shortness of breath/frequent yawning

[kellb]

I am a 41 year old female with a 2 year old, in good health other than being about 10 pounds overweight.  Two months ago I began experiencing shortness of breath. I yawn constantly in an attempt to get air.
I had a ct scan to check for a pulmonary embolism and everything looked good.  I have been taking previcid for 2 weeks to treat possible acid reflux, but there has been no change in my condition. I feel better when I sleep and wake up feeling great, only to have the sob return within a few hours.
A possibly relevant fact: the day before this started I was at yoga doing a twist when I felt a very, very sharp pain in my right side under my rib, along with a feeling as if a rubber band had been snapped in the same place.  The pain was excruciating and traveled through my breast and shoulder, but was gone in a few minutes and I was able to continue class. Also, I was in the desert for a few days and it went away but returned about a week later.  I fairly certain it isn't stress/anxiety as the trip out of town was not relaxing.  The breathing seems better when I stand/worsens sitting down, and I may have been standing more than usual on the trip.  I am feeling so frustrated, scared, and depressed.

[National Jewish]

You may have shortness of breath from an anatomic problem that caused the pain while you were engaged in yoga.  In addition to a chest x-ray, you need to have a thorough physical exam of your chest by a chest specialist, looking for point tenderness.

Excessive yawning is usually a sign of chronic anxiety.

[kellb]

I forgot to add that my first diagnosis was asthma but I didn't respond to advair/albuterol and ct scan showed clear lungs.

[Deralterus]

It sounds like and is symptomatic of a spontaneous pneumothorax, which caused the deflation of the left lobe of my lung.  Has your doctor performed a stethoscopic examination of your lung for rales or rattles in the lower quadrant?

[kellb]

Thanks for responding. My doctor says my lungs sound clear, but she is a GP.  I think I need to see a lung specialist.

[Deralterus]

I would recommend that.  I waited a long time, almost six weeks, before I saw a physician and received a proper diagnosis.  Fortunately, my lung healed and re-inflated in those weeks, but it could have very much worse.

[alexdb]

I have been feeling the same way.  I have been to the ER had all EKG's and stress  tests done all negative, also been to an asthma DR and to my primary.  I cannot get a deep breath without yawning  and my chest feels heavy.  When I wake up I feel fine but as the day goes on I feel like I am suffecating.  I was told it is anxiety, but it's not, I know it's not.  I have had anxiety my whole life and this is constant,  The symptoms described above sound just like mine.  I have been really depressed over this and it'd debilitating, as I cannot work or properly take care of my kids.  I feel like I am dying when I cant breathe.
My next step is pulmonologist.

Help!

[kellb]

Thanks for posting Alex.  I think doctors just automatically go to anxiety as an explanation when they can't find an answer.  I am not saying it's not one of many possible diagnosis, but I want to make sure that all possible causes have been investigated, especially given the extensive history of lung problems in my family. I have been a bit better the past several days, thanks to a deep tissue massage.  I am thinking more and more that I pulled something that is slowly healing.  I see a pulmonologist in a few days and if he doesn't get anywhere I'm considering acupuncture.  I was very depressed before things started to improve because I felt so overwhelmed by everyday tasks.  Instead of getting stuff done during my 2 year old's nap I would fall into bed, exhausted.  

I will keep you posted on my progress.  
Kelly

[lorisnails]

Hi...I'm new to these boards, but I am not new to this problem.  I have had this on and off for years.  It sometimes gets so bad.  Right now I am actively persuing every avenue until I finally get an answer.  I've had a perfect lung test, a perfect EKG, I am going to get an echocardiogram (picture pf the heart),and my recent lab results are normal.  I do have anxiety and sometimes take ativan for it and it helps a little, but I could be perfectly fine...nothing wrong..and it comes over me.  I am going to see my internest tomorrow as I haven't seen him yet this year.  These labs that I had and lung and EKG tests were ordered by my nurse practitioner last week when I had my annual womans exam.  It seems like nobody knows what this is and it's making me crazy.  Thanks for listening...any words of wisdom will surely be appreciated!
PS: I exercise regularly, don't smoke, eat mostly healthy, lead a clean lifestyle

[RoyalscrapQueen]

I have had similar symptoms, SOB and urgent need to yawn. I have to satisfy the need to yawn to get a deep breath that I feel like I HAVE to get. I have found after doing some research found this: Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome constantly and slowly depletes your blood of carbon dioxide. With too little carbon dioxide in the blood, receptors that should be bonding with CO2 end up bonding with oxygen instead. Ironically, your blood ends up having too little free oxygen available to your body's systems and organs.

As a result, all of your body's systems receive too little oxygen. That means your brain, your stomach, your muscles ... they're all getting slightly deprived of oxygen. As a result, you start having seemily unrelated symptoms in all these different areas of the body. Your doctor might send you to a gazillion specialists, trying to figure out what's wrong with your ears, or your stomach, or your brain. I, myself, was sent -- over the course of 7 months or so of doctoral confusion -- to an ear doctor, an allergist, and a neurologist before they finally figured out what was going on. Some people with HVS go through a lot more intrusive and expensive tests than I did.  Here is the list of the (**most common) symptoms:

    ** shortness of breath for no apparent reason
    **frequent sighing or yawning
    **chest pains
    **heart palpitations
    * sweating
    * syncope (fainting)
    * dizziness
    * trembling
    * slurred speech
    * cold, tingling, or numb lips or extremities
    * nausea or irritable bowel syndrome
    * aching muscles or joints, or tremors
    * tiredness, unsteadiness, or diffuse weakness
    * restless sleep, insomnia, or nightmares
    * sexual problems
    * anxiety or phobias
    * fear that perhaps you're a hypochondriac
    * dry mouth
    * pressure in throat or difficulty swallowing
    * bloating, belching, flatulence, or abdominal pain
    * impaired memory or concentration
    * confusion / disorientation
    * tinnitis (ringing in ears)
    * headaches
    * blurred vision, tunnel vision, double vision
    * tachycardia (rapid pulse)
    * depression
    * erratic blood pressure

[kellb]

I saw a pulmonologist last week and he said it's hyperventilation syndrome and that it probably began with the yoga injury changing my breathing pattern and throwing off the CO2 levels in my blood.  Since the original injury I have had periods where the SOB improves but it always returns.  The pulmonologist said this is probably due to stress/anxiety-the second I have a sensation of not being able to breathe I begin trying to breathe very deeply and throw off the CO2 levels again.  I am trying to meditate several times a day and to resist the urge to overbreathe.  It's very difficult but things are improving.  The pulm.  said if it doesn't stop completely I can take anti-anxiety meds that would get it under control, but I am trying the more holistic route first.
Royalscrapqueen's description of HVS is the about the best I have read anywhere.
Thanks to everyone for the info and support.

[shoshr]

Wow... this is scarily similar to the symptoms I have. Why is it that all these male doctors want to give me is Xanax when they can't hear me wheeze, but I'm not uptight or anxious - no more than anyone else would be if they couldn't breathe properly! However, when my pulmonologist did finally get my PFT done, it showed Obstructive Hyperinflation, which means that I can't empty my lungs properly, and I'm wondering if this is compatible with Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome or if it rules that out?

Does anyone know? No medicine I'm taking is helping.

My dr says that I have asthma not COPD because my diffusion rate is good, but nothing is helping, not pulmicort, xopenex, albuterol, or anything else they give me for asthma. I have good days and bad days. A good day is when I can move around fairly freely, as long as I don't move too fast or do too much, a bad day is when I have to stay in my bed or armchair, and even then need my inhaler or nebulizer several times a day. I'm only 41, with three young kids & a home business; but suddenly I've become disabled. My dr wants to do another PFT in 2-3 months, but I don't understand why I have to wait that long; I'm sure he wouldn't wait that long if it was him!

Any ideas anyone!?? I'm desperate!

Shosh

[fightingdove]

At the end of October '06 I took a nasty fall on my chest and shoulder. 5 days later I started experiencing symptoms that have made me feel like I may be having a heart attack. These especially occur when I am lying down and sometimes wakes me from sleep. As I am falling asleep I feel my breath getting shorter and slower and it feels like it's going to stop. I could swear that it has stopped, waking me from a sleep with a rapid heart rate. I've been to cardiologists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists and no-one seems to know the cause. I am only 33 although I did smoke for 14 years. I stopped as soon as this started. I also get the SOB during the morning and day but I feel like I can handle it then. It's when I'm falling asleep and it feels like it's stopping that scares me.

[annie44]

'm so glad I stumbled on this site. I'm a professional landscaper, female, 44 years old, very petite and in excellent shape, though the hard physical labor is beginning to wear on me. In October, near the end of an extremely strenuous 2-week job that involved moving by hand lots of large river rock, shoveling gravel and digging trenches, I started to feel "toxic," and my breathing became rapid and shallow. I thought I was suffering from lactic acid build-up, as I had really pushed myself too hard. The job ended, but the symptoms didn't abate for a week. As of this writing, I don't feel "sick" anymore, but this breathing thing is driving me nuts. It comes and goes, sometimes seems worse on sitting or being idle, sometimes worse on exertion. No real rhyme or reason to it. The symptoms include a need to draw frequent deep breaths to feel satisfied, tightness in the upper chest, yawning to get a deep breath. I haven't been to a doctor about this, and from reading the various posts, I'm not sure it would do any good. I'm not interested in taking narcotics. Was wondering if anyone also feels pain or tenderness in any of the ribs when pressed? I'm definitely going to look into chronic hyperventilation syndrome. What else can be done to treat this, or is it something that will go away with time? Thanks!

[Kassora]

WOW!

Annie44 I have experienced these exact same symptoms for a year now.... I have taken every test and everyone says I am in perfect health.

I also need to yawn.. the tightness in my chest gets painful.. and under my ribs.. especially my right side gets very sore to the touch.

The doctors have ruled out everything.  In fact, I am 36 years old, and I had comments that I have some of the clearest pictures taken.

It is SO frustrating.. I even changed my primary care doctor hoping that maybe the doctor I had for 5 years was losing his mind.

Now the new doctor is saying it might be Fibromyalgia but I have read the symptoms for that and that just dont seem right..

Where is Doctor House when you need him???!!  

Any suggestions?

[annie44]

Yes, where is Dr. House when you need him?!

I forgot to note a few things in my first post:

1)I have a glob of mucus (gross, I know) that seems to be permanently lodged in my throat. Wonder if that could contribute to the symptoms? Also, when swallowing it feels as though I have some sort of constriction, as liquids seem to get hung up for a few seconds where that glob has taken up residence, then slowly trickle on down to the ol' stomach....what gives??

2) Since my symptoms seemed to have been kicked off by the extreme physical work I did, I looked up exercise-induced acidosis. I read somewhere online, can't remember the site, that said lactic acidosis could cause respiratory damage. Anyone know anything about this? I read somewhere else that you could check your acidity level using pH test strips that are used to measure pH in fish tanks. Sounds weird, but at the time I was desperate. I bought some and checked my urine, and sure enough, it turned the darkest color possible. Does that mean I was suffering from lactic acidosis? I tested it several times that day and it remained high. The next day, it was better, and by the third it registered normal.

I continue to experience a frequent need to yawn, a need to force yawning to get a satisfying breath, and to draw in deep breaths (which isn't always easy). Sometimes, when I can get a good breath in, I hold it and it feels good, like it's expanding my lungs/chest. I don't really get short of breath, to the point of panting or wheezing or anything like that.

Finally, I wonder if anyone if anyone with this problem has tried an oxygen bar "treatment," and if that helped at all?

Thanks...

[Kassora]

Holding a deep breath and stretching my tight chest feels wonderful to me also.

I also feel like I have stuff in my throat - but I have came to the conclusion that there is nothing really there, just feels like it.  I have tried to force myself to cough it up.. gargled with salt water, listerine, etc.. and nothing...  and it has recently affected my nose, ears, eyes... I feel real congested in my face - this just started recently.

I have also noticed that "sometimes" I get a slight rash under my ears, on my chest, and sometimes on my abdomen - Although very faint. Does not itch.. is just a discoloration.

Before this happened to me, I worked out at least 5 days a week. Both weights and arobic exercise.. I was forced to stop... - I have gained 30 pounds since this started. I am not sure if it is due to little exercise or due to whatever is wrong with me.

I dont cough anything up and I dont weeze or cough.  My pulmanologist said that no breathing treatments would help me since my lungs are very clear.  She went ahead and let me try one in her office to see if it helped at all.  I stayed on it for about 15 minutes, and no improvement... least for me.

I also get occasional acid reflux... I wonder if I should look into this acidosis thing.. and wonder if it is related.

I had my gallbladder removed about 3 years ago.. but according to the doctors, it is not related to my problems.

This whole thing is very frustrating. I feel like I am falling apart.

I thought maybe it was a allergic reaction to something, so I changed everything, laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, food I was eating... there is just no rhyme or reason for it.

Your symptoms seems very similar... if you hear anything.. anything at all from doctors, friends, web.. please share.. Thanks so much,

Kass

[lorisnails]

Sounds all too familiar.  What has everyone been doing to try to manage this while we are dealing with these maddning symptoms?

[Kassora]

There isnt much that seems to help. I have also found that I am a lot more sensitve to the cold lately.

I drink very hot tea (no sugar) that sometimes seems to take the edge off - although it does not kill the pain all the way. I sleep on my stomach (half way with one leg keeping the pressure off my abdomen).. If I lay on my right side it seems worse... although sometimes it is worse on the left.. but mostly the right. I lay down on the floor and stretch my chest area as much as possible. I take in deep breaths that although only help momentarily, it is a moment of peace. I dont exercise too much. I try to sit in a chair that leans back a bit so the pressure is not on my lower chest and abdomen. I dont eat much during one setting.. a full stomach makes it hurt.

If I think of more I will post it... but honestly, nothing takes it away completely... besides time. Although the tightness seems to always be there sometimes it is REALLY bad, and others it is just idle. There does not seem to be anything that triggers it.

It is weird... I want Dr. House.. :(

What are somethings you have tried?  

[Dirtbikin]

I have had this problem since 1997. I've always had it a little, I think, but it never caused me a problem. Then in 1997, I took a cold run in November. Suddenly it plagued me for days, waking me up at night needing to yawn and feeling that I was suffocating or drowning. I got dizzy from the disruption of my normal breathing cycle. I thought I was having heart problems and had every test done. Everything was fine. Heart. Lungs. Upper G.I. all okay.

That was ten years ago, it is still with me, and no one seems to know what it is. When I exercise it gets worse. I can lift weights and be pretty much okay. Even play soccer and it doesn't get too bad. Cycling can make it worse. But jogging makes it unbearable. I'm fine when I'm running - plenty of energy - so it isn't my heart or lungs. It comes on after I exercise and can hang around for days, eventually subsiding but always lurking there in the background. But it doesn't seem to be anything life threatening, so don't worry about dying from this. It won't kill you. Or hasn't killed me yet.

I can say that I too have suffered from anxiety so there seems to be a common thread there. But I'm now on medication for it and the SOB hasn't changed. (Doctors did try to tell me it was anxiety and even tried to relate that to the exercise.) But there are certain foods that make it worse. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate. Coffee. Beer. Sometimes spicy food. Interestingly, chocolate, coffee, and beer all alter brain chemistry. But they also alter stomach chemistry.

My own theory is that I have some mild gerd. I do have infrequent severe heartburn, but running nearly always causes some esophogeal discomfort. (Chocolate, coffee, and beer are all hard on the stomach.) So I've got a mild acid problem, and the routing of my vagas nerve is such that the reflux irritates it, stimulating among other things, a yawn reflex. I think some of my anxiety might result from this as well.

So, it won't kill me, but it does limit me. Something changed back there in 1997 because I have always been very active. Then, that day... and I've had trouble ever since. I can say I was under some SEVERE stress at that time, so there might be a relationship. Either way, I'm an author and if I ever get rich the first thing I'm going to do is check into the Mayo Clinic and find out what the hell this is! Even if they can't do anything about it, I still want to know. :-)

[LadyAftermath]

Finally there are people who feel my pain!

I have had this shortness of breath problem since the summer of 2004.  I have no idea why it started.  I am a 24 year old female, with not really any significant health problems.  I don't smoke.  The SOB thing just started happening one day and I don't know why, and it hasn't gone away.  

I've gone to doctors, they have ALL told me it's anxiety, and I think that's just their way of saying they don't know what else it is.  It might be anxiety, but I don't really think I have too much anxiety.  And usually I have the breathing problem when I'm relaxing or watching TV or something.  Plus, I have tried anxiety pills and they just make me relaxed, but don't help the breathing.

I have heard it could be acid reflux.  However, I never have any symptoms of acid reflux.  I don't ever get heartburn.  The problem worsens when I am lying down though, and it definitely worsens when I am eating.  I also don't ever eat spicy foods, and even foods like tomatoes (which cause acid reflux), I eat only every now and then.

The problem just feels like I'm not getting enough air, and I constantly have to yawn or breathe really deeply to feel normal.  Sometimes it is hard to get that deep breath, and it can be really annoying.  Plus, it is ongoing.  It will last for hours sometimes.  Nothing seems to help.

I really don't know what it is, and it's driving me insane.  No doctor seems to know.  I don't have any symptoms of anything else.  I don't have any pain whatsoever, just problems breathing.  Exercise doesn't seem to make it worse, usually just sitting/lying down or eating.  Sometimes nothing at all.  

I also never ever burp.  I don't know if that's related to it somehow, but I get like a weird gurgling in my chest all the time after I eat.  Maybe that's part of it, I have no idea.

If someone has these same symptoms, and has found out what it is or what can help it, PLEASE let me know.  It is ruining my life.

[leslieannwill]

hi, I am new here but I am so glad I found this page.  I have been researching the internet for almost a year trying to find out what is wrong with me.  I have been reading all of the postings above and I am astounded.  I have the exact symptoms as every one of you.  I yawn excessively to get a deep breath, actually make myself yawn.  I sometimes feel I am going to smother and it scares me to death, this in turn causes my heart to race.  It will wake me up out of a sound sleep.  I am 37 years old and I went to the ER one year ago in December for shortness of breath and of course was told it was anxiety.  I have had anxiety most of my adult life and knew that was not what it was.  I had a CT scan of my lungs, chest xray, EKG, nuclear stress test, PFT, labs and all said I was as healthy as a horse, couldn't find anything wrong other than being a little  overweight.  I have also attended sleep clinic because my Dr. thought maybe it was sleep apnea, which I do have and have the CPAP but that has not stopped the problems.  I am going back to the doctor this week to let my doctor know SOMEONE has got to figure out what is wrong with me.  If someone has any new information please share.

[Dirtbikin]

The first thing we need to do is give this a name. If having restless legs can be a syndrome and get an congressional investigation, we ought to get come visibility. How about Frequent Yawning Syndrome? FYS. SOB means shortness of breath and I don't have that. I have Frequent Yawning so SOB doesn't really describe. Any other ideas on what to call it???

As far as figuring out what causes it, modern science hasn't even agreed on WHY we yawn in the first place. Maybe I'm just perpetually bored with life. Perhaps bungie jumping would help?

[Kassora]

I like Frequent Yawning Syndrome... FYS... if nothing else it allows me to not type everything out.. :)

I hate the fact that yal are sick... but I love the fact that I am not alone.

Maybe we should all send this thread to our doctors?

I do not have anxiety... nor do I think American Idol would cause me anxiety (that is when it got really bad yesterday)... It is not anxiety.

My doctor suggested that too...

Katt

[Chapm]

I am so glad that I found this site.  I do not have SOB, but I do take deep breaths and yawn a lot.  When I do this, I feel a little bit of resistance, and then I feel the breath going in.  I do not have pain, but I find this very uncomfortable deep breathing and yawning all the time.  I just noticed that I am having some discomfort to my left lower side in the back, when I am taking these deep breaths.  My physician also told me that it was from anxiety, and it probably did start when I was having a lot of anxiety.  I do agree that I have anxiety, but I do not feel that I am anxious all the time, and I do not understand why this occurs when I do not even feel anxious.  Okay, if it is caused by chronic anxiety, how can I make it stop.  I have been trying to do controlled breathing techinques, but I do not feel like that is really helping.  I just want this to stop, and I would not think that doing this deep breathing and yawning is good to do all the time.