Hello

[Gretajetta]

Good morning. I am new to this forum. I am a 44 year old female with anxiety and panic disorder and ocd. As far back as I could remember I had anxiety and panic. It became worse in my late 20s. My anxiety and fear is I will stop breathing. When I’m having a panic attack I feel like I cannot breathe and I’m going to pass out. I wasn’t sure what was happening to me at first because the symptoms felt so real. Even chest pain and feeling like I’m going to black out. There were numerous visits to the Er and even calling 911 to find nothing was wrong. I did find out I have asthma but I’m a smoker if 20+ years too. All my trips to the er ended with several tests and nothing wrong so they gave me Xanax. My dr the. Started me on Prozac and Xanax. I’m on 60 mg of Prozac and 300 mg Wellbutrin and .25 Xanax. It doesn’t help control the anxiety and panic but it is still there. Does anyone else feel the short of breath thing? I appreciate any comments

[Sillysausage234]

Costochondritis maybe??

[Gretajetta]

I have had my heart checked several times. When I’m having a panic and anxiety attack even if I tell myself it’s one it doesn’t matter

[Hidden]

Hello Greta

Have you tried Mindfulness Relaxation Technique, you can also purchase a book on this on Amazon for £7;00. You also need to do breathing techniques so you can counteract your breathing . What are you taking for your Asthma. If you smoke it will affect your breathing and lungs. Do you not feel the need to stop smoking.

In my teens and Twenties I used to smoke sixty cigarettes a day I had a car accident and stopped smoking and used the saved money to buy a new car. It took over seven years to gain back my health from my smoking. So in a way it helped me save money and I was able to enjoy my life more

Have you had any treatment for your Anxiety, like talking Therapy. ?

BOB

[Gretajetta]

I am taking Wellbutrin to stop smoking. 300mg a day. It has helped me cut down to a half a pack a day. I do want to stop. I just started seeing psychiatrist next week will be my third visit. I’m not sure how it’s going yet. I don’t feel any changes. I never tried the mindful relaxation but I am goi g to look it up now and check into it. I. Found a place near me with chair yoga and beginners tai chi. I’m 45 and in the past year had several surgeries on my spine. I have spinal stenosis. My last surgery was a spinal fusion. I am currently doing a spinal stimulator trial. I can’t do heavy work outs but hoping yoga will help. I will check into the book thank you for your advise

[bonkers65]

I have shortness of breath pretty bad. All day long.

[bonkers65 in reply to bonkers65]

And I am also a smoker. But I fear my anxiety/depression would be worst if I tried quitting.

[Gretajetta in reply to bonkers65]

Do you feel short of breath from smoking g or from panic and anxiety?

[bonkers65 in reply to Gretajetta]

A little bit of both. I've been diagnosed with COPD and take meds for it but I think the anxiety makes it worse.

[Gretajetta]

I’m afraid I will end up with copd. My mom had it and I watched her die. It was horrible. If I knew I wouldn’t die from smoking I wouldn’t t care because I enjoy smoking. I know that sounds strange. About 10 years ago my anxiety and panic attacks were causing shortness of breath to the point where I would almost black out. It scared me so much I quit smoking for 4 years. Just stopped. But then I started dreaming about smoking and I started up again

[Sillysausage234 in reply to Gretajetta]

Hi I was diagnosed copd in 2013 ..it comes a point where you have no choice but to stop ....when I got diagnosed I smoked twice as many because of the worry but comes a point when you are unable to smoke because you are choking...chronic bronchitis is is no joke stop now if you can.

[Gretajetta]

I know am going to try really hard. Did u quit? Do u think the hypnosis works

[Sillysausage234 in reply to Gretajetta]

I had to quit but not until I was coughing blood.....and even then I tried ...so I stopped by using the nicotine patches ...stuck them all over myself for a couple of weeks they do help

[Gretajetta]

That’s horrible. I’m glad you were able to quit maybe I will try them in addition to the Wellbutrin. Thank you

[Hidden]

You might need to go see your doctor and increase the amount of medications, which could be the best way you can do.

If inhaler doesn't help your short breathe, you should take medications such as Singulair and keep doing your breathing method! Thank you for reading this, and good luck.

P.S. And if possible, carefully do check-up for your asthma again to what exactly is going on around your lung in the hospital!!

[Gretajetta]

I am

On singular and advair discus and I have the machine to help with breathing. My family dr is going to send me to a lung doctor to see what’s going on. The last time I was diagnosed with asthma was 17 years ago. I probably have the start of copd. I hope not. I feel bad for you. Is it under control with the medicine? Can u breathe normal. Why the coughing up blood?

[Wiganladlovesapie]

Hi Greta. I’m Andy. So sorry to hear about your problems. It’s such a lot on your shoulders. What we wouldn’t give to have a anxiety/panic free life. Or just a day even! In the eye of a panic attack your body is on fight/flight. Adrenaline release.This is needed for times of danger. We tense up, all our energy focuses on fighting, or fleeing. So we over-breathe causing carbon dioxide levels in the blood to decrease. This is hyperventilating. Feeling like we can’t get enough air into our lungs. So the aim now is try and calm ourselves. A suggestion to me was a thing called grounding. Please look this up. I try grounding plus distraction. I try to relax by using adult colouring books designed to help as a therapeutic tool. I also listen to some easy music. Long reply to you but felt this may help you. Take good care of you x

[Gretajetta in reply to Wiganladlovesapie]

Thank you very much. I wouldn’t wish anxiety or panic on my worst enemies. Thank u for the tips and I’m going to look that up. I never thought of adult coloring books but I like to color. I’ll try anything. I bought a lot of books and I reread them to reassure myself it’s only panic. It’s really bad. Unless you have it no one would understand it. My husband has no clue and thinks I’m crazy lol. It has gotten much better but for awhile it would happen while driving. I would feel like I was gonna pass out. I would pull over and call 911. I’m on medication now and it helps but I still get the attacks. I really need to quit smoking

Thank you for the advice. I’m going to look it up now.

Greta

[Jstbcuz]

Oh my goodness yes!!!! I have had anxiety that started in my 20's. I am 56 now and although I have learned to control it for the most part it is still a struggle. All of the Covid that is happening makes me upset and I get "breath hungry". Any little thing that upsets me exacerbates it. I just had a complete physical and everything is good. Except I had to go repeat a blood test that in itself caused anxiety but it turned out fine. In my 20's and 30's I made several trips to ER just to make sure I wasn't dying. It was scary. Yell me more about you? Where are you from? How do you deal with Covid? Do you have support?

[Gretajetta]

I was at the Er all the time too. I actually bought a blood pressure cuff and pulse ox to checking my breathing. Even on vacation I would go to the ER just to get checked all the time. The last time it happened they gave me Xanax and it went away. It started in my late teens and I’m 46 now. I am on the lowest dose of Xanax and I take it three times a day. I have been on it for 10 years and Prozac it really helps. The anxiety will never go away. And when it happens I feel like I can’t breathe and I feel like I’m gonna faint. It’s very scary. Do you take medication?

This place is my support and I have a few close friends that talk me out of the attacks. I see a therapist but I don’t feel it helps.

Greta

[XoxoFaith]

Yes if I focus on my breathing I will get a thought of what if I can’t breath and o start to panic