Can't get a deep breath / Difficulty Breathing

[Baltmaa]

Hi - I've been having difficulty breathing for at least the last 9-10 years...and it's a daily thing.  I am 31 years old, am healthy (exercise almost daily, eat healthily, am not overweight, do not smoke, and only drink socially), and yet I always feel like my breathing is extremely laboured.  I constantly yawn to try to catch a satisfying breath.  There are some periods throughout the day where it's not laboured and I feel as if I breathe normally, but then it creeps up on me and I have to start yawning again.  My nose feels very clogged all the time and my chest, stomach, and back muscles feel very constricted when breathing.  It's especially noticeable when I am working out...especially running and lifting weights.  I have to stop every once in a while just to yawn (frustrating) to stop from getting dizzy.  It's also noticeable as I am trying to go to sleep and/or when I've had a glass or 2 of wine.  I was "diagnosed" with exercise-induced asthma 9-10 years ago, but I think this was a mis-diagnosis as the inhalers never work (I've tried all sorts) and they usually end up making me feel worse.  After using the inhaler I always end up coughing up fluid and my breathing sounds gurgle-ly  (so I don't take them any more unless I feel I really need to...note that I have never had a full blown asthma attack).  I'm worried that it could be something else (was exposed to TB as a teenager, but took the "horse pills" for 6 months and was told I was fine), but none of my doctors will really listen to me.  They see that I am slim and active, and they dismiss me - I live in the UK (free socialised healthcare - so not a lot of time to spend with patients).  Has anyone else experienced this?  I see lots of threads on here with the same topic, but they all have to do with taking medications, being overweight, being a current/past smoker, being depressed/having anxiety, etc.  Please help - I'm tired of living like this.  I'm worried that I could be living with something undiagnosed that could rear it's ugly head one day.

[sammuel]

hi ,i am 23 years of age and i find difficult to breath and i fell like i am not getting enough air,pls any suggestions.

[oxygenbug]

i have a question for those who has post here long time ago.... are you guys feeling all normal now?? plz me how you guys fixed it plz!!@ i see there aren't many post anymore since year 2013.. do doctors know how to fix this thing now??

[oxygenbug]

im so glad i've found this place... im so glad to know im not the only one... i think i've read almost all the comments..... i kind of understand that this is coming from hyperventilation and all.. mental... gotta relax... but is there a real solution to this like a medicine? plz help me... i've had this thing for 10 yrs....

[karenanddaughter]

You may have Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome - I had it for 5 years and it caused such distress for me - I spent thousands of dollars for tests etc and finally last month, someone mentioned that Syndrome - and that is exactly what I have!  I started Buteyko Breathing technique - signed up for a workshop and I am tons better already - have taken 2 classes so far.  I can't believe what a difference it makes in so many different ways - your breathing affects so much - research this as a possibility.

[DaddyMD]

Most of the time, that feeling is psychological, which doesn't make it any easier. I have Tourette's syndrome and I get this periodically, but I always assumed it was one of my tics and I can retrain the worst of my tics with some effort. I guess for me I try to ignore it and do other things, only giving in every once in a while. Hyperventilating to keep up with the deep breath feeling can cause its own problems, like headache, dizziness, and so on.

[SuperTrixie]

I get the same thing!  I'm 26, 110lbs, with no history of smoking.  When it happens, I just sit there and focus on trying to yawn for air, but it's only effective when it's a genuine yawn and not forced.  Then I have to do it again.  It's really annoying and at the gym people probably think I'm tired and not doing strenuous enough exercise.  I get dizzy at the gym too if I don't get that deep breath.  I also get episodes before bed and when I'm tired.  I feel like it gets better if I lay down to sleep - then my need for air is lower and breathing less is okay because my body is slowing down anyway.  Obviously this isn't always practical.  I have been diagnosed with "allergic asthma" and given an inhaler and Nasonex, but I don't think that's what it is.  I don't get wheezy and I am able to take in air just fine, it just doesn't feel satisfying.  I do get a plugged nose and mucous often though, so the Nasonex helps with that.

I also have fibromyalgia and occasionally get chest pain during these episodes, so then I can't get a deep breath or it HURTS.  I'm pretty sure this is costochondritis.  This pain combined with the air hunger is when I am at my very worst.  All I can do is take Advil and lie down until it goes away.  I usually find that any new set of symptoms I get (such as my newly acquired frequent headaches) are common in people with fibro, so I usually assume that's why it happens to me.