Breathing problems taking major toll on body

[Spike17]

I am a 19 year old, 5'9, weighing 150 pounds, and somewhat physically fit.  I am having all sorts of trouble with breathing.  Breathing is supposed to be a natural occurance, but I feel that I must force myself to breathe.  I feel that this breathing is taking an overall toll on my physical and mental health.  I often times will be extremely out of it, feeling physically and mentally drained.  This leads to me sometimes having trouble concentrating at work, or in school on exams and in class.  It also causes me to become nervous, and have trouble speaking my mind.  Here's the thing: once I start taking note of my breathing, and start forcing myself to breath heavier, I start feeling a lot better, less tired and my mind starts working much better.  I feel my whole body rising to an elevated physical state (for instance I can jump higher as I play basketball).  Suddenly my mind state is elevated and my thinking and concentration elevate to a whole new level (where it should be at).  I've been doing a lot of reading on the importance of oxygen and blood flow for the brain to try to find out my problem.  I thought the problem may be heart related; my cardiologist found me to have a minor heart valve leakage but says it is nothing major.  Also note, whenever I do strenuous weightlifting I begin to hyperventilate quickly and cannot continue for very long.  When my chest is submerged in water (such as in a swimming pool) I have very much trouble breathing, and feel as if my chest will collapse.  Also, I am often swallow as a thick saliva is constantly rising.  Help?  Thanks!

[National Jewish]

To find out the nature of the problem that is causing your symptoms a thorough physical exam needs to be done and perhaps a chest x-ray.  Spirometry is a simple breathing test that may also be done.  This test provides detailed information about how your lungs are working.  It will show if there is obstruction in the airways of your lungs.  If a lung problem is found, a pulmonologist would be the type of specialist to identify the lung problem causing your symptoms and the best treatment.

Diaphragmatic breathing can help you move more air in and out of your lungs.  This is the most efficient way to breathe.  Since you feel a lot better when you force yourself to breathe heavier diaphragmatic breathing may improve your symptoms.  Learning this technique will help you to breathe slowly, regularly, gently, and smoothly all of the time, even when you are active.  This should keep you from hyperventilating.  Here are the instructions:
· Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
· While you breathe in, count 1, 2 and push your stomach out.
· Place your hand on your stomach so you can feel your stomach going out.  This promotes the use of your diaphragm and your lower respiratory muscles.
· Breathe out slowly and deeply through your mouth.  Imagine that you are breathing out through a straw by “pursing” your lips.
· While you slowly breathe out all the way, count 1, 2, 3, 4 and let your stomach relax.  You can feel your stomach going in with your hand.
You often can get help with this type of breathing by taking an introductory yoga class or checking out a videotape on yoga that focuses on breathing and relaxation.

[Spike17]

Alright, over the last couple days, I've realized that I need to be more conscious of how I breathe.  Since I've been doing that, I've found myself to have much more energy and not have any of the aforementioned symptoms.  My mind has been much more focused and I have been overall much happier.

I still don't know what the problem could be.  How many people do you know that have to make a conscious effort to breathe correctly?  Or have to always think about breathing?

I saw a doctor yesterday and I was given Flonase and an Albuterol inhaler.  She also gave me a referral to see a pulmonary specialist 4-6 weeks from now.

If anyone has any idea what could be the deal, please me know.

[seali]

Hello, I just wanted to let you know. I am 36 years old and have had the exact same problem that you are talking about for years. I have had every test there is to take with no findings. I have now accepted that I am having panic attacks. This is one of the most classic symptoms of panic attacks. It happens to me all the time even when I am sleeping sometimes it wakes me up. Once you become aware of your breathing and start worryig that you are not breathing enough and begin to try to take deep breaths you hyperventilate. My symptoms become worse when I have a lot of stress. Did your symptoms begin after something traumatic? A loss, seperation, stress in your household, a big exam or something highly stressful or upsetting? You may want to check into panic and its effects on the body, the symptoms are very real and can leave you absolutely exhausted and frazzled. I hope this helps. Take good care. Oh, yeah, one thing that helps me is something that a Dr. told me one time " you feel the glands on both sides of your neck? take 2 fingers and massage one of them lightly and tell yourself to calm down. It helps me!

[Carol1237]

4 1/2 yrs. ago I had gotten very sick with some type of viral infection.  At the same time I lost my 35 yr. old son unexpectedly.  I was so sick I didn't even have the strength to go to bed, I slept (or tried too) in my chair.  I was 58 yrs. old at the time.  I quit smoking when this happened.  When I finally stated to get a little strength back, 4 weeks later, I made an appointment with my doctor and explained what I was feeling, exhausted and weak and having trouble with my breathing.  It seemed anything I tried to do I would get whipped out really fast.  She sent me for xrays and after that for some sort of breathing test at the hospital.  They had me breathe in and out of tubes constantly.  That had really tired me out.  She then told me I had a touch of asthma and severe emphysema.  She gave me some puffers which I took but found them not to help.  I then decided to go to a heart specialist as I had been having tightness in the chest, also felt like someone was sitting on me... causing me more difficulty breathing.I would be breathing as if I had just ran a mile when in fact I might have walked 20 ft to go to the bathroom or get a drink. So, now we go to the Heart specialist who had put me through all kinds of tests (it took 3 different dayd for these tests)he said all the tests were great but when he put me on the walker which he claimed was slightly angled upward (I couldn't tell) he told me when I start to get tired to tell him.  Well, he had just started the machine (maybe 10 seconds) and I was just getting ready to tell him to stop when he shut the machine of and was saying: Wow... you oxygen level had almost dropped to zero, that's why I shut the machine off.  I told him I was just going to tell him to stop.  He then proceeded to tell me it was a lung problem and that I had a good strong heart.  
So off I go to a pumanary dr. who gave me more puffers and sent me for more tests that I already had at the another hospital earlier.  The tests were pretty much the same but the results were different.  THis Dr. told me I may have a slight case of emphysema but he could find nothing that showed a severe case.
He told me to take some other puffers, I was on 4 different ones now.  I did this for about a year but the side effects kept me jumping up with cramps in my feet and legs aand also the jitters.  I had trouble sleeping, Cramps and now very irritable.
I finally quit all medications on my own due to being disgusted and just wanting my life back.  
Now, I am much better without all the side effects but the breathing has gotten worse and the walking has become very much limited.  I can not even take a bath/shower witout totally having discomfort and gasping for air.  It is very embaressing to go out and start gasping for air... People look at you very funny.  I am now 63 yrs. old and have gained 55 bls. since this all started.  I guess the weight is piling on due to not being able to do anything.  I was seriously thinking of taking a trip to the Cleveland Clinic and ask for them to run a complete physical for me but don't know if I would be covered seeing that my husband is now on Medicare (primary) and BC?BS is secondary.  I think I am still covered by his BC/BS as I am not 65 yrs. old yet.  
DOes anyone have any idea on what this could be as now I feel that it may be causing some problems with my heart.

Thanks,
Carol