shortness of breathing with anxiety

[sarmarie812]

I've been suffering for about a year now...straight. I've suffered before with this. But shortness of breath...it's horrid. I feel like I can't get enough air, it's all day, all the time, I'm always aware of my breathing, it's like I'm just waiting to die. I take ativan if I'm really, really panicky. I was just prescribed paxil, I took it when I was 13-14 years old and it worked well, but over the years I developed a phobia to medicine ): I don't know why or how, anyone else suffer with this or who can help me?!

[Belkin]

I suffer to something similar to this.. I have been burping for like 2-3 weeks now on and off and when ever i do i get shortness of breathe and im unable to complete a deep breathe and it really scares me!!

[sarmarie812]

Yeah its reallyyyy scarey!! I need to.go back on meds.

[PanicCured]

You are most likely overbreathing causing loss of too much CO2. The more you breathe the more you blow out CO2 causing a whole cascade of symptoms. I had this quite serious, and I practiced Buteyko breathing and I got much better. For me, I was able to actually breathe deep, it was more of a feeling I couldn't breathe. I don't know if you have something wrong with your lungs or not, or something else. But if it is like what I had, then here is a free website about it: http://www.normalbreathing.com/

I bought Patrick McKeown's book Anxiety Free: Stop Worrying and Quieten the Mind: http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Free-Stop-Worrying-Quieten/dp/0954599640and

I read the whole thing and used the MP3 meditation breathing that came with it daily. It was a digital ebook and MP3 I downloaded from his website. I would just buy it, read it and practice the MP3 2 times a day.

People think the more you breathe the more you oxygen you get. Then you breathe more and you screw it all up. Breathing needs to match your respitroty rate. Excercise you breathe more. At rest it is very subtle. I suggest practicing reduced breathing exercises and learn about Buteyko breathing and the science behind it.

From http://www.normalbreathing.com/buteyko.php
"Dr. Konstantin Buteyko made 2 essential physiological discoveries that are studied in detail on the Homepage of this website:
1). Sick people suffer from alveolar hypocapnia (lack of CO2) caused by chronic hyperventilation;
2) If they normalize their breathing, their symptoms and diseases are going to disappear.

Dr. Buteyko discovered that chronic diseases are accompanied by abnormal changes in breathing, usually manifested as chronic hyperventilation (overbreathing). He also found that hyperventilation leads to cell hypoxia, while restoration of normal breathing parameters eliminates cell hypoxia, symptoms of diseases, and the need for medical drugs - leading to improved quality of life. Normal breathing, apart from other parameters, means breathing 4-6 liters of air per minute at rest, with a breathing frequency of 8-12 times per minute. In order to achieve normal breathing, he developed and, together with other Russian physicians, refined the Buteyko breathing technique. Changes in breathing and body oxygen levels also produce profound impact on lifestyle and quality of life factors, as the table below indicates."

[V8SplashMan]

Sarmarie812,

What PanicCured said is correct. Normally when we go through our lives we do not pay attention to our breathing we just let our body do it for us. Our body is only interested in wanting more oxygen if we really need it.

If you ran a race you would eventually have to stop because your body would need more oxygen than you could supply. So after you stop running you have to breathe through your mouth because obviously you can take in more oxygen through your mouth than in your nose.

However what I was doing and what you are doing is believing your not getting enough air! Then right behind it the anxiety creeps up some more and tells you that something bad is happening so in turn you keep breathing even more trying to correct the problem. When you do this you start to get sensations of impending doom, worry, feeling light headed, pressure in your chest or adominal muscles, labored or gasping type breathing. Sound familiar maybe?

This is all because your carbon dioxide levels are falling and your oxygen levels are going to high. Take a look at your nose and your mouth. Your nostrils are small and adapted to manage 90% of your breathing through out the day. Your mouth can suck in large amounts of oxygen and is your secondary back up for when you truely require more oxygen than your nose can provide.

You have to remember that your anxiety is just egging the problem on. Anxiety works off of fear, so if your worried and scared your anxiety starts negative thoughts which may scare you and will often cause you to begin over breathing from you constantly worrying and thinking about it.

If you went to a ER and did a pulse oximeter test more than likely you would show 100% saturation levels indicating that your body is recieving huges amounts of oxygen.

If you look up Hyperventilation syndrome you can find a little more information on what your experiencing. What you must remember though is your not crazy, your anxiety is playing a role in this and you need to learn breathing exercises. It's very important to breathe through your nose and keep your mind occupied on fun or interesting activities.

Part of healing and getting better is to do your very best to try stop any concentrated anxiety thinking where all you do is think about breathing issues. Anyways I hope this helped a bit! Any questions just ask.

[laurandisorder]

You can download a free application called 'relax' to help you monitor your breathing in panic-prone times.

It has helped me stave off anxiety in the past - especially when I'm at work or out and I find myself hyperventilating.

Good luck

[sarmarie812]

Did u feel like u would be running out of breath just talking sometimes??

[PanicCured]

ALWAYS breathe your nose. When talking even breathe through your nose. Breathing through your mouth lets out out much CO2. There is a Buteyko method of taping your mouth at night even, so you don't breathe through your mouth while sleeping. Don't do that after drinking any alcohol though, and probably read up on this before doing it. If you run really hard or exercise hard then you may need to breathe through your mouth. But all other times it's the nose. The nose allows the right amount of air to come in and out and also helps develop nitric oxide which dilates the blood vessels.

Think about this: If you breathed in and out really deep and hard non stop really fast what would happen? You may pass out from lack of oxygen to your brain. You didn't actually get more oxygen, you got less.

[knp]

Do best you can and leave rest to god

but never afraid of anything
Anxiety and fear is nothing more than an emotions
You are bigger and braver than anxiety
Do not fight it just embrace it if you learn to embrace it you are cured right now it's only way out
You should not be afraid of anxiety symptoms and thought
Thought comes and go just do not judge it just observe do not do anything when it happens

Be witness be observer do nothing

Anxiety Is just manipulative mind playing games

It's all in mind

Be brave and strong

Take care

[sarmarie812]

I have allergies and tis the season so sometimes breathing through my nose is crappy! My boyfriend told me I was making weird breathing noises thru my nose lastnight..so I'm thinking that was allergies...last night was my second night on paxil..it does make me fairly tired but I've taken it before so I'm praying for this anxiety will come to a hault.

[PanicCured]

Did you even take the time to read what we wrote here? Did you check out those links or anything? Sometimes I think people on this site just want to complain and not be proactive and do anything to get themselves better.

[sarmarie812]

Yes I do and thank you, yes I did go to the links. Trust me...I wish I didn't have to live in fear so much. I have a book I'm going to start reading called panic to power and I've started taking paxil a few nights ago..I am fed up with anxiety, I've been pushed into corner with it and need to do something about it.

[bhamlaxy]

Sometimes shortness of breath can increase anxiety because you think "oh my god what if I stop breathing!"

Just remember you very simply will NOT stop breathing. It's a fundamental function of your body to make sure you breath. You can breath without thinking about it, while you are asleep. Hell, people in deep comas keep on breathing! It's not going to stop, so don't let that make you more anxious and contribute to the problem.

And really really really learn proper breathing. Although the Buteyko method may work very well, it sounds like there are some very simple things you can learn to help smooth things out.

[PanicCured]

Glad to hear you are proactive Sarmarie. I think a lot of people here use this forum to just get support for their misery. "I am miserable will you please be miserable with me?" Instead of "What can I do to get better and I will take the necessary steps."

The theory behind the Buteyko breathing is crucial to understand to heal breathing anxiety. Knowledge is truly power with anxiety and panic. The practice is very very simple Bhamlaxy. But learn the CO2/O2 mechanism of breathing and Hyperventilation Syndrome. Understand what is going on with it. This may cut your anxiety in half in a matter of days. Understand why breathing too much causes all these symptoms and how reducing your breathing a few times a day can help. Understand how oxygen needs a partial pressure difference of carbon dioxide to be released into your cells. The carbon dioxide needs to be enough to push the oxygen out of your red blood cells to nourish your organs and brain. When you over breathe less oxygen is released. You get light headed and your nerves tingle. My guess is your brain wants you to breathe less so it makes you feel like you can't breathe so you can stop letting out so much Carbon dioxide as a survival mechanism.

[laurandisorder]

PanicCured: I don't want to cause any trouble, but I think that you should keep your harsh judgements of other forum users to yourself. I find that your attitude can be quite off putting, even though your advice is usually quite helpful.

One of the major issues I have dealt with through my battle with anxiety was the feeling of isolation and being completely alone with this terrifying illness that I didn't understand and the people around me can't identify with.

This forum and all of the wonderful people that use it have allowed me to gain insight into my own experience and that of others.

[sarmarie812]

Just hoping my medicine works and things start to look up!!

[PanicCured]

What I meant, is I see people only wanting to have people who are miserable to be miserable with them. Like 2 depressed people just talking about how life sucks. Everyone needs support. Support is great! But support needs to be coupled with a will to take responsibility to get better or, in the long run, nothing was actually achieved.

There are lots of people on this forum to give the "I am with you on that" support. What I am here for is to offer solutions. I am 1/1000 of this site. I take a lot of time to write what I write. There are other people here who can offer the sympathetic approach. That is why on one thread, there can be 20 different aspects all to help 1 person.

[laurandisorder]

Glad you're feeling a bit better sarnarie!!

PanicCured: thanks for clarifying. I do hear what you're saying, but I think positivity is the key to helping ourselves and other forum users. It's easy to misinterpret people's intentions online. I'm sorry if I caused any offense, I just found your comment a little harsh.

[arc9405]

I have been Experiencing the exact same thing for the past 4 yrs. Im tankfull to see im not alone and will be looking into the suggested solutions. Im not currently taking any meds but think maybe i should go back on something. These feelings control my life and im afraid to do almost everything from exercising to going out to eat - dont like to be one on one w anyone for fear of them picking up on my breathing prob!

[PanicCured]

While you guys debate about my style or attitude, countless people are suffering with panic and anxiety and they need guidance on how to get past it. Enough about me!

If you find my comments harsh, it's because I just type raw solutions. I don't waste time on sympathy. My posts are already too long as is.

If you have anxiety, just follow this one tip please: Always know you can get over it, and be like a ship going full speed ahead towards the day when it no longer is in your reality. Don't look back. Don't ever for a second think this is just who you are and you will just have to live with it. Maybe you are prone to it, but even if you get anxious once in a while, you can get it to the point where it does not hinder your life anymore. Just keep moving forward. Keep seeking solutions and do as much natural healing as possible. Anxiety is a bluff and it never delivers. Your nerves are just set on high and you need to calm them down and get off high alert mode. Go do the things that cause you anxiety until they don't anymore. Just keep moving forward and one day you will be there. Onwards and upwards ALWAYS!

Take care!

[sarmarie812]

I refuse to keep dealing with it. I saw an ENT doctor today actually and found out I have acid reflux and severe allergies..so now ill be taking medicines for that...so its shedding some light on some things I may of been feeling..I'm on a few meds for anxiety, acid reflux and allergies now. I think ill be able to cope with things in my life much better if I get the anxiety under control...the shortness of breath is a very scarey thing...I can totally relate but I can't take living in fear anymore..I'm glad I found this forum..I am staying positive and honestly I'm not a medicine person, I hate taking stuff but I need to for my health..for my kids and sanity! Otherwise ill never get better. I read peoples paxil horror stories but its either I try it in hopes to get better or just keep living in fear and being miserable..I can't do that anymore.

[sarmarie812]

I agree...I went to the lake with my family today..something I don't wanna do...my brain goes into oh my gosh what if I stop breathing out here and an ambulance takes a while to get to me...I just reminded myself how often I've gone thru this and how many times before I've overcome that feeling. My kids had a great time and it was nice to get out.

[browneyemee65]

I take meds for anxiety. Just started a week ago so it isnt really helping yet. I take xanax for panic attacks and nexium for acid. Now this time of year is messing with my allergies. What allergy medecine do you take? I was kinda freaked about taking all this medecine and when to take it. It sucks when you have to drive to work, try and function at work and then drive home... I hate this right now

[sarmarie812]

For my allergies I'm taking claritin and flo nase...for acid reflux I take omeprazole..twice a day. They put me on prednisone for the nasal swelling which I haven't started yet bc the pharmacy isn't done with the script. But I have to take the reflux medicine for a long time...I'm still sticking with the paxil for anxiety..trying to get myself better. kev, thanks I did read reflux can cause shortness of breath. I do hate taking meds, I'm a freak about side effects but I really need to keep myself healthy.