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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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Hm. We’ll add it to the list of things to look into but I’m generally very healthy, don’t drink or smoke, and have taken very few medications over the years so I’m unlikely to have liver issues I think!! But who knows? I do get comprehensive blood work every year. That said, my son has a disability and takes a lot of meds so we have done a genetic test on him for his reaction to medications and he is missing an enzyme or something it turns out so maybe I have the same problem. Anyway other than this breathing issue (and some controlled elevated blood pressure, and weighing about 15-20 pounds more than I should… ) my physical health is okay. We also considered my blood pressure medication (I’m on Toprol which is a cardioselective beta blocker) as a possible cause but my cardiologist says no. But I may as well ask here if anyone else having this problem happens to be on beta blockers. They CAN cause shortness of breath but per my doctor it would be the normal kind, like while exercising or during exertion not at rest etc.
Thank you for sharing this @mari015! It's always great when people like you take the time to share their story and information that they've learned through their health journey in the hopes of others. So thank you for that. This gives many people who come across this thread hope but also things to consider in their search for help. I am glad that you sought the right help and are on a better path.
i could say the same about mine it presented during some period of high stress and some periods of low stress no rhyme or reason. i know how angry you feel i got told same by doctors early on but continued searching. the way it goes away is if you stop treating it important and by that you also have to stop trying to improve the symptoms. believe me, dont believe me. im just trying to help somebody like me
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3 ReactionsI have gone to a million different doctors as well asking them if they’ve ever heard of air hunger. My primary doctor if talked to a bajillion times and he says it anxiety. I, like you, get the anxiety from the inability to get a good breath. I have even done a nuclear stress test and it came by good. I’ve always thought it was my heart causing it but I have a healthy heart. I’m currently taking 50 mg of Benadryl and boy does it have me feeling short of breath causing major anxiety. I complain to my husband about it and bless his heart he tries to help but it doesn’t help lol. He just doesn’t understand where I’m coming from. I thought I was the only person in the world that has this problem. When I’m distracted, I don’t notice it, when I sleep, it doesn’t wake me up. Sometimes going to sleep, I will jump and get startled because of my breathing. I get short of breath talking and it’s embarrassing. I don’t want to live the rest of my life like this as this is no way to live. I pray all the time for Gods help.
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1 ReactionI don't know whether this will help but it helped to explain my issues. It isn't exactly in the news that a lot of foods in our diets can contain the heavy metal cadmium. Prior to my discovery of my allergy to gluten mine was wheat. Grains seem to love absorbing cadmium and I made the mistake of switching to rice, another grain high in cadmium. Unfortunately, I also had the added issue of working in a glass factory, with cadmium used as a colouring of the glass emitted in gaseous form during production. I've been surprised by the range of issues such seemingly insignificant exposures can cause, including shortness of breath.
@fefemagee, have you gotten any cardiovascular tests or lung function tests done?
Are you aware of reflux condition called silent GERD? It is called silent because the person is not aware that they have it and it may cause breathing problems.
Also, I have been told that there are 2 types of sleep apnea, one is obstructive and the most common while the other is not. I have the one that is not obstructive and I do wake with a startle (not too often) and resume normal breathing.
I have, I have had a nuclear stress test and been to lung specialists.
In January of this year, I had a scope and colonoscopy done and they did not mention silent GERD. I will have to check with my gastroenterologist.
So I am checking in 6 months after the onset of my shortness of breath (January this year).
Things have improved quite a bit. most of the time I don't notice it that much, but things have been relatively stable in terms of intensity since April (no improvements since then really...
It's at its worst:
-first thing in the morning.
-after meals, particularly meals that rich in sugar. breakfast (cereal and dairy) in particular, and today I was fine until I had a pint of lime juice... And that flared things up for about 3 hours after.
Has anyone else noticed a worsening with sugar intake / is there a suspected correlation with blood sugar? post meal spikes seem to be the main spikes for me.
weirdly, I have not noticed anything major if I drink alcohol though, which would sort of invalidate that...