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Brownie
31-03-04, 22:25
Hi all,

Usually my first symptom of panic is the feeling like i cant breathe or get any air in. Its really scary and i was wondering if anyone else felt this way and had any ways they could share about calming down the feeling. I usually open a window and try to get some air but that doesnt always help.

-Christie

stimpy
31-03-04, 22:32
I hate that feeling.
I always try to breathe deeply and sit by an open door.
Positive thinking can help. Telling yourself it is only panic and the feelings will go away if you just remain calm and try to breath deeply.
It's amazing how quickly the feeling of not being able to breath turns into a full scale panic.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[:p] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

Panikki
01-04-04, 08:39
Hi Christie,
I get this alot and it's really the pits as far as symtoms go and the most scarey, as we all feel its essential to breathe and when you feel you cant get enough air in your lungs it's mega panic! As with most symptoms of panic the more you concentrate on a symptom the worse things get, I just try to distract myself as much as possible , just turn to anything that will take my thoughts away from what i'm feeling...this is hard ..believe me i know, but any control i try to take on my breathing to help with this just takes my attention back to what i'm having probs with so i find it better to just blot it out my mind with completely different thoughts altogether. I hope this makes sense ..Take Care ..Luv Jodiexx

J Baker

uryjm
02-04-04, 13:49
Exercise is a good way of "proving" to yourself there's nothing wrong with your lungs and heart. Getting yourself mildly out of breath will show you how your body's vital functions will respond with or without help (or hindrence)from your brain. Nobody - to my knowledge - has ever collapsed or kicked the bucket through holding their breath. And while you maybe can't always just get out and exercise, the memory of how once you pushed yourself to breathlessness and nothing untoward happened can be quite reassuring.

Jim

twister
02-04-04, 14:05
I have it now as I am stressed at work - I just try and ignore it though - the worst that will happen is I'll pass out and then I'll breathe again!

I also wake up in the night not breathing. That IS weird!

Emily

ana
07-04-04, 15:05
Hi Christie!
You described a very common symptom of a panic attack. When I can't breathe, I try to think of something that might help. Like, breathing into a paper bag or 7:11 breathing. Try that.
And Emily, maybe you should see a doctor 'cause there might be something wrong wity your lungs, or it could be a very intense panic.
Wish you all the best
P.S. Hope to talk to you, Christie soon
Love
Ana

J Swift
07-04-04, 22:43
I had that breathing thing on and off for a while - Then, after a few bad "attacks" of it (feeling like I couldn't take a deep enough breath), started to become regular, then it became kind of chronic, so I could never take a deep enough breath.

I didn't even realise it was anything to do with anxiety - The doctors prescribed asthma medication, like steroids and things, but they didn't seem to help.

Anyway, I think the breathing thing generally caused this chlosterphobic (sure that's not spelt right!) and panicked feeling, which eventually led to more anxiety and everything - And definetly precipitated panic attacks for me.

So, almost 1 1/2 years after it first came on, and with so much awful advice from doctors, I stumbled across this Buyteko Method, for beating asthma and breathing problems.

And what do you know? I've been trying the exercises for a few days and I finally feel like I can breathe deeply again after all this time! And it helps a lot if I find myself yawning a lot or starting to feel a little short of breath.

I'm not sure if this is what all shortness of breath is caused by in anxiety/panic, but I think it's a MAJOR factor - Basically the technique is all about controlling over-breathing that you do all the time when you're a little stressed - Called Hidden-hyperventilation.

Here's a good article anyway:
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/Buteyko.html

It has helped me so much! I'm even starting to think this whole health/anxiety/panic thing could be hugely routed in breathing patterns - They pay a lot of attention to it in the east - And funnily enough, the Buteyko thing is actually quite against deep breathing, instead saying that most of us breath between 2 and 4 times too much oxygen anyway... The idea is to gradually restore your CO2 levels.


Certainly, if you find yourself yawning a lot, or feel like you can't take a deep enough breath, and definetly if you ever get woken with a sudden jolt when falling asleep, and need to take a deep breath, then there's a good chance it's hidden hyperventilation.

I'm really not sure how much research has been done into this, but it's the had most dramatic effect on my life, and I only discovered that page about a week ago!

There's also a self-test - Breath out and see how long you can hold your breath before you notice any discomfort - For me it was about 10-15 seconds at first - Which meant I was generally breathing 4x too much air! But I think I've managed to improve on that already!

I do hope this works for you!

(PS, the other thing that gives me that sensation, although MUCH more intense, is when I forget to breath altogether - Took me a while to figure that one out! Honestly thought it was a heart problem for about a year! Feel suddenly lightheaded, VERY tight chest, air hunger, etc... That's very common and is quite possibly your body's attempt to restore CO2 levels to normal - As is the sleeping thing I think!)

I wouldn't be suprised if a good 60% of anxiety/panic sufferers have nothing more than bad breathing habits - And they are so easily cured!

EDIT: (I'll shut up in a minute!) Recently, if the shortness of breath comes on - And it's often for no reason whatsoever - I actually make sure I only breath through my nose, quite slowly, but not very deep - Pretty shallow really - Try to resist the urge to take big struggled breaths - Pausing after the out breath - I'm really deliberately not breathing as much as I "feel" I need... It is uncomfortable at first, but the symptoms just disapprear within a minute or two - And it seems to get easier and easier by the day... If you've got anxiety/stress, I'd say it's more likely you're used to over-breathing than not breathing enough... And the exercises just seem to get you used to breathing the right amount of air.. Gets easier by the day.

J Swift
07-04-04, 22:46
Where are my manners!?

Nice to meet all of you!

nomorepanic
08-04-04, 18:34
Hi J swift

Many thanks for that info and the link - I will take a look.

Welcome to the site by the way!!

Nicola

twister
09-04-04, 15:11
Thanks J Swift that was a really interesting post - I'll definitely have a look at that link.

Ana - I don't think I have a lung problem - you shouldn't go around saying things like that on an anxiety board!!!!!:D



Emily

J Swift
10-04-04, 14:19
Yeah, I do hope it works for you!

Here's a better page I just found:

http://members.westnet.com.au/pkolb/but_strt.htm

Apparently the Maximum Pause thing on the other Buytekyo page is a little extreme, I never liked that one anyway - But yeah, I don't think doctors would have EVER worked out that I had hidden hyperventilation... They prescribed Beta-blockers, Citalopram, Beclomethasome (steroid inhailer), Salbutamol (asthma inhaler - causes MORE air to get into the lungs as it expands the bronchioles as its supposed to do but may cause anxiety if its a strange feeling to you !), Diazepam, etc...

And all along, the dizziness/lightheadedness, social anxiety, tachycardia, skipped beats, shortness of breath, sleep apnea, exhaustion, tingling in fingers, cold hands and feet, hypochondria, chronic indigestion, constant succession of colds, bugs, viruses, etc... were (quite obviously) all caused by one problem.. It seems so obvious now!

I think for me, all that's left now is to get used to doing things I used to do - Which isn't easy - But the root cause of all of my anxiety and all the wierd symptoms (which I'd always feared were an indicator of a heart condition or other serious illness) is completely under control now.

And I am so sure a large proportion of anxiety/panic sufferers, particularly those who experience shortness of breath or frequent yawning, have nothing more serious than over-breathing at the heart of it all.

It just seems so insane we spend our lives, usually pretty unsuccessfully, trying to control the symptoms, and always neglecting that there may be one simple explaination for it all.

And no matter how much anti-anxiety medication, or how much CBT, hypnosis, or therapy I would have endured, until I had corrected my breathing I'd never have gotten fully better!

It's so odd just now - In "Situations" that used to cause me to feel lightheaded, short of breath and anxious, I now just concentrate on shallow, slow breathing (rather than deep breathing), and the anxiety symptoms just don't come on! Even though I still expect them to.

psycho2000
19-06-05, 18:17
J Swift, hi!

I think u're spot on. Well...as far as my PA condition is concerned anyway. I know that somehow my breathing has become irregular and not normal and subconscious as it should be. Being actually aware and worried about ur breathing is the worst thing. Breathing is a natural instinct, and it's meant to come naturally. You inhale, and you exhale and you don't have to worry about this, until you last breath, excuse the pun.

But somehow when I'm aware that I'm breathing, then suddenly I sense this anxiety coming up, which starts telling me, oh i'm not breathing enough deep, i'm not breathing enough oxygen, my rythm is not good, i will suffocate if i go on like this, i need to breathe more deeply etc etc, and this very often triggers the beginning of a PA.

I think we need to learn to breathe normally again which is what's been discussed a lot of times on this forum I can glance. But it's never too much to emphasize the fact that yes a lot of people's PA conditions can be easily nearly cured by good breathing. By cured, I mean controlled of course.

Anyway...my opinion, i'm no expert, i just started getting PA 6 months ago and each day i'm learning something new about it as i research more and more. But what i'm more and more convinced of, is that it can be cured :)...so be happy guys, better days are only just ahead.

Sam.

One day, one day I will beat u and that day, I will be free again, as I was before...

SickofIt
24-06-05, 13:10
I agree with Jim. If you can stand it, a brisk walk or some other form of exercise will help with that. Or if you don't want to go outside of the house (I know how that feels), just walking up and down the stairs until you feel like you need to breathe deeply to keep going. I know that sometimes this can actually make things worse before they get better, but it is a good "experiment" just to show yourself that it is only temporary.

lin
25-06-05, 20:10
Hi j swift

i blow through a paper bag when i can't breathe that helps me. Slow deep breathes that soon brings the breathing back.

linxx

chucklehound
26-06-05, 09:12
yeah breathing through a paper bag wrd 4 me too

All the best

Feel free pm me if you want to chat

steno -x-

mila
27-06-05, 00:25
Anyone had this feeling for days and not just with the actual attack?I had it before for couple of months. Feeling like i can`t open my lungs and get enough air in or like it`s really tight.I was under a lot of stress at the time. Than it got better but as it was really scary so i never stopped fearing it will come back.And it did.Not for long that time,just a couple of days.But than it came back again a month ago and it was even worse , so scary i went to the doctors couple of times. I wasn`t just feeling like i can`t get enough air in but like i`m not breathing any air at all,it`s hard to explain i really wonder have anyone felt this , it`s like trying to breathe in when there is no oxygen in the air . but of course there was cause i just had this horrible feeling ni my chest like i`m gonna suffocate but still wasn`t gusping for air....and it stopped when i started working . But again i haven`t stop being scared of it, thinking it may still be something wrong with me, i may have some allergy that`s my fear and working in a pharmacy and having all this people coming in asking for something for hey fever doesn`t really help my fear . so i feel like i`m starting to feel it again. slowly though . i felt it last night but i tried not to fear . and whole day today i`ve been trying to reason with myself and just shake it off. one part of my brain just realises it stopped the last time when i started being preoccupied at work and it starts again now when i`m having my fears staring in my face every day although i know it`s not that, it`s not hey fever or anything like that....but still i have to fight the thoughts of it even though i know fighting them make it worse . and there i go round and round....
well, thank god i can unwind here . say how i feel . it makes it easier .


Millie

anniethepooh
06-08-05, 09:02
Mila,how are you now?I'm struggling with a lung thing,sounds like yours but mine is one sided,which is driving me crazy.If you're feeling better what did you do?

a cheetham

nic121a
25-09-06, 16:12
i feel like that aswell. it scares me because it feels like am not getting enough air i need. breathing is hard, but its only when am thinking about it. When am busy i never feel it. I dont know what it is though because its not caused by a panic attack and it happens for an hour or so quite often.

agreen71
26-01-09, 22:57
hi im a new member but havnt sent any messages out yet as im still learning some of my own symptoms but this one i can relate to vtry much its a pretty scary symptom but thats all it is try not to take deep breaths as this worsens the sensation what i do if im at home is put a fan on and sit in front of it believe me it does subside or if your out carry some sweets with you chewing gum or mints so when you feel one come on just suck one and keep swallowing it works for me and i get this sensation bad to the point where my eyes water and i shake

angstsoup
01-02-09, 22:56
Ana

With all due respect I think you should keep in mind that this board is for sufferers of anxiety and to make a statement that something may be wrong with one's lungs is very inapproriate.
For the original poster, not being to get a deep breth, shallow breathing and being conscious of our breathing are all the hallmarks of anxiety.
Pick up any Claire Weekes' books and she spends lots of time on this symp.
I find that I will get what I call the " rotating symptom"- breathiong issues for weeks, then adrenaline rushes and then light headedness and so on.
It is so lovely that my symps share me. LOL.

prioryguy
28-01-10, 23:57
Exercise is a good way of "proving" to yourself there's nothing wrong with your lungs and heart. Getting yourself mildly out of breath will show you how your body's vital functions will respond with or without help (or hindrence)from your brain. Nobody - to my knowledge - has ever collapsed or kicked the bucket through holding their breath. And while you maybe can't always just get out and exercise, the memory of how once you pushed yourself to breathlessness and nothing untoward happened can be quite reassuring.

Jim
Although i totally agree, for some reason i find it hard reminding myself this when im in that moment of breathlessness.