Breathing and Drink?

[Jono]

Hi All,

I suffer from hyperventaltion and obsession with breathing and have had it for about 4 years (unfortunatly not on and off).

I was just wondering, whenever i drink, albeit pop, water, alcohol, anything or even food I always feel out of breath after I have drank it.

For example i have just drank about half a bottle of Lucozade orange and after about 5 minutes i feel really out of breath and feel sticky inside if that makes sense? (Like the sugar has stuck inself to my lungs and making it hard to breathe).

It especially occurs when i down a drink if i am really thirsty, aswel as the bloated feeling i also keep having to take deep breaths and feel very out of breath.

Was just wondering if it was a chemical reaction and it is natural but i'm just noticing it more due to the obsession with breathing or whether it is purely down to my anxiety.

Thanks alot.

Jono

[Cathy V]

What is more likely to be happening is that whatever you are drinking is making your stomach fill with a little gas, and when this happens it makes the stomach expand to the point of pushing against the lungs (this happens to pregnant women too!) and then you have the feeling of pressure...hence the feeling that you cant breathe properly. Also if you have anxiety already about your breathing, then gulping down a drink to quench your thirst will only make this more pronounced. I actually get the feeling i cant get my breath if i try to drink water in this way, but strangely not fizzy drinks as they tend to make me burp which then relieves me of the gas, and makes me feel more comfortable.

Hope this helps a bit
Cathy xxx

[Krakers]

Hi Jono - I don't know how helpful this will be.

As a man who drinks a lof of fluid, what Cathy said makes perfect sense. Theres been plenty of times I've felt on edge after having a big drink as my insides feel funny.

As I drink predominantly carbonated drinks, as soon as I burp I feel fine again. Sometimes if I can't, so I rock my torso side to side and this usually helps achieve the desired effect.

As I say, may be unhelpful with still drinks as they don't affect me the same way.

Krakers.