I dont remember exactly. It still comes back sometimes. At that time my diet was horrible, I ate a lot of gluten and dairy.
After I stopped and started doing breating excercises alongside running and waking up early, it resolved quickly.
Yours do sound like it could be esophagus related. Try to check esophagitis symptoms. If you have trouble swallowing, it could be eosinophilic esophagitis. Thats an allergic reaction that causes swelling of the esophagus. Try google that and see if the symptoms match yours.
For me also coffee and dark chocolate are huge triggers. It takes like 2 pieces of dark chocolate and the symptoms come back.
So if you are sure it has nothing to do with your lungs, its probably esophagus. Or could be anxiety, but I dont really believe in that. Really think about your diet. These things arent direct feedback, you could eat something and have a reaction like 20 hours later. BTW nuts could also be a trigger, Im allergic to them as well.
Go see GI doctor and ask for upper endoscopy, they will see if your esophagus is inflamed.
Also, try water fasting for a few days. I was water fasting for 96 hours and thats when I experienced what it means to breathe easily for the first time in 10 years. If you can breathe better on fasting, I would bet its esophagus related.
Hmm this has given me a lot to think about. I also started drinking coffee a few years ago around the same time my symptoms started. And I eat a small piece of dark chocolate daily in a smoothie.
Interestingly I eating very little grains for a couple of years before this started. I would not say I was full paleo, definitely I would cheat, but minimal consumption of grains. My body responded very well to having no gluten, I rapidly lost body fat and was in the best shape of my life. I wonder if cutting out the grain then bringing it back had a negative effect or possibly like increased my sensitivity to gluten.
I may try and fast or only eat meat and fruits and vegetables for a few days and see if i notice improvement. I could then slowly bring some things back and see if I notice a reaction.
I was a smoker which does concern me, but again I saw a pulmonologist he said my heart size was good and he didn't see anything in a chest xray. I do not think it is my lungs. I can breathe fine and my blood oxygen levels are fine. It really seems to be my esophagus, or anxiety, or both. I exercise almost daily.