Hey guys,
Thank you so much for the time and effort of posting. I appreciate it all and am really glad people care.

Gomogo,
Your post is great and many of the techniques and tips I am incorporating and have incorporated, I appreciate it but one thing is what makes me confused.....Diversions: When Im in the middle of things, it seems sometimes to get worse, the overbreathing, it seems like I almsot have to pay attention and "control" it for it to work.

Heres where Im confused and scared, Friday/Saturday it was like it was almost gone and I started feeling that there was hope then Sunday We had a birthday party to go t oand it just couldnt be controlled at all..I ate too much and now today its worse, and my Mom really believes its the hiatal hernia, Im not so sure....
My therapist think I had a problem that caused this, thats now gone, but the breathing problem remains becuase Im aware of it and she promises it will go away, I just want to be normal and live my life again, trying not to think about it ?? It seems impossible, Ive done nothing bu cry all day, I look around and see my life going on but it forgot me.
I love everything about my life but now that I realize it, Ill never be able to truly enjoy it, truly relax, and truly live.

Grapes,
I am so thank full yours is subsiding, mine seemed to be going in the right direction but seems to be slipping back a little...It means so much that you post here, thank you.
You give me hope

Geoffrey

Geoffrey,
The bit about you saying that you have to control it: That is the bit that is almost impossible! Breathing is meant to be a natural thing, something we don't need to think about. Yeh, but we people,DO! Thats why i think we have the problem, trying to control something that shouldn't be. However, thats the anxiety of it.
Gomogo, i think you have found the common link, 'OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS.' definately me, always have been that sort of person. How about you Geoffrey, do you think you are like that in any way? I have almost learnt how i subconsciously think about it. Even when i think i am not, i definately am. Geoffrey it sounds like your therapist is right. Something does intially bring the breathing problem on, and it only takes a slight trigger for it to turn into that cycle of unnatural breathing pattern. It might also be worth reading about generalised anxiety orders: It won't go away just like that, because remember you are still not completly relaxed about it and anything will trigger it off. Even you hernia, because it is a stressful thing to have! the good thing Geoffrey, is that you have some good days. I never had any good days years ago, it was hell. You think that there will never be an end to it, but there is. I PROMISE YOU!!! Don't give it a time limit. forget about how long you have had it or how long you may have it. Your cure will be the day that you have completely forgotton that you had a breathing problem in the first place. That day will come naturally. but like Gomogo said, it is diversion, from the breathing, that is the cure. Speaking from my experience, i remember years ago, even when the breathing was unbearable, it would not be present if i was focused on something really important or if i was feeling unwell. e.g, i had a really bad stomach ach once, had no breathing problems that day, because i was too concerned about my stomach. Am i making any sense at all?? I do go on, but i so want to explain as much as i can about it. If there is any more you need to know please ask me.
Take care everyone

Geoffrey,
one more note, please don't try too hard to diverse unless it comes naturally. You will know when that is. If you try too hard not to think about your breathing, then you are probably thinking about it too much. Does that make sense? It will happen one day, give it time and be patient even though you are suffering.

Grapes,
Thank you so much. My God this is hell as you know and I wish none of us had to deal with it. And I also guess it truly cant be worked out until all the stress that triggered itin the first place is controlled ??

This morning and last night was awful, after an almost perfect Saturday and Friday night and going to bed feeling optomisitc, it just came back with a vengence.

Today at work I told myself to get it together, its up to me...I tried so hard to not think about it and I did have some success...

Even now, Its still on my mind, but they are coming every time just about , maybe getting five, missing one....THe urge to take that breath is whats screwing me up, I guess thats the anxiety ?? I find that when I get that urge, I stwr thinking about three different things at once, and then when I go to inhale, it comes, sweet relief......This is sheer hell ! My God !!

I also ate too much at the birthday party,

Well ..

About a month ago, i started having breathing problems. Ive had asthma since i was a baby but the past years i havent been affected by it at all. I woke up feeling like i couldnt breath, and i paniced and wanted to go to the ER but i have no insurance. So after a few days it got better, but then all of a sudden, ITS BACK AGAIN!

So i go to urgent care this time , oxygen level is 98, had a slight fever and went in to see the doc. Listened to my lungs and told me that everything was clear, no wheezing. Made me blow into this air thing and my highest number was 420. Gave me a breathing treatment ( which btw i took the whole time before going to urgent care, but they mixed twice the amount in ) , gave me the air thing to blow into again and i blew a 600.

Sent me for chest xrays, came back clear, walked into the office and told me " its deff ur asthma , u jumped to 600 after the treatment and your xray was fine " .. Take your inhaler every 4 to 6 and pulimcort twice a day ...

Well now its a week later, i felt a lil better, but im DEFF not better. So now im just at the point where im PISSED cuz this happens, and when i start to feel better, a day or 2 later, it comes back. I still feel tightness and feel like my breath isnt gettin all the way thru..

UGHHH see how made i am, hes lke " come back in a week if u dont feel any better " I did feel better , but im not well. Im thinkin in my head I DONT HAVE INSURANCE, I HAD TO PAY 250 JUST TO EVEN SEE THE DOCTOR AND IM GETTIN A BILL FOR THE XRAY .. DAMNNNN!

So i figure ill just work it out for another week, keep takin that inhaler thru out the day , and wanting to shoot myself in the head =]

Thank you

oh and btw, never in my life has my asthma been like this so i didnt even think it was, also just moved to fl from nyc 4 months ago. And my damn legs hurt sometimes 2 when i feel short of breath .. healthy 23 year old btw

and also, does anyone ever notice that when ur occupied with something else, and COMPLETLY forget u cant breath, that u feel fine

ahhhhhhhhh whats wrong with me, i wanna be normal again =[

sorry i havent had a chance to reply to anyone lately, been kinda busy. but well has anyone looked into fybromyalgia? i found this website that discribes all the syptoms. it says that the dyspnea is caused because of chest pain, you are conciously or subconciously shallow breathing because of the uncofortableness it causes to breathe a deep breath. but i have read all over this site and i am starting to think there is something to it. Geoffrey i am sorry you feel so helpless i know how you feel and i feel like that on some days too. you have to believe that you are not alone and we will figure this out somehow. i hope you dont lose hope in that. let me know what you guys think of this, i know some dont believe in this illness, but i would rather believe in it than nothing. i am going to the doctor in a couple of weeks and i am going to mention it to him and see what he thinks about it. anyways i will talk to ya later.

Megan

Hi Megan,nice to here from you.
It was interesting reading about fibromyalgia. It did say that sufferes were mainly woman and that the main symtons were pain in the tendons and muscles, along with cronic fatigue. It is definatley worth getting it checked out by your doctor. It is good to rule out all possible illnesses that may cause the breathing problems. But, again not everyone has these symtons or feel ill in any other way apart from the breathing, which is sometimes worse then an illness because there is no immediate relieve. So once every possible illness is ruled out that may cause breathing problems; the only thing left is anxiety/stress. Mine was definalty caused by anxeity/stress. i had all the medical test done!! It's a bit worrying going on the internet looking for help, we could end up with so many phanton deceases. That's why i think you are right to get it checked by a medical doctor. Good luck!
i might not be posting much next week, going away, but will keep checking in!!
Geoffrey'
how are you today? (we must be at least 10 hours time zone differance) There's nothing wrong with eating too much, I wouldn't dream of missing out on food if it's there to be eaten. Don't forget to try some breathing excersises, see if they help you. Remember, it won't go overnight!

Grapes, i am glad to hear that you feel that your symptoms are caused by stress and anxiety, but most on here dont or they woudnt keep posting about everything that is wrong with them, you are making people feel hopeless....like they are just crazy or something. you really should try to quit saying that its just anxiety, most of us or at least me dont think its caused by anxiety, and it says on that website that not everyone has all those symptoms.... and there is no specific test for fibromyalgia thats why its so hard to diagmose.
i have read on here many times about people being on antidepressants and xanax or other anxiety meds and if they arent working... then i guess thats not it.
i am not trying to be mean, but it seems like that is your only solution... and if that worked for you great, but its not for everyone...and obviously your still on here and having symptoms...

Megan,
i didn't say that anxiety/stress was everyones cause, only for those of us who have been medically checked. I am sorry if i have offended you, I thought i was helping! Gomogo agrees with me: who has also suffered from anxiety. I thought knowing that one was physically ok was reassuring. Yeh ok,i do agree that sometimes i do wonder if there was another possible cause for it.. It's a terrible thing to have! I never thought there was anyone in the world that had it. i wish i could have had this thread, when i was really ill with it.. i thought i was going to die. That's why i get all excited about telling poeple that it's anxeity/stress because i have been so well all these years and i wanted to give everyone hope. Especially, if everything else has been ruled out. Which in a lot of our cases, it has!! if everyone has had all the medical check ups, and given the all clear, what else is there to believe. No one else has said that i am making them feel hopeless.
Anyway, i only wish you well Megan. There's nothing wrong with us dissagreeing, we are all only trying to help each other.

i totally agree i am just not quick to assume its anxiety or stress. there are so many things it can be some are very hard to diagnose, and some people who have certain illnesses wait years to get a diagnoses. thats all i am saying. with alot of illnesses there is stress and anxiety involved i think its a part of being sick whether you cant breathe or have cancer or something else it just attributes to whatever is wrong.
the only reason i suggested fibromyalgia was because my husbands aunt has it and suggested i look into it because it is an illness with many different characteristics. not because i have been on the internet thinking i have every illness out there. i am not a hypochondriac nor have i ever even thought i had an illness before this all started. i have only been sick 2 times in my entire life and both were very severe illnesses. (pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and i have had only one surgery)
i dont want anyone on this site to believe that they are going to die from this, but i think we all need to explore every option, and continue to inform our doctors about things that are going on. i am sorry if i sounded harsh, i am just reading about how desperate some people are and if they think stress and anxiety are the only option they may do something drastic, i dont think its the only option and i think there is hope. thats all.

Megan

Megan,
your right! Please let me know how you get on

No fighting, we must all be here for each other !!
I really am not convinced its anxiety, I mean, it really doesnt make sense, I just wont rule it out......My life is fine, was fine and I know how to handle anxiety and all the answers that will come back to me regarding stress/anxiety...Its just not that way with me.

One thing thats puzzling me when people say that you "just became aware of your breathing" ..well then, that mean everyone in yoga should automatically have this problem, and also when the doctor tells you take a deep breath, then that should ruin the pattern too, no ?

Im just so confused, eevery time I think I have a handle on how tho easo or relive this thing, it beats me....like im cursed.
I never been to the doctor so much or felt so vulnerable in my life..I really truly dont want to live anymore ....

This is unreal.

Geoffrey

Geoffrey, i feel cursed too sometimes, and i also wonder "why me". i have no answers though i feel better on somedays and others i feel like a total mess. i understand what your saying about the breathing pattern thing. i dont think its happening because you are "aware" i think not being able to breath makes you aware. ya know.

well i wasnt trying to argue with anyone i just feel like i have my own opinions of things and everytime i stated something it would always be put in the stress category, when i dont think it is. frankly i was just sick of hearing it. i am sorry to have made anyone mad that was not my intentions.

has anything youve been doing helping? i find that when i breath through my nose it helps a lot. well i say that now but everything i have tried usually only works temperarily. i know what you mean about the overeating thing. i feel like that too after i eat, but i have had scans done and no one has mentioned haital hernia. would they have been able to see it? or does it mainly happen in a different position other than lying flat? i dont know.
talk to ya later.

Megan

Geoffrey,
There isn't much more i can say at the moment. I have covered everything, i think about it. I'll keep in touch. Look after yourself.

Ok,
So...Im laying in bed yetserday from 5pm, until 8am this morning, and IM awake for about half the time, stresses as heck over this, feeling hopeless, praying, etc....and what ? I miss maybe three or four "deep" ones in 15 hours !!!! Im conscious and aware the whole time, of each breath...then I get up tp gp to the bathroom, get my phone, get some water, and bam ! miss two in a row......
Its puzzling and Im convinced theres a combination of things going on here including, mental(anxiety) physical(hernia or blockage) and energy(thyroid, adreneline, nutrition)

I have got to get to the bottom of this, oh..and every doctor assures me it will pass, well, great, when and if so, I need to know what it is so it doesnt come back !!!

Im going away for the weekend and I just cry thinking about how my life used to be and now its sheer hell.
Take care all,
love you all
Geoffrey

same problem here but never went to a doctor for it, i use a trick when it comes, massage your back, the area behind the lungs, with a machine or let ur partner do it, it worked for me, use menthol for massage. try to keep ur room's temp. around 23 degrees.

The other thing i can say about this problem; is how i think the subconscious mind is incredibly clever!! Even though you may not think you are thinking about it, you probably are. This is because you have become so frightened of it, that it is there in the subconscious mind.

Think about what you are doing when you have the breathing problem; are your shoulders tensed up, are you subconscouisly thinking about it, ext. I haved noticed how very tense my upper body is and my arms.

Grapes,
I quoted you above because I feel you are right on. As far as how I feel about it being related to anxiety, I would be much more anxious if I thought it was anything but anxiety. I know that I am in control of this problem because I can control anxiety, but anything that has to be fixed with drugs or surgery, that would terrify me and make me feel hopeless. And as far as other posters being on antideppressants and it not helping, personally my experience with those drugs was that they made me worse or didn't help at all. Also, I was on Aciphex for three months and i believe that exacerbated my breathing problem (AND my acid reflux), and even though I'm off for a few weeks now it is still worse than before i was on the drug. To be blunt, except for the rare occasion, drugs will only make you sicker. All sicknesses have natural cures...and I mean cures, not bandaids (aka drugs). Instead of getting this diagnosis and that diagnosis, follow my above drastic protocols and heal the whole body and be illness free (depending on damage already done of course). I don't understand exactly what Meglaws means. I guess there are all types and vantage points in the world and that's how she sees it, whic is what makes the world go round. Grapes, you have been very kind and helpful on this thread. I wish we could all get together somehow and talk this thing out until we find the solution once and for all. Just curious, where do you live? I live in Wisconsin. Sometimes you sound British. Are you? And I am ecstatic for you that you're seeing real progress. In addition to my new car and the air show last weekend, I signed up for an intrnet dating service a week ago and had 60 men email me. Talk about a nice diversion. I've never felt so popular in my life. I am pretty excited as i have some cute and quality gentleman suitors. So yes, I am feeling more and more relief too.

Geoffrey,
I'm glad you are doing stuff to help fix the problem and learning coping skills. I am wondering, since you think there is a physical factor to this (and I'm not 100% convinced that there isn't, just 99%), could it be instead taht you are a hyperventilator? Do you find yourself yawning or sighing throughout the day? PLEASE REPLY and let me know because, like Grapes, I want to try to help you, and it would be helpful to know this information. After you can answer this question then you will be able to know why you had the problem after the birthday party. Maybe the actual party activated your hyperventilating. My nervous system became SO sensitive to any stimulation after 7 years of hyperventilating that I finally learned that if I feel short of breath I can quickly trace it back to a minute or two earlier when I didn't realize that I was breathing too deep after, say, talking to someone who kind of upset me or starting out on a drive (driving makes me nervous), or TENSING MY SHOULDERS (that is a big one for me). Now my nervous system is much stronger due to breathing retraining and great supplements from my naturopath (pharmaceutical grade). Do you see what i mean? This will help you be able to recognize the things, maybe emotional, that trigger it. You say that all your doctors say it's emotional. I haven't had any tests so I don't konw what doctors say, but did you ask the MD who diagnosed the hernia if it could be related to this? I mean, some MD must know about this. Why, in this day and age, are all these people who are posting on here unable to get satisfactory answers from their MD? I guess from this, and the other posts on here, I have deduced the anxiety/stress connection. Like I said 10-15% of the population are hyperventilators and may not even know it. WE LIVE IN A VERY STRESSFUL WORLD, and our minds and bodies are connected, so mental stress will lead to physical problems if they go on long enough. As of this Monday I am going on longterm disability and I have lost my job. I'm pretty okay with it, because nothing I can do about it obviously or I'd be at work now, and I DID NOT LISTEN TO MY BODY WHEN IT WAS ASKING ME TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE, so now I can finally make the career change that I've wanted to for a long time, after I get healthy again. HAVE YOU LOOKED UP THE BREATHING RETRAINING EXERCISES? Please let me know. This is critical to reverve the bad breathing habit your body has made. I carry a 3x5 note card in my purse to remind of tools I can use when it gets bad. I can post those on another post if you would lkike me too. It would actually be helpful for you to see if these help relieve the symptoms. If so, then for sure it is caused by hyperventilation. You asked about the yoga question. If you don't have this specific stress problem then it won't be exacerbated by yoga. If you do, then it will. Stess manifests in SO many different problems in the body, and this just happens to ours. Lucky us. Geoffrey, are you giving your problems to God? Without him I would have been hopeless when it was SO bad. The bible tells us to cast our troubles to the Lord. Believe and you will be amazed the freedom and peace, and, yes, even joy amidst such suffering, you can have.

Meglaw,
your quote "I find that when i breath through my nose it helps a lot". Meg, when i read that MY JAW DROPPED. Mouth breathers are almost always going to get into breathing trouble. I have learned this on my journey of illness and searching on the internet. I'm definitely not an expert on this, but from what I read I urge you to search for Michael G White's webiste on breathing pattern disorders and retraining. He has a very helpful quiz that quickly evaluates your breathing and may begin to answer questions for you. It did for me, and I used to be a mouth breather too. Please let us know what you find out. There is also the Buteyko method of retraining if you want to search for that too.

I hope the best health to all.

GOMOGO,
great to hear from you, will write to you tomorrow,
love Grapes

GOMOGO,
wow!!! It really sounds like you are making real progress. Sorry to hear about you having to give up work. But heah, i think every bad is for a good!! Hope you find a nice man, that will make you VERY HAPPY.

I must admit that i was reluctant to post on here after Megans comments, in case i offended anyone. It seems that that is not the case!! Which i am pleased about.
I am British, i come from England. I would love to meet up, but that could be a bit difficult. Maybe we could phone each other up one day, Or send private e-mails to one another? There is so much to say and it is difficult explaining it just on line.

I have read the sight you mentioned, about retraining your breathing. I also did the test. I definately overbreath. Admit, i haven't bothered doing excersises, cause i only have a mild form of it compared to years ago. I have though been trying to do aerobic excersises, when i have time. Do the breathing excersises help you? Please let me know if you think they have slowed the breathing down. This breathing problem is unsual because we probably don't relaise that we are overbreathing because of not being out of breath at all. It's such a weird and unpleasant thing to have! I know it takes time to reset the anxious body and mind. Well it took me six years last time, but i didn't do anything to help myself then, new i had anxiety, but (even that went on it's own though) didn't realise i was actually overbreathing. As for your kind help on food, i do eat quite a lot of what you mentioned. it is really good advice.

Geoffrey,
how are you? I also have an answer to your yogo question. As Gomogo said, it is only a problem if you have the breathing issue. I actually did yoga years ago just before i had the breathing problems; i had to give it up, it made me obsess about the breathing and also the breathing was too deep to do , which meant overbreathing even more. This is getting very confusing to explain, but i think we are beginning to understand each other.
Take care everyone, look forward to hearing from you,
love Grapes

Hi Grapes.
Whoo-hoo! I suspected you were a Brit. I love England. I would love to correspond. You sound really kind, and we have this awful problem in common. My email address is a Yahoo email, and just use my user name on here and you should be able to find me. My next plane trip (which won't happen unless a miracle occurs due to my anxiety) is to the UK and France.

Yes, the breathing exercises really do work, but you have to be consistent with them for at least four weeks for your body to reset the pattern. I did them for two weeks, and felt great relief. I haven't done in probably two weeks because I do feel better, but really am not, so need to get back to them. I'm so glad you checked out the website and took the test. It exposes alot about your breathing, don't you think? I hope Geoffrey and Meg do the same, as well as anyone else who posts on here.

I look foward to hearing from you.

Mo