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!