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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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Hi Gabrielle,.
How are you doing these days ? Are you still having breathing issues ? I just came across your post and I have exactly what you are describing. I feel like I have to constantly yawn to take a deep breath. It has been affecting my daily life and sleep now for weeks. I recently retired and I plan to sell my house so I don't know if this is stress related or not. In 2019 I was told that I had asthma and needed to use an inhaler. However, this past spring, the inhaler was no longer working so I missed using it one day in April and then my breathing was normal again. My lung function has always been fine, but the doctor told me my breathing test was not good the first time I visited them in 2019. However, after I started using the inhalers the breathing tests were good. There's no explanation for why I started breathing normal in April of this year when I stopped using the inhaler. This is so debilitating to have to think about breathing all the time. I hope that you are still a member of this site and will write me back. Thank you.
Tina
Hey @tahiristan, I've heard it called a few things but probably the terms that describe this mysterious air hunger sensation the most are Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome, dyspnea or chronic dyspnea, pseudo dyspnea, false shortness of breath. All of these similarly-named issues don't have a single cause or a cure or treatment other than exercises, but researching any of those terms does pull up a lot of good information and possible solutions or things to try. I often just stick to "air hunger" as that seems to be the term that I've found that describes the sensation that most people on this forum experience. It's not a shortness of breath per se like you would feel during exercise or the feeling that you can't 'catch' your breath-- it's really a feeling of empty lungs, even though your breathing rate, heart rate, O2 levels, and tidal volume are all seemingly normal. Despite all those being normal and if you're at rest, the feeling of empty lungs increases until a deep breath satisfies it.
I have a question for everyone. So as everyone knows, this mysterious breathing issue has a wide variety of causes and not everyone has the same exact issue. Some people have gotten better with Anxiety Meds, some with meds that help with Acid Reflux, and others with Speech Therapy. Some have no solution. Some try different forms of breathing exercise. Some surgery (especially if you have Tracheal Stenosis).
I wanted to hopefully spark some thought into a discussion of the symptoms.
-How often do the symptoms occur?
-When did they start?
-Describe what it feels like?
-When are the symptoms worse? When are they better?
I have gone through a lot of testing. Some of it is very pointless in hindsight. But the doctors try to rule out everything.
It's hard not having a name for the condition. I don't like "breathing problems". it's too vague and everyone assumes you have Asthma. It is frustrating talking to other people about it because they just don't understand what it is. Or how it feels.
I have gone from thinking it was Asthma, to Vocal Cord Dysfunction, to Dystonia, to Tourettes, etc...
but the closest I have gotten to a name recently is Chronic Breathing Tension. This what was shown in the video I posted a few weeks ago. It makes sense because it's a muscular tension in my throat and sometimes chest. That muscle tension causes me to breathe improperly and also to feel like I "can't get a deep breath". When I am intently focused on something, I don't feel it. After I exercise, I struggle during but it gets worse the days following exercise. And it's a positive feedback loop. The more tension builds up, the more I feel breathless and to compensate, I try to, again and again, force a deep breath which then creates more tension. My survival mode kicks in and if I don't "get a deep breath", I panic and breathe even more deeply and forcefully. The solution to my issue is to break this cycle and that’s what I am currently working on. .
Feel free to discuss below. Best wishes to all!
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1 ReactionI felt better in a week my personal regimen plan is for three months it takes minimum of two months to build these supplements up enough to begin making changes in the body the coffee enemas help the most.
Look up AIRPHYSIO looks like inhaler take breath normal not through the decide then put device to mouth and exhale the pressure of the air pushes up a ball that is heavy enough to bounce just enough to pulse the air your breath out of your lungs effectively breaking up mucus that could be clogging ventricles or whatever in their gets clogged. Anyway not only does this produce all the mucus after a few days of using it regularly for all of us that got lung problems either from covid or not. If it's not a disease that you are stuck treating for life then just like with pneumonia you have to do breathing in deep as you can hold hold hold slowly breath out. You need to work your lungs get them back to strength and have to get them back to normal size expanding them by exercising them. This with a yogurt a day specific digestive enzyme zinc and a few other pretty expensive supplements ended my 18 month nightmare in the dark silence in a week. I used THORNE supplements. I noticed effects right away. Olive leaf and oregano supplements can help your lungs but taking NAC, reservstrol, quercetin, zinc, increasing the antioxidant glutathione taken with vitamin C to keep it active, vitamin D3, cinnamon, antihistamine and antiinflammatories. Iron and keep electrolytes up coffee enema once a day for 30 days 2x a week after that a yogurt a day to keep good guys in my gut which helps immune system and also aids in absorption of the supplements.
Not in healthcare just a cook who's not allowed hospital trestments. Had to learn to heal myself after abscess nearly killed me luckily my best friend iccthamol ointment saved me a long with oregano supplements but I try to get olive LEAF if I can. Peppermint is an expectorant. Should also help break up mucus if drinking in hot hot tea and let that steam in those lungs. What helps me is having a friend smack my back on the sides the smacking like you would burp a baby but harder for adult and hard enough (shouldn't hurt at all) to lightly pound the lungs vibrate you'll even begin to feel the mucus in your lungs swirl around and at this point gravity can be helpful if you can cough it up try to get it to come down... By hanging so your lungs are upside down. This helps too
This will help lungs for exercise to help them expand to clearing mucus
This product has helped me if I use it for the real ten minutes 3 times a day. And my supplements regimen helped me immensely I can rake the yard (I have so much yard wrapped all way round my house. 18 months I've barely been able to crawl to the bathroom
Interesting. I've never heard of that before, but could definitely explain what you're experiencing. I know there are different diaphragm strengthening exercises, so I'm wondering if you can do exercises to help strengthen it, and maybe even get it to move somewhat normally again. If you Google 'diaphragm exercises' there are some good videos that I've used in the past to help me to use more of my diaphragm when breathing, which are also good strengthening and exercise moves. You might also be able to do lung expansion and breathing exercises to help expand the lungs. I'm partial to the Buteyko method, though it's not really to expand lungs but more of learning to breathe less, but I've looked into lung expansion therapy and various breathing exercises designed to both slow breathing while expanding the lungs such as the 4-7-8 method.
It appears there is no treatment. Many people evidently have it and don’t even know it until found in a routine CXR by a radiologist with keen eyes.
Mine is paralyzed in the “up” position, which places my lung in the “smallest volume” possible.
It seems to affect me most when walking up stairs. I can handle 2 flights, but then it’s as if someone sucks the air out of the room. So I am learning to be “mindful” about any unnecessary exertion when possible.
Thanks for sharing @kid2thdr. Can the doctors do anything about the paralyzed diaphragm? And does it just affect situations where you’re exerting yourself like waking up stairs as you mentioned or do you have a constant shortness of breath?
I was diagnosed with paralyzed right diaphragm earlier this year while being evaluated for post Covid lung scarring. It seems to be a problem when walk-in “up” stairs.
Since Covid I have also been diagnosed with poly peripheral neuropathy and anxiety which comes out of nowhere and daily bouts of fatigue, which kicks my butt.
I am beginning to think this is my “new normal”.
Best wishes for finding the answer and then doing what you can to minimize the effects it is having on the quality of your life.