difficulty breathing

robin D · Post by **robin D** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:56 am

Does anyone feel like they have trouble breathing? I feel Like Im having trouble breathing most of the day. I either feel shortness of breath or like my breathing is too thin and Im not getting enough oxegyn. I dont know if Im over breathing or what it feels so uncomfortable to breathe.Im so foused on it. This is where most of my anxiey comes from. When I do my relaxation tape and start to calm down and go to sleep it feels like my heart stops or I stop breathing and I jolt myself awake. Some times Im so uptight about it when I finally take in a deep breath and let it out I feel like my chest is going to cave in. My stomach is so tight from worrying feeling like I have asthma. Any suggestions?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:18 am

I have this problem and have on and off for years. I am 25. May I ask if you are on any sort of medication? Years ago when this happened to me I went to the doctor and had a million test done and no one was ever able to come up with anything, They told me "maybe" I had a case of asthma (i did not) and gave me an inhaler that didn't work. I got off of all my medications and then was put back on Wellbutrin about 8 months ago and the problem came back! When I stopped it, it went away! What the hell?!!! I now have that problem again but I am on other medication, I also must mention that I am a smoker (not good I know). Have you been to the doctor about this at all? Are you overly anxious? Often when I focus in on a bodily issue that I'm having it tends to get worse ten fold, ths could also be the case but you should at least mention it to a doctor.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:21 am

I am 27 I am taking celexa.The doctor told me that it was anxiety. I am really focused on my body symptoms but that one bothers me the most. I read your profile and this is ruining my life and my relationship with my husband. I am in the program lesson 6. I have good days and bad but the breathing is with me 24/7. Sometimes I react and sometimes I dont. But it is a pain in the butt.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:30 am

If you don't empty out your lungs then, of course, you will have shallow breathing and you will hyperventilate easily.

The following exercise will improve your breathing and bring you much calm and peace. Be patient. This takes time so persevere. Soon a deep breath will feel very natural and easy to do.

The first thing you do is breathe out through your mouth. When you feel like you can't breathe out any furhter, breathe out a little more. You'll feel some stress with this in your lungs. It's OK - very OK.

Then slowly breathe in through your nose. Hold for the count of 4. Then breathe out slowly through pursed lips. Breathe out again until you feel some strain.

Do the breath in again and in a very short time you will not have to breathe out the second time. You'll begin to expel the air naturally, completely the first time around.

Practice daily - as often as you can each day. three x a day, four x a day. Eventually daily will be enough and you 'll find your breathing becomes regular automatically.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:35 am

I have had this problem in the past. I still struggle with it if stress gets in the way. You have to stop thinking about it because all it does is make it worse. I thought I was dieing at one point because I felt as thought I couldn't breath and I was going to die. I went to the doctor and got an x ray done and nothing was wrong because they never called me with any bad news. I did have broncitis a few months ago and it went away after months of having it. I stopped worrying about it and I now don't have a problem with it at all. I was having family problems and the stress from it all was making it bad. I now thanks to the good Lord above have got my mind off of it and now it doesn't exsist. You just need to get your mind off of your breathing and on to something else and you will feel better. Make yourself do the breathing excersises and do something relaxing and when you feel anxiety make yourself stop and get your mind on something else immediatly. As long as you have gone to the doctor and found out that it is anxiety then you should find ways to get your mind off of it and it will get better. I hope some of this has helped.

Jennifier

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:03 pm

Robin D,

I have to agree with Jennifer, try your hardest to take your mind off of it. I am not trying to be insensitive in any way because it is extremely hard to not think about your breathing, its scary but the anxiety will only make it worst. I had this feeling go on for about 2 weeks and I forced myself to ignore i and it just went away. The body is overly smart it knows when we are anxious, but if there is no other medical cause for this, if you force yourself to ignore it, it will go away. Please keep us updated on your progress, I will say a prayer for you.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:06 pm

Thank you for the breathing tip! I have this problem a lot, I started this about a year ago, I have panic attacks for 18 years but never this particular symptom. The old symptoms went away and now lucky me I get this breathing one. Funny, I have been feeling this way on and off all day and I logged on and saw this post. I like the breathing exercise it seems to help. I can' wait to be free from this for good!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:24 pm

IM 22 AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH....I'VE HAD ANXIETY IN THE PAST BUT THEY WOULD USUALLY PASS, BUT THIS ONE IS CONSTANT WITH ME EVERY MINUTE,,,,I FEEL THAT IM NOT BREATHING RIGHT,THAT IM NOT GETTING ENOUGH AIR, SOMETIMES I EVEN GET SOME SHARP PAINS IN MY BACK,I FEEL AS IF I HAD ASTHMA,,BUT I DONT COUGH OR ANYTHING, I FEEL AS IF MY LUNGS ARE GOING TO CLOSE THEY FEEL TIGHT,SOMETIMES I EVEN FEEL CONGESTED AND EVEN MY NOSE FEELS WEIRD AT TIMES. ALSO, AT TIMES I FEEL THAT I CANT EVEN FINISH A SENTENCE BECAUSE OF MY SHALLOW BREATHING, I DONT HAVE ASTHMA,BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE DEVELOPED A PHOBIA ABOUT EATING,,,BECAUSE IM SCARE IM GOING TO STOP BREATHING,BUT I KNOW IS JUST ANXIETY, AND IM TRYING, SOMETIMES IM ABLE TO CONTROL IT BUT OTHER TIMES IS HARD,,,I WILL TRY THE SUGGESTIONS,,,BUT I FEEL BETTER KNOWING THAT IS NOT JUST ME WITH THIS,AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL GET BETTER,

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:08 pm

I know exactly what you mean. You start focusing on your breathing so much that you feel like you have to worry about it even tell your body when to breath. Your body knows what to do and if you know that you are healthy then you know that this is caused by anxiety and stress. If you can find other things to focus on you will see that as long as you aren't thinking about it our breathing is fine because your body ork as it should. It work for me.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:44 pm

I have this problem too, but started doing yoga and found these moves that open your chest so more air can get in, plus they're super relaxing. They're called passive back bends, try them THEY ARE WONDERFUL.