Question posted by babydoll610 on 14 Dec 2014
Last updated on 5 August 2023
For three days now I've been having the feeling I'm not getting enough oxygen ... I wake up with it and go to sleep with it it last all day and has caused me to have more panic attacks
I'm consitrating on my breathing so I know I'm taking in deep breaths not hyperventilating and I'm not weezy so why do I feel this way its scarrying me to death... I also have the feeling I have to constantly swollow ... Does this happen to anyone???
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Hi All,
This is very interesting post which I can completely relate to. I suffer from GAD for over 17 years and over the last 5 years, due to a lot of stress, it's been quite bad. In 2012 I first felt the sensation you are describing with the breathing and chest tightness. At the time I thought it was depression but I think feeling that way everyday made me depressed.
I recently switched from Cipralex to Zoloft and my constant anxiety has gotten even worse where I'm having panic attacks on top of the anxiety and it lasted for over 5 hours. Today was quite bad. My heart rate was 90 which is high for me when resting. I took a propranolol which is a beta blocker and within 30 minutes my heart rate went down to 70bpm, my breathing became normal and I feel more relaxed. Propranolol is used by performers and people that are public speaking. They are not addictive and have minor side effects.
It definitely helps to relax the physical symptoms but it does nothing for the psychological symptoms. This means it wouldn't really help the mental anxiety or depressive thoughts.
I hope this will help some of you. I like everyone here, I can't handle anxiety and am always looking for the cure, the answer and the hope to keep going.
I feel the same way I have no idea what's going on but you are not alone in the car I can't last longer than 30 minutes without freaking out but let me tell you this your body naturally needs air and you naturally breathe it's not naturally to stop Force yourself to stop breathing pain is temporary your head might be foggy but this will go away
The shortness of breath sensation, and the feeling that something is stuck in my throat, or its tightening, are my top anxiety issues, other than racing, pounding, or skipped heartbeats. I go to the ER for those symptoms, just to be told it's nothing, more times in a year than I should.
I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse when I was 17. I've been suffering with anxiety since I was 17, and I am 31 now. It doesn't matter how hard you may try to tell yourself that you are ok, the fear is there, and you absolutely cannot help it. Anxiety is a true illness/disorder and not something to be taken lightly. Doctors like to dismiss us, and act as though we are overreacting, some loved ones can't understand and may make us feel like we are crazy or silly. Sometimes even another person with anxiety cannot understand yours, or may label your anxiety as being worse.
They may not understand something you fear, and think it's irrational, though they experience their own types of fears and anxiety.
It's so hard to get around when it begins. I try to get up from wherever I am, just get moving, and talk myself down. I'll make myself busy or distract myself with something while I go through my inner monologue/motto of "I know I'm ok, I can get through this, I've experienced this before." It helps, create one for yourself or use this one. I may get on Facebook or a forum to talk to others, turn on a funny show, anything to distract myself, and getting up and moving around is super helpful. If your heart is racing, bear down like you are trying to push out a #2 for a few seconds. An EMT told me it slows the heart rate, and you may have to do it intermittently, because if your still anxious your heart can pick back up again. Just distract yourself, even if you think you can't, or don't want to. Text a trusted friend or family member, or call one, if no one is around to talk to. Sing a song loudly to help your breathing get to flowing better. Drink a lot of water and eat a snack if you can. Take a cold shower, or wash your face with very cold water to just shock yourself out of it a bit and shift your focus.
I hope some of the things I do to help myself recover from an attack can help others too!
Thanks to all of you sharing. I came here on the search to confirm my suspicion that my symptoms are stress related.
One thing I hope you will all consider is to stop with saying "just" anxiety or "just" stress. I am guilty of saying the same, but I'm trying to stop because I believe it minimizes the seriousness of stress and anxiety and makes it seem like it's not a medical issue.
Some of us have bodies that have e.g. stomachs that can handle everything and some that get upset with a tiny dash of spice and need prescription antacids. And some of us have bodies that can handle huge amounts of stress and some that get anxiety when faced with a simple challenge. So it's not "just" stress for a lot of us. We even stop breathing sometimes ;-)
I'm fortunate enough to be in Europe where medical care costs are basically nothing. So I'm seeing a doctor next week to see how I can medically, body and mind, get better. I hope you can do the same.
Its now a few years since your post, and its still going! I found this tonight, as I felt like this for days, and worse after eating tonight. Several points...
I hate when they diagnoses anxiety.
Anxiety is a surge of adrenaline, produced in response to your own feelings or thought.
An allergy is a surge of adrenaline produced in response to a specific item.
An adrenaline surge can come from one of numerous types of adrenal tumors.
A malfunctioning autonomic nervous system produces adrenaline surges. Becoming very common lately, and worth reading about, especially if you have bizarre bp/pulse, that may change with positions.
There are many more physical reasons for adrenal surges and all the symptoms we are familiar with.
Allergies - or reactions to food, chemicals, environments all produce the same adrenaline. Perhaps check for allergies, do an elimination diet to check.
While I searched tonight I tried an experiment and took a zantac - to reduce stomach acid and stop allergies. I don't feel stomach acid, just the churning. Amazing - it stopped the churning in my stomach, heart rate came down and breathing relaxed. I also have gall bladder problems, so that may also be part of it. Oh, and liver issues. Try a good liver cleanse?
With your body in such an adrenaline state, it is so easy to go with it and start to panic. Remember, the adrenaline is the body, not your mind causing it. Unless some you know it is caused by your worrying/depression and such things.
I noticed that this was posted back in 2014... I truly hope you have figured out by now that it is severe anxiety..i actually suffered horribly with anxiety for almost five years before I went to a doctor about it..and when I was finally diagnosed with anxiety disorder i was so relieved because I had no knowledge about it and thought I was dying of some rare disease... but Everytime I would have a panic attack I would think I was dying!!! It was the most horrific thing to live with!!! But once I got on wellbutrin SR 150mg..it truly saved my life, because I was so miserable with the attacks for so long that I didn't want to live anymore!!! So thank God for that medicine helping me like it did... i hope you are better now babydoll... sincerely, Spring
I had tonight same problem and was searching by google and found this post. I live alone and waking up with this odd feeling like i am dying makes me feel really miserable. I always have a hot tea after it and it makes me feel saved. I do not want take any medicine because my attacks are very rare like one or two in month. Even though i am scared and want to hear good advice how i can overcome it next time with minimal shock.
Have suffered with panic attacks and depression for many years. Last panic attack was 3 years ago and I went to the ER. Just anxiety I was told. Lasy night I had a huge panic attack for no apparent reason. Had just gotten home from a vacation. Was in bed and felt funny. It felt like I forgot how to breathe. Couldn't get a breath, then I panicked even more. Got nauseated, dizzy, and had chills so bad I was shivering. Took 30 to 45 minutes to recover. What on earth could have caused this? I am a 67 year old female. Really scared of having another one.
Hi All, hopefully you're still following this post. I have general anxiety disorder and experience panic attacks. I tried taking Zoloft and Lexapro but had a severe reaction to Zoloft and ended up at the ER. Woke in the middle of the night and my blood pressure was 190's over 110's and felt like something was really wrong. Lexapro wasn't as bad but after 2 days of being in a constant anxiety state I decided it wasn't worth it.
BUT back to the breathing thing. I wake up like that also. I can breathe perfectly fine through my nose but I have a sensation like something is in my throat and that it is affecting my breathing, even though Inam breathing perfectly fine through my nose. This causes my anxiety to spike and when I am out of town for work in a hotel by myself it is very bad and once sent me to the ER by ambulance. When I am at home by myself I can usually self talk myself down.
I've had a full heart work up and nothing's wrong, as I had been experiencing chest pains etc. I do have acid reflux and am on medication. By all accounts I am very healthy but as we all know anxiety can wreak havoc on your mind and present as physical symptoms mimicking terrible things such as a heart attack and the feeling of not being able to breathe- all because of possibly some mucus in your throat. After all if you truly couldn't breathe you wouldn't be able to sit and right a long post on drugs.com as I'm currently doing while fighting off that sensation, right???
I'd love to hear from you all!
You may not be on the right meds. I sing. I love singing. And I couldn't until I reduced cymbalta. A lot of these meds have really strange side effects. Panic attacks and being unable to breathe deeply are some of them. Good luck to you in finding what you need. My prayers ( heathen though they may be) are with you.
No matter what you should check with your doctor! I do have major panic disorder and one of my symptoms sometimes I feel like I can breathe there is a lump in my throat and I have to constantly swallow! That could be some of the symptoms of panic disorder! But don't take my word for it check with your doctor and take it from there good luck!
I'm diagnosed with panic disorder too and this is me down to the t. The minute I start having a anxiety attack I start swallowing constantly. I don't know why. It's almost like a reflex I can't control.
Hi Relaxing:
(Original post if quite old, but an excellent question):
You said yourself in the beginning of your comment: "This can be caused by stress, anxiety... "
Regardless of what is causing your muscles around your lungs to be tense and not relaxing, it is coming from an anxiety attack. Some people need much more than the breathing exercises that you mention to get relief from anxiety. It is a very debilitating condition, and there are medications to treat it successfully.
My doctor doesn't prescribe benzodiazepines (which are great medications for anxiety!) because of the tendency to be addictive if taken long-term. So she prescribed an anti-anxiety medication called Buspar. I started at a very low dose, only 5mg once in the morning. I started feeling better the first week. I went to 5mg twice a day, then 3 times a day. Then I went to 10mg twice a day, then 3 times a day, but started getting headaches and dizziness at that dose, so went back down to 5mg doses 2 or 3 times a day. Whichever dose you take, you have to take it at the same time every day. It doesn't work like a rescue med like a benzo that you take per as needed. It has to be taken every day and build up in your system, much like an antidepressant has to be taken. So it can take up to 4 weeks to feel the full effect. I have been taking it successfully for over a year.
It is a safe medication, and is taken by many people at 30mg to 60mg a day, in divided doses. I never have anxiety attacks anymore while taking this medication.
And I am a firm believer that all these symptoms listed here by all these posters are definitely the signs of anxiety attacks. I am glad that I have found something to successfully treat this condition. You might just want to try it if you continue to have them and would like to try something which lasts longer and blocks the anxiety attacks from happening in the first place!
(Reading about all this breathing and breathing exercise is making me tired!) Lol
"G"
Do you ever feell like there is something inside your chest?
Sometimes it is one side sometimes other sometimes both...
I had rheumatic fever and I still say this is from that, antibodies in blood, but doctors say stress.
It is so very scary, I wake up gasping for breath at times.
oxygen ok
G
Hi there, have your doctor check you for sleep apnea and GERD. I had the same symptoms and they found I have a Ital hernia. You can watch videos on YouTube about it. I still get the same feeling I stop breathing at nights but I notice that happens when I eat the food I'm not supposed to eat. If they find you have GERD you will have to change your diet . You can google the list of thigs you can eat.
Hi everyone I have same issues as everyone else here. A year ago out of nowhere went to ER thinking I was dying dizzy disoriented couldn't breathe dry mouth hot and cold hands feet you name it. My symptoms flare up from time to time and I was given Xanax and took them only when I really needed them. I felt like meds would help that day but then for three days after it would get worse. Doctor wants me to take Zoloft but I have refused so he gave me metoprolol it's a blood pressure med. my bp is fine but it has helped keep my anxiety from turning to full on panic attacks by blocking adrenaline and there aren't nasty side effects like with anxiety meds. I still have anxiety and it affects my life big time but I have not had a panic attack since taking metoprolol and I am slowly learning to cope with feeling like I am not getting oxygen and the other funny feelings associated with anxiety. Good luck to all and get metoprolol if you have panic attacks.
I just googled why do I feel like I cant breath even though I am... and got this page and I cried as i read all my symptoms from everyine on this site... I feel a bit of relif knowning I am not alone in this and I am not crazy.
Here's a simple breathing exercise that will restore your comfortable breathing and soothe many of the physical symptoms of a panic attack. but you have problem you go to doctor
I know this is really late but ive just had a look at this forum sorry. ive been feeling like this for a couple days too, I suffer with anxiety really bad and im on Zoloft and murelax for it but even that doesn't help right now, I constantly feel like I have to take a deep breath, I find it hard to breathe through my mouth so im breathing through my nose all the time and now my nose feels sooo dry and sore.. I had the ambulance come out to me they checked my lungs and said they are perfect and they said my oxygen is good at 98-99.. I totally understand how you feel, and its good knowing all these people are trying to help, all this does really make u think you are alone but your not. I really hope you have found a answer to your problem, I am going to the doctors tomorrow cause im sick of this, I go to sleeo feeling like this and I wake up feeling like this .. :(
I had the exact same problem in my 20s. I am 60 now and had anxiety most of my life. Doctors checked for anything medical but nothing had shown up. Finally I was put on tranquilizers but I was working full time and couldnt stay awake. They had told me I was hypervenalating and the worst thing that could happen is I would pass out then my breathing would become normal. I remember trying to breathe as deeply as possible to get some satisfaction but never could. You need something to help calm your anziety but if it makes you too tired, take at night first. If you struggle during the day, ask the doctor for something like Xanax that you can break into pieces to keep the sleepiness away. I needed medical help, couldn't do it on my own.
hi so I am on this new medications that has a side effect of trouble breathing and trouble walking, but this is so much more than that it seems like. the kitchen is three steps away from my bedroom, and just walking from my bedroom to the kitchen I am out of breath and I can't breathe... I have to resort to walking with a walker because I can't breathe at all when I walk so I either can choose to pass out or walk with a walker... and I work out, but I am only 27 so I can't be too out of shape as I have gained muscle. so any idea people. I have been under a lot of stress lately and I haven't been sleeping, but otherwise, can this be all anxiety?
Hi what you are feeling sounds exactly like what I'm feeling tell me are you constantly thinking about your breathing that's what I do and that's the only time I feel this way but if I'm busy doing something or my mind isn't thinking about it it's gone so what think is happening is our brains are tricking us into believing there's something wrong and if you keep thinking about it it starts to scare you and the more scared you get the more your mind works and making you believe there is something wrong so I just try to stay busy doing something and when I go to bed I think about what I'm gonna do tomorrow or just anything to keep my mind off my breathing I no it's hard but it works if you can reverse your brain to think there's nothing wrong I hope you can find away that works for you but that's what works for me good luck prayers to ya
Thats what Ive been trying to do, think on other things,it gets really hard sometimes, my stomach rises an it feels even worse when it goes into my diaphragm. It worsens the symptoms, and they gave me hydroxizine, but it messes with my heart rythums. I
I've felt this way when I was overly stressed. I had to take a few days off and really get honest with my doctor about what I was experiencing and he suggested/prescribed anxiety pills. I'm thinking it was Wellbutrin which didn't work then xanax which had more of an effect. The pills don't take the problem away but they help once the problem starts.
anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, oxygen, sleep
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