Please help - need to calm down!

[Gabrielle]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here but I've lurked for a while, and I've seen how supportive everyone seems to be. I'm hoping to draw a little on that support right now.

For the past week I have felt on and off breathless with a tight chest. I would describe the breathlessness as a feeling of not getting enough air into my lungs, and my lungs not being "big" enough to accommodate all the air I feel I need. This morning this general feeling degenerated into utter panic and I couldn't go to work. My chest feels painful in a dull kind of way and still tight. I've also had a wheeze on each expiration, and I've felt a bit dizzy too.

I do suffer from mild asthma which I feel has been affected by the heat and pollution in London this week, but I also stopped the contraceptive pill dianette a week ago which gives a raised risk of blood clots in the legs/lungs, which is what I'm really scared of! I stopped because I read a newspaper article of someone who had died and from that point on, the breathlessness started. I keep telling myself the breathlessness would be more acute if it was a blood clot. But I'm still so scared.

I've got a Dr appointment on Monday (my work GP listened to my chest on Wednesday - all clear) because I want to be sure.

Can anxiety really be so powerful as to create such sensations in my chest? I'm so desperate for this to go away, I've cried a million times today.

Thanks for reading this far - I would appreciate anything anyone else has to share.

[cassy1989]

Hi Gabrielle.

Sorry to hear you are feeling so bad.

In answer to your question yes anxiety is that powerful! There have been times where I thought I was going to stop breathing or thought that I did have asthma because I have been that breathless, had chest pains and also been wheezing. Have you tried your asthma pump though to see if that helps a little?

Though I would just put it all down to your HA cos your GP listened to your chest in the week and it was fine.

Seriously anxiety is so powerful! x

[nataliean1982]

i think that once we start paying attention to anything, it seems awkward and wrong, i feel like i dont get enough air, like my lungs have shrunk and they arent what they used to be and i am only 27...but i am sure that if i wasn't getting enough air, there would be more obvious symptoms.

[xsarahxjanex]

hey, i also have mild astma and it had been worse this week due to the hot weather and the pollen count being high. stress can also worsen astma symptoms so try to relax, have you got a peak flow meter. it mesures your lung capacity, your doc should of given you one and told you what your average is. try do this when you are feeling breathless and after you have had your reliever inhalor to see if it improves. x

[Gabrielle]

Thanks everyone - so much.

I've had a better day today, and managed to spend most of it outside of the house! Yay! Have been using my asthma pump regularly and it has helped.

The anxiety still bubbles under the surface, and I have had a panic attack this evening (this time based on nausea - my usual nemesis) but at least I don't feel like I'm dying anymore!

[Tink]

I often feel like I am catching breath or feel breathless. It usually happens when feeling very anxious. its a viscous cycle, anxious then breathless and feel like catching breath which then makes me focus on it which leaves me feeling shaky.