Light headed - spaced out

Hi I just wanted to ask if anyone else feels like this ?

I had an asthma atrack 1st July and they kept me in for 5 days, I am still on antibiotics and tapering dose of pred for the chest infection.

I still have most awful ache/pain in right of back lung area and have started to cough quite a bit again.

I don't think I am hyper ventilating as quite conscious of how I am breathing but last couple of days when I talk or even when sitting listening to someone I feel light headed, quite spaced out and not quite with it. I also feel like my heart is racing at times too.

Any ideas?

Lisa x

[Janna123]

Hi Lisa,

I get this a lot when my asthma begins to play up, even if I don't have an attack. I quite like the spaced out feeling so I have to put effort into reminding myself that it's not normal and I need to get up and use my inhaler, not sleep!

I've always assumed it was low oxygen levels, though I have no idea! I know it goes once my athma improves though so, at least with me, it's definitely related. Maybe give AUK a ring or go and see a doc?

Hope you feel better soon!

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An awful lot of asthmatics will unconsciously hyperventilate, thats why so many are reffered for respiratory physio - its not the same as panic or anxiety, i think its to do with the fact that we put so much effort into breathing that we develop weird breathing habits that make it feel natural to hyperventilate (a lot of asthmatics will breathe through their mouth instead of nose, and we also tend to breathe with upper chest even when very relaxed/asleep instead of with diagprham - its all to do with our unique breathing patterns!!)

The light headedness will likely be low carbon dioxide (if you're feeling good you may well actually have high levels of oxygen as you are breathing more than you need to! i like to think of it as my body spoiling itself with extra oxygen while it can get it!!). There isnt much you can do about it, esp if you are trying to consciously breathe slower. Making sure you breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, and take very slow breaths into stomach can help. If its bothersome you might benefit from respiratory physio. Chances are, if you are still recovering from an attack your breathing pattern will likely go back to a more normal one as your breathing gets better and you are not having periods of effort!