can't get a satisfying breath

[AJW81]

My daughter is 16 years old.  She does not drink or smoke.  On Dec. 7, she told me that she felt like she couldn't get enough air, so she was yawning.  On Dec. 9, we were in the ER because she felt like  she couldn't breathe.   Tests were run.  X rays were taken.  The doc pronounced her okay.  She had been taking Birth control pills for 2 weeks.  We feared PE, but that was found to not be the case.  She was taking the hormones to regulate her cycle.  She had been having 2 periods a month for a couple of months.  Doc advised to take her off new medication.  

Followed up with PCP.  Did lung function test.  It was fine.  Did thyroid test.  It was also fine.  PCP suggested anxiety.  Put her on Atavan.  She took for 2 days, but side effects made her feel worse.  We reduced stressors in her life, but breathing is still not good.  She knows she is getting 100% oxygen, but she feels like she can't get a satisfying breath.  She wants help, but I don't know where to go.  She says that she doesn't feel anxious.  Breathing problem is all the time, in all places, under all conditions.  

I have asthma, but all docs have dismissed this due to x-rays and lung function tests.  She did have tonsillitis at the beginning of October.  Took antibiotic and had a steroid shot.  After that, periods became heavy and often.  Was also being treated for skin condition on fingers at about the same time.  Using Halobetasol Propionate Ointment nightly.

Uses Zyrtec nightly to control allergies and eczema.

Please help us.  We need to know where to turn.

[potkor]

Hi everybody. I had the same problem and as crazy as it may sounds there's 2 things that help me right away with this problem.
First one is cigarettes & second is marijuana. Believe it or not  it is really based on stress. You might think you don't care about stuff and thinking all is ok, but under your mind there's stress!

[jlf1014]

I had the exact same problem.  In my case it was acid reflux.  Try a course of prilosec.  It saved me and ended up being an easy fix to this problem that was driving me to insanity.

[aidan_sage]

I'm 17 going on 18 and have had this problem for probably around 8-10 years. My breathing has been much worse lately, and I believe it has been getting progressively worse as the years pass, although there have been some periods of my life where it has hardly affected me at all. Sometimes I get very scared by my lack of breathing and become emotional. From what I've noticed from these comments, a great deal of people who have these symptoms have birth control. I have birth control as well, although I did have me breathing issues long before I had my birth control. I also smoked for five years, but once again this could not be the source of my troubles because I had this problem long before I started smoking. I have had this problem while living both on sea level and a mile above sea level, so I'm sure it isn't altitude related. I have also, for the record, possibly had an ovarian cyst, but this is not certain. I highly recommend that anyone on this forum reads this, incase it is related to their breathing issues:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation_syndrome

[FergusWJ]

Hi everyone, exact same for me, same tests, same results, same feeling, same fears. First started when I was 20 and I'm 44 now. I take solace from the fact that after 20 years I'm still here! Actually it came to a head for me 3 years ago when I ended up with a horrible chest infection and then in the night I really was waking up literally unable to breathe, and I had to just stay calm and keep sipping air very very slowly. After this I begged the doctor to let me try an asthma inhaler. Again I didn't really feel it helped, but, and here's my important point, it has taken me 4 years to begin to understand how to use the inhaler properly, how to be patient and wait the few days it takes to stabilise things after an episode of getting things wrong, or simply having a bad phase (which still happens, esp with exercise as I now know), and ultimately to believe that I really do have asthma (despite being reasonably fit and athletic and all those things!). So, for whatever reason, I have sensitive lungs and they get inflamed, and colds go straight to my chest and get out of control easily. But the brown inhaler taken regularly with good technique (and definitely a spacer) really does help, and there are times I forget all about that horrible horrible feeling, so good luck, I hope my experience helps!

[aliscott78]

I have this exact same thing and its driving me nuts..
I'm a 36 yr old male and can recall similar incidents as a kid and at the time was said I had mild asthma and given a ventolin inhaler. I seemed to grow out of the problem but its recently started happening again after quite a stressful time in my life and while I've been having anxiety and panic attacks. Been to the doctors and had ECG done and bloods which were all Ok and now waiting on the results of the chest x-ray. The problem now is I've convinced myself its lung cancer or something and its getting worse!
I'm also a marathon runner but don't seem to have the problem when i'm running but it happens off and on all the rest of the time. Also seems better when i'm active and talking to people etc. Still very scary and frustrating and I just want to know what it is and its nothing serious..

[Carlytalkstostrangers]

I have this also and tonight is the first night I have googled it, so surprised to see there are other people with the same symptoms. I was about 10 when the quest for a satisfying breath started, and like many people here it has come and gone over the years. I am 34 now. I have it now again and it makes me feel panicky sometimes because I feel like I can't breath at all, like I am drowning or something. Like others here, I am anxious by nature but am unsure if this is related, as I recently had a stressful period and didn't have this, and now things are more settled and I do have it. Two things I wonder about-when I was at school I had a reaction to the TB jab and was told I must have had TB,which I haven't. Secondly I have never tracked a correlation however I wonder if it is related to hayfever? I have never seen a doctor about it as I only recently managed to put the feeling into words. I wish I could know what it is. I don't think it can be related to my birth control as I was not taking it at 10!!!

[senu12]

hello,carlytalkstargers, it's been 4 yrs since you have made the above comment and i would like to how your condition is now.i am 16 yrs and can't breathe deep, i think it's same with yawning and coughing. i can do them but feel like they are not deep.it's been 5 months now.and have had anxiety.and just like u, when i was in extremely stress this didn't occur, when i'm much settled it is happening.i'm planning to visit the doctor,it'll take few days so since then i want be at piece.so plz reply ASAP!!!!