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.

[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.