Shortness of breath

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2004
Shortness of breath
11
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 7:10am
Hi, I am new here. I have been web surfing for months trying to figure out my problems with my breathing. First of all, I have shortness of breath. I had a couple EKGs at ERs. I went to a PCP doctor who ordered EKG again, CT scan of lung and an echocardiogram. She said they all came back normal and I suffer from generalized anxiety. She put me on Klonopin and Paxil. I never started the Paxil, but I kept the Klonopin just in case of severe anxiety problems. The breathing went away for awhile. I am now in Puerto Rico for a couple of months, working from home, just to get away, but I noticed 2 months ago my breathing problem came back and it is not going away this time. I went to the ER here. They did the routine EKG, chest x-ray and blood work and said they were fine except I may have a little bronchitis. Well I started the antibiotics they gave me but I don't think I really had the bronchitis, cause I still have the problem. I still have shortness of breath. It is interfering with my life now. Sometimes I could hardly breath. My chest gets so tight and then I panic because of it. The only thing that helps is 1/2 Klonopin. I still have some left from last August cause all I take is a half when needed. I am getting so depressed. I feel so trapped like there is no hope for me. Every morning I wake up and I cry most of the morning and sometimes the afternoon all I do is cry. Does anyone else have this as their main symptoms of anxiety. I sometime wonder if they are not missing something, like asthma or some other pulmonary disease. I have a 4-year little boy that I need to care for, but this is making me so unhappy. I also sit at my desk straight and work for like 12 hours a day. I have stopped exercising since it started again. I am thinking of going back to the doctor again and have another opinion. I know I have had some losses in my life but I wonder if that would cause me to not be able to breathe. I hate this so much and wish it would just go away. Thanks for any input on your thoughts.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 7:48am

Hello & welcome! Nice to see you here:) You are NOT alone & with the diagnosis of GAD, you're in the right place. The breathing problem that you describe has been discussed by many on our board. The more you try to breathe right, the more it seems you can't get your breath. It's hard to take a deep breath. When concentrating on breathing, it next to impossible. When this annoying symptoms strikes me (I call it ragged breathing)

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2004
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 8:32am
Thanks Jan. I will check out the "coping tips and tricks" folder. I do believe I need help desperately with this so I will look into that ASAP. It has now gotten to a point where it is affecting my life and I am tired of weeping. Am at my wit's end and can only now go seek professional help. Thanks again for your post.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 10:44am

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are going through such a tough time.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2004
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 12:02pm
Yes, I did mention to him about my prior tests. The reason I did not take the Paxil is because I read on other boards and some of the people on Paxil stated they wished they had never taken it, as it is rough trying to get off of it and that scared me. I do plan to go to a doctor here again ( not the ER) and maybe get some more Klonopin prescribed. My doctor did push me to take the Paxil though. She was convinced that generalized anxiety is what I had and why live uncomfortable when I can take the meds. Thanks for your support. It just seems to be an everyday thing that never gets better recently. I do notice a difference with the Klonopin when I do take it though.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2003
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 12:20pm
Hello and welcome. Wow have you came to the right place. Each and every person who frequents this board has felt the same way that you are now.Jans post was excellent. I went through denial for along time, I just could not imagine that I did not have some physical problem, you know, something you can see touch and feel.It should be a signal to you if you are feeling somewhat better when taking the drug.Therapy is a good thing to help you to understand what is going on and how to cope better. Sorry that you had to come here but glad that you found us. Hang in there. Debbie

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 3:47pm

I am one of the most med phobic people I know.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Fri, 03-24-2006 - 4:13pm

HI

I have had problems with anxiety all of my life, from panic attacks to the awful "what ifs" I too have 3 little boys, and worried all of the time-I still worry.

I have been taking Lexapro now for 5 weeks. I feel so much better.

About a month ago I too started having breathing problems.
I didnt feel like I couldnt breathe, infact I knew I was breathing. But I did feel the need, or desire to take a deep breath CONSTANTLY!! It was (is) an awful feeling. Sometimes I could satisfy the need, and sometimes it just felt like the air wasnt filling me up, so to speak. It went on for about 3 weeks NON STOP, except when I was sleeping, in deep conversation-which is rare, since I right now am a SAHM.
I thought I had lung cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease you name it!
Then I asked the girls here if they ever had this, and so many said yes.But it still didnt stop. I couldnt understand why I would have this probem since now I am on meds and I had NEVER had this before! Then I thought it was a side effect to my meds, because someone mentioned to me that it could be. Worrying about that was the worst because it was so hard for me to start taking anything because I was sooo afraid of these types of med. I worried that I would have to change medication and that just made my anxiety grow!! I told my therapist. My therapist agreed it was anxiety , and he told me SO many people that he sees has this.

Well one day after vaccuming it STOPPED, just stopped. I knew it stopped because I felt so much lighter. I had started telling myself that I was ok and that I was breathing. After really doing this it worked. When it first started all I did was obsess about it. When is it going to go away? what is it? why did it stop? when will it start again?
When I did this it never stopped.

My coping technique, this is what I finally came up with. When I got the feeling I told myself relax, you dont need to take a deep breath right now you are breathing. And Ifought it off I didnt take the breath, at first this was very hard, and after I have been doing it now for awhile, it really works for me.

I still get it every now and then but mostly I dont and when I do it doesnt last all day as it did.

I hope this can help you , as I know these GREAT girls have helped me sooo much!!!

HUGS
Kathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2004
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 9:18am

Well, I did go to the doctor today here in Puerto Rico. He did give me some samples of Paxil to take 12.5 and he ordered blood work, thyroid being one of them. Says my thyroid looks a little big, but I have always had a thyroid that looks big, most notable in pictures. Anyway, I am here looking at the Paxil packs on my desk and afraid to take one. What am I supposed to feel when I take it. Will I have any strange feelings or will it not have any kind of feelings. I do take the Klonopin and I do feel something from that but then again I am used to taking the Klonopin so it does not bother me anymore. I am just scared to take it. I just have this feeling like it will alter my mind or something. I know pretty screwed up, but am scared to take it. Isn't the side effects from when you are trying to get off of it, not from actually taking it.

Jas

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2004
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 9:35am
Jas~
I know your fear. I have a huge fear of taking medicine or even vitamins when I don't know what it will do. All I can tell you is what happened to me when I took antidepressants and anti-anxiety pills. Nothing. And I mean that in a good way. Nothing noticable happened when I first took the pills. After a couple of weeks I would notice that I felt better and my anxiety was lower. I personally didn't experience any side effects while taking them. Wait, I take that back. I had an small upset stomach the very first week I was on antidepressants. They aren't going to hurt you. I know it's hard, especially if you are like me and get freaked out by the side effects printed on things. I was such an idiot that I read the side effects of the pain meds when I got my appendix taken out and then refused to take them. I was in so much pain but I would not take them. It took everything my friends had just to get me to take some advil! The first time I was given xanax I freaked out. It was in the e.r. and I was a teenager and the only thing I had ever heard about it was kids taking it to get messed up. So, I know what you are going through. It's okay. You can take the meds. They will help. Good luck and keep us posted.
Robin
Mommy to Lukas Lee
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 10:12am

I have never taken Paxil, but I don't think you will feel any different.

Sheri Ann

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