Connect
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.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Health Support Group.
Connect
I was saying that in reply to @oldkarl , clearly whatever is going on with him isn't just shortness of breath. And yes, I'm aware there are tons of symptoms and causes for that.
Yes I did mention in my original post that my sob started in August 2019.
I went to the ER originally and had many tests done and they found a little bit of air trapped in my chest cavity, since they could not find a reason for it, (ie- tear in the esophagus or collapsed lung) they chalked it up to probably a burst blister on my lung, and said the air should clear up on its own. I have been seeing a lung specialist.
No I have no tried that method yet but I plan too.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@abidaisl- Welcome to Mayo Connect. This must be extremely frustrating for you. Have you asked if your doctor will do a teleconference?
To answer a previous question, there are many other possible symptoms that can accompany SOB: anxiousness, bloody sputum, chest injury, chest pain, chest tightness, cough, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, heart palpitations, and labored breathing, Fatigue from worry is very common.
There is nothing that can get your attention faster than when you go to take a breath and something has changed!
What are you doing to help yourself during times when you are tensing up so that your breathing is easier?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYes I’ve mentioned it to my mom a couple days ago, but sometimes I wonder if it’s just my acid reflux and then the stress of worrying makes it worse, but I’ll mention it to my doctor next time. The past few days I haven’t really noticed it, but it comes and goes, but Thank you!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionOkay thank you so much! Did the doctors ever give you an idea of what it could be ?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionHi @codyprimmer,
I'm just wondering if you've found a solution to your SOB. I also suspect that my SOB is caused by my posture, but very well can be because of my stomach or some remaining infection from my previous lung infection from 2.5 months ago.
Let me know if anything worked 🙂
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@kierenc- When do you see your doctor? If you do have GERD and it is not treated that could lead to a whole series of new problems.
this might give you some idea of what you might be dealing with.
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/gerd.html
@lidiaboglarka- Good morning and welcome to Mayo Connect. Bad posture can certainly be bad for your body in general. I know that when I slump my neck and shoulder and even my legs can begin to hurt. Might you share your lung history with me and what kind of infection is lasting for 2.5 months?
Thanks, Merry! Well, it's a long story, I swear I tried to make it short.
My SOB started 1.5 months ago, but the whole story dates back to February when I started having chilblains on my toes.
Then I had a cold, and another, and another, and in March I ended up sitting on my couch, coughing for a week, having low fever, and unable to take a deep breath or yawn. I also made a wheezing sound when I exhaled deeply or after coughing. I was prescribed antibiotics (clarithromycin), and the next day I started coughing up a lot of mucus, my nose started clearing up and overall I felt better. My SOB disappeared basically the next day I took the first pill.
On the 4th day, however, I started having pain in my right ribs, just below my breast. It felt like pleurisy, breathing, and coughing was painful, so on the 7th day, I visited my GP for help. He didn't even listen to me or to my chest (he was afraid of COVID so he tried not to get close to me), he just prescribed me another pack of antibiotics (moxifloxacin) which I then took for an additional 6 days. I got slightly better, and I stopped it because a pulmonologist who was willing to examine me and told me it might be just muscle pain, and my x-ray was clear. The side effect of moxifloxacin was a slight stabbing sensation in my heart, especially when I laid on my back. It went away immediately when I stopped it.
I still kept coughing lightly, I suspect that because of the pain I couldn't excrete the leftover mucus from my lungs. I also kept sleeping on my right side, because then it didn't move when breathing, leaving me without pain.
I started getting better, started working again (meaning bending over to the computer and stressing out because I was waaaay behind my work). I also started lightly exercising and restarted cycling.
Then while massaging some cream to my ribs, I found little pea-sized, painful nodes in my breasts. The next day they got inflamed. It lasted for two weeks, and after the inflammation went away, the nodes cleared as well. I suspect they were swollen lymph nodes, but never checked with a doctor. Almost immediately after it was gone, came my SOB in mid-April with temperature (37 Celsius), shaking, and lightheadedness.
Then I had COVID-19 test (negative), I've seen the pulmonologist again, who found my lungs okay by listening and prescribed me antibiotics because she suspected I had tonsilitis. Strangely I didn't have a significant sore throat, but my neck was very stiff and my tonsils were swollen. I got antibiotics (clarithromycin again). By the end of the course, my SOB improved a bit, but I saw no change in my tonsils.
I visited an ENT, she said I have no acute tonsil inflammation. She also asked for a pollen allergy test and head CT, all came out normal.
Then SOB got worse again. I had bacterial culturing from my throat, nothing was found.
Nevertheless, I got another pack of antibiotics from my GP (metronidazole) for anaerobic bacteria. It helped with my stuffy nose and the tonsils also got smaller, but my lymph nodes got swollen on my neck and my stomach got very upset. I was nauseous even by thinking of eating and having a terrible headache. I only managed to take it for 4 days.
Then my GP prescribed antifungal medicine, antacid, and asked for a blood test.
My blood test came out normal, indicating I don't have any inflammation.
Only a couple of values were out of the acceptable range:
ASO was high, but it was around the same level 2.5 years ago. 4 years ago I had streptococcus infection, another ENT told me it can remain elevated for years.
TSH was higher than ever (4.35), and T4 was low, just in the acceptable range, suggesting hypothyroidism.
The antacid helped me with my stomach, now it's at the level where it was at the beginning.
I stopped taking the antifungal.
My SOB started getting better since I started neck exercises and changed my preferred side of sleeping, and it gets worse when I'm bending over to the computer. Not sure, though, because of the position or because of the stress I'm having during work.
Feeling cold also makes it worse, and I'm usually shaking. I'm also wondering if hypothyroidism can cause SOB, or at least make it worse.
I was also examined by a rheumatologist, and she didn't find anything which could've caused my SOB, though 2 days after I started having pain in a specific point in my left rib (I think it's the second rib), between my collar bone and breast. Also, pain radiates to my left hand.
And here I am now, not sure, where to go to. I'm thinking of a cardiologist to make sure my heart is not to be blamed (I have palpitations and low blood pressure), also would like to rule out all lung issues by having a chest CT. I'll also consult with a GI next week because of possible reflux. I'm still taking the antacids, though. All doctors told me my tonsil problem could have been caused by reflux, even though I don't feel it. And everyone, except for the ENTs believes that my tonsils are to be blamed for my SOB.
Good news that my SOB got better by now, and I started coughing up some phlegm again.
Thank you for reading it, and please let me know if you have any suggestions.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionMy experience is almost similar to yours. I'm having exactly same problem.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI'm truly sorry for that. I've read your previous posts and found you couldn't see a doctor. What helped me is excessively calling doctors until they were willing to listen to me. I was also bombarding my GP with e-mails until he took me seriously. After my negative COVID test doctors were more willing to examine me and talk to me, so if you can, you should make sure you didn't catch that.
Only thing is that I had to pay for most of the things, like CT, allergy tests, bacterium culturing, and consultations with the ENTs. (In Hungary, normally we should get most of these without additional payments).
I hope you'll get better soon!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction