Tight chest/shortness of breath?

[MrBlue]

This is a new symptom, I have had asthma since a child so I know this feeling well but today it's been weird, I've been having breathing difficulties aswell as chest pains, the pains have subsided today, they were bad over the past couple of days and I've been telling my self it's just part of the health anxiety etc but this tight feeling in my chest is starting to get on my nerves and my inhaler doesn't seem to be helping it? It feels as if I cannot fully breath in properly!

I keep worrying about everything! First it was my bowels, they went weird and I automatically assumed bowel cancer, this got my anxiety really bad, the doctor then prescribed me with tablets for it saying I had IBS and those tablets have made the bowel pain go away, great! But now my anxiety has moved to my heart, I keep thinking I'm going to have a heart attack and it's making me stay in the house all the time! I can't go on like this, I'm only 18 years old and I'm running out of excuses to tell my friends why I can't go out anymore, I used to go out all the time nearly every day so it obviously seems strange to them. I have spoke to my doctor and he said it's definately anxiety, I have managed to convince myself I'm not going to die because of the doctors words but something inside me still doubts it. I'm about to have counselling to try and fix this thank God but I still have doubts.
Man that felt good to get off my chest!

About the tight chest, anyone had it from their anxiety?

[graceyjade]

yeah i used to get that all the time
im 17, and had counselling for all my anxieties, it really helped, dont worry its more than likely anxiety :) try not to let it stop you living your life xxx

[mushroom]

Hi

Sorry to hear you are feeling like this.

If it is any consolation, I have had the 'not being able to breathe in fully' on and off for approx 2 years now. I have spells where it disappears for months but it seems to rear its ugly head every now and then, which, unfortunately it has again in last few months.

It really is just the anxiety, I keep thinking bad thoughts like it must be a tumor somewhere in my chest and throat but deep down I know that it is just an anxiety symptom, as it sounds yours is to.

My advice to you would be to try to keep busy, try to make the effort to still go out with your friends as you know that this cant harm you, and keeping busy really does help to keep your mind off it.

I have bought a really good book on hyperventillation syndrome by Dinah Bradley, I bought it off Amazon and I will be reading that tonight (again!) before I go to sleep.

Hope your symptoms ease off.....

Take care

[MrBlue]

thanks for responses guys, im really looking forward to my counselling sessions.
stopping me going out with my friends is things like panic attacks, i dont know what i'd do if i had one when i was out

[Fly away Katie]

Awwww, I feel for you. I really do m'love. I'm 18 also, and it IS hard when you cannot go out with your friends. I always have to make excuses cus id rather not tell them.
Ive had a tight chest in the past, and breathing troubles, all anxiety related offcourse. Youl be absolutely fine. I can assure you x x x x

[josparks]

i can sympathise to ive had this for months now most of the day i go where i feel short of breath its scary most times but as ive had 2 chest xrays and 6 ecgs also lung capasity is good ive been assured that its my anx and im obbsessing over it the mind is a powerfull thing when it wants to cause havoc with u i think over a few months ive learnt to feel like this and my mind says its normal its a case of retrainig my mind to say no u can breath so stop obsessing its hard took months to think like this i think it will take time to realise its in my mind

[MrBlue]

thanks so much for the replies, really put my mind at rest with the tight chest, it went away after i watched a comedy!
and thanks katie, it's such a shame we have this at our age!! i miss going out and drinking (however bad it may be) and having a laugh with friends

[mushroom]

thanks for responses guys, im really looking forward to my counselling sessions.
stopping me going out with my friends is things like panic attacks, i dont know what i'd do if i had one when i was out

Do your friends not know how you feel? I think the hardest thing is admitting it but I am sure if they are good friends they will understand and I always find that being open about it actually makes the symptoms ease. A problem shared is a problem halved!!!

Also, when you go out all you need to think is that if you feel dodgy, you dont have to stay out, you can always leave and go home. Knowing that you have an 'escape' sometimes helps too.

[Fly away Katie]

thanks so much for the replies, really put my mind at rest with the tight chest, it went away after i watched a comedy!
and thanks katie, it's such a shame we have this at our age!! i miss going out and drinking (however bad it may be) and having a laugh with friends

I know exactly what you mean!! I miss going out for a drink aswel. I did go out the other night actually, but didn't have much fun as I was so damn anxious the whole time! x x x :hugs: