I feel you. I was dealing with the air hunger in much the same way as you- feeling like it was taking away a lot of time from my family and activities. Have you looked into breathing exercises like Buteyko Breathing Method? There is an online course through https://www.learnbuteykoonline.net/, and this is where I learned the technique and coping mechanisms.

I, too, ruled out anxiety early on when I realized the air hunger persisted whether at rest, active, anxious, or not. But the breathing exercises still helped me to calm down if I had some anxiety due to the breathing issue.

Do you have any GI issues that you're aware of, such as GERD, dyspepsia, ulcers, etc? Many of us with the same issue seem to have GI issues so I'm wondering if there is a connection there that we're just not aware of.

Do you consider yourself a mouth-breather even before this issue came about?