tight airways

[molly36]

Hi does anyone feel like their airways are so tight ,like you cant get a breath when your doing housework ,im fine till i start cleaning or excersising and then my chest gets tight but the peak flow the doc gave me to check for asthma is normal .My doc says it my anxiety causing me to hyperventilate but why is it only happening when im doing activity .It scares me so bad ..molly x

[molly36]

does noone get this molly xx

[melvin]

hi i also get this iv had all test so im like u in the dark i do cough a lot as well im full of Flem i feel so unfit doc gave me some steroids for my nose witch will hopefully clear the Flem so i can breath proper

[janni]

i get this too with tenderness when i inhale i dont know what it is but must be related to anxiety symptoms

[molly36]

Hi melvin thank you for your reply ,i dont cough but when i have to run or rush or do housework i feel like im suffocating ,my chest gets really tight as if my airways close up,my doc always checks my oxygen and they are always 99% and my peak flow meter my doc gave me when he was checking for asthma is always 430 even when i feel at my worst .I just find it hard to beleive it all to do with hyperventilating ,i dont overbreath i tend to hold my breath more and take too many deep breaths or its too shallow .just cant stand it,i havent been excersinsing either lately because my breathing and when my heart rate goes up i totally freak out and go in to a full blown panic attack and then my heart rate wont go down for a while ,its terrifying.just want to lose the fear of it all kind regards molly xx

[jessicalittler79]

hi hunny i am haven the same problem,iam not hyperventilating but i feel like iam haven to to deep breathes all the time iam so sceard i keep haven pa so bad like 3 or 4 times a day ..it takes up my hole day ive been to doc had an ekg,breatheing test,chest xray ,and my Qxygen was 99% thay say my kungs sounds clear,i dont know what to do ,iam trying to do housework but i get so tired and out of breathe,if u need to talk hun send me a message,tc hun

[Jac 2009]

Hey,

STOP!! I know exactly how you feel. I get this all the time and it is anxiety - I guarantee it. After a VERY long time of hyperventilating including hospital emergency and waking every night for years with a panic/asthma attack, I have finally come to realise that I am bringing it on myself.

You are hyperventilating. What happens is that for some reason you breathe more deeply or just more when you are exercising. I do it myself all the time. This causes a reaction in your body. You must keep you carbon dioxide level in your body at a healthy level or this would be very bad for you. If you breathe too much this depletes your carbon dioxide and your body compensates by making it harder to breathe and so you take less oxygen. The really comforting thing about this is that your body is working for you. It stops you taking in too much oxygen and so returns your system to normal - it won't hurt you - it can't.

Try these two things. Breathe in normally, breathe out normally and then hold your breath for five seconds. If you do this consistently for a couple of minutes, you will notice that you are breathing more easily. If you can't do this and I know it is difficlt then try shallow breathing. Still use your diaphram (breathe from your stomach) but make your breaths very small - this is better, it works quicker. Better still - go for a long walk. After about five minutes, no matter how you are breathing, your natural rhythm will take over. I'm yet to take this step but I know it would work if I was brave enough to do it.

Don't go down the road I did. Stop it now - believe me that it is just anxiety.

I wish you everything that is good in life. xxxx

[Oddfish]

I remember having this a few years ago for about three months. It was pretty constant. A tightness just below the two cords you can see at the front of your neck. I was having to take deep breaths all the time but all my tests came back negative for asthma/infection etc. I've never had it again but it must have been anxiety.

[BKF1515]

Hi, when my anxiety was the worst three years ago I went for a few months straight feeling like I couldn't get enough air to fill up my lungs. It felt like someone was constantly standing on my chest - felt heavy and tight. It did subside when the stress, and consequestly the anxiety, let up. But it was a gradual process. Keep going. :)