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How to cure my Shortness of Breath?

Hi all, for some years now i experience shortness of breath that happens when standing or walking. This has gotten worse overtime and i also sometimes get shortness of breath when lying on my back (i find it hard to even breathe at all).

It appears this poor breathing has led to my pelvic flooor being tight and I also have Erectile Dysfunction.

Doctor thinks its anxiety and prescribed some meds for me but I am skeptical about them as i do not want withdrawal symptoms.

Does anyone have similar problem? Is there any way this can be corrected without meds?
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Avatar universal
Since he thinks it is anxiety, can you elaborate on any of his reasoning for such a diagnosis? You feel you have a breathing issue but did doc agree and what did he say specifically?
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He said my sym0toms mimick those of anxiety
Avatar universal
The question would be, how thorough was your doctor's exam?  Was he a specialist or a general doc?  I would think that anyone experiencing shortness of breath would at least for caution's sake be sent to a heart and lung specialist just to make sure nothing is going on.  I'd also ask, do you experience chronic anxious thoughts?  Anxiety isn't just physiological symptoms, it is most noted by obsessively anxious thinking.  Do you do that?  If not, it's not likely to be anxiety.  We pretty much know when we're feeling really anxious.  Anxiety is sometimes accompanied by physiological symptoms and sometimes it isn't.  Sometimes anxiety is caused by a physiological problem rather the other way around.  So you do need to eliminate the possibility of something being wrong physically even if you are suffering anxiety.  Which brings me full circle back to the original question:  how thorough of an exam did your doc give you?  Have you frequently complained of problems you didn't turn out to have?  
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My GP initially did and ECG and Xray for me an no heart or lung issues was found.

The doctor that diagnosed anxiety is a neurologist and ruled out at Orthostatic Hypotension/POTS

Yes!! I experience anxious thoughts
Avatar universal
When I stand up initially all the blood goes to my legs and I can brown out for a moment, so I've learned to stand up slowly.

The other thing that can happen to me is if my pulse goes high,) above 120, then I've read the heart actually pumps less blood, and I actually get shortness of breath. -- I purchased a finger pulse measuring device for about $20 I reall, and now if I get shortness of breath I take my pulse with it. (I suppose I could just take my pulse the old fashioned way.) I've learned from experimenting that I can lower my pulse by holding my breath. I have no idea why that works, sometimes at least.
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I think you have what my doctor thought I had. "Postural Orthostatic Tarchycardia Syndrome" (POTS).

My doctor rules this out by checking my blood pressure when lying and standing up
Can you share a link to the pulse device? Thanks
The model I have apparently isn't sold anymore; however, search for "Finger Pulse Oximeter" and you'll find a lot of them, ranging from $20 - $40.
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