chronic hyperventilation

[aleon]

About two months ago I experienced a hyperventilation attack which has turned into what I think is a type of chronic hyperventilation. Because I have practiced yoga and learned to control my panic attacks (which were triggered and got stronger BECAUSE of my hyperventilation) but now I have several times a day small but very annoying hyperventilation 'attacks' which may last for an hour or more. They only times I have them are when I am seated and 'relaxed' (fe; reading a book). I try to breath through my nose, relax the muscles in my chest and breath with my stomach, but nothing seems to work. I even experience that I am hyperventilating in my sleep, while dreaming. As I have said I have been able to make it less worse but it has become something I have to deal with every single day and sometimes makes me mad. I'd like to know what is the best method to treat chronic hyperventilation.

PS: I don't smoke, practice yoga and love running and doing fitness. When I am active, I don't hyperventilate. It's only when I am 'relaxing' (sitting or lying in bed) that it occurs.

I would be very thankful if someone could help me (if only a little)

[spicer]

Hi Aleon - If you would like to post your email address, I have twenty pages on Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome (HVS) to send you in a word document.  It's helped me and I believe it will also help you.  There are two types of hyperventilation - Acute and Chronic.  Both are linked to panic attacks, anxiety (which is what you have), and is more apt to happen when you're relaxed (article will explain why that is) as opposed to exercising or busy times.  Both are directly related to the way you breathe, which in turn is linked to whatever is causing the anxiety in the first place.  
I will check back in a couple of days to see if you respond as I would very much like to send this to you.  Hope to hear from you soon.

[kaybee4011]

A related discussion, Am I hyperventilating? was started.

[aleon]

Thank you very much for your comment. I like to receive the information that you have on the subject. Please send it as a wordattachment to the following email adress: ***@****

thanks in advance

[aleon]

I feel a little nervous for a long time (tickling feeling in the stomach) and it feels a little cramped in my chest area.
It has come to a stage that I'm to aware of my breathing, so aware that I don't really know anymore how it is to breath automatically and naturally. I try to breath through my stomache, and to relax my chestmuscles, but nothing seems to work. Some days are better, some worse. I t all has to do with this constant nervousness. This nervousness is without reason and has become sort of a habit. It has made me really receptable for extern impulses and I get scared real fast by for example a sudden sound or movement. As I have stated, this all seems to be only a problem when I am sitting or lying down and relaxing, not when I am moving and concentrating on something else.
I wozuld love to read the articles you have, Could you please post the web-adresses? Thanks in advance...

[ccctalks]

This is very interesting.  Can I ask a really silly question?  What happens to you when you're having these attacks?  I mean, how do you know you're hyperventilating, or what are you experiencing when it's happening?  (I have a couple of articles on this, I'll try to find them for you, ok?)

[aleon]

thank you for answering but I am afraid I am beyond the stage of paper-bags. This 'tric'  only helps for a short period. My problem is that, although my attacks have become less intense, they last for hours and are 'always' there in one way or another. The 'paperbag' or 'hands-over-you-mouth-and-nose-' methods releave for a short moment but then again the hyperventilation starts.

[agchg]

Hyperventilation means you're breathing at too fast a rate, resulting in an increased loss of carbon dioxide(CO2). The simplest method of reversing this process is to put a brown paper bag over your mouth, and re-breathe your exhaled air; in other words increase your uptake of CO2, which stimulates your body to need oxygen, and therefore stops you from hyperventilating.

You breathe in oxygen, and exhale carbon dioxide. If this mechanism is faulty you can re-capture your exhaled breath by this method