Symptoms

The biggest clue to Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome is the presence of vague dizziness accompanied by a lot of other seemingly unrelated symptoms, which might include any of the following:

  • shortness of breath for no apparent reason
  • frequent sighing or yawning
  • chest pains
  • heart palpitations
  • sweating
  • syncope (fainting)
  • dizziness
  • trembling
  • slurred speech
  • cold, tingling, or numb lips or extremities
  • nausea or irritable bowel syndrome
  • aching muscles or joints, or tremors
  • tiredness, unsteadiness, or diffuse weakness
  • restless sleep, insomnia, or nightmares
  • sexual problems
  • anxiety or phobias
  • fear that perhaps you're a hypochondriac
  • dry mouth
  • pressure in throat or difficulty swallowing
  • bloating, belching, flatulence, or abdominal pain
  • impaired memory or concentration
  • confusion / disorientation
  • tinnitis (ringing in ears)
  • headaches
  • blurred vision, tunnel vision, double vision, or flashing lights
  • tachycardia (rapid pulse)
  • depression
  • erratic blood pressure

So many members have been posting recently about "difficulty breathing", or not being able to take a "deep breath" - together with all the other nasty symptoms they are experiencing.
There is a book by Dinah Shore which is half explanitory and half self help about the above syndrome. Dinah Shore is a physiotherapist from New Zealand who specialises in respitory physio. The book is excellent, easy to read and explains the condition in full and in simple language.

I have suffered with this for years and know how unpleasant and frightening it can be. It also know how it can excaserbate anxiety/panic and spiral into an uncontrollable cycle of misery.

Of course, you should get checked out medically - but if nothing else is found to be causing your breathing problems, please look into this.

I hope this helps.

Judi