Asthma and anxiety breathing

[Jo3016]

Hi

Over the last 12 years or so, I have had episodes of wheezing, coughing and a tight chest if I have had a particularly nasty virus that goes to my chest. The first was is 1998 when I was living in London. I ended up on inhalers and gave up smoking which I have not done since.

I am just recovering from horrible virus and am still taking becatide. My doctor insists on saying I am asthmatic although I do not think that I am. My problem is that this has set me off in to an anxiety spiral again and I can't stop thinking about my breathing.

I deep breathe all the time and sigh and yawn a lot. My chest aches, I still have a slight cough and post nasal drip and I clear my throat all the time. I feel really anxious about having asthma and I can't really tell if my breathing problems are to do with asthma or panic breathing. I don't know what to do really. Any words of wisdom?

[MightyPC]

Jo, I have been experincing the same with chest, pnd, yawning etc. I also sneeze abit and my eyes feel like a wind is blowing at them at times. I have been told that this could be down to Hayfever. have checked the pollen count today and it`s high - not sure what part of the UK you are from. Is the cough dry or are you bringing stuff up?

[Jo3016]

Hi

I am in Surrey and the pollen count is high here too - my throat is tickly and my eyes are itchy. My cough is not really dry as I still have yucky stuff at the back of my throat from having this virus and I am always clearing my throat which my doctor tells me can cause mild hyperventilation too.

I am just anxious about asthma and feeling run down too.

[Typer]

I had a virus before Christmas with a cough that made me wheeze all the time for 3 weeks. It was so bad that this is when I stopped smoking as I could hardly breathe, let alone smoke. I wonder if you had the same virus, because that mimicked asthma

[Jo3016]

It was a horrible virus that was countrywide.

My problem is that now I don't know whether it is asthma or over breathing that is making me feel bad! I feel like I am focussed on my breathing all the time especially if I am moving around. I feel like I can't take a proper breath in but in reality, I am deep breathing all the time and yawning and sighing as well as coughing and constantly clearing my throat. My upper back aches and my neck and shoulders and my chest aches too from taking deep breaths.

[Spagetti]

Hi Jo,

I have asthma which causes me no problems, except when I have a cold/chest problem. The classic signs are wheezing, tickley throat and mucus in the throat. I also get this if I forget to take my daily inhaler for a week or so.

I think you could have a mixture of both asthma and panic breathing. For ages I was convinced my panic breathing was down to my asthma, but since learning about anxiety I have learned to differentiate the symptoms.

If you do have asthma it is nothing to worry about. It is easily controlled, and once you get used to the diagnosis and have the right medication you will almost forget you have it.

Hope this helps, and you feel better soon xx