I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE OUTTHERE
HAS TROUBLE BREATHING WHEN YOUR FEELING
ANXIUOS? FOR HOW LONG? I FEEL THIS WAY
ALMOST EVERYDAY,FOR HOURS AT A TIME...
CAN THERE BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME?

MAYBE THE DOCTOR MISSED SOMETHING,OR IS
THIS MY ANXIETY TALKING? PLEASE HELP..
I FEEL LIKE IM FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE!

I sure can feel for you and your situation. Breathing problems do go along with anxiety. I don't think it would be a bad idea to see a doctor, just to be safe.

Do you have the tapes? If you do, next time you have trouble breathing, listen to the relaxation tape and breath in 4 counts and out 2. Keep us posted.

Helen

Hi Donna!

As long as the doctor says you are physically OK, then it is time to attack the anxiety. The breathing thing is so scary - I remember it well.

Years ago, a visit to my doctor used to be enough to reassure me and then it would go away. Now it is the breathing skills from the program that get me over it. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi DonnaTx,

Wow, I was going to post this same question myself. Thanks for the post. I notice that when I am anxious or worried I have trouble breathing. I asked my doctor and she said it's the way that I am breathing. When I'm nervous I breathe from my chest instead of my stomach as I'm supposed to.

I also find myself holding my breath and then gasping for air. Does anyone else out there do this. I am always sighing and I feel as though I am coming across as being perturbed, when in fact I am just trying to make up for the lost air.

When I am not nervous, I don't do this. However, I worry that it can't be good for me to always be holding my breath. I am not even aware that I'm doing this. I have been really bad about it the last couple of days and don't know why.

It will get better. What do you find yourself doing when you are having trouble breathing? I'm also curious to know what others do and how they deal with it.

Take care
Vic

HI VIC!
WELL, AT FIRST I USED TO FREAK OUT AND
TELL MY MOM I WAS CONVINCED I WAS GOING
TO DIE..BUT THEN I COULD HEAR LUCINDAS
VOICE ECHOING IN MY MIND SAYING JUST
FLOAT DONT FIGHT THE PANIC ATTACK,ITS PRETTY SCARY AT FIRST , BUT AFTER A WHILE
YOU STOP BEING SCARED. THE WAY I DEAL WITH
I CALL IT PANIC BREATHING IS I LIE DOWN
AND TRY TO TAKE CONTROL OF MY BREATHING
IT STILL SCARES ME,IM STILL IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS.I WENT THRUOGH THE PROGRAM TWO
YEARS AGO ,IM THINKING OF DOING THE
PROGRAM AGAIN.I HOPE WE CAN HELP EACHOTHER
WITH THIS PROBLEM..I REALLY NEED ALOT OF
SUPPORT ,I DONT HAVE ANY SUPPORT AT HOME.
DONNATX

Hi DonnaTX

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I haven't been around my computer.

First I must say that I'm sorry you don't have any support at home. I do know that even though your family probably cares about you a lot if they haven't experienced what you are going through they will have no idea how to deal with it.

My family and I are very close yet they have no idea. My husband tries but he can't. That's why we have to support each other through this forum. It has helped me so much. Each day it feels like I'm having some type of different symptom. There is no consistancy with my anxiety. It's nice to be able to talk with others about this.

Are you close to your family. What about friends. Anyone that you can talk to? If not or even if. I will do my best to help you through this. I have experienced the breathing problem before and have overcome it. This time I find myself trying to correct it and usually being sucessful.

I think that I will always have the holding my breath problem. It's how I deal. I don't know why I picked this way to do it. Have you ever noticed yourself doing this?

Just to let you know that when I first went to the doctor about this I too was covinced I was going to die. I was in tears. She took her stethoscope out,listened to my heart,and perscribed Xanax. I couldn't believe it. I kept asking her to do more tests- something. She calmly smiled and told me that if I didn't feel better within a couple of weeks to come back and see her. Well, I didn't go back. I have since gotten off the Xanax and had no trouble for about two years. The problem came back about two months ago. This time I am on Buspar. It has helped but I still have an edge. This time though I know what it is and that makes it so much easier. My problem now is why.

You can get through this, I promise. If you've been to the doctor and she didn't find anything I'm pretty sure then it's the anxiety. It makes our bodies do weird things. Did she prescribe anything for you?

I will be here if you need me. So will everyone else. Good luck to you and take it one breath at a time.
Vic