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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?
I will try to make this as short as possible, but this has been going on for over 5 years, so it might be farily long.
Beginning in summer of 2012, I began having shortness of breath (SOB) with no other symptoms. I felt a constant need to yawn, and every few breaths wouldn't satisfy the SOB. I would take a deep breath, and felt like it would get "stuck" before satisfying the air hunger feeling. About every 3-5 deep breaths would satisfy it, only for it to return a minute later.
I got an endoscopy and other tests done, which revealed that I had some esophageal erosion due to acid reflux and a slight hiatal hernia and was diagnosed with GERD. I had always have bad heartburn, so I was prescribed with Prilosec, which I have been taking daily since them. I've tried stopping it a few times but the reflux always comes back a lot worse.
Lung tests and x-rays were normal. Heart tests normal. Blood test revealed a slight anemia but otherwise pretty normal.
I did some research reading forums where someone suggested taking vitamin B-12. Strangely, I took it and the SOB disappeared almost instantly. However, it only lasted a few days for it to return just as bad. I then started taking an iron supplement, which again made the SOB disappear quickly- same thing; symptom returned days later.
After further research, I came across a breathing exercise method called the Buteyko method. Essentially you do a lot of breath holding to build up CO2 and reduce breathing as the theory is that I had chronic hyperventilation causing too much CO2 to exit my body. After applying the method and reducing my breathing, the SOB disappeared after only 2 days and I felt completely normal. I continued the method a few more days then no longer felt the need to pursue the exercises. I was normal for a whole year when the SOB once again returned with some chest tightness. I applied the method again and the symptom went away, this time with a little more effort; after about 3 weeks. I included physical exercise which also helped with my breathing.
After that, I was normal for about 2 years. I mistakenly stopped or at least slowed down exercise and the SOB returned once again. I applied the method and began running for exercise but the SOB kept getting worse. It got so bad, I had multiple panic attacks and the feeling of completely empty lungs with the inability to satisfy it with deep breaths. I had to stop exercise altogether, apply the Buteyko method and do breathing exercises very carefully with very light and slow exercise. This helped, but it took many weeks for the SOB to improve. Then, it was almost normal when over a year ago as I was running, I couldn't get a deep breath to satisfy exercise-induced SOB. I have had SOB continuously since then (a year and a half).
I once again started doing breathing exercises and slowly building up physical exercise, but I can't do any prolonged cardio activity because the SOB gets to a point where deep breathing will not satisfy it. While the breathing exercises have helped, they have had very little effect compared to previous efforts. It seems that every time the symptom returned, greater effort yields few results.
I suspect there is something, some underlying cause that is causing the SOB that has alluded me this entire time.
So for the past few months to a year, the SOB is worse on some days, better on others, but never gone. There's no rhyme or reason or pattern for it. It's just there, sometimes affecting my sleep. I sometimes can't get a deep breath to satisfy it every now and then, but for the most part, a big gulp of air will satisfy it. But it returns seconds to minutes later. It's as though every breath doesn't deliver what it's supposed to, the SOB builds up, and then I have to take a big gulp of air to get rid of the feeling, pattern repeats. My breathing pattern is normal, however. I don't feel like anything physical is happening, but sometimes it feels like my airways and nostrils are slightly inflamed due to allergies, but when I don't feel inflammation the SOB is still there.
Recent lung function tests show normal- I don't have asthma, or any other problems with my lungs. Heart tests are normal though I did have about a two week bout of heart palpitations which came and went. Haven't had any for a while- it just mysteriously started happening then stopped. Blood tests are normal, though tests always show a slight elevation of biliruben which my doc thinks is Gilbert's disease.
I don't have sleep apnea (normal test), bloody oxygenation is normal, heart rate normal.
I recently saw local naturopath (since mainstream docs aren't able to help) who immediately suspected a liver problem when I described my SOB, possibly liver inflammation. He used an electrodermal testing machine to test his theory which did seem to show a problem with my liver and gallbladder. He gave me digestive enzymes and a gallbladder formula to help clear a bile duct clog, thus reducing liver inflammation. He also determined with the machine that I have an egg sensitivity so I've been avoiding eggs.
Been taking this and avoiding eggs for a couple of months, but there has been no noticeable improvement. Everything else is normal. Emotionally I'm normal- no anxiety, depression, etc. The SOB seems to be the only symptom of something, but always comes back worse, until a year and half ago when it came back and has remained since. I feel like I shouldn't have to do breath holding exercises every day just to maintain my breathing well enough to do every day things.
Does anyone have any idea of a possible underlying cause?
2021/2022 UPDATE:
Since my original post about 3-1/2 years ago, a lot has happened, so I’d like to update the post to share with others who come across this what I’ve done since then.
I have maintained a weekly Buteyko method breathing exercise regimen where I do a few of these breathing exercises 3-4 times a week in the morning. This, in combination with daily light to moderate exercise (specifically weight lifting, with 1 or 2 days a week of walking and light jogging), I feel has kept the air hunger symptoms tolerable and manageable. I have mostly good days with some not-so-good days, but doing a breathing exercise and knowing that it’ll get better again helps me get through those times.
I also have sinus inflammation which can exacerbate the symptoms, but I’ve also managed this, which in turn reduces the severity of the air hunger symptoms.
So, while I haven’t found a cure nor is the problem completely gone, I have been able to maintain normalcy in daily life and manage the symptoms through the strategies I described.
This discussion remains active, alive and well through the comments section where others who have similar symptoms have shared what has helped them as well as suggestions for possible solutions to explore.
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Hello, I have been experiencing the same symptoms as everyone else. I’m a 29 year old healthy male and this all started when I was hungover one morning and went the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack. Everything checked out fine, told me anexity. This was 4 months ago. Ever since my breathing has been bad where my breaths never feel satisfied and am having to breath thru my mouth to get a full breath. Constantly yawning as well to get a full breath. I see this page has 335 pages. Has anyone found anything that helps? Thanks.
Hello @masom24. My symptoms were like yours, but progressively got worse until I was suffocating. Is the problem getting worse? You probably should see an ENT to see if your vocal cords are functioning properly. They are like the French doors that open and close allowing us to breathe. Many things can cause them to malfunction which would lead to your symptoms. One thing that may help temporarily until you get to the ENT is Primatene Mist Spray sold OTC. It helped me immensely. Best wishes to you.
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1 ReactionThomasan is perhaps pointing to vocal cord dysfunction syndrome, here it is difficulty breathing in rather than breathing out in asthma. Laryngoscopy and spirometry can help establish the diagnosis. Treatment involves teaching the patient vocal cord relaxation techniques and breathing exercises. See the attached image from Medscape to do the exercise yourself.
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Hi @masonm24, when you say you have the same symptoms are you referring to just a persisting air hunger feeling, or any other symptoms? Alcohol being a depressant can have affects on breathing and can cause heart palpitations. Have you gotten checked out by a primary care to doctor to see if other tests can uncover anything or rule things out?
Hello @abid. My vocal cords are paralyzed either from radiation for cancer of the pyriform Sinus (located by the vocal cords) and/or having Covid twice--once right after the shot. I really did not think I would make it to the surgery date for tracheotomy surgery as my breathing became so limited. It was absolutely a terrifying experience while waiting. Without the OTC Primatene Mist, I probably would not have made it to surgery time. The tracheotomy has been a lifesaver. I thank God for each day and the ability to eat, drink and BREATHE! Take care.
Shortness of breath can be caused by various serious things and is not something you should try to solve on the Internet. My experience with ERs is that they stabilize you but are not able to provide a full diagnosis. I would make an appointment with a Pulmonologist and a Cardiologist.
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2 ReactionsYe so I was the same I went to the gym one day and felt like I couldn’t get a satisfying breath.
Ye so it’s anxiety plain and simple. There is a HUGE misunderstanding of the general public to how anxiety works. So I presume when you were told it’s anxiety you thought “ it can’t be I’m not worried or scared of anything at the moment”. Well that’s not how this symptom comes about.
Just think of anxiety as survival energy if you will. And through something or other the first day you felt it you had a bit too much of this energy, you say you were partying the night before in your case. So you felt it. And through no fault of your own you needed it to be checked by a doctor of course because it could’ve been physiological. So you went to ER and they said anxiety. But let’s look at that sequence of events. Your body whose job it is is to keep you alive felt some weird feeling, you consciously decided this could be DANGER, so your survival alarm heard this and said okay, this symptom is important, this symptom can threaten me, I can only feel safe once this symptom is gone. So when given these instructions what does your body do? It looks for it, at every chance it gets it will look and if it looks for it and you still have “survival energy” in you it will find it. And When it finds this feeling and you react with importance and you care a great deal, what happens is a cycle just like the first day you felt this. Where you’ve just told your alarm that the feeling is important and it has to go. So your body gets more adrenaline or nervous energy and wants to get rid of the feeling and to never feel it again which just ends up with your alarm searching for it and with all that energy will find it again. And the more importance you show the more important it will be.
Okay so that’s enough of explaining how it works and why it has happened so how do you fix it?
Well, by doing the opposite of what you’ve been doing the opposite of your instincts. You need to show no importance to this symptom at all. You need to become impartial to it, let it do it’s worst. Feel it and refocus on your life. You don’t fix this it fixes itself. You eating this or drinking that or exercising here or breathing like that only furthers the idea to your survival alarm that this is a danger to be neutralised and it just means you’ll keep feeling it over and over. “You’ll never get better until you stop trying to get better” live your life to the fullest, focus solely on life. Recovery from this is not a destination like I don’t care if it came today if that makes sense, it doesn’t mean you have to like it it just means when you feel it you live normally and then your alarm sees “huh this isn’t important, this doesn’t threat my existence” and then it will eventually never show you the feeling again. If you want online resources my favourite is the anxiety paradox on instagram. Shaan kassam on YouTube aswell. This is not a tool or an easy fix this may take months but the more and more you focus on life you will care less and less about the time you will stop feeling it at all. Remember being able to live your life distraction free is the goal, being symptom free should not be your goal that only shows importance. (Although you will eventually never feel this or anything similar again as long as you don’t care anymore)
This is my advice given you said you have been told by a doctor it’s anxiety. I’m not a medical professional you and your doctor are in charge of your health
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1 ReactionI had breathing issues for a few months within long Covid. The albuterol inhaler helped me a bit but the one below helped me maintain breath and the ability to speak. I’d be at the end of a brief talk and couldn’t squeeze the words out, then I’d stutter. Just something to ask your doc about.
I’m not making a reco. Just telling part of my story.
Hi Gabriel! I came across your story online when I was researching the same problem, as I seem to do a lot these days. I literally have the exact same situation on and off for the last few years. I would say with me it started back in 2019 and I will experience very similar symptoms that you described and will go months without being able to breathe normally then all of a sudden one day wake up fine only for it to come back a few months later. I was told I had sighing dsypnea, because its like I am always gasping or sighing to try to breathe. I also always feel like I have to yawn. Like you, I have been to multiple doctors, who all tell me physically I am fine. My lungs are fine, my heart is fine, I am physically active and healthy, but there is no explanation for what is wrong with me. I do have slight allergies so I take cetirizine daily, so I don't believe it is allergy related or I think the allergy pills would relieve the symptoms. I even had a doctor tell me that being that they cannot find anything physical, I should consider counseling. I was told it must be anxiety or stress related, but I don't agree. What CAUSES me anxiety is the fact that I cant take a breath! It is frustrating, terrifying and annoying and I wish I could figure it out. I am going to try the breathing technique you mentioned and hopefully it can help me. I am sorry you have struggled with this but I am also relieved that I am not crazy and someone else has the same problems. I will try to continue to follow this page, even though it has been years, but maybe someone can suggest something that will make this go away.
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