Aa
shortness of breath
hey guys i read ur posts..and wanted to say this is exactly what i feel.im suffering from constant breathlessness for the past eight months.went to the chest specialist and pulmonologist and he said that my tests and chest xray was fine.he even used a stethoscope to check the condition of my chest,and said that my chest was totally fine.but i still do not feel well.im at my wits end.nobody can understand my condition..the problem is that now i cant sleep,means once i go to sleep its all fine,but as soon as i wake up,i feel breathless.i keep on crying all the day,and feel hopeless when no one has a solution regarding my problem.im only eighteen years old and i feel as if its my end.i used an asthma medicene and inhaler,but it is of no use..my heart now beats faster then usual,and it makes me feel worse..please help me,if anyone has suffered from the same condition so share it with me,and if u guys recovered from this condition,so please help me too..i feel breathless all the day,and have to yawn,but it is of no use..
Are you constantly thinking about your breathing? Something as simple as that messes with the way one breaths. Seriously typing this right now I am feeling short of breath because I am thinking about it. What do you do to stay active? I ask because I am wondering when you are active and your mind is off everything do you still feel this way? Have you talked to any doctors about anxiety/depression. Sometimes they can go hand in hand. Anxiety can cause this, so can thinking about it. You have ruled out serious medical problems with your chest by going to the doctors and getting checked up so that is great! Right when you wake up try to get busy doing something... Try not to think about it and see if that helps. I know a lot of people feel something is wrong with their lungs/heart because they have trouble breathing, when reality they are just thinking about it WAY to much. I am not saying this is the case with you, just saying their have been cases where this was the case.
".i used an asthma medicene and inhaler,but it is of no use."
Are you asthmatic, otherwise why do you use it, how long did you use it and when did you stop?
Are you asthmatic, otherwise why do you use it, how long did you use it and when did you stop?
anxiety 860,ur response regarding my problem, has been very supportive for me.thank u....it has made me feel well.the problem is i really dont know what to do.i just cant get through this anymore.my chest specialist did say that it was due to anxiety or im having a psychological issue.but i just cant accept it because my this problem is so real.and then this one night out of a blue,i felt as if i cant breath and then this feeling continued on.now even if i walk my heart starts pounding fastly,and this makes me bit breathless,well i just cant figure that out im hyperventilating or is it something else.if i had any lung issue then why didnt it appear on my xray and i not sure about my heart beacuse im only 18,and i have never smoked in life,.neither im overweight..yeah but i do accept that im sensitive and this feeling of breathlessness started,two months after my fathers death.and now even when im not tensed i feel breathless,and feel as if my breathing is laboured.i have to force myself to take long breaths and yawn constantly..
no,im not asthimatic,but i just used it as a try in the beginning..i thought that if it was allergy it might help me,but unfortunately it didnt.i used it for two months..i did like to say when i was about four years old i suffered from asthma and inhalers did work for me alot ..and since then i never suffered from asthma attack.because i shifted to another city and environment changed..the confusion is that now,about eight months ago when i started feeling breathless there were no signs of allergy,i was healthy and even now i look perfectly fine and healthy,and when i say if feel breathless,people dont believe it.i do not wheeze neither i cough.i feel breathless only and this feeling doesnt wake me up from my sleep..
Known facts
1.You are not asthmatic.
2.Doc says there is nothing wrong with your lungs. Therefore you do not have a disease.
3.You suffer from anxiety which makes people over-analyze their bodies looking for signs of a disease. It is very common for anxiety sufferers to think their chests and lungs don't work right because they focus on them instead of just ignoring how their breath works.
You sleep ok until you wake up then think your lungs aren't working. Obviously they worked ok when you were able to go to sleep, so they obviously work ok when you wake up too, but you have it in your head that they don't work right. Anxiety likes that scenario, so it bites you over and over when you are thinking like that.
If you can't figure how to accept your doc's diagnosis, you will need professional help like therapy. You can try to do it on your won by reading a book on how to get over anxiety but if that doesn't work get professional help. Some people are plagued with anxiety all the time, so are not able to shake it except with meds, but try to avoid that route for now.
1.You are not asthmatic.
2.Doc says there is nothing wrong with your lungs. Therefore you do not have a disease.
3.You suffer from anxiety which makes people over-analyze their bodies looking for signs of a disease. It is very common for anxiety sufferers to think their chests and lungs don't work right because they focus on them instead of just ignoring how their breath works.
You sleep ok until you wake up then think your lungs aren't working. Obviously they worked ok when you were able to go to sleep, so they obviously work ok when you wake up too, but you have it in your head that they don't work right. Anxiety likes that scenario, so it bites you over and over when you are thinking like that.
If you can't figure how to accept your doc's diagnosis, you will need professional help like therapy. You can try to do it on your won by reading a book on how to get over anxiety but if that doesn't work get professional help. Some people are plagued with anxiety all the time, so are not able to shake it except with meds, but try to avoid that route for now.
thank u birdie 0907,your response towards my issue has been very much satisfying for me.atleast there is someone who can understand me and has an answer regarding my issues.i guess i have messed up with my breathing pattern,right?even i think the same,now.but i really dont get why my heart beats faster and i feel breathless,even when i walk a bit now?does this mean im hyperventilating or is it anxiety?i never knew that psychological issues can be so exasperating.now i days i m having nasal congestion due to cold(its common in this weather) and that makes me feel worse,already i feel breathless and when my nose gets stuffy..i try to take deep breaths..so i guess these all problems are,because i have ruined my breathing pattern,and have focused on my breathing alott..????
you asked me that when im active,the answer is that i never feel active,my whole life is actually revolving around my breathlessness issue,i feel tired and broken.i would like to tell that in the beginning when i started feeling breathless,for some time i used to feel better,i guess i forgot about it or whatsoever,but then i constantly started thinking about it.i would like to tell that my breathlessness issue is not that bad,as it was about eight months ago(IN THE BEGINNING),but now it has become constant,i mean whether im in college,home.its same,it doesnt go away.the only time when i dont feel breathless is when im sleeping..ireally dont know,im confused to culmination.
and yeah i do sleep ok,but sometimes when im half sleep and half awake,means(im not fully asleep) I start feeling breathless and get panicked.but yeah in case when im fully asleep(GOOD one)it has never happened that i woke up,to take a deep breath,then i only wake up at my college time.i know i have alot of questions,but i would be grateful if you share your views regarding my these issues,i just want to finish my confusions at once.your views really help me out,and make me feel better
" i really don't get why my heart beats faster and i feel breathless"
Anxiety makes you over-analyze yourself looking for clues to a mystery disease. Think about it, you didn't contract a bunch of unrelated diseases all at the same time but you think you did so anxiety is enjoying making you suffer in fear. The more you analyze, the more "clues" you find, so the fear deepens.
Those 2 "symptoms you mentioned are classic anxiety - most of us who get really bad anxiety get tho that point then head to the ER in terror just like you did, only to be told what you were told - nothing physically wrong.
The reason your heart beats faster is fear makes the heart pound. You probably experienced that in the past and realized it was because you were afraid of something. Because now you are over-analyzing yourself you think the pounding is caused by something different and you might be dying - which you aren't. Mr. Anxiety loves it, and just jabs you harder every time your heart pounds making you even more fearful - it is a vicious circle unless you can find a way to come to terms with the actual science your doc used when you were diagnosed with no health physical problem..
You can read lots of stories on this forum like yours. The common thread is you all think you have a mystery disease that doc can't pinpoint - think about it, if all those mystery diseases were real, a lot of people would be dropping dead on the streets and no one would know why even after the autopsies.
Anxiety makes you over-analyze yourself looking for clues to a mystery disease. Think about it, you didn't contract a bunch of unrelated diseases all at the same time but you think you did so anxiety is enjoying making you suffer in fear. The more you analyze, the more "clues" you find, so the fear deepens.
Those 2 "symptoms you mentioned are classic anxiety - most of us who get really bad anxiety get tho that point then head to the ER in terror just like you did, only to be told what you were told - nothing physically wrong.
The reason your heart beats faster is fear makes the heart pound. You probably experienced that in the past and realized it was because you were afraid of something. Because now you are over-analyzing yourself you think the pounding is caused by something different and you might be dying - which you aren't. Mr. Anxiety loves it, and just jabs you harder every time your heart pounds making you even more fearful - it is a vicious circle unless you can find a way to come to terms with the actual science your doc used when you were diagnosed with no health physical problem..
You can read lots of stories on this forum like yours. The common thread is you all think you have a mystery disease that doc can't pinpoint - think about it, if all those mystery diseases were real, a lot of people would be dropping dead on the streets and no one would know why even after the autopsies.
thanks,thanx alot birdie0907,for your response..yeah,its true that i feel i have a some kind of mystery disease that doc cant figure out,and this thing upsets me.i guess anxiety is playing with me tricks,otherwise atleast something would have showed up on my chest xray.sometimes i really think to take an appoinment from any other doc,but then i think its gonna be no use,and im going to disturb myself more.even my family especially my mother,really gets tensed after seeing me like this,she is really worried about mee.i feel as if im trapped,when i see my other agefellows,so happy,i feel depressed and wish i could be happy like them,why am i deprived of happiness?thnx for your respnse
Anx feeds dep and vice-versa so it is a vicious circle. You are just caught in this fear which as you said, if depressing you - very natural for that part.
I see you are only 18 which you should put in your profile as it helps put some perspective in readers minds. You aren't overweight and doc says there is nothing wrong with your breathing, so it is time to live your carefree youth, if you can. We have very cold weather in Calgary for the next week - what part of BC are you in?
I have to run but will post later. Perhaps you can find some good books on anxiety solutions right now - How long has this been bothering you?
I see you are only 18 which you should put in your profile as it helps put some perspective in readers minds. You aren't overweight and doc says there is nothing wrong with your breathing, so it is time to live your carefree youth, if you can. We have very cold weather in Calgary for the next week - what part of BC are you in?
I have to run but will post later. Perhaps you can find some good books on anxiety solutions right now - How long has this been bothering you?
Hello there, I'm sorry you're having a rough time. To ME, the answer to the root of your issues is written in your own words....
"because i shifted to another city and environment changed..the confusion is that now,about eight months ago when i started feeling breathless there were no signs of allergy,i was healthy and even now i look perfectly fine and healthy,and when i say if feel breathless,people dont believe it.i do not wheeze neither i cough.i feel breathless only and this feeling doesnt wake me up from my sleep.. "
ANY big life change (whether good or bad) can absolutely cause anxiety. I don't think it's a coincidence that the onset of these breathing symptoms occurred after you moved to a new place. Even people who would be looking FORWARD to a move can experience anxiety over it, as it's a big change in daily life, and that causes people to feel unnerved. Anxiety can be very progressive too. For some people, a mild to moderate level of anxiety can easily morph into a more debilitating level of anxiety, because basically, you begin worrying about how you feel, and you start the "what iffing". My guess is that you probably had some underlying anxiety about the move, and as it started presenting itself in the form of shortness of breath, your anxiety quickly worsened.
I think you should seek out some therapy, and start working toward learning how to try to dismiss those "what if" thoughts. Also, distraction is HUGELY helpful in the management of anxiety. The less you are thinking about how you feel, overanalyzing your symptoms, and worrying about bad things, the better you will feel. Basically, you need to get out of your head as much as possible. So, try very hard to maintain your daily routine, and stay engaged in life. Between that and some therapy, you will be able to get the anxiety to a much more manageable place.
Best of luck, hang in there and please update us!
"because i shifted to another city and environment changed..the confusion is that now,about eight months ago when i started feeling breathless there were no signs of allergy,i was healthy and even now i look perfectly fine and healthy,and when i say if feel breathless,people dont believe it.i do not wheeze neither i cough.i feel breathless only and this feeling doesnt wake me up from my sleep.. "
ANY big life change (whether good or bad) can absolutely cause anxiety. I don't think it's a coincidence that the onset of these breathing symptoms occurred after you moved to a new place. Even people who would be looking FORWARD to a move can experience anxiety over it, as it's a big change in daily life, and that causes people to feel unnerved. Anxiety can be very progressive too. For some people, a mild to moderate level of anxiety can easily morph into a more debilitating level of anxiety, because basically, you begin worrying about how you feel, and you start the "what iffing". My guess is that you probably had some underlying anxiety about the move, and as it started presenting itself in the form of shortness of breath, your anxiety quickly worsened.
I think you should seek out some therapy, and start working toward learning how to try to dismiss those "what if" thoughts. Also, distraction is HUGELY helpful in the management of anxiety. The less you are thinking about how you feel, overanalyzing your symptoms, and worrying about bad things, the better you will feel. Basically, you need to get out of your head as much as possible. So, try very hard to maintain your daily routine, and stay engaged in life. Between that and some therapy, you will be able to get the anxiety to a much more manageable place.
Best of luck, hang in there and please update us!
thank u for ur response,and yeah this problem has been bothering for the past eight months consistently..
You are only 18 so are you working or in school? Therapists are often cheap in schools but if working you might have a medical plan to cover it.
thank u for your response..its feels good that u guys took me seriously.yeah u said right, that i did have underlying anxiety..my father,may god bless him,passed away about eight months ago and then i started to feel breathless ,one night.i still try to figure out what just happened to me,my whole life changed in one night.this breathlessness issue has worsened my anxiety to culmination.i really just dont like anything in my life n.there is always a fear in my head,that anything bad can happen at any moment.and now my shortness of breath it does not increase,it is constant,always there whether im feeling bad or good.anxiety can be so pathetic,now i came to know..
Doesn't the college have a counselling service and if so it would likely be a cheap rate?
no,my college does not provide any counselling service to students,unluckily..gosh i just wish i had a magic wand,to make my life peaceful and fearless.just want to stay fit and healthy like others..i wish i could escape from each and everything..
You outlined the problem nicely here. "i feel i have a some kind of mystery disease that doc cant figure out,and this thing upsets me.i guess anxiety is playing with me tricks,otherwise at least something would have showed up on my chest xray"
The key to getting rid of anxiety is to stop worrying that there is a mystery disease. If you are unable to look at this problem from "outside the box", perhaps a self-help book can help you through it. Otherwise try therapy which will cost you more. I had a fear of flying at one time after my plane lost power and glided between mountain tops, shaking like it would fall apart. I was able to overcome it with a light hypnosis which didn't make me cluck like a chicken or any of those other stage show hypnosis tricks. Perhaps you can get a book on hypnosis and try to self hypnotize - I could have done it on my own if I had read about it beforehand.
All the hypnotist did was have me relax in his chair and tell me to focus on what I would be doing at the end of the trip (The secret was to stop thinking about what would happen if my plane crashed - which it wouldn't anyway but the hypnotist didn't even discuss this silly fear) - kind of like what you have for a problem a need to refocus from what happens if you stop breathing (you will not stop breathing so the fear is groundless) to what fun you will have when you get up after a night of sleep. Then he gave me a line to recite whenever I got on a plane and it worked to relax me. "I relax quickly and easily, living life to the fullest day by day"
Not everyone can get rid of anxiety but many including myself have, so don't give up.
The key to getting rid of anxiety is to stop worrying that there is a mystery disease. If you are unable to look at this problem from "outside the box", perhaps a self-help book can help you through it. Otherwise try therapy which will cost you more. I had a fear of flying at one time after my plane lost power and glided between mountain tops, shaking like it would fall apart. I was able to overcome it with a light hypnosis which didn't make me cluck like a chicken or any of those other stage show hypnosis tricks. Perhaps you can get a book on hypnosis and try to self hypnotize - I could have done it on my own if I had read about it beforehand.
All the hypnotist did was have me relax in his chair and tell me to focus on what I would be doing at the end of the trip (The secret was to stop thinking about what would happen if my plane crashed - which it wouldn't anyway but the hypnotist didn't even discuss this silly fear) - kind of like what you have for a problem a need to refocus from what happens if you stop breathing (you will not stop breathing so the fear is groundless) to what fun you will have when you get up after a night of sleep. Then he gave me a line to recite whenever I got on a plane and it worked to relax me. "I relax quickly and easily, living life to the fullest day by day"
Not everyone can get rid of anxiety but many including myself have, so don't give up.
yeah,i know i have to be strong,to get rid of this disease or whatsoever.i wish someday i could overcome my fear,like you did.the point is whenever i try to forget my this issue,again something happens which makes me feel worse.i mean these days for me even climbing stairs is a big thing.l feel breathless.i mean its a normal thing that people do get breathless,after climbing stairs,but it never happened with me before.many people say that in state of anxiety,adrenaline causes this to happen.....while many people associate it with heart failure.this thing terrifies me.. i, mean i did have a chest xray,and if anything was wrong with my heart,the chest specialist might have figured out??
I came across this post accidentally while thinking I might have anxiety.This is the same way i feel all the time.I am 29 and i have been like this from my teenage i guess and learnt to accept this way of living.I do work in front of a computer and my interaction with people is limited and even at home i do sit in front of tv or television and stopped interacting with people. While I am in front of PC or tv or reading i do feel shortness of breath. should i take med help?
We can't diagnose you so if you are concerned yes, see doc to make sure you do not have a problem.
aadursh has been diagnosed with no breathing problem so for her it is a matter of believing the doctor's diagnosis, using some of the tools that ng and I suggested. A self help book will list more. Meds are a last resort.
aadursh has been diagnosed with no breathing problem so for her it is a matter of believing the doctor's diagnosis, using some of the tools that ng and I suggested. A self help book will list more. Meds are a last resort.
yeah ,for me there is no other choice..i mean i went to a chest specialist and a general physician,but the only thing thing they can identify is either its tension or allergy..and it cant be allergy since i used an inhaler and asthma med,but they didnt help me a bit..sometimes i think to visit a heart specialist,but my family says they are only going to confuse me further.and since im only 18 and i have no risk factors,so there is no use of going to doc.birdie0907 what do u recommend,i mean what does your experience say?i mean is chest specialist's diagnosis fine for me,and are chest xrays and pft test enough to identify my problem..or have i missed up anything..even my sixth sense says,that even if i visit more doctors,its gonna be no use and i will get confused further..they will not be able to identify anything for me.because the chest specialist whom i visited is claimed to be the best doc in our area.and i have seen many patients heading towards recovery by his given treatment..so what do u say,should i keep patience?i mean god for bit,if u were on my place,what would you do?
You summarized the issue and made a perfect recommendation here. "they will not be able to identify anything for me.because the chest specialist whom i visited is claimed to be the best doc in our area."
Check out the self help books and stay away from more docs is your best path unless you have the means to pay for therapy today, as it is likely the fastest route to dealing with anxiety. Also read this list of anx resources. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/REPOSTING-LIST-OF-ANXIETY-RESOURCES/show/2076448
Check out the self help books and stay away from more docs is your best path unless you have the means to pay for therapy today, as it is likely the fastest route to dealing with anxiety. Also read this list of anx resources. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/REPOSTING-LIST-OF-ANXIETY-RESOURCES/show/2076448
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