Side effect?????

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Side effect?????
11
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 4:02pm

Hi ALl
Anyone ever experience the feeling of having to constantly take a deep breath as a side effect to Lexapro, or any other medication?

I know it may be anxiety but now I am thinking it may be the lexapro. This was NEVER a problem for me when I experienced my anxiety problems.

Thanks
Kathy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 4:42pm

Hi Kathy, No I haven't heard of that side effect from Lexapro.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 7:02pm

OK so now I think I have pneumonia!! :)
I would assume there would be other symptoms???

I know I cant decide if it is me or the med!!

It doesnt always bother me, not when I am sleeping, or if I lay down to take a nap(on that rare occasion ;)
If I am in a deep conversation, or very busy not just washing dishes, but something thta takes real thougth so I can think about something else it doesnt bother me as much! But it is so anoying!! I dont get any oter symptoms with it, no palpitatons, and I know I am breathing fine. Just sometims during the day or a lot during the day I feel like I have to take a deep breath, and sometimes I do and it is a satisfying breath and sometimes I feel like it didnt get in deep enough-if that makes any sense!

So aggravating!!! I want it to be me, and not the meds because I dont want to change the meds.

I have not gone for a physical but I just had a baby 4 months ago so everything was always normal but I am planning on going in for a physical, I just have to remember to call and make the appointment!!!

Thanks for listening sorry so long!!

kathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 9:42pm
Yes. You would have plenty of other symptoms with pneumonia.
 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 10:20pm

(((Kathy))) You're kidding about the pneumonia, right??!!! No, I don't think you have that, lol.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-28-2003
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 8:28am

Kathy,


I am 99% certain it is anxiety causing this for you.

Jennifer

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evi

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 8:55am

Hi jennifer,
thank you so much for your help. It really did make me feel a little better.
the reason I didnt think it was anxiety was because the med seems to be helping
me with all of the symptoms I ws experienceing before the lexapro. So I cant understand
why I would develop a new one! And since I have no other symptoms with it it doesnt make sense to me.

If you have a chance can you explain how to do the belly breathing technique, i think I have been doing it but I dont know if iam doing it right.

the reason I thought it was anxiety was because when i was at my sis n laws house with family talking, laughing, eating etc. I was fine.
when i go to church i am usually fine, and if i am not it goes away after a little bit.
when i went to dinner the other night with just my husband i was fine.

the whole thing is so confusing to me, and i do like my pdoc but Iknow she would say it is me doing it and not the med.
when i first started it for the first time i had to go off it because of panic attacks, turns out she was right it was me not the med, when i went back on it a month later i was fine.

I just never experienced this before, and figured I wouldnt since I never did before the med. sorry if iam rambling.:)

But thank you so much for your response
how often does it bother you???

thanks again
Kathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 8:58am

i just read it again

my breathing feels fine not too slow or fast, but I get this sensation, or feeling like I have to take a deep breath or yawn
is that what you feel?????

Again thatnk you
kathy

Avatar for cricketvk
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 12:52pm

Kathy -

I also get that "I can't breathe" feeling and it's one of the scariest parts of anxiety/panic for me. and Jennifer is right - it's a form of hyperventalating. (sp) it's like the more you concentrate on the breathing the more you actually end up messing it up. I sometimes would get to a point that i felt like I was going to pass out and my dr. at the time says - well if you passed out - it would level back out on it's own.

I have also heard that Breathing into a brown paper bag like you would during hyperventalation helps to regain it. I haven't tried this myself - but might work for you.

I'd be willing to bet that it is not the medicine - but more the anxiety - I caught myself breathing very shallow just reading Jennifer's post and didn't even realize I was doing it.

Good Luck!

Valerie

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-28-2003
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 1:41pm

Yep, my breathing feels fine too except for that awful sensation of having to catch my breath and I find that I will yawn or sigh

Jennifer

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evi

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Fri, 03-17-2006 - 2:03pm

hi jennifer,

thank you so much for your great responses, it is so kind of you to respond to me, i know ican get annoying that is part of my problem, i obsess over things! the medicine is actually helping with it, but when i get things like this i obsess over them, which i know makes it worse!

That is what I do too, the yawning and I agree sometimes it helps and sometimes it does nothing! I really try to ignore it, sometimes that helps, and again sometimes not :)

I have been doing the breathing but not really consistently, which i know is not really helpful. I am in therapy have been for years, and I love my therapist, he has given me some ttechniques but I havent been to him since this one, I go once or twice a month-too expensive- but I love him.

It just helps to know I am not the only one, and that I probably dont have some fatal disease, like lung cancer because of course that is what Ive been thinking. I know I have no other symptoms but of course I always, always think the absolute worst!!

I hope it gets better, I keep telling myself I have had other symptoms of anxiety and the y for the most part are gone, so hopefully this one will too!! I hate it!!

thanks
Hugs
Kathy

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