Hello, I'm new and only began posting a few days ago..seem's all my questions are about bodily symptoms and here's the one that scares me the most..so uncomfortable and frightening: Shortness of breath.

The kind I get can happen at pretty much any time. I never know. Often I notice it will happen at bedtime. Today it happened first thing in the morning. I'm NOT in the middle of a panic attack when I experience the shortness of breath, but I am anxious. I also get extreme shortness of breath when I try to go out and take a walk. I've seen doctors and had tests on my heart, all negative. My doctor says the shortness of breath could be an underlying panic or symptom of my anxiety. Can anyone relate? Needing reassurance that this could be caused by anxiety. Thanks.

This is my first time posting and I can totally relate to your shortness of breath. I have it daily and obsess about it which often times makes it worse. I know that it is all related to anxiety. I have had CT Scans of my lungs and doctors check me over. There is nothing physically wrong with me. I notice that when I am at home "my safe place", I rarely have it but when I am at work or in social situations, it is a constant worry. I just have to learn to trust myself enough to know that I am okay. It can be very scary....

A few months ago I was at a friends house an I felt like I was sufficating.My lungs felt like lead weights or like someone was sitting on them.This scared me.I was talking to my friend when this happened.I told her I was uneasy but I
didn't tell her I was having an anxiety attack.I have healthy lungs,so this feeling just coming out of the blue was scarey for me.I haven't had this anymore since.But I do have other sensations associated with breathing.It's all anxiety.We'll
be ok.

It could be that you are hyperventilating. This article, from Medline Plus- a service of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, should help: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003071.htm .

Thanks to all of you for replying. It is reassuring to know that others are going through the same thing and can confidently say they know it's anxiety. I am still in a phase of not being certain. I still often think there is something seriously wrong that the doctors have missed. I am so grateful to have found this forum. It has been giving me a measure of hope and comfort. I hope I have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.

I have the same thing. It happens anytime and like you, I'm not having an attack but I'm anxious. Then I get dizzy. It used to completely freak me out but now I know it won't last. Just started this program and I'm almost finished with lesson 1.

Steph

I have problems breathing too. I'm at a point that I'm now obsessed with it. It is scary. I spent 2 hours at the urgent care center this past weekend because my lungs hurt and couldn't catch my breath, it turned out that it was just my panic/anxiety disorder. Dr. made me do deep breathing exercises and sent me on my way. I felt like such an idiot. Anyway hope everyone is well, we all have to overcome this! Good luck and God Bless

I'm actually crying as I write this (rare for me). I've had this problem intermittantly since I was a child. It went away in high school (20 years ago) and I always remembered it but couldn't understand why I did it. Sure enough when I got my first panic attack (2 months ago) the "breathing problem" came back. Somedays I barely notice it but if I feel anxious I spend my entire day trying to get deep breaths (then my jaw hurts from yawning). I have been pretty focused on it lately and wonder if I'll spend my entire life catching my breath (negative talk, I know). Now that I know other people have it makes me feel so much better. I grew out of it for 20 years and this too shall pass. Thank you!!!

<<<<The relaxation tape from the Midwest really helped me to learn to breathe through my abdomen on a regular basis. I practiced the breathing technique until it became a regular habit.>>>>

I just began the program and I so far am really enjoying the relaxation tape myself.

The only thing is that I wish it were longer!

I agree that anxiety attacks can make us lose our breath. It certainly happens to me - mostly at night when I'm obsessing/worrying, and of course in speaking to groups (which I don't do too often). But you may want to also consider getting your condition evaluated by a pulmonologist. The shortness of breath could also be the result of mild asthma. I have the same condition. Night time exacerbations and attacks brought on by physical activity are common. You may want to check it out just in case.