Cant yawn big enough exercise and stress; now effecting daughter

Posted by yawner @yawner, Aug 28, 2021

This started for me more than 20 years ago in college. It started only during exercise; i would have to yawn and felt like I couldnt get enough air in my lungs. Yawning didnt seem to satiate it. Went to doctor and she said it was commong in females....fast forward to idk when- at least 10 years....this started happening more and more and not related to exercise anymore. Definitely occured when I was stressed or anxious. Doctor did send me to heart imaging. First timage showed potential inflammation but second image disproved that. Got tested for athsma where you brearh into a tube. It was during the worst 3 day attack Id ever had and he said I was blowing perfect oxygen! No athsma there. So doctor said it could be stress and I left it at that.
But my teenage ballerina daughter has been experiencing same when she is exerting herself extra during her ballet private lessons for past 2 years. Based on her description, her doctor said its probably not athsma (no wheezing or coughing.) She has some additional descriptors that I dont have which she now cant remember but I recall her describing a weird taste in her mouth.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Health Support Group.

Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Aug 28, 2021

Hello @yawner and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm sorry to hear about this long-standing problem that you have had and that now seems to be affecting your daughter. This certainly must represent a mystery to you both.

We do have a discussion on Connect about the shortness of breath where many of our members have discussed yawning as being part of their relief from this problem. Here is the link,https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mysterious-shortness-of-breath/

I'm wondering if you or your daughter have ever kept a journal as to where you are and what you are doing when this problem occurs. I'm thinking of perhaps an environmental problem. While I am not a medical professional and cannot give medical advice, I'm thinking that since you and your daughter share this same problem, I wonder if genetic testing might help.

I would like to invite Merry, @merpreb, to this discussion as well. She might be able to invite others in her group to post with you about this problem.

One other thought: have you and your daughter considered getting a second opinion at a multidisciplinary medical center? These types of medical centers tend to be most effective in dealing with hard-to-diagnose issues. I'm thinking about a research-oriented health center such as a university medical facility or a place like Mayo Clinic?

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Aug 29, 2021

@yawner- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Twenty years is a long time to be having your symptoms. And I see that they have changed. Anxiety is one of the major reasons for SOB, even when you don't feel stressed or anxious it can be lurking behind closed doors. And perhaps your daughter has picked up some learning cues?

@gabrielm has had a lot of experience in this area and might be able to chime in. Have you tried exercises and learning a new way to breathe?

Gabe, Volunteer Mentor | @gabrielm | Aug 29, 2021

In reply to @merpreb "@yawner- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Twenty years is a long time to be having your..." + (show)

Hi @yawner. Indeed that is a long time to be dealing with this. But I’ll tell you, I’ve been dealing with a similar “air hunger” since 2012. So almost 10 years. For the past few years I have managed to keep it under control using breathing exercises and just knowing that I’m going to be fine, so that reduces the anxiety. Have you had blood work door or any lung function tests besides asthma? And I also encourage you to read as much of the shortness of breath thread mentioned previously to see what things you can glean from that.