breathing but out of breath

[CHADDY]

I have been having some breathing difficulties lately.  I will be out of breath all of a sudden, as if I just sat down from running, when I have done nothing.
At times I will be breathing, but it feels like nothing is happening.  What I mean is I don't feel the relief that accompanies taking a breath.  It feels like I am just pulling air in and out of my lungs but no air is being taken into the blood stream.  I can breath and feel like I am holding my breath, if that makes sense.  I know that it is kind of vague the way I have described this, but it's my best jab at it.  Does anyone know of anything possibly these symptoms could be related to?  I just want some possibilities to explore.  If you have heard of anything like this I would appreciate your comments, thank you very much!
Chad

[National Jewish]

From the description that you have provided this does not sound like a lung problem.  The way to find out if there is a problem with your lungs is to do a simple breathing test called spirometry.  You exhale into a machine called a spirometer.  The spirometer would measure how much air you can exhale in the first second and how much air you can exhale total.  For the testing to accurately measure how your lungs are working, it is important that you give your best effort when exhaling.

Learning new breathing techniques may help you move more air in and out of your lungs.  This helps decrease shortness of breath.  Here are the instructions for diaphragmatic breathing.
Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.  While breathing in, 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 the lower respiratory muscles.  Breathe out slowly and deeply through your mouth.  While breathing out, let your stomach relax.  You can feel your stomach going in with your hand.  Count 1, 2 while you breathe in.  Count 1, 2, 3, 4 while you slowly breathe out all the way.

[spicer]

Hi Chad - You don't give your age, which would help alot.  Your second symptom, feeling like you're not getting anything out of your breathing, is something I've never heard before.  I know a little farther down the forum, another young lady has described similar symptoms when she is laying down, I believe she says that even though she is breathing, it doesn't feel as if she is and will sit up right away because she feels like she is going to suffocate.  In fact, I believe there were a couple young ladies who described these feelings.  As for getting out of breath when you have done nothing, of course your heart is the first thing to pop into my head, which is why I ask your age.  You can feel short of breath like this when your heart is the cause, such as from a blockage.  But if you are younger, I admit the chance of this is slim but possibly worth a trip to your doctor.
Then of course there's always asthma, which we have found recently to have so many different symptoms that it isn't only 'coughing/wheezing/gasping/' etc. like we thought.  It is possible you have a mild form of this also, which a doctor will check.  
Again, giving your age would help.  Also, do you smoke?

[CHADDY]

Hello, thank you for the response.  I am 27.  I just had my heart checked out not long ago and it had a hole in it and from many people praying, God closed the hole when the dr. was looking at it.  He came to us and said that my heart is perfectly healthy in every way.  Praise the Lord 8-)
But when I had the consultation with the cardiologist, he told me that I definitely had a hole in my heart but that there was something else that was going on as well.  I am going currently to a pulmonologist and don't know the results of anything that I've been tested for.
My pulse ox is coming back low a lot of times.  One dr. told me to sit up for it and then lay down to see.  When I laid down it dropped about 5 to 9 points.  I think it was 97 and my wife said that after I laid down she thought it was 88.  There are still looking to see what is going on.  I am just wanting some ideas on this.  I don't know what to think.
I smoked for about 2 1/2 years maybe 3/4 pack a day (average).  I stopped about 2 or 3 months before any of this came up.  
Currently I can't do much without feeling totally out of breath and energy.  It is odd that it came on like this because I was very active in TaeKwonDo.  I've had my black belt for about 8 months now and had been working out quite a bit but when this hit it went to zero immediately.  I am hoping that there will be some resolution to this soon.  I am a devout believer in the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ, He healed my heart and I know He can heal this too.  I would like to know what it is before He heals it so I can have medical proof that it is a miracle, if He chooses to heal it.
Any ideas though?  I appreciate your response, and I will look for the others that said something very similar to what I posted.
Thank you!
Chaddy

[Lady Lightbringer]

Has your doctor explored Pulmonary Embolism? Usually the first indications in shortness of breath, and it often can go undetected for quite awhile.

It is blood clots in the lungs and it is not that uncommon, but can be dangerous if left untreated too long. I, myself, have it and a VQ or Lung Perfusion Scan will usually reveal the problem.

[CHADDY]

Yes they tested for that a few weeks ago and said that I didn't have a PE.  About an hour ago I was short of breath for about 30 minutes or so and then took 2 puffs of Albuterol and it seemed to help.  Most of the time however it does not.  The shortness of breath is coming back and I'm hoping that I won't wind up in the hospital again.  thank you for the response!
God bless,
chad

[CHADDY]

WELL, I go in to the dr. today for the results of the tests.  I am still out of breath most of the time and BP going really high suddenly, tired always.  If he didn't find anything, I am going to talk to my dr. about the Mayo clinic or some facility to have more in depth testing.  I'm tired of feeling this way and not knowing.  Hopefully this will tell me everything.  We shall see  8-)
chad

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