I developed breathing difficulties approx 2 years ago, which have worsened daily since?
I developed breathing difficulties approx 2 years ago, which have worsened daily since. I am consistently told by the doctor that I am hyper ventilating due to anxiety …. I only wish this were the case but it isn’t.
I originally felt like something wasn’t moving properly when I breathed in and out, so doc ordered chest xray which came back clear. No wheezing or any symptom like that, just that i couldn’t breathe deeply any more. Problems have persisted, getting worse with worsening pantness, shortness of breath at all times and worsening feeling of suffocation especially when lying down. I’m breathing about 40 breaths every 30 secs now, constantly like this and am exhausted with it and scared at the increasing shallowness and choking feeling. Very bad feeling of choking all the time and gurgling noises in throat now, very shallow breaths n and out. Can still swallow but feels very odd and uncomfortable. Have also had a diaphragm test as i had read this can cause respiratory issues like this, this was also clear. Have now such a shallow breath in and out and permanent choking feeling, wretching sometimes which is so difficult even as so little air. The huge problem i have is that i haven’t been taken seriously about what is happening and has continued to happen, worsening., and am now at a complete crisis point and still not believed…after my partner died, i got put on medication for anxiety, this worsened on medications which i reacted badly to and I have ended up with a diagnosis of bi-polar. I stopped the meds sometime ago because of physical side effects like twitches and high cholesterol, fatty lipids on eyes from it and other pretty bad side effects…but obviously still have the diagnosis of bi polar which has prevented being taken seriously on this. It has been horrific trying to persuade people something is wrong and worsening to be constantly told its it my head…, i wish it were this easy! I have been complaining of the worsening feeling of some kind of paralysis a long time, and am consistently told by the doctor that i am hyper ventilating due to anxiety. I only wish this were the case. I ve been back to the doctor again this week, told i am hyperventilating and need medication to treat the anxiety, and that my swallowing is fine because I can take a sip of water and swallow that. Also my oxygen saturation level is ok. AM very scared as feel throat could close very soon, my breathing is very weak, very short and shallow and am waking up choking…Getting to sleep is very difficult as the breathing is so shallow and just panting so fast…Im now despairing because if i go to urgent care, Ive been told they will say the same thing… this has been said to me more than once in the past three months, but nothing is improving just worsening. (…) Just to add to this, i couldn’t do sprirometry test recently as have such shallow breath, and they said i wasn’t doing it properly due to anxiety. (…) It took a year faster chest xray to ask for diaphragm test too, despite me continually saying it was worsening both to my gp and psychiatrist. Just cant believe what is happening and nowhere to turn. I would take medication if this were anxiety, but it isn’t and is so so uncomfortable and frightening now…. and i just wonder what if anything can I do. I have a feeling i will choke to death whenever i lie down now and am feeling its pretty urgent. I just get told it isn’t getting worse, because i first mentioned it two years ago, and am unable and powerless to prove otherwise. Can someone please advise on what I can do now. Fearing for my life now and don’t know how. Age: 44 Gender: Female
Hi
First of all to fix your problem for now you need to do an O shape with your mouth while exhaling the air, this will 100% fix your problem, second the anxiety drugs you took what was it?
Physical therapist specialized in chest problems can fix your problem by re educating your lungs to do diaphragmatic and Costal breathing
My opinion yes it’s anxiety related but mainly the problem is that you are counting and focusing on your breath so you need to put your mind off the breathing
Please let me know drugs you used to be able to help you better
I will wait for your reply
Good Luck
In my opinion if you have something other than anxiety you should check thyroid glands and hiatal hernia possibilities ,then I recommend yoga, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques ..
Hi..
Thanks for the query..
See you can not deny the fact that you are having severe anxiety and breath watching is further worsening the problem.
If chest x ray and even diaphragm study is fine then you need not to worry..
However once get your cardiac investigations done..
Anxiety and panic attacks can cause similar suffocating and breathing problems so you need to get proper counseling and medication for anxiety..
If any one medication is causing side effects then other alternative can be given to you for relief..
Along with it you can start doing meditation, deep breathing exercises and chest physiotherapy for relief..
Focus more on your leisure and indulge more with friends and family..
Take sufficient rest..
Keep your head slightly raised as compared to feet while sleeping as it will give you better breathing efficacy..
Hope this helps..
hi dr, the o shape cure doesnt make any difference as to the problem, same v short breath and choking sensation. I came off risperidone very quickyl due to side effects, and experienced massive twitching in arms and legs, my latest psychiatrist said these were extra pyridimal side effects, but when this happened, i lay down for a very long time until seizures finally subsided, three months. The breathing issue started after about this length of time. SHe doesnt want me to take any medication and has asked for further testing. My fear is that right this minute im choking, unfortunately cant take my mind off it as is so present with every breath in and out and this has worsned so much since the outset… did not have choking feeling originally, just the breathing and panting issue. Im unsure as to what to do now.
also have barely any air to exhale
Let me tell you that your main problem is anxiety , up to panic attacks
You need to consult a psychotherapist, as he is going to help you a lot…
Everyone of these doctors will point at anxiety as its an easy option and the symptoms add up and its easy medication to just dump on people and like you, it does absolutely nothing for me. Ive had the similar symptoms for around 3 years now and have only been taken seriously after dragging myself physically into my doctors on my hands and knees in the middle of my attack. (My attacks cause my whole body to convulse violently now as time has gone on). Go see a cardiologist, if your heart is clear and multiple ECG’s are too then to a neurologist. There are multiple options to explore! Anxiety and hyperventilation arent the cause, they happen after the trigger. Im a pretty healthy 29 year old male and i still suffer from this on a daily basis and it is still very much under investigation. Keep your chin up, you got this, you know your body, find a doctor who gives a hoot and stick to them like glue till they sort you.
Hi Mrs Trina
Can you try one pill of hyroxyzine 10mg ( antihistaminic) , you should feel okay in 20 min if this does not help then you should switch doctors and see a psychiatrist specialist
Do not take more than 10mg as this is just test phase, we can discuss dosage later if it helped
Good Luck
By the way if it is not anxiety and hydroxizine does not help then I recommend checking for hyperthyroidism or increased adrenal secretions, both can cause shocking sensation and shallow breathing
In my opinion, you need to get your thyroid hormone levels checked out.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can in fact resemble those of anxiety.
Hi.
You can get checked for allergies as environmental allergens can cause breathing problems..
Also I agree that hyperthyroidism should be checked..
You can once try bronchodilator sprays under supervision of your doctor and see if it can help..
Hope this helps..
I donotaccept the anxiety diagnosis, mainly because of the worsening choking and shallow breaths. I struggle to take a breathing now without choking and struggling to swallow food. Is it possible this is anything to do with my vocal chords. I also struggle to speak I forgot to mention this voice is very strained and very unconfortable to speak. Also got awful gurgling noises in throat. When breathe now it feels so so uncomfortable in my throat, the choking is worsening still and my breath is nearly non existent and when I inhale, the breath is so short it just flies back out. I cannot accept the anxiety explanation because of constancy of the choking and the shortness of the breath which is too physical to be anxiety, it is the contancy of the uncomfortable choking feeling and struggling to take even a shallowbr I know what panic attacks feel like and this is in no way shape or form similar.. Also the lack of air I can pull in or push out when lying down has worsened to the point I’m taking about 80 breaths perminute, completely abnormal but unable to breathe any other way.. Its as if there is no resistance at all.. I have an appointment with ent consultant soon. Can anyone suggest whether this could be vocal chord related.. Would this constrict my breathibg if so, and if so and it is this what can be done. As this has been worsening for so long now without investigation, I’m scared it has gone too far.. As I feel like I’m being strangled with every breath I take and I am so scared to lie down as can barely breathe when I do so. Please don’t tell me again this is anxiety. Just to add…i Have had thyroid test which was clear but thank you for the suggestion. I know it isnt caused by anxiety but is causing me great anxiety as I can’t breathe, not the other way round. Thanks. Hope someone can offer alternative suggestion as to what could as pretty convinced its throat connected because of choking and swallowing difficulties, just don’t understand the shortening of breath I ve had for some time to the point I can barely breathe in or out. Thanks. Sorry for the rant but idlike to go to appointment im paying privately for now with some possible cause without him again reading docs notes and dismissing as anxiety again. This is severely impacting on my quality of life and that of my family, who don’t believe it is anxiety either, we all feel powerless to make docs listen and investigate. As I said before, they have not followed up the spirometry poor reading or looked at throat issue at all.
Ive had a throid check before which was OK. I agree with you nick that this is just dismissed as anxiety on basis chest xrays were clear. Also a doctor here mentioned I was anxious because I was counting my breath.. I gave the breaths per minute to show how fast it was, if this were anxiety, I would be trying to slow it down, but this is not possible , i would give anything for a normal breathing rate, but its physically impossible and has been for some time NOT anxiety…it is not like this becausei am anxious..the problem that the anxiety is cause by the breathing problem which over time has shortened and been accompanied by worsening choking feeling and now difficulty swallowing properly or even speaking.. My voice is so strained. The anxiety diagnosis doesn’t explain the choking and swallowing problems at all. I’ve arranged ent appointment on basis that now can’t open my mouth wide without gagging.. And my throat feels like it is going to close up. Does anybody know if problems with vocal chords or larynx can cause problems like I have mentioned