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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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Thank you for your insights.
No SNIFF test taken. Meet with doc in 10 days. Will discuss then.
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1 Reactioni do not think so doctors are going to help unless you goto to someone who will cost a fortune, those top doctors are rare, and our normal docs do not know about our condition.
PLEASE READ TILL END:
now i am almost 99% certain that our condition is either due to allergies or indigestion.
after researching a lot, i guess anti histamines are the real culprits, as well as allergies, you maybe getting some upper respiratory reliefs from those so called non drowsy selective H1 anti histamines, but they do more harm than good.
what exactly is happening, when you take anti histamine, it blocks your bodys flow of histamines at those H1 receptors only, it means it does not actually neutralizes or reduces histamines, but only blocks them, basically closing the door at those H1 receptors, which results in no symptoms at the upper respiratory tract, however what most people have no idea about is that there are many more histamine receptors in body.
there are many more H receptors like H2, H3 , H4. when you take anti histamine, it still causes your body to release histamines, however those histamines will never make it to those H1 receptors, it means you have only stopped those symptoms, only at the upper respiratory tract where those H1 receptors are present, but the main problem, the secondary problem it created is that those excessive histamines are now instead of going in your h1 receptors, are flowing to those other H2, H3 receptors where they should NOT be..!
H2, H3, H4 are literally located in your LUNGS, heart, stomach, abdomen etc, now due to that histamine disbalance, its causing overflooding of histamines inside your lungs and even heart, abdomen, which is then resulting in that mild but PERSISTENT shortness of breath we both having, in my case i am also getting heart palps 24/7 simply because of that exact same reason, too much histamine around heart are causing my heart to beat lounder, histamines act as messengers at heart, and stimulant inside your brain. But now those histamines are not able to communicate properly, anti histamines only stopped the symptoms at the upper respiratory tract, but now the communication is impaired, heart is not able to pump blood accross the body effectively, ARTERIES ARE NOT ELASTIC DUE TO ANTIHISTAMINES BLOCKING H1 RECEPTORS LOCATED AT ARTERIES, and is resulting in bounding pulsation, simply because arteries are not moving freely, now the thing is that this will not show in any diagnostic tests.
WE BOTH EVEN HAVE GERD! it means we are also getting small amounts of acid inside our lungs, and you all must be taking PPIs or tums, these antacids and wondering why its not stopping your shortness of breath? It reduces all other GERD symptoms but does not helps with SOB, if you will go back to your doctor, they will think that YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE GERD..! and they are totally wrong and i will explain why.
GERD is not caused due to high stomach acid at all..! but due to low hydrochloric acid ( your main stomach acid), it means you have low stomach acid, as well as its PH ( acidity ) is above 4 which is too high, it should be around 2.5 ..!
Still, this is not the real problem, the real problem is actually your LES not working properly, AKA NOT CLOSING..!
"The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a bundle of muscles at the low end of the esophagus, where it meets the stomach. When the LES is closed, it prevents acid and stomach contents from traveling backwards from the stomach. The LES muscles are not under voluntary control"
and bingo, this is why those mainstream pharma antacids are not working, all they doing is worsening the condition by further alkanizing your stomachs PH, as well as further reducing your stomachs acid, which will after some time gonna result in indigestion, leaky gut etc.
and since it does not fixes the main problem, it will not work for SOB, even tho you will have very low stomach acid after taking those PPIs, that SOB will still not go simply because little amounts of acid is still flowing back inside your lungs, but now since its weak it will not cause that heartburn symptom, but will still cause SOB.
Real treatment for GERD is fixing that LES valve, it must be closed all the time, that is the only 100% way of CURING the acid reflux and GERD, antacids do not do that, LES is controlled by your autonomic nervous system it means you cannot even control it yourself.
in our case its most likely both, gerd + allergies and histamine disbalance caused due to antihistamines, just in like in math and chemistry you have to balance both sides of the equation, when the balance will disrupt, it will cause a lot of problems.
I will start getting allergy shot + close my LES which will completely eliminate my GERD, i am quite optimistic about it, lets see if it works.
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1 ReactionMeet with pulmonologist next week the 15th. Thanks for SNIFF test recommendation. Let you know how it goes.
Yes @funger please do let us know how it goes!
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1 ReactionHi guys
I have been suffering from the same shortness of breath - feeling like I can’t get a full breath... almost like my throat isn’t wide enough. Seen GP a few time, had a chest X-ray and seen a cardiologist... I do suffer from anxiety. My best bet is that it is some form of dysfunctional breathing disorder as we have all had multiple tests with no specific diagnosis...
The below from a medial journal explains the problem - only treatment is trying to retrain how you breath as has been mentioned.
Sorry just realised I can’t post link because I am a new member but if you type “ Dysfunctional breathing: a review of the literature and proposal for classification” the article will come up
Oh and this article explains it perfectly! Type this into google...
“ When Breathing Goes Awry “
Hi @sueran1, thanks for the input. Did your exams discover any issues? I think there is an element of dysfunctional breathing for sure; like our breathing has been “off” for some reason. I think breathing exercises help to retrain the breath. But yeah, the tough question is what is causing the breathing to become off in the first place. How long have you been dealing with this?
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1 ReactionHi Sue, I noticed that you wished to post links to articles with your post. You will be able to add URLs to your posts in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. Clearly the links you wanted to post are not spam. Please allow me to post them for you.
- Dysfunctional breathing: a review of the literature and proposal for classification https://err.ersjournals.com/content/25/141/287
- When Breathing Goes Awry https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-breathing-goes-awry/
Have you had success with retraining your breathing?
Hi Gabriel
I was checking google for help and came across your issue here. I'm exactly in the same boat as yours. I have no issues or GERD but trouble taking a deep breath and have to yawn to be able to take a deep breath. It only started after I started working out a day ago. Sore body is common after workout but I have issues breathing.
After 2+ years of similar symptoms, it turns out my SOB is from cervical and thoracic spondylosis. SOB and muscle weakness flare after various activities. I'm awaiting a consult to discuss the plan of treatment. Already have been told no overlead pulldowns, anything twisting, leaning forward for triceps workout, ab crunches.