how can i get breathing back to normal...

[mushroom]

hi i have posted about this several times but lately its driving me mad and i am convinced i have something seriously wrong. Firstly i will tell you a bit about myself. I have suffered anxiety for approx 12 years on and off. 3 years ago my symptoms started to include not being able to get my breath and the feeling of a lump in my throat. Doc did bloods last year which were fine and said my symptoms were classic anxiety symptoms. Eventually symptoms disappeared and i was happy for most of the time. Then i had a terrible year late last year. A close family member passed away with lung cancer and six later i lost another family member who tragically took her own life. I thought i was dealing with it and kept really busy but WHAM! The shortness of breath and feeling of a golf ball in my throat every minute of every day. I even get pains in my throat and ears but doc said few weeks ago that i have got fluid behind my eardrums which will cause pain in throat and ears. But i am letting my mind run away and thinking i may have a tumor in my throat or lungs and thats why my ears have got fluid. I also have had back ache last few days then i think its my lungs again. I am able to eat with no problems and did co excersize class lastnight and im still here! So PLEASE can anyone convince me this is just anxiety or am i really ill? So sorry for rambling and thanks so much to anyone who has got this far in reading this xx

[Maj]

Hi Mushroom,
Without a doubt it does seem like classic anxiety symptoms. The feeling of a lump in the throat and suffocating feeling are very common. It's your throat and chest muscles that are tense, NOT your lungs, please be reassured by this. You will always get enough breath. Sometimes when stress comes to a head then that's when we take symptoms like this out of the blue which frightens us. If you can take slow breaths in, expanding your tummy,and then exhale through your mouth, concentrating on every breath, then your chest muscles will eventually relax. If you are finding it really difficult to relax then your doctor can give you a very short course of diazepam which is excellent for symptoms like this and gives you a chance to relax and take stock of things. Please don't despair because you are not alone with these symptoms and they will go away.:hugs:

[mushroom]

thanks so much for replying. I keep trying to tell myself that its anxiety and nothing more but sometimes it gets a grip of my thoughts and when symptoms feel so real its hard to rationalise things. Can anxiety (overbreathing etc) give you a bad back? Thanks again x

[Maj]

Hi Mushroom, yes of course anxiety can give you a bad back because you are tensing yourself up so much. Anxiety causes so many varying symptoms, some unique to some people and others suffered by everyone!! We aren't even aware sometimes of how tense we are until we start suffering aches and pains! Don't worry, it'll settle down when you are more relaxed, given time. :hugs:

[paula lynne]

Hi, hyperventilating, (overbreathing) can indeed give you a bad back. Thats because the intercostal muscles between the ribs are being stretched. This can radiate to your mid back also. This sounds like classic anxiety, and after 12 years of it, you must know that, its playing you up, and nowonder, youve been through an awful time of it. Try relaxation techniques, and re-read the coping stratergies on here on the left. All the best, paula x:)

[mushroom]

thank you for replying. I will have a look at coping techniques in a mo. Yeah its sure been a horrendous time and think deep down i know my anxiety is playing me up...most probably after what i have been through. Thanks again x

[Kerry B]

Have you tried breathing into a brown paper bag, I find that helps me.

[mushroom]

hi i did that when i first got the symptoms and it helped a little so will try again x

[alicegreen]

Have you tried breathing into a brown paper bag, I find that helps me.

Does it have to be brown?:whistles:

[cg7]

Kerry B

Does it have to be a brown paper bag as alicegreen asked ? only i will try anything to get rid of this discomfort - i feel i cant take much more of this agony i feel.


cg

[nomorepanic]

No it does not have to be brown - it needs to be paper though

The term "brown paper bag" is generic from when they only did brown ones - white ones will do too lol

[daybyday]

I think the paper bag is often simply associated with a brown color.
Don't use a plastic bag.

Something I found to help belly breathe is this.
Lay on your back and rest one arm at your mid belly.
Raise your other arm above your head with a comfortable bend and resting on the bed/sofa.
You should find you automatically breathe from your belly.
If you can have someone with you to distract your anxious thoughts, that helps too.

Worth a try.

[Fly away Katie]

Hello Mushroom.
I'm really sorry to hear about your losses. :hugs:
It's not surprising your anxiety has flared up again though such a difficult time.:hugs:
My mums friend also died of lung cancer. And when I found out about it, I too started having breathing anxiety. I was convinced there was something wrong with my lungs/throat because it went on for so long... Im right there with you, because i've been in the same situation.
It is horrible. But you need to tell yourself its just anxiety.
The fact you did an exercise class makes me smile, because it sounds like me. When I went through my time of 'not being able to catch my breath' ect.. I still managed dance classes!!
What are we like, eh? Lol x x x x x
Massive hugs to you x x x x x