Short of breath without anxiety?

Hey folks. I have been having a lot of anxiety for the past few months. I went on vacation last week and had no anxiety. It was fun. Usually when I have an attack, I get the usual short of breath, heavy chest, nausea, and dizziness. Now I had a minor attack this (scale 1-10, about a 6) but I managed to overcome it, but I am feeling like I am short of breath or maybe congested. Of course I am a catastropher and I think, what if I have a lump of cancer in my throat, or what if something is seriously wrong with my lungs. Can the shortness of breath happen to us even when we are not actually in a so-called full blown panic attack?

[r9c]

Have you seen the doc yet doing ecg or xrays and if both are fine then u can assume its anxiety related

[alvaa]

I haven't seen a doctor yet. I have been trying to call. It comes and goes and it seems to me like it only happens when I am thinking about it. I have allergies and usually in the spring and in the fall they hit me. I am stopped up right now and trying to convince myself that this is the problem.

[beth0277]

You can absolutely have shortness of breath while not having a "panic attack."

Even when I feel like I don't have anxiety sometimes I will have shortness of breath. It is subconscious for me. It has gotten better since starting lexapro but during my worst anxiety I had shortness of breath every day for 3 minths straight. That is the first way that I know my anxiety is flaring up, even before I mentally feel anxious. I recommend seeing someone to help with your anxiety. Of course you want to make sure it is nothing physical, but most likely it is your anxiety causing it.

Best of luck :)

[alvaa]

The further away I get from my anxiety attack this morning the better I feel. I always try to tell people that I wonder why I have anxiety because I have no stress. I had myself convinced of that, but I got divorced 2 years ago, lost my house to foreclosure, lost my job and was unemployed for 9 months but got this new job that pays about 8,00 less a year and I struggle to make ends meet. Plus, I live back home with my mom and she is stressful enough to me. She is a catastropher herself.