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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?
Lung Health | Last Active: May 27 5:58pm | Replies (3353)Comment receiving replies
Hey @sprucy11, sorry that you're experiencing this like many of us are, but glad you found the forum in your search for answers. I was 27 when the issue first came about for me. It is certainly normal for people to take deep breaths, but can be an issue if done too much like when someone is hyperventilating. I assume your O2 levels have been normal? Interestingly, when I went to the ER about 7 or 8 years ago when this started for me, my O2 levels were 100% indicating hyperventilation. My normal O2 is around 94%.
What breathing methods have you tried? I have had success with the Buteyko method, but you do have to stick with it and do the exercises at least twice a day, and I still do some level of the method almost on a daily basis which has kept symptoms under control.
I know your frustration about having the urge to inhale deeply frequently. Have you been checked for any GI issues, like GERD, general acid reflux, etc.? If it's any comfort, I would agree that the deep breathing itself doesn't have a negative effect on the heart or lungs unless there is some specific condition there, so whenever I had bad episodes I would tell myself that I'm going to be ok and that it won't kill me. That seemed to help calm me down a bit. Have you been treated for the LPR?
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I purchased a pulse oximeter and it showed my O2 levels were in the 97-99% range. Is that too high? If so do you have any suggestions on how I can lower it?
I have tried the Buteyko method a couple times, but it didn't really give me any long term relief so I kinda gave up. If you're saying it works then I guess I will put a little effort in and keep trying.
When I was diagnosed with LPR, he gave me "magic mouthwash" to drink and that didn't really do anything. I did get a second opinion a few months later and that doctor couldn't confirm I had LPR. So I am not really sure what to think, when I went to the ENT that diagnosed me my esophagus was really inflamed and I had the feeling like food was stuck. No growths or tumors were found.
I never even noticed I had this shortness of breath issue till about a year later when I started going to the cardiologist, and then the pulmonologist. While I was having tests done, I was worried I may have pulmonary hypertension, and that could've caused me to have anxiety and then cause me to hyperventilate. But I don't have pulmonary hypertension, and my heart is fine, so I don't know why I still do this.
Maybe its a tick that I've developed from going to doctors and being under a lot of stress. Even though my life isn't stressful at the moment, it's changed me perhaps. Not sure. And I don't know if this is something I've been doing my whole life and just noticed in the past year. I have no answers...