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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)

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What is WRONG with me??? Suddenly I'm short of breath all the time!

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National Jewish -

This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis

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MedHelp Member's Question

What is WRONG with me??? Suddenly I'm short of breath all the time!

by JT1293, May 22, 2006 12:00AM

Tags: respiratory, Anxiety, smoking

I'm a 33 year old woman and I quit smoking about 2 weeks ago. Now all of a sudden I've started feeling very short of breath all the time. I'm sighing a lot and yawning to try to get deep enough breaths. I didn't have this when I was smoking, so I don't think it's related. If I lay down, after a while I feel fine and have no trouble breathing at all. Last night, when I went to bed, my heart was beating really hard, until I got to the point that I could breathe, which seems to take a few minutes. But once I'm breathing well, it stays that way until I get up again. This is driving me crazy, not being able to breathe. Any activity has me winded, I don't have to exert myself at all. I'm not gasping for air, but I'll breathe a couple of times and then I have to sigh, as deeply as I can, to try to get air, or I have to yawn or something. Yawning is frustrating because I can't yawn deeply enough to feel satisfied. I sigh every few seconds just to feel like I am filling my lungs. I can't take a deep enough breath through my nose at all unless I am in bed. I'm so worried about this! What is wrong with me???

Doctor's Answer

by National Jewish

, Jun 07, 2006 12:00AM

What you are experiencing is not coming from your lungs. It is a symptom of nicotine withdrawal along with anxiety. This will eventually pass. In the meantime you might check with your doctor about the use of nicotine replacement therapy to slowly taper and give you relief of symptoms. Congratulations on giving up smoking!

Member Comments (5)

by mustang1, May 22, 2006 12:00AM

To: JT1293

Hi, I had the same problem as you when I quit smoking.I too was like what the hell is wrong with me? I'm not smoking and now I can't breath. It didn't make any sense.After several visits to my regular Dr I finally went to see an asthma specialist. I had an x-ray done. They say it's my asthma. Well almost 5 months later they finally found the right medication to help me breath. I'm on Qvar-80, Spiriva, and take clairitin everyday.I still have moments when I get shortness of breath but hopefully in time that will improve. I don't know they don't really say. You know how Dr.'s are. Anyway, go see your Dr. and demand an x-ray.Then they can take it from there.Oh, I find that air-conditioning places make me feel better. Hope you feel better soon and Congrats on quiting smoking. It's been 6 months for me.

by poolnoni, May 22, 2006 12:00AM

Mustang1 and JT1293-Way to go....quiting smoking. That is the very best thing you can do for yourselves. I'm proud of you two.Keep up the good work and NEVER inhale another cigarette.

by Nono2002, May 23, 2006 12:00AM

I have a 4 years old son who has been letely short of breath and yawning a lot. When he walks outside, he always stops and bends and take a deep breath every minute when he does walking. The problem also heppens when he eats, and when he does any physical activities. I went to doctor and the physical examination was normal and chest x-ray was normal. The problem is upsetting me.

Any recommendation or suggestion on what to do

Thank you

by tamncam, May 23, 2006 12:00AM

I think you may have your Dr. perform a spirometry on you, it is just a simple test to see how your lung function is. And you should tell him all of your symptoms. Sounds like anxiety to me. Maybe ask him about some Paxil CR or Prozac, or maybe Zoloft. Your quitting smoking may have given you some emotional set back and caused some anxiety.

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