just wanted you to know that I am having exactly the same symptoms and I know myself they are anxiety driven and nothing seriously wrong. Just hoping and praying that it will pass eventually - although knowing what I'm like there will be something else to worry about if its not the breathing.

Take Care

Jo:)

[doglover]

Hi Chunky
I have had this many times where i feel my chest is tight/pressure and i cant get a deep breath. Sometimes its lasted a few hours and sometimes days. Ive had tests and everything came back fine. I saw an osteopath becuase i also have alot of upper back pain and he told me it was the chest muscles contracting as they are all connected to the back and when we are tense these all have an effect on eachother. It wasn't that i felt i was tensed up, im just like that all the time, but the osteopath could feel it right away when he felt my back. I also get sore ribs and the muscles on my chest usually feel sore when i push on them when i feel my breathing is tight. This shows it is muscle tension rather than anything wrong with the heart.
I find gentle exercise like swimming helps and im now on citalopram which has generally calmed me down so i dont get it anywhere near as often as i did a few months ago.
Hope that helps reassure you a bit
Donna x