@jasparhunter, Thanks for the update. I really relate to the “rabbit holes” comment. When something affects your breathing, it’s almost impossible not to keep searching for the one missing piece that explains it all. Beta blockers are a reasonable thing to question, especially since SOB is listed as a possible side effect. Even if your doctor doesn’t think they’re the cause, it seems very fair to at least explore alternatives and see if anything changes.

It’s great that you’re swimming regularly. I’ve found the same thing with walking and lifting. Sometimes the biggest benefit is what it does for your head, even if the breathing sensation doesn’t fully cooperate. The fact that you can still swim and “thrive” there is actually an important data point, even if the recovery between laps feels tougher lately.

One small clarification on the breathing exercises I mentioned. For me, Buteyko wasn’t a quick fix or a bandaid at all. It was more about slowly retraining my breathing pattern and, just as importantly, my mindset around breathing. Getting out of that constant checking, trying, and chasing the perfect breath. It didn’t make the sensation vanish, but over time it took a lot of the edge off and reduced the panic feedback loop that keeps things stuck.

Out of curiosity, do you notice the air hunger more at rest than during activity, or is it fairly constant? And after swimming, once you’ve recovered, does your breathing settle at all or does the sensation linger?

I appreciate you sharing more. These kinds of details often help others connect the dots too.