Constant Shortness of Breath

Hi,im a 22 year old male and i've been dealing with this constant shortness of breath for over 6-7 years now. I written on a forum about this before but just hadd to write one again. Its hard to say but doctors have no idea what's wrong with me.I see so mnay people dealing with this problem and it seems like theres no diagnosis. It just strated outta the blue I went to take a deep breath and i couldnt get that last bit of hair to satisfy the breath and this whole vicious cycle started. After that for about 2 years i was constantly taking deep breaths and not able to get a satisfied breath. I WAS CONSTANTLY YAWNING>SIGNING AND TAKIN UNSATISFIED DEEP BREATH ALL DAY LONG. I had reached the point when i was staying home in my bed just hoping i would die so it would stop.  After 2 years or so it seemed to just go away. It then came back right after i smoked a cigarette . Ever since then its been an ongoing struggle. I feel as if i have no control of my life, and im constantly thinking of my breathing. I feel hopeless and feel as if no one understands what im going through or that i have this disease that doctors cant detect. My doctor has put me on xanax for anxiety and it seemed to cut the edge off a lil but its still there. Its not as bad as when i first got it but it still disrupts my life. I can only work 2 days, i don't go to school  and i don't have much of a happy life .I've gone to cardiologist, ent's, gi's, pulmonary doctors. I've gone through xrays, PFT, EKG, stress tests, endoscopy . Only thing i have is GERD/LPR with sinsation of lump in throat and a very small irregular heart beat. I also am constantly clearing my throat.I heard that can be because of the Gerd/LPR. I just took a new PFT test and my breathing is normal. i did have a deviated septum but got that fixed..My lung specialist says its just all in my head and that i have this because ive become aware of my breathing pattern. i've used advair, singular and breathing pumps for asthma with no results. when im sitting or laying down its seems to be fine but when i stand up or move it kicks in more. I'm losing hope on what's going on with me. Does anyone have this?If so can anyone recommend anything else i should look for? the only thing i really want to do is a MRI or CT scan but doctors say 99 percent sure nothing will show.Has anyone heard of chronic hyperventilation syndrome? or phrenic nerve damage? if anyone can be of help please email me or post a message?

[John290]

Oh my God its like reading a story of exactly my life experience.  I woke up one day and just felt like i couldnt breath, it was as if every breath i took didnt get enough oxygen.  I was aware of my breathing 24 hrs a day (except while asleep), 7 days a week for about 2 years.  Everything you have said is exactly what i went through.  I have seen every doctor/specialist under the sun about this, who all told me i was fine and it was in my head.  But guess what??  Your in luck.  I finally went to a phycologist who noticed my short breathing straight away.  Sometimes with anxiety you dont realise you have it until your in the middle of it.  He gave me a CD with breathing exercises on it.  It teaches you to slow your breathing down and breath into the lower part of your stomach, instead of up high in the chest where im assuming you would be breathing.  I did these exercises twice a day for about 10 min each time.  To be honest for about 6-7 weeks it did nothing, but one day i woke up and realised i didnt have to think about my breathing anymore.  I still do these exercises about 4 times a week now just to keep things in check.  Trust me, your body has gotten itself into a routine of bad breathing...you just have to break that pattern.  This can sometimes take a bit but stick at it.  I was so pissed off that after seeing numerous specialists and doctors(and thousands of dollars), none of them picked this up.  You need to find a relaxation centre of some type, one that sells meditation CDs and books.  They always have breathing exercise CD's.  I would love to give you the one i have.
By the way.....just a quick bit of advice, anxiety causes every sympton known to man, all which seem life threatening.  I know this from experience, you are fine, dont waste your time with doctors now as you have had all the tests which say your fine and most know nothing about anxiety (apart from drugs).  You just need to keep reminding yourself it is not life threatening.
Please let me know how you go, i really hope this helps because i know exactly what you are going through.  

[enitsirhc]

WOW I'M GOING TO THE DOCTOR FOR THIS TODAY I BEEN VERY SHORT OF BREATH LIKE CAN'T EVEN FINISH A COMPLETE SENTENCE!  I ALSO HAVE A FEELING LIKE A BALL IN MY THROAT LIKE A CHOKING SENSATION.  I DO HAVE ACID REFLUX SO I DUNNO

[zambrotta19]

john thnaks alot-where did you purchase the cd from? can i buy it online?

[John290]

My Psychologist gave me the CD but im sure you could get one online or from a meditation shop of some type.  Maybe try googling "Breathing Exercise CDs" or something like that.  Where abouts do you live? Country? City?

[zambrotta19]

hi john, sorry have been really busy and havent had a chnace to post a response-i live in new york city-urself?

[matt611]

hi john,

oh what a relief to read your story.  As I type this my chest is hurting because ive just had a cigarette and its been like this for weeks now.  I take a lot of painkillers because im addicted to them and have recently started to cut down.  This in itself causes anxiety. but i have been a nervous person since as long as i can remember.  I am a recovering alcoholic and when I was drinking (over 25 years) I rarely had an anxiety attack.  Since being sober for 5 years I have then regularly and they are truely terryfying.  The first time this happened I called an ambulance because I thought i had overdosed because I couldnt breathe only to be told it was an anxiety attack.  I have had since cutting down my pills a constant pain in my chest and the constant feeling of shortness of breath is horrible.  I know its psychological but that doesnt help whilst in the throes of one of these attacks and if an attack really takes hold of me I get tongue rolling and twitching which can go on for days.  Breathing into a paper bag does nothing for me.  

What a relief to find this forum.

many thanks everyone
helen

[brittany1213d]

This just started to me a few days ago.
i can't handle it anymore :[
i dont even know what started it.
it just started. and now its like all day.
and it's annoying and im scared.
i went to the doctors. "its all in ur head"
... maybe it is. but i want it to stop :[... im going back to tomorrow just for them to think im pyscho again.
and the only time im fine these past couple of days is sleeping or when im keeping my mind busy with friends.

i just want medication something
im a 17 yr old girl. and i just want it to stop :[
ive never had this problem before.

[tgirl143]

Wow; I always thought I was crazy.  I have not had normal breathing for about 6 years now and it's horrible.  Every day I think that I have this horrible disease that the doctors didn't see or didn't diagnose.  I have taken a CT scan, lung x-ray, EKG for the heart and they were all normal.  I am convinced that all the doctors are wrong and that they all mis-diagnosed me.  But, I am an anxious person and this is probably just anxiety.  I really hope that's all it is.  I will try breathing exercises and see if they work.  I want my life back!

[MissAshley2009]

Your concentrating on it too much..
Trust me i deal with this everyday. at first i thought it was a mixture of my anxiety and my obsessive smoking habit but i learned that all it was was my over awareness of what i thought was going on. Your not crazy but your brain is sending the wrong signals through your body. im not sure how to tell you to get it to stop except try not to think about it and concentrate on something else. This is actually how i started having my panic attack. i would be smoke and feel like i couldnt breath so i'd keep taking deep breath after deep breath which would make me hyperventalate (spelling?)

[despairing]

I have been dealing with intense shortness of breath for over 7 years. Zambrotta's post sums up my experience pretty well. My shortness of breath is excruciating, constant, day and night.  I litterally feel as though I am suffocating. I hate it with every fiber of my being. It affects every area of my life.  I've been on xanax for over a year now and it's the only thing that seems to help, but it's only meant for short term treatment (3 to 4 months), and I've built a tolerance and the relief it provides isn't complete anyway.  I don't know what to do, but I promise my "awareness" of it is not the problem - I'm not concentrating on it too much or anything like that. It's horrible! I've prayed, seen doctors... I'm at my wits end, and often I feel I'd rather be dead than to go on living like this.  I am miserable.

[tony_aka_age]

This is almost exactly like my story I will feel suffocated or I concentrate to hard on breathing that it scares me into anxiety. I've been like this for 8 months now and its been horrible. But one thing I must tell you is to never give up, I've gone to seen one doctor for medication and only went like 3 days to a therapist (stop going because I couldn't afford it). I've spent my 8 horrible months with anxiety and I've been stuck at home because I'm so afraid of many things now, and I've never been one to scare easy and I've never had this problem and like most people it just popped up out of nowhere and BAM anxiety attacks. Right now I've lessened my attacks to the point if they occur I can stop them and without losing control. My problem though is the fear, and I've always distracted myself everytime, but I tell you to not do this everytime because if you want to beat your fears sometimes you have to face them head on. You can control your emotions, if you want to get angry you can right away, if you want to be calm, sad, cry you can do these easily. Fear is an emotion and in time it can be controlled as well. Thats why I tell you to never give up and fight for the life that you once had because who else is going to do it for you. I fight for my life everyday and I will not stop until I regain the normal life I once had and I will be rooting for all of you that are in the same boat as myself. Oh and also what John says helps a lot as well. practice some breathing exercises and never give up!

Good Luck to All

[Ray_Smith_37]

I suffered from this exact same thing for nearly a year. It started suddenly in a car ride one day and just didn't leave. Went to doctor after doctor...couldn't find anything wrong with me. Nine months later I had a panic attack from it and embarrassingly went to the hospital. I had a this great doctor simply tell me I had a chronic stress disorder (anxiety disorder, whatever.) and the next day I could feel my symptoms fade away. They returned once but All I say to myself is "your brain is tricking you. Don't worry." I repeat that and and just let myself be totrtured and accept it and soon enough I'm thinking of something else and it isn't there... so...what I'm saying is...this isn't a permanent situation.

[MakeThatSacrifice]

Oh, my god I can't even believe how many people have experienced this. I was sure I was alone, I quit smoking and tried everything I could think of to get rid of it! People who have never experienced it have no idea how horrible it is, it effects everything, my friends would tell me to start exercising more, which I knew couldn't be my problem because it would happen first thing when I would wake up and be with me all day, regardless of how active or inactive I was! It's tough trying to explain it to other people, I was getting really frustrated and worried that it was something very serious!

[r9c]

This is very true..i experienced this sensation a lot..done all test before..all fine..
one time it was so bad the breathing i went to the A&E dept and they check my oxygen level on my thumb using pulse oxi i think..its show 100%  oxygen level..i was like..i hardly breathe but my oxygen saturation level is 100% and then i proceed to see the doctor..he listen to my heart and lungs..it was 100% fine..and my symptoms disappeared slowly..
i just couldnt believe its just Anxiety...how horrible

[tony_aka_age]

Thats what happened to me also, I was just riding along in the car and I had a feeling of suffocation and that was my first and only worst anxiety attack I had in history. But I fought if by myself for 6 months until I saw a doctor. In the end it was all in my head and slowly I'm taking control of my life. I fell to horrible anxiety attacks where I get the pins and needles feeling on my hands, feet, stomach, and face. I had depression because I couldn't understand what was going on with me and I had no idea how to fight it. I was always negative and fearful of so many things that just added to my anxiety. I've had friends who couldn't understand what I was going through and would tell me to exercise, but that didn't work. In the end it's all in your head and even sometimes I have small anxiety attacks and I let them take over me since nothing bad has ever happened to me and they just go away because I know they can't hurt me. Right now I'm just trying to face a few of my fears like being in the car, going out with friends, leaving town to other places.

[care_berry]

Guys, I really don't think it's all in your head. I think a lot of doctors say that when they can't tell us what our diagnosis is. I had suffered from the breathlessness thing for years before I found out it was really a gluten allergy. I've posted about this here before. I no longer suffer from it after getting rid of all gluten from my diet.

[Daisysnow]

My gosh, I am so relieved I found this forum and your replies. I've been suffering off and on all week with panic attacks and shortness of breath I feel my lungs are too small. It freaks me out, I know it's in my head but the problem is real and still there. I've had panic attacks before but never with this shortness of breath for so long, all day long, days at a time. I was always able to control it or perhaps never noticed it as much. It's so bad, I keep thinking I have some sort of lung disease and I'm dying and the shortness of breath just gets so worse!! Knowing I am not along and I can share this horrible experience is one step to self help and I thank you all. Still trying to cope.

[cjstylezy]

Wow, I thought I was the only one! I have been having this problem for only a week. It came out of nowhere! I have anxiety like crazy, I've had it all my life, I'm 17 and I get stressed out over nothing. I've always have! I'm paranoid and I need to chill. I can't control my anxiety, and now I have shortness in breath! I'm pretty sure it's all in my mind, but the mind is a powerful thing! I don't get it, I'm too scared to work out now. Last night I had that lumpy throat feeling. I was so scared. It went away, and it's crazy to know that other's are going through the same thing!

[Goldie904]

wow, i'm shocked there are so many people with this. me too.
i have had shortness of breath for years. on and off. i think when you cocentrate on it, it makes it worse. if i'm with friends/out/on vacation i really don't notice it. as soon as i get back to 'normal life' it starts. since some days are worse than others..and it doesn't get worse over all the years, it has to be in my head? anxiety? stress? just plain worrying too much! i'm not on medication and really don't want to be. but i constantly take deep breaths/yawn that my chest and back get sore! i'm so sick of it as well! when i first wake up i'm fine. why? because i'm not thinking about anything?!?! haha. does st. john wort work for this? will breathing exercises really make a differece when its an emotional thing? i think when i'm really bad it affects my eyesight as well. does anyone get that?
i exercise 3x a week and my breathing is fine.... urgh.

C

[spades617]

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[babyshay7]

I am a 24 year old female suffering all these same symptoms.  It's been going on now for a week.  I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse and Dysautonomia when I was 17, so I have been dealing with these symptoms for about 7 years now.  It's off and on and I'm sure for me it is stress and anxiety related.  What totally stumps me is that I know I have been this stressed out before, but my anxiety has never "acted-out" in this way.  I would get shortness of breath every now and then with an anxiety attack but I would take .5mg of Clonazepam and be fine after an hour so.  This shortness of breath I got a week ago comes back!  I guess the craziest thing is that it's obviously chronic anxiety.  I have never had anxiety so bad that I couldn't get rid of it, but that's what this feels like.  It's really really miserable, and none of the meds for it is a cure...just a temporary fix.  

[kaybee85]

I am so glad I am not alone! Today is Saturday and I started feeling the symptoms of an anxiety attack last Thursday, although I had no idea that it was an anxiety attack, the shortness of breath really worried me and I started thinking I had lung cancer or emphysema since I am a smoker. Monday(Memorial Day) came and we had a cookout and since I had my family around I didn't notice  the shortness of breath as much. Going to bed Monday night was terrible. I could not fall asleep, the shortness of breath was at its worse, I honestly thought I was going to die. I started to feel nauseated and made myself throw up. Finally I couldnt take it so I went to the E.R. The triage nurse took my vitals and I was 100% fine. My oxygen was at 100, and she said my lungs were as clear as a non-smokers lungs. I finally saw the E.R. doctor and she told me I had had an anxiety attack. I went home and took a Xanax, the next day tho I could still feel the shortness of breath, it is not as bad as it was on Monday but I still notice it and I am constantly thinking about it. I am also yawning excessively. It has been about 5 days since my attack and I cant get rid of the shortness of breath. I will probably be going to the doctor on Monday. I dont know what else to do. It has become so annoying. Ill take a few little breaths then a big breath then sometimes it feels like I'm not getting enough air. Anxiety runs in my family, my grandmother, 3 aunts and my mom have it along with 2 of my cousins. I was told by my mom to breathe into a brown paper bag, because when you are hyperventalating you are losing too much carbon dioxide so you need the paper bag to breathe it back in. Hope that helps. Anyone have any advice on what I should do?

[darkknight1999]

OMG I have the same thing... I've had it for a long time. I can't really remember when it started, but it comes and goes every once in a while. I never knew what it was. I don't like Dr's... nothing against them just going freaks me out. I havent been to the Dr. for over 20years, lucky for me Im a healthy person. For the longest time I couldn't even go in a hospital.
However yesterday it felt strong... like I just could not catch my breath... usually it goes away on its own. However I woke up today feeling the same. I went to work and everyone there is saying my I was having a heart attack or a stroke or something else really bad.
I ended up going home early because the longer I sat there and listen to them the worse it felt. So I went home to clear my head and try and figure out what my problem really is...
... and I ended up here reading this blog saying to myself holy s#*t that's exactly what I experience!

So great I have an anxiety problem... lovely... now what do I do?

[gsmith218]

Reading all these comments has let me know that I'm not alone and I'm not crazy. I've been dealing with this shortness of breath for over 20 years now. I tend to feel anxious about a lot of things and have had other symptoms such as skin rashes and stomach issues which my Dr. thought was an ulcer. When they scoped my stomach and found nothing wrong, they said it's anxiety. I'm currently on a medication for anxiety but it has not stopped the shortness of breath that comes and goes. I have a lot of responsibility with work and home so I'm sure these are some of the reasons why I'm stressed out or anxious. A freind of mine has had some of these same issues and he said that zanex, probably spelled wrong, has worked for him.

[ClearVisionCeo]

How was it determined that you had gluten allergies

[ClearVisionCeo]

Dam

This is good information, I'm 43 years old and have always been in shape,,, I started experiencing the shortness of breath about a year ago, had all the test done and everything was negative. So one doctor told me that i may be having panic attacks and don't even know it.. Bullsh@t is what i said because one of my doctor friends told me that give you that type of medication because they don't know whats wrong with you to make you think it's mental. Hell i know when i can't breath or not.. I'm gonna ask my doctor about this gluten test to see if that works, because this shiggity *****....

[Headmanmr]

This brings tears to my eyes just reading, it's exactly what I've had for the past month except it's gone away for a week at a time and comes back. No doctor seems to know what's wrong everything checks out normal. "you may not feel like your getting enough air but you are." I may be but the sensation of not recieving adequate air with each breath quickly becomes hell. There is nowhere you can go and nothing you can do to even temporarily escape it except to sleep and often I am kept awake because of it. I can't go on like this it is indeed a viscious cycle so powerful and depressing I've often contemplated suicide because I am not really living anyway. I'm an 18 year old male who just graduated high school and I've been healthy my entire life being active in football and everything until suddenly in early july I just couldn't get full breaths. Since then I've had anxiety attacks and weird sleeping sensations like what is called a hypnic jerk and sleeping paralysis. I had bronchitis which I think started my breathing trouble which escalated into anxiety breathing trouble. I need help I can't do this much longer. I've never known myself to be an anxious person but I have a family history of relatives having problems with anxiety disorders and depression. I'm so vivacious and full of life and young but this breathing problem is powerful enough to hold me back and it seems there's nothing I can do. Please help

[Jessie722]

I am so glad to be reading this. I'm a 22 year old healthy female, who exercises regularly. (not so much any more since this breathing trouble) I've been dealing with anxiety for about the past year. The need to take a deep breath is constant, and only goes away when I'm sleeping or doing things to distract myself. I feel like my lungs are never full and I can never get them full. In addition to this, I blow every small ache or pain to the extreme, and often end up at the doctors or the emergency room because the symptoms are so real to me. I had a squeezing sensation around my heart, which I thought was an attack, only to be told I had an anxiety attack. I've been to the doctor more times than I can count, had every test under the sun because the symptoms are REAL to me, and I cannot rest until I know I'm not dying. I feel as though everyone around me things I'm a lunatic or a hypochondriac, because unless you've been there, you simply can't understand. Doctors don't even seem to understand! As far as the breathing goes, I don't know how to get it to go away. It has completely taken over my life. It temporarily goes away during a relaxing bath, or doing yoga, but nothing seems to get it to be gone for good. I'm seeing a therapist monthly, but it doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions would be so helpful. Good luck to everyone else dealing with this!

[Headmanmr]

By the way, if you notice yourself sometimes having to clear your throat or coughing a little mucinex seems to provide some relief

[titanmax]

I sincerely hope that this post will inspire and help all of you/us that are suffering from these symptoms.

10 years ago, when I was a perfectly healthy 21 year old male, I began experiencing an overwhelming shortness of breath.  I literally woke up to this sensation out of the blue one morning.  After a day or 2, I finally went to the ER, where I was checked out and found to be healthy.  I was referred to a series of specialists, who also could not diagnose me.  Finally, my family physician diagnosed me with anxiety, and prescribed me Paxil.  Unfortunately, I was too young and too stubborn for my own good, and couldn't imagine that it was anxiety that I had.  So I didn't take the medication, and simply toughed it out for 2 months until the symptoms dissappeared on their own.  These symptoms would re-occur the following years for a week here and there, but never to the same extent.

Fast forward to Feb 3rd, 2010.  Now 31 years old, I was laying on the couch reading a book in complete peace.  I had just finally found some quiet time after an extremely trying 2-3 months where nothing but bad had happened to my house and family.

While reading this book, I suddenly starting have shortness of breath again.  I was extremely concerned and uncomfortable.  The following day, I called out of work and went to the ER, where they performed tests, and called it anxiety.  I immediately was referred to a psychiatrist, who put me on Zoloft.  I had some side effects from the Zoloft (insomnia, sweating, RLS), which caused me great concern, but I gradually began to feel better.  It has now been 6 months, and I am still on Zoloft 200MG a day, and seeing a psychologist 1-2 times a month for CBT.

I am back to a normal quality of life, and even training again for running 5K and 10K's.

Please don't make the same mistake I did and think this will go away on it's own.

It may, but it probably won't.

[ToekneeFadoodle]

yea same. it just started yesterday for me. i was in my moms van when suddenly it felt like i couldnt take the deep breath i wanted. some times i would be able to catch a good one, but then it would just go straight to a the short feeling again. Also i tend to yawn alot. it feels like if i dont the breath will jst go away. The shortness does go away, however, when im doing stuff i enjoy, and hanging with friends, and sleeping. But of course feeling the short breaths i get scared to sleep, which makes it worse for me. i went to the doctors a couple of days ago for another symptom that i thought was "life threating" but they said i am perfectly fine. My mom keeps yelling at me and telling me its all in my head, but it still doesnt feel good even if it is in my head you know?

[clotheshanger13]

same with me, yes I am posting at 5:40 AM, any guesses why? I've only been to the doctor once for this and of course everything checked out fine. It does get annoying but hasn't really been life changing for me. I'm just always trying to put on a nice show so that my over protective mother doesn't freak when she sees me trying to take too many deep breaths. this has happened to me on and off for the past 6 months or so, and happened a couple years back to me as well for a short period of time. anyone thought about printing this out forum out and bringing it to their physician? maybe im just one of the thick skulled young guys who cant admit he has anxiety attacks but I feel like I cope with stress just fine. the gluten alergy (allergy) thing seems like a feasable reason for these symptoms among maybe some other minor fixes. I feel like we do so many odd and random things in our lives that this can easily be caused by something were all over looking. And for those thinking its brought on by smoking, i dont see it because am a major non-smoking advocate. anyway, just trying to add to the discussion, trying to get the ball rolling on some more fixes and hints.

[clotheshanger13]

same with me, yes I am posting at 5:40 AM, any guesses why? I've only been to the doctor once for this and of course everything checked out fine. It does get annoying but hasn't really been life changing for me. I'm just always trying to put on a nice show so that my over protective mother doesn't freak when she sees me trying to take too many deep breaths. this has happened to me on and off for the past 6 months or so, and happened a couple years back to me as well for a short period of time. anyone thought about printing this out forum out and bringing it to their physician? maybe im just one of the thick skulled young guys who cant admit he has anxiety attacks but I feel like I cope with stress just fine. the gluten alergy (allergy) thing seems like a feasable reason for these symptoms among maybe some other minor fixes. I feel like we do so many odd and random things in our lives that this can easily be caused by something were all over looking. And for those thinking its brought on by smoking, i dont see it because am a major non-smoking advocate. anyway, just trying to add to the discussion, trying to get the ball rolling on some more fixes and hints.

[ladylieb]

   I'm a 22yr. old female. I've been battling depression since puberty. It does run in my family. When I was 19, I first realized I had anxiety issues as well. The shortness of breath came suddenly, and my concern about it made it so much worse. I was soOo clueless. I thought my asthma was worsening, because I'd been diagnosed w/ exercise induced asthma at a young age. After about a week of yawning, trying to breath deeper, I'd had enough. I went to see a doctor. She was so funny, trying to be gentle in how she broke her diagnosis to me. I think it's "The Other A...", she said. My reaction: Doy! It suits me perfectly.
    Some of the anti-depressants I've taken have seemed to help with the shortness of breath. I'm currently taking 300mg Wellbutrin and 100mg Zoloft per day. It's definitely time to change my meds again, but my psychiatrist is booked solid the next couple of months. I came by this site in search of immediate anxiety relieving remedies. I knew I wasn't alone in this, but skimming all your posts has been reassuring. Sharing, I believe, helps too. Trying to research medication (focusing on, My Anxiety Breath, as I call it) has made it worse.
     It's hard to remember to do the research w/o the reminders...I'm going to try though, and I shall report back if I discover anything good.
PEACE & POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!!

    

[razzina]

    I also have a same problem with breathing as described above. It comes and goes , but lately I had it for 4 weeks now. I went to my doctor and had a lot of tests done, with no diagnosis and everyone keeps telling me it's anxiety. However, I don't feel that I am particularly stressed. Maybe.... I just hope that there is no other undetermined underlying reason why we all can't breathe. And also I hope I don't have to live with it all my life.!!!  ARE THERE ANY DOCTORS WHO POST IN THIS FORUM???? or we all just going to speculate what can be wrong with us???  I have questions, how to stop it and how to control it if it really is anxiety? Or is it not????

[cometmadhav]

It is real suprise that so many people are there facing the same problem which i am facing from last 2 years, shortness of breadth and anxiety, panic.
Got the ECG, Pulmonary function test and the Chest X-ray, every thing turned out to be normal and the doc says that the feeling is in my head, but i can say surely that i feel a lot of pressure to breath air, and i observed that i am trying to breath into by upper chest. i think that might be the issue, so from the above suggestions i think breathin excersise should help, thank you for sharing your expiriences and relieving me from this feeling that, i am the only person with this disorder

[cometmadhav]

It is real suprise that so many people are there facing the same problem which i am facing from last 2 years, shortness of breadth and anxiety, panic.
Got the ECG, Pulmonary function test and the Chest X-ray, every thing turned out to be normal and the doc says that the feeling is in my head, but i can say surely that i feel a lot of pressure to breath air, and i observed that i am trying to breath into by upper chest. i think that might be the issue, so from the above suggestions i think breathin excersise should help, thank you for sharing your expiriences and relieving me from this feeling that, i am the only person with this disorder

[ln0467]

OMG i feel a little relief.Saturday i noticed i felt exhausted and  was having shortness of breath.Everything i do just about take my breath away,talking laughing,work, going up the stairs etc...Sunday while at work still the same thing.Went to urgent care and they said was having palpitations and sent me home.I was worried to death.I was thinking that i'm dying and they don't have a clue whats wrong with me.I'm having my doctor run every test possible and make sure there is nothing to worry about.But it could just be anxiety.Thank you all for sharing your experience on the forum

[JohnnySakai]

Thank you! If I could pay each of you, I would. Who knows how much you've all saved me in a fruitless pursuit of a magical cure! I'm a 49 yr old male and first experienced this terrifying attack when I was 39. I thought I was dying. I stopped smoking immediately, started eating healthy and exercising regularly. After a few months, it went away and I thought I was free of the affliction. I maintained my healthy lifestyle to this day and what completely at a loss when I suddenly couldn't breathe about a week ago. The crushing sensation in my chest and not being able to draw that "last breath" was drawing me into despair. I felt a brooding sense of doom and could think of nothing but my breath. Every day for the past week it was like this....until I found this forum. I read everyone's comments and, guess what? It's gone! Just knowing that there are others like me out there has acted like a "release valve"! My love and thoughts of peace and serenity to you all. John

[jessk26]

i know how u feel zambrotta19 im having the same symptoms im 22 year old female! Im always short of breath! and if i go to the store and start walking around i sometime loose my breath and have to stop for a min it feels like i have to make air go into my lungs! Its hard to explain! plz email me or anyone else that has the same symptoms! ive had ekgs done one said i had right ventricalar conduction delay and then i went to a different doc and he said i didnt that i jus had an irregalor heart beat but nothing to worry about! ive have an ech, xrays, blood work 24 hour heart moniter! everyone says its in my head sometimes i wish i would jus die! all i do is consintrate on my breathing plz someone email me at ( (***@****) cause i prob want be back on this page plz someone! im tired of feeling along!

[giants25]

Its good to know your not the only one out there with this problem , iv'e been
battling this for 22 years , like most of you I have had good years and bad years . It all started when i was Fourteen , I was at the movies throwing down the popcorn and lolliies when I noticed i could'nt breathe I had a heap of lollies stuck in my throat I coughed and made all sorts of noises trying to clear my airway when eventually it went down.A few years later I started smoking weed and every time I got a dry mouth and couldn't swallow it brought on this feeling of not being able to breathe.So I gave up smoking and started to drink
i noticed when i was drunk it was all good but when I woke up in the morning with a hangover it brought the anxiety back. It was this vicous circle which went on for the better part of ten years , now i don't drink , smoke or do anything that would affect my health but i still have this ****** demon inside me.I have tried everthing possible , however I can control it by breathing from my stomach but you still get the urge to take that deep breath which will then stuffs up the whole process , its such a challenge to go through this nearly every day but what can you do , just learn to live with it and try to control it be possitive don't think negative thoughts think of a happy place , listen to music distract you mind I now how hard this is it depresses this **** out of you but what gets me by is my wife and my one year old son , maybe the best thing is to find a hobbie something that you look foward to something that makes you happy .

[sab12]

Hi everyone..here is my story I hope someone can help...i dont have ms..but I suffer from anxiety...i have been having these wierd dizzy whooshing feeling in my head...i dont know if its from the anxiety..but i decided to get a cat scan...everything came back normal and the doctors sent me on my way..by the way it was done in the ER...So I get home and i read the cat scan report and I notice something that worried me.. I have no idea what it means ..tried to google it ..that was no help..this is what it said : SUBCENTIMETER HYPODENSITY IN THE RIGHT CENTRUM SEMIOVALE...what does this mean ? I am so worried that is causeing me more anxiety..i  had this test done on sunday morning with my request....and im losing sleep over it...im going to see my dr this week..but if anyone can shead sum light on this...please let me know...

[deejayaz]

I'm encouraged, reading you all, that I am NOT going crazy.

My symptom is I have the sensation of breathing in cold air in January, but not on exertion - exercise, yardwork, etc.  I don't pant, all my tests are normal to really good on the Pulmonary Function Test and cardio/ultrasound/and blood work ups.

My breathing is pretty normal, until, I try to hold a sustained conversation and then, my lungs "clutch up" is the only way to put it.  I see the doctor again now that my tests are all negative and I guess, she may try an anxiety med.   I was put on a low dose of Lisinopril two months ago and it took care of the elevated BP.  I've lost weight and am steadily/healthily doing so. The Lisinopril does give me a bit of a raspy cough a few times a a day, but this sensation was there before I started that therapy.

Thank you for all your input and stories, because now I feel more confident that I'll be ok. Perhaps, it's just a matter of finding a doctor with the right experience.   Good luck to you all.

[revival1]

Hello Everyone - I have ALL of the same experiences that everyone has written about.  It started about 7 years ago when I was living in a dirty, moldy, dusty, beach house with a lot of other people.  Being a teenager then, there were plently of parties with no parental supervision which consisted of mainly alcohol and smoking.  I woke up one morning after a night out the night before and noticed the shortness of breath.  I figured it was b/c I smoked the night before and was just out of shape, so.. I went for a run and ever since then I have battled against chronic dyspnea.  I have seen every doctor.. Asthma was ruled out b/c I didn't respond to meds, spirometry was normal, heart is fine, oxygen levels normal.. I did see a Mold Specialist who was convinced I had a biotoxin illness, of which I was put on several experimental drugs.. none of which helped..  I was tested for Vocal Chord Dysfunction but it was ruled out.  I do have acid reflux, though, but I can't see that being the main catalyst.  I have been seeing a Somatic Experiencing/Healing touch therapist that seems to have eased the inability to get a good breath of air, but has not corrected the occurence of shortness of breath.  It seems that the general consensus is that it is mental now, but I do have physical signs of wheezing and am battling whether or not it's pyschological/physical or a combination of both.  Any help that you have been given would be greatly appreciated. I am determined to get better!

[footylad]

Could this be caused by a hiatal hernia?

[sherry737]

it could be a hernia. Only an endoscopy will tell for sure.  I'll tell you my story...

About a year ago, I was having heartburn symptoms every night.  Treated it with Alka Seltzer.  This went on for a few months.  Then, the heartburn went away, and I began being short of breath.  (I didn't put the two together).  
Went to the ER-all tests came back fine.  Shortness of breath continued and I began seeing a multitude of docs to remedy it.  First my general practioner diagnosed it as "bronchiospasm" and gave me a rescue inhaler to use as needed.  Well, I was using it frequently with no relief.  Finally, he put me on Advair as well, gave me an allergy shot, ran some more tests.  Nothing worked.  So he referred me to a pulmonolgist who diagnosed me with asthma.  So I was put on prednisone, a higher dose of Advair and my rescue inhaler.  None of this worked.  So, ANOTHER round of prednisone, changed from Advair to Symbicort and still had a rescue inhaler-which I used frequently b/c I was always short of breath.  Nothing seemed to help.  I had no cough, no wheezing, but shortness of breath and not sleeping.  At this point, I was getting DESPERATE.  Went back to the pulmonologist who said he suspected the asthma meds weren't working b/c I had a condition known as Vocal Cord Dysfunction-or VCD.  He referred me to an ENT who did a scope down my nose and throat and diagnosed me with VCD and LPR-Laryngopharyngeal Reflux.  You can google both conditons to learn more. At the point, my anxiety has been through the roof.  So, I began taking Xanax which help some but not for long.  I began taking meds for the reflux, changed my diet and started speech therapy to address the VCD.  Now, since I knew I had reflux, I opted to get and endoscopy done to see what was going on down lower and address any issues that my have caused the reflux-such as a HERNIA.  In my case, there was none. It is genetic and poor diet that causes it much of the time.  In a nutshell, the think (as do I) that the reflux triggered asthma.  The asthma (and subsequent meds you have to take for it) triggered the VCD and anxiety.  Now, those two things are my biggest hurdles and I am treating them with speech therapy, drugs (like Xanax), and psychological counseling.  It has been an uphill climb and some days I feel like giving up.  It has cost me months of my life (not to mention the monetary costs).  I hope that my post can be of help to anyone who reads it and I pray for recovery for all.

[tubaanl]

hi am 21 yrs old femalde in Turkey and been suffering all the symptoms uve written here. all sorts of shortness of breathe and concerns.. i thought i had asthma because i have a cat. but again no.. its anxiety..no doc here can help me . i had been on prozac for 4 years then stopped it. then this anxiety thing reoccured. now im on Lustral 50mg. one a day. it helped at first. but now im  experiencng it again... read some of you used zoloft.. ill make a research ab it..hope it helps:(

[badar7]

OMG i thought i was alone...infact i was sureeeee i was alone....

i have the sameeeeee problem from about 7 years...100% same prob..n docs sayin...'its all in ur head'..'u have a habbit of doin this'.....my all tests are perfectly normal...etc...i dont want to write it again...but i have 100% same feeling as u guys have..bt i think i am the worst among u all....these days it has increased soooooo much that i really tried to kill my self..bt then somone stopped me..i still prefer to die,than to remain like this...
Q1) wats the name of this prob?
Q2) is there any cure?
Q3) howwwwww can i get rid of it,or reduce it etc?

my email is    ***@**** tell me any update/info/possible cure on this?...i will serve u my whole life..i ll b ur slave forever...just get me out of this problem

[badar7]

badar7 'at' live 'dot' com

[badar7]

has it got to do anything wid cigrettes....my father smokes cigretes n  it started with that ,as far as i can remem... when i inhale..wat he exhales...it shoots up..n  prob increases...it also increases wid toooo much anxity/tension.......bt watever is the case,ITS ALWAYS THERE..i dont remem when was the last time i took a deep satisfactory breath..even after some exercise,i try to breath..n i cannottttt..then i feel like shooting my self

[Moltoss]

Hi there.

FACE: the problem don't fear it.
ACCEPTING: Accept it. It no longer matters.
FLOATING: Submit to it. Let it happen. Go with it.
LETTING TIME PASS: Like all healing, it must be given time.

I am a 64 year old male and have had anxiety problems (including this one currently) for several years. This has helped me over time. If you would like to check it out the books are by Claire Weekes. One of them is called "Hope and Help for Your Nervers". This has done a lot more for me than any Doctor. Good Luck

[manishtully]

You must find this amazing that even after two years your reply is being read. I am also going through same phenomena for last weeks time. I know that i feel shortness of breath only when i only think about the same and not otherwise.

I agree thats all in mind because these days we find lot of people suffering from asthma and other heart problems and then you always feel that you are now the next one under the line of attack from such ailments.

Thanks for your suggestions and advise. I am going to surf the net for finding breathing exercises to improve mine. In case you get this message, if you want to share some more advice, please write to me at manish.***@****. Kind regards

[fronkzoppo]

You have no idea how comforting it is to know there is someone else dealing with this type of anxiety, who got over it :) I thought I was the only person on Earth with this, like some kind of freak. Now I feel human again and like everything is going to be alright.

Bless you, sir.

[MoMorrison]

I am going through the exact same thing! Actually that is what eventually kicked off this vicious anxiety cycle of mine. I have been dealing with this problem for about 5 months now. I remember feeling fine and healthy as I always did then one day out of the blue I felt like that couldn't get that satisfying deep breath in. This naturally made me panic and made me think that something was terribly wrong. I went to the ER and blood work and xrays were done with the Dr. saying everything seemed good including my breathing and oxygen level. I was prescribed xanax but hardly take them, the time I did take them they seemed to elevate my anxiety so I'd rather not take them at all. I am still dealing with this "air hunger" and even though I feel that it might not be as bad as it was when it first started I still wish it wasn't a problem whatsoever! Good luck to all of us out there with this problem. God willing we will all get better soon!

[azoreano4life]

im dealing with this now but the only thing is i also get some chest pains here and there i also went to cardiologist and did ekg, ecg, ecg stress before stress test then another ecg stress after the stress test, various blood tests and everything came out normal all i have is that when i excersise my heart beats to 168 per min so im on a beta blocker and i have a slight heart murmur....but i was diagnosed with anxiety unfortunately idk why and lately i get lack of appetite, my blood pressure rises but when i relax goes back to normal, constipated, dont sleep right, back pain, muscle pains, sometimes blurred vision, sometimes light headed,sometimes palpitations (but havent gottn one in a while) recently had numbness on left arm and leg and sometimes face but went away after three days and then after that is when i started gettn shortness of breath on and off and now its more on then off and i get like heart attack symptoms but yet here i am thank god well anyways i ahve more stuff but i wasnt here to try to talk bout myself i jus wanted u to kno that u should probably consider goin to a sleep specialist i wana do the same cause sleep apnea presents somewhat the same symptoms like it gives u a heart arrythmia (irregular heart beat) high blood pressure everntually, fatigue, loss of appetite and is tied in with anxiety to be honest with u sooo i hope if u are still going thry these symptoms that ths might help u, i also hope to find the answer to my problems as well as wishing hope for everyone to find help with ther problems so that we can go back to living our normal lives as we were doin before oh and i also am a 22 year old male

[Toddfost]

I am so glad it is not just me. I suffer from this too. I used to do drugs and get it when I was high but then I gave up. One day I suddenly had a shortness of breath. I started getting panic attacks which have stopped now but I still worry all the time about it. I have a medical exam coming up and everytime I think about it, it gets worse..

[Toddfost]

I am also 22 and have had this since I was 19. I am even too scared to see doctors.

[vbirts]

I went to my sons birthday party at a park and that night I started having breathing problems. The next day it got worse. By the end of the week I couldn't get out of bed. I was so short of breath. I Went to ER and they gave me Asthma drugs. They didn't work. I Think they were making it worse. I went back to ER and since Iam a Respiratory Therapist I told them run every test you can. I did every test and everything came back normal. So they thought I cought a viral infection in my lungs. I went home and it got worse. For two weeks I didn't get out of bed at all . I only got up to the bathroom but that was it. I didn't eat or even talk because I was so short of breath. Then it started to get a bit better everyday slowly. I went and say my doctor and he thought it went from viral to bacterial so he gave me more steroids and antibiotics. It helped a bit. After a week I was able to move around again but I was short of breath doing everything. So I called a pulmonologist and because of what I o for a living he got me in the next day. He did PFTs on me and they showed my breathing was weak. So he thought it might be nerological. So I stay in the hospital for 4 days and they did all the tests over again plus more. I wanted to rule ot Valley fever. I left with no answwer. It has been almost 2months and I am much better but I still get short of breath. Here is what I think. I caught a virus in my lungs that damaged my small airways. So now my body is trying to repair my lungs. Exercise works the best and breating exercises. Breath slow and stay calm.Who knows why crazy things happen  to us but don't chase a answer but rule everything out. Demand all the tests. If you are health they exercise and strengthin ur lungs. Do breathing exercises. Stay calm.e

[gabe23]

About a year ago I first started having symptoms of shortness of breath that everyone on this forum is describing.  One day I felt a bit anxious driving home from class and remember not being able to inhale completely and was not able to get a deeply "satisfying" breath.  I went back home and thought that I might be able to sleep it off but the sensation did not abate.  The shortness of breath was extremely irritating because I was constantly aware of my breathing.  There was also sometimes a tightness in my chest that at times was painful.  Nonetheless, the shortness of breath itself was something I had never experienced before in my life (I'm 23) and it made me less inclined to want to really do anything (although I did do everything I've always done) because I was so aware of my breathing.  

The shortness of breath lingered on for a few weeks and eventually I decided to try to figure out what was going on with me.  I went to see a pulmonologist and he said that my lungs and breathing were completely healthy and normal.  At this point I became suspicious that it really even was a physiological phenomenon.  

I then stumbled onto this forum and read all of the posts and was greatly relieved to know that I was not alone.  One of the posts that interested me was written a few years back by John 290.  He had written how he had also had similar symptoms and used breathing exercise cd's to fix his condition.  This got me thinking what if breathing exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and other forms of possible alternative solutions could relieve my condition.  When I first tried meditation (picked up this book called Flip the Switch by Eric Harrison) this past summer I realized that while I was meditating sometimes the shortness of breath disappeared.  The fact that it disappeared while I was meditating made me conclude that this condition must have something to do with my mind and my breathing and probably nothing else.  The shortness of breathing starting in around September disappeared for a while.  It unfortunately came back about a month later but then a few months later in December disappeared.  

The day before my 23rd birthday on February 19 I worked out and started to feel the shortness of breath coming on.  At this point I knew about the condition and did not over react because I had gone through it before.  The shortness of breath continued until February 22 when I was on a flight to visit my girlfriend.  On the flight I did some deep breathing but also was simply aware of my surroundings (this is believe it or not a form of meditation).  Literally as I walked off the flight it was gone.  

I'm posting on this forum today because last weekend the shortness of breath did come back.  However, I am more confident than ever before about how to handle this condition. Meditating and being aware of my surroundings has really helped me to not only abate the symptoms but as aforementioned to make it disappear altogether.  

I'm also posting on this site because I believe there is a cause to this condition and there is also a way to treat it.  Perhaps labeling this condition as "Shortness of Breath Anxiety" may be a misnomer because I know at least for me I have all the conditions everyone is posting but I am not anxious in the least when I experience the shortness of breath.  I also believe that standard doctors and psychiatrists possibly may not have the answers because they have been trained to look at the problem in a myopic way.  Perhaps (and this only my opinion) the answer to our inquiry lies in neuroscience.  I started reading this book "The Brain that Changes Itself" and read about one neurologist in particular, Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran.  In general he looks at causes and cures for pain and how it relates to the brain.  He's also had much success with phantom limbs and other conditions that have really not ever been completely understood or treated.  I'm going to try to get into contact with him via e-mail to see whether he may have any answers or clues to treating this condition.  If I do find out anything within the next few weeks I'll be sure to repost.  

[wes622]

Yes i do get eye realated stuff going on too like cluster floaters ect.I actually missed work today because i was up all last night unable to breath,i've been dealing with it 22 years and i'm fed up that's why i'm here searching for an answer.

[Steegs610]

I feel like I have this too it had gone away but now it's back and it's getting annoying! But I think mine is truly due to anxiety! Yalls sounds worst than mine but hopefully mine won't get that bad! Breathing in for 8 seconds and then pushing out real hard with your mouth I have found helps also I have been taking these little pills called lemon bombs which are supposed fo help. I'm guessing you can most likely  get them at whole foods! Sorry I hope everything works our for all of y'all!

[snakepit]

hi there, i have the same anxiety you had. can i hear more how you deal with it? please do email me.... ***@**** it would help me to get back on my feet. i lost everything to mention careers and life... please post or better yet email me... thanks

[snakepit]

hi there, i have the same anxiety you had. can i hear more how you deal with it? please do email me.... ***@**** it would help me to get back on my feet. i lost everything to mention careers and life... please post or better yet email me... thanks

[laja1983]

I swear to all of you it is anxiety and can be easily treated with the right antidepressant. I went through this recently ALL of the same symptoms everybody is listing. Inability to take a deep satisfying breath (feels as though there are elastic bands tied around the bottom portion of your lungs) having to "fake yawn" to catch a breath (and that often didn't quite work either) being constantly aware of your inability to breathe, feels better when lying down, but gets extra bad when trying to function in normal everyday activities. I got this problem one day out of the blue while at work. after a couple of days i couldn't work anymore, and went to emergency. I had 3 EKGs, a chest x-ray, and blood tests. all were clear. i was worried because i have been a smoker since a VERY young age, but they could find nothing wrong with me. i felt like nobody understood what i was going through. i gave up on the idea of ever having a normal life (how would i ever have kids and be able to function?) I was prescribed a cough syrup to treat an upper respiratory infection (which i did not have) and also 2 inhalers (one steroid inhaler, and one fast acting) to "open my airways" when i got those inhaler home and took the first puff i was absolutely crushed when there was no relief. one nurse had mentioned that it could be anxiety, and i thought she was crazy. Nothing crazy had really happened to trigger it, and i was having just as hard a time when i was perfectly calm. i went to one doctor who looked at me like i was crazy when i asked if it could be caused by anxiety, but he agreed to Rx me an antidepressant, and gave me "pristiq" i took one the next day, but it was like taking a bad street drug, so i didn't take another one. I went to a different Dr, and told her that i thought this was being caused by anxiety and she told me that she saw it all of the time when she was working in Emergency. I asked her if the answer was "xanax" or "ativan" and she said that no, it would only be a short term solution (if it worked at all) and that those drugs are not meant to be taken long term. she recommended that i try CITALOPRAM, and Rx'd me 10mgs a day. within a few days my breathing troubles went away completely (except the one day i forgot to take the pill) and i feel so fortunate that i found a cure quickly. It breaks my heart to read some of these post from people who have been going through this problem for years. it is absolute torture. i remember sitting up at night and wondering if i was ever going to find a way out. sitting there with sore tired lungs. the thought of even jogging a few feet was out of the question. i was so scared that i would never feel relief. Go on wiki and look up SSRIs and SNRIs. there are different families of drugs and each antidepressant works differently for different people, but this will give you an idea about what they are and how they work. I am very sensitive to medication, and usually very sensitive to potential side effects. I have found this drug to be very tolerable for me, and the only side effects i have experienced are feeling funny for the first 2 days of taking it (this is normal for most antidepressants) and they make me kinda tired (so i just take it before bed) I consider this a very small price to pay to be able to breathe freely (I am even working out and riding my bike again!) Its crazy to think that just a few short weeks ago the notion of ever being active again seemed impossible. Go to doctors until you find one that takes you seriously and is willing to help you find the right medication. You are not alone, and you don't have to endure this hell any longer!!!

[cubmom5]

I had the same thing SEVERAL times.  ABout 12 yrs ago I had alot of stress with one of my kids.  Starting smoking at 14 b4 they told you all the bad stuff today so I was sure I had a lung disease.  After I got all the xrays and tests and nothing was wrong my doc gave me a starter pack of an antidepress.  I took ONE pill and felt the worst ever!  After that wore off I was fine, never had a problem for years.  I get terrible kinks in my neck and shoulders and found that pinching the knot in my right shoulder and fake yawning helps and then I can breath better.  But it was soo bad I had to sit on the edge of the couch knees pointed down and raise my arms over my head to get any air.  I carried a jar of vicks around and would sniff it and take deep breaths.
So then the next time I had a bad stress episode I knew what to do and it wasn't as bad.  I knew the breathing thing was stress related but your mind makes it crazy and scary.
Now move forward to last summer.  I got sick.  Bad.  Nobody could tell me what was wrong.  It started as flu and after that I was DEAD tired.  I spent a total of FOUR MONTHS on the couch, shaking just to walk to the bathroom.  Quit smoking about 3wks into the illness and then the problems really started.  My blood pressure dropped like a rock, I was dizzy, and really ill.  I thought I was having a heart attack twice and went to the ER.  Finally the second time (this after my PCP has sent me to a cardi because of low heart rate and 10K worth of tests) the ER doc talks me into a SMALL dose of ativan.  I hated it but 15 min later I felt better than I had in months.  It turned out I had MONO which is HUGELY aggrivated by stress.   And quitting smoking was a bad idea.    When you can't breath put your hands over your head, even laying down.  Blow like thru a straw or as if you were whistling slowly and empty your lungs.  Now you will prob be able to get a good breath which changes everything.  Pause between breaths too as we make our selves breath too quick in panic and then you can't get any air in.  And if you have a flu that leaves you really really tired MAKE your doc test you for mono bc they don't like to do it and MAKE THEM test for the tider not the mono spot which is USELESS.  It shows up after a month.  I got 15 ativan pills in the ER and have take 5 over the course of 6 months when I felt really bad.  It is highly addictive I was told so and everyone seems to want to give me refills but I still have the same bottle and carry it everywhere.  KNOWING I have it to fall back on helps too.

[needhamj]

I get the shortness of breath too but my heart seems to beat fast and my feet gets sweaty and cold had all the test done everthing came back ok just don't know what's wrong. Does anyone get the fast heart beat and cold chills or is it just me.

[needhamj]

I get the shortness of breath too but my heart seems to beat fast and my feet gets sweaty and cold had all the test done everthing came back ok just don't know what's wrong. Does anyone get the fast heart beat and cold chills or is it just me.

[sgkkr]

how long did the symptoms [shortness of breath] stayed?  This is the 3rd day i stopped taking doxycycline and I keep getting chills down my chest, head and back probably due to feeling like i am suffocating...

[sgkkr]

how long did the symptoms [shortness of breath] stayed?  This is the 3rd day i stopped taking doxycycline and I keep getting chills down my chest, head and back probably due to feeling like i am suffocating...

[kyungmi]

Hello, my mother just recently has been having all this symptoms, She doesn't look like her normal self, and that breaks my heart to pieces we have been to many doctors they have all said the same things nothings wrong with her chest, or oxygen level. But I can tell she has trouble breathing everyday, the first time she lost her breath completely was for about 7 seconds she was in panic. So we went to the doctor. They told her she was depressed? We didn't really know what was going on. But we knew this was not normal. Please I don't want to see my mother like this. She looks so miserable, she wants to be able to breath normally and not have panic attacks. But I just want to cry... Will someone please give us advice? how can she breath normally again? she just recently started taking benzol, we will have to see how that works out.

[HMS406]

I have been experiencing shortness of breath as well. It has been going on for about 3 weeks now. It's constant and far worse at night. Although- like many others- I find that when I am concentrating on other things I don't notice it as much. I've been to the ER 2x in the past week. All x-rays, blood tests, CT, & EKG came back normal & normal oxygen levels. I have also been to a cardiologist, who said it was acid reflux (NO WAY) but did schedule me for a upcoming echo and stress test. I also saw my family Dr. who said it was anxiety and that I should exercise again (sounds silly to suggest that to a person who can't breathe) He also prescribed me the same medication I had been on years before for anxiety and a very low dose xanax for emergencies until the new meds take effect. Up until this breathing issue I was big into exercise. I am now 24 and as a teenager I did struggle with anxiety, depression, & OCD. I found that exercise became my therapy and it even helped me come off my antidepressants when I was younger. I tried walking around the block last night. It went OK at first but I quickly become out of breath. It's so scary to think that you'll never be normal again. I don't really doubt that part of it's a mental thing, but that doesn't make the problem any less difficult to overcome. I am constantly worried that something horrible is wrong with me, even though I know in my head that probably isn't the case.

Mainly, I wasnted to post on here to see if anything experiencing this had recently gone of the birth control Yaz? I stopped taking this about 1 week or less before this started happening to me. It's the only change in my life that I can come up with to trigger these problems. After researching Yaz, I've found that its so common for people to have withdrawals and all kinds of issues coming off of it,,,,

[njain]

hi,
1. it can be due to anxiety , do some yoga.
2. Be positive , try not to think about it.

[Liter]

You are so right people who have never expierenced this shortness of breath have no idea. I am a 48 year old women and believe I am going through menopause. I guess that can be one of the symptoms. I have been hospitalized 5 times in the ER they have done an EKG, blood work and a lung X-ray everytime thank God everything comes back fine. I am beside myslef I just don't know what else to do. I am thinking about going to a Phulmonary doctor, but then I think the lung X-ray came back fine that would have detected if something were wrong. I mean this literally brings me to tears, it wakes me up out of a sound sleep. I ask myself how can that be anxiety when your sleeping. My doctor just did a full CBC on me to test the hormones also. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I also take a 0.5 Xanax also and that does give me releif. I know people say it's all in your head but let me tell you it sure don't feel that way.

[Liter]

You are so right people who have never expierenced this shortness of breath have no idea. I am a 48 year old women and believe I am going through menopause. I guess that can be one of the symptoms. I have been hospitalized 5 times in the ER they have done an EKG, blood work and a lung X-ray everytime thank God everything comes back fine. I am beside myslef I just don't know what else to do. I am thinking about going to a Phulmonary doctor, but then I think the lung X-ray came back fine that would have detected if something were wrong. I mean this literally brings me to tears, it wakes me up out of a sound sleep. I ask myself how can that be anxiety when your sleeping. My doctor just did a full CBC on me to test the hormones also. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I also take a 0.5 Xanax also and that does give me releif. I know people say it's all in your head but let me tell you it sure don't feel that way.

[Liter]

I can totally relate to your story. I am 48 years old and mine started about 2 years ago, and seems to be getting worse. I have been to the ER 5 times and have had all the testing from the heart to the lungs and thank God everything has come back normal. Now I think I am going through the change which can trigger anxiety and shortness of breath. I am like you how long does this last and I just want to feel normal again.

[abdullah22]

oh my god i am shocked! i thought i was the only one!!! but the problem is i have it with heart palpitations! and it's very scary...i am constantly out of breath and aware of the heart beat! do any of you experience this as well??

i am 22, did EKG, Echo, lung x ray, full blood test and they said i am Perfectly healthy!

:'(

[kathleen721]

I can't begin to state how happy I am to read all these comments.  My only difference in situation from many of the other posts is that I do not smoke, but I'm been battling hyperthyroidism, which can also cause this excruciating shortness of breath.  My Endocronologist has been changing my medications about every 6 months due to the shortness of breath, but after reading these posts about incorrect breathing, I wonder if that is the cause of mine.  I only say that because I often take Celebrex and Soma for a work-out related incident (pulled/torn Bursa tendon) and when I take those, I relax and my shortness of breath goes away.  
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the posts..I want to locate the CD everyone is talking about and see if I can get my life back.  I sure hope the guy who started this is better!!!

[libra1982]

Hello people,
i have the same weird illness as all of you are sharing.i have also been searching for answers and it appears to me that we are all affected by adrenal fatigue to varying extent individually.
Dr james wilson has his own website and written a book which is a must read for all.
Also it is noteworthy to point out that people with adrenal fatigue have double the risk of having heart disease later if not controlled.
I personally take almonds before bed to induce restfull sleep.
I soak 15 almonds in water all day long and at night before bed peel the outer layer and eat.
The breathing problems seem to vanish after trying this.
Also i take the adrenal rebuilder by james wilson one caplet in the morning and one at evening.
My life is comming back on track.
Hope it helps some of you!
And one thing there are two three docs named wilson but only one james wilson.
Keep fighting untill you find a solution.

[Breathfull]

I have been experiencing the same breathing problems. And here is something everyone needs to know:

Cardio exercise is God's gift to eliminating stress and anxiety. Get on a treadmill or a bicycle a few times a week and work up a sweat. Exercise those lungs! You will get breaths and oxygen that will amaze you and it will feel sooooooo good!

[Radhe1919]

hi, i just developed anxiety related breathlessness, and my naturopathic doctor highly recommended getting a dvd teaching the Buteyko method of breathing (goggle it to find site where they sell it).  apparently the research shows improvement in breathing (even though there's a debate about why it works).  they even have a dvd for kids!  my doctor is amazing, so even thopugh i have just ordered it and can't personally testify to it's effectiveness yet, i feel positive about passing on this info.  good luck everyone, this is a very disturbing symptom.

[TornDreaMz]

Hi guys, im sooo sad! ever since ive been 15, im 23 now but I have had problems like shortness of breath, anxiety, the doctor I saw said I had general anxiety,? dont know too much about that but im soo sick of it sometimes I wish I left this erath, cant do anything without this stupid problem! can anybody please help me identify what might be the problem, symptoms - shaking, shortness breath, always thinking about it, chest feels heavy, cant sleep, feels like heart palpation happens, very scared I might die waht is wrong with me doctors check my heart everything ok, lungs are ok, they say its all in my head? what?' ughhh, please if anybody has this problem please, please, please, please reply back =(  

[TornDreaMz]

Hi guys, im sooo sad! ever since ive been 15, im 23 now but I have had problems like shortness of breath, anxiety, the doctor I saw said I had general anxiety,? dont know too much about that but im soo sick of it sometimes I wish I left this erath, cant do anything without this stupid problem! can anybody please help me identify what might be the problem, symptoms - shaking, shortness breath, always thinking about it, chest feels heavy, cant sleep, feels like heart palpation happens, very scared I might die waht is wrong with me doctors check my heart everything ok, lungs are ok, they say its all in my head? what?' ughhh, please if anybody has this problem please, please, please, please reply back =(  

[gin4eva02]

I completely understand what you are going through.  I'm 28 and I have had anxiety issues since I was 22 and the breathlessness just started earlier this year with alot of my stress going on.  But if you feel like you need a friend to talk to and specially with someone who is in the same boat feel free to email me any time.  My name is Jenn and my email is elz_jre***@****.

Hope it gets better in time and hope to be an open ear to listen to you.

[xtina25]

Hi i have started having this breathing problem from Fri night after takin a cigarette. Its scaring the life out of me the constant urge to want to take a deep breathe but not gettin that last bit of air in. Im the same were im fine wen im sleeping but wen i wake its the first thing i think of :( im feel like im becoming obsessed with it. My husband keeps askin me wats wrong cus im sighin every 5-10mins.

[hbomb12]

it is honestly like an elephant sitting on your chest. my anxiety has costed me jobs, school, a normal childhood for my children. and a real, l mean REAL life for me. I'm soo sick of this. My husband says to get over it and honestly thinks I'm making it up or something. I just want to feel again.

[stilllearning56]

Thanks.. I too have been having similar issues recently...Here is what has been helping me lately...

*  deep breathing from the stomach/diaphragm
*  trying to live in the present
*  count on my fingers, "I am here now"
*  Yoga/Pilates,(lower back is where stress is stored)
*  When I feel I need a deep breath I first exhale releasing CO2 then inhale with my mouth or nose and it's just perfect...
* Humidity is around 40~50percent--perfect!!!!!
*  press upper/lower lips together, imagine a kind of frown face, put a better way is to make your mouth have a forceful underbite... to send blood through the Vegas jugular to the brain thus forcing O2 to the brain and away from the stomach after eating/--this instantly eliminates anxiety/fear/depression...
*  breath through one nostril hold it for a few seconds and the out the other...
*  perform rapid breathing through the nose only for 30 seconds... your diaphragm will get used to it along with your brain and muscle memory...
*  eat lemon yogurt and bread to help digestion
*  sit down in the lotus position when over eating...
*  sip on ambient temperature water or warm water
*  stay hydrated
*  sip on dark roasted,(less acidic coffee) once or twice/day.
*  acupuncture...
*  have natural peppermint smells throughout the house
*  stay away from overexposure to benzene and formaldahyde...
ALL OF THESE TIPS HAVE IMPACTED AND ENRICHED MY LIFE, I'M GREATFUL FOR THE INTERNET AND EXPERTS THAT HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS ARTICLES, SO MY COLLAGE OF ARTICLES, IM SO THANKFUL FOR THE INTERNET, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO GOD FOR ALLOWING ME TO ENGULF MYSELF WITH HIM,(ALL OF YOU POSITIVE AND SMART ONES),

THANKS,
ERIC

[stilllearning56]

further thoughts...
*  possible CO buildup in the body over time, ie... I was exposed to heavy concentrations of CO from bbq smoke everyday, toxic industrial fumes, and low lying smog in general...
*  i drank for two years and smoked for three...
*  spinach has a lot of iron, h

[TornDreaMz]

Thank you I really appreciate your responce

[TornDreaMz]

Thank you as well I will be sure to try some of these things out, you have no idea how tired and frustrated with this problem, anyways thank you and to all but I think it's time,"

[NYorker30]

I landed in emergency room do to shortness of breath and takingsuch deep breaths I screwed up my lungs so overtime i took a breath my lungs hurt bc they were inflamed, had stabbing pain in shoulder and was diagnosed was with periociditis which is inflammationin the heart, but five months later I still cannot breath right.. I also saw a pulmonarydr and he said in fine probablyanxiety but I don't have believe I have  anxiety. How tmsid those breathing cds work for you?  

[jjewels3914]

My problems started while I was asleep my heart would beat so fast would wake me from sleep my body felt like it was beating with each heart beat outside my body very weird feeling.I was given toprol which really dont stop it just helps get the heart rate back to normal.this has been going on and off for years.now I am 51 and having attacks during the day instead of night.heart beat very rapid hard to catch breathe dizzy  eyes out of focus cold sweat chills become very pale feel like I am about to pass out legs feels very shaky these attacks happen out of the blue no warning after wards so drained and no energy at all I have seen heart dr had all test ran all normal dr ust put me on yet another medication for panic attacks same as anxiety attacks today been ust reading the bible when shortness of breathe started again feel pressure in the head but not headache like in a fog or something all very wierd any one else share these problems

[bonecrusher769]

It's the Geo Engineering coming from the back of the white jetliners aka ChemTrails look it up on google!! I have all these symptoms and I believe cause I have sensative lungs I feel it before others!! I also smoked meth a bit 10 years ago and I know that contributed!! Just look at all the COPD Commercials on TV latley the DrugCompanies are preparing for it!!

[kim3000]

I have the same exact problem with not being able to take in enough air and it can drive you crazy. It feels like I'm drowning all the time, just awful. I don't ever feel like I am breathing properly because I remember what it felt like to take a deep breath in and have my lungs feel full but this no longer happens. I've been to many doctors and was told it's asthma and/or panic attacks and all kinds of stuff. Now I've been told that I have a nodular goiter pressing against my airway and that surgery will be the only answer. I don't want surgery so I feel very paralyzed, terrified and hopeless. It doesn't help that I have not met one understanding doctor, they are all the worst people with no concept of compassion whatsoever. I feel that I will die a slow, horrible death from suffocation. It is like I am living in a waking nightmare all the time.

[JethroB]

I had all of the symptoms in most of these posts, it was almost like living in a permanent panic attack.
Solution, qigong. I bought the book "secrets of ancient chinese breathing techniques." picked out all of the stress and anxiety exercises and did a 30 minute routine every morning when i got out of bed. It doesn't even mention qigong, but thats what the exercises are. This book saved my life.
Now the results are not instant, but they will come, and you will be a new person. Give it about 2 weeks and you will start to notice a big improvement.
I'm a 52 yr old male and have no affiliation with the book. One more thing, i also bought the cd yang ying elixer to listen to whilst doing the exercises. Once again no affiliation. You can read the books on qigong and chi etc. and think its a load of rubbish. However I think it works because it is like a moving meditation, and each exercise has an image that you imagine what you are doing, and you breath deeply from the abdomine. So while doing all of this stuff for 30 minutes your body and mind is totally distracted, and gives it a chance to turn off the anxiety reflex. Your brain is so powerful, it can have so much of a detrimental effect if you worry about stuff, your subconcious believes it as true. Hope this help, it changed my life. If i ever feel stress or anxiety is taking hold again, i just go back into my practice. Hell 1.5 billion china men can't be wrong.

[Isa]

Something similar is happening to me...Everything started having profuse sweating..then cold and know I have taht shortness of bread...I went to the doctor and had HBP ..she sent me to lab...for thyroid test, and some other test..but none the hormonal ones.  I am very anxious ...because its going to be one week until knowing of those first results...she said that shortness of breath could be the High blood pressure, i am taking the pillss but still having it...this is like a nightmare to me...getting more anxiety thinking i could die any moment...it relieves a little know they are more people with that problem..i dont tell anybody because when i said even to my husband they loook like if i am crazy or dont have anything...

[Isa]

Where i could find the book? i live in florida

[JethroB]

I bought it of amazon. The full title is,
Healing with Ki-Kou: The secrets of ancient chinese breathing techniques.
By Li Xiuling.

[Isa]

Thanks.  hope I could find it on a bookstore because I don't have credit cards to pay it on internet.  

[Athenaone]

Hi,, I am reading your post about your horrible shortness of breath!  I have been suffering since 2008 , been to every Doctor! My shortness of breath is all day! Its affected my life so horribly! The only thing that works for me also is Xanax! I would rather live on Xanax than to feel like I'm suffocating! It's very scary,,,I've tried 5 inhalers ,,,,which none did a thing! I don't know what to do either! How have you been? Have you improved,,,,or found something to help?
Hope you are better!
Jennifer

[mellomel]

i am a 30 year old female and while i was pregnant with my second child it began just like that, my son is 2 yrs already... i was at work and all of a sudden it felt like i couldnt breathe at all, i was feeling hot, dizzy and could not breathe, i went to rinse my face with cold water, but it would only be the 1st breathe after i felt the cold that gave me enough air, after that it was back, i couldnt run, walk, talk alot, could not even spend tme with my kids, i only wanted to sleep cause when i lay down and sleep it would go away, been to the doctors and have been told its asthma, then  seasonal asthma, then anxiety, then depression... nothing would work, the meds they gave i had to take at night to calm me down but the thing is my problems aint happening during the night, as soon as i open my eyes and get up its there, at one point i wished to just never get up again cause feeling like this is making life difficult in each and every way... i just wanted to know if anyone of you has tried going for hypno therapy? ive considered it as nothing else wantsto work, if you did please let me know if it worked, im so desperate to have a normal happy life.

[chrisparlamas]

I'm a 19 year old, overweight male and this week I started having severe anxiety and panic attacks. I know the trigger is most definitely the caffeine had earlier this week because ever since July (I had caffeine toxicity) I have stayed away from caffeine and I think I might be sensitive to it now. I've been to the ER twice and everything came back normal. I'm going to my actual doctor tomorrow. I have been constantly freaking out that I have a blood clot in my lung, but then I realize that my breathing issues didn't start until I read about the symptoms of a PE. I'm going completely crazy and it is interfering with life really bad.

[asiyaah]

Wow.. I'm a 30 yr old female and have had this issue off and on my entire life... Lately I find it occurring often at work.  Such an awful feeling.  

[cooper3131]

Ask the doctor to check your ferritin level (stores iron), your hemoglobin may be normal, but not your ferritin level. I had the same problem, my ferritin was 28 and my hemoglobin was 13. Now I take 4 iron supplements a day in order to build my ferritin level. I have fibroids and they cause heavy bleeding. Google ferritin level, some doctors dont even check for this. Take care

[Isa]

Did ferritin have to do with shortness of breath?  I had 15 hemoglobin...

[writey]

You are all talking about "Panic Disorder" which can involve a bunch of symptoms, but shortness of breath is defintely one of them. I was diagnosed with this about 6 months ago. In fact I have what most of you describe, where it is pretty much just the shortness of breath alone without the rest, but I have had heart racing, choking sensation etc... in the worst moments. The EKGs, xrays, blood tests, etc... been there, done that. I have asthma too, so I initially thought I was having an asthma attack. I have been on xanax, klonopin, and zoloft (sertraline) for the SSRI. The xanax, and klonopin work great but can make you drowsy, still hoping for a better outcome with the SSRI, but it's early days. Anyway, you are not alone, and there are meds out there to help you live a normal life, and there's therapy, and you may be able to go off the meds later on. Don't feel weird about seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist, this is an anxiety disorder, it is not uncommon, and nothing to feel embarrassed about.

Good luck!
34 y.o. male

[bpmike83]

It makes me feel a bit better to learn that I am not the only person that suffers from anxiety.  I developed it in July of 2012 while I was working, and it was extremely scary.  A co-worker told me that I looked red in the face and told me to get my blood pressure checked at the machine, and when I did I saw that it was pretty high and I immediately felt light headed.  It got worse as I sat down in the break room and I told someone I might pass out.  She thought I was having a stroke (at 29 years old, ha), so that led to the panic attack getting worse.  Ambulance was called and I was taken to the ER and low and behold, passed all tests.  Since then I've had one more full blown attack last month, and several other minor attacks.  It's really the worst feeling I've been through (even worse than getting my wisdom teeth taken out!).  I actually believe my anxiety came from alcohol withdrawal because I binged drink for years in my life and the day I didn't have alcohol was when my first full blown attack happened.  

Even a half hour ago only, I had two instances where a rush came through my head and I felt dizzy.  Today has been real bad.  My face and jaw feel tight, feel like I'm not in reality when I hear people talk, random pains everywhere, dizzy, that stupid sense of having a heart attack and dying, high pulse, etc.  Man, does it really suck!  Smoking has made it worse, too.  I notice as soon as I have a cigarette the nicotine makes me feel even worse.  I used to take benzos for alcohol withdrawal and those cured my anxiety but it's a short term drug and now I'm on Hydroxyzine.  It works more often than not, but it makes me drowsy all the time :(  I'm obsessed with checking my pulse to make sure my heart it still beating normally, which probably isn't good to do.  I just hope this ends some day soon and I feel amazing, like I did a few months ago.

[Julesjuly1976]

I experience the same thing I do smoke n can't quit I am told its all anxiety but afraid it's copd

[Embrace123]

i totally understand what you guys are going through. this feeling is so bad... i even get it when im not panicking or even when im having a good day..  what i just wonder is whats the difference between regular short of breath an a panic attack short of breath... i believe deep down inside i have heart problems..

[onedge7]

I am in COMPLETE attack while I write this. I'm 49 years old.   I've had sharp pains under my left armpit, shortness of breath, flushing, tingling in my arms, hands, legs, & feet, & bad neck pain.  I am in remission from a rare cancer, which doctors say was caused by a traumatic event my family & I went through.  AFTER the event, since 2006, I've had bad anxiety, & several severe panic attacks.  I've been taking a low dosage of diazepam for years & it seems to help.  Today, I decided to google it (which i know I shouldn't do)  & read I shouldn't take it if I have shortness of breath... which caused MORE anxiety & not taking anything has me going out of my skin & mind.  Called my doctors office & nurse said I should go to ER immediately...  I am trying to remain calm & work through each symptom; & they can all be attributed to sleeping wrong (sore neck) pinched nerve in shoulder from lifting in shoulder, etc etc etc.  I don't even want to leave the house, thinking about it is frightening, & this is a relatively new symptom.  My husband is coming home early from work; he is a GREAT support & very calming to me. Our daughter is home from college, she's going to be married next summer & today she said it is HER causing my anxiety & not to worry, she'll be moved out soon.  She was being mean, she is just very sad. That is HORRIBLE she is taking this on herself.  HORRIBLE.  

[sarra28]

we people think were alone in this but were not! how crazy is that? just knowing how many people have been through this, it has helped me! i feel a little better now that i know im not just crazy! mine started a few days ago when randomly my lungs felt like they were being pushed by something making my breathing abnormal. feels like i cannot breathe in enough air. i have scheduled an apt. if my doctor thinks im crazy at least ill have all your guys' advice! thank you so much!

[Dazjonobok]

I also have the exact same problem, I've had it for a few months now, i've had every single possible test done and they find nothing, i went to a chest specialist and he couldn't find anything, at first my Doctor though it was anxiety even though i wasn't feeling anxious, i wasn't worrying and i didn't have anything on my mind that was bothering and then one day when i went to the hospital because i had it very bad, the hospital said to me that they think it is muscular skeletal, and that if the nerves are damaged it can cause these symptoms, they also said they don't think it's anxiety because my heart rate wasn't elevated and i wasn't breathing fast. I had tried everything, Doctor, Hospitals, Specialist could not help me they just looked at me like i was imagining these symptoms. The last thing i thought of was to go to a Chiropractor just in case if it was Muscular Skeletal like the Hospital had told me. i have been going to the chiropractor 2 times a week for 2 weeks now, and unbelievably i was beginning to feel better, i would still have these symptoms but only once or twice a day for about 10 or 15 minutes, I even went 3 days without having the symptoms at all i thought i was finally getting better, until today. Where I had all the symptoms again very bad to the point where i was so dizzy i felt like i was gooing pass out, I can't live with this problem, i already suffer from bad Migraines and irritable bowel syndrome those 2 to live with is bad enough but this as well i can't take it....I NEED HELP.. and i don't know what to do, because this problem is taking over my life.

[juicypepper]

This goes to everyone here too. I am suffering from shortness of breath for two years now. I've seen allergy; asthma, ent, lungs and heart specialists. I took all kinds of breathing & blood tests, x-rays, scans and even stress test. Everything is normal and my heart doctor even said I'm healthier than normal people my age So I went back to see my primary doctor and she diagnosed me with anxiety. She prescribed small dose of xanax which doesn't help at all (other doctors prescribed inhalers and singulair - no help either). I wonder too why it's called anxiety attack because I was not anxious or worry whenever shortness of breath will occur - I might be just brushing my teeth. But it seems to go away when I'm interacting with friends. Also, I was taking the otc diet pills called OXY ELITE, which I found out being pulled out from the market because of it's  ingredient that caused the death of 2 people (heart failure). Just sharing since most of us here are puzzled why we have this shortness of breath - I was just checking all the possible causes...

[gemma33]

Hi Kaybee
I am going through exactly what you describe and I'm at my wits end...it causes me to break down in tears throughout the day because all i can focus on is my breathing and not getting a full, proper breath, i'm on day 9 with this.....can't even go to work....
My breathing issues started the day after i had a major anxiety attack. Just wondering when and if your breathing returned to normal....
Thanks
Gemma G