Does anyone suffer from chest tightness that come on all of a sudden like as if you can’t take a deep breath is this called dyspnea?

[Levans29]

Chest tightness

[Poobah]

You've said recently that your peak flow is around 650 but that you're still experiencing a sudden shortness of breath/a tightness in the chest. Could this be asthma or anxiety?

We're not in a position to diagnose anyone on the forum, but I would ask my doctor for a referral to a respiratory physiotherapist in order to check for dysfunctional breathing and to teach you exercises that you can do every day and when you suddenly have a tight chest.

It's not uncommon for asthmatics to experience dysfunctional breathing and even if it's anxiety, breathing exercises will help. We all think that breathing is automatic and correct, but there are many bad habits that we can pick up and these can be bad for the lungs. Sometimes dysfunctional breathing can happen at any time or only when we exercise or when we sleep.

The British Lung Foundation has excellent information about breathing exercises: blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

[Moonriver]

Yes I have had this a lot over the past month. Started with a chest infection and just doesn’t seem to want to go. Since it start my breathing has been very tight and varies up and down throughout the day. I am tracking the times it occurs to see if a medication might be causing it. Hope you feel better soon

[Hidden]

Yes I have that. And I believe it IS called DYSPNEA. Last time I got it was right after I walked into a bunch of smoke from smokers and could not hold my breath long enough to get away from it. The next day i could not get a breath in...That was 2 months ago. It has gotten worse. I cannot do much anymore. It is horrible. My house is now a wreck. I have no help whatsoever. It is extremely hard to gert the snow cleared from my car and walks. I get breathless doing any little thing. I have had 2 thyroid biopsies and neck scan and stress test and lung scans and nothing seen that would cause the breathlessness. I want to know if this is suddenly "End Stage" COPD and am I going to die soon? (The Ear Nose and Throat doctor does not think the swelling of the thyroids would cause me to be breathless but research says it does? Who is right, ya know?) I will be going to U of M here in Michigan in the USA in two weeks to see about having the New Zephyr Valves installed inside my lungs as a last resort. I am said to be a good condidate. I just want to know if this is what happens at the end? Anybody please tell me what you think or know? The doctors dont seem too concerned because my (SATS) oxygen saturation is above 90%, like 94-95%, okay. So I AM getting enough oxygen to my body parts so they do not deteriorate.

Do know that I exercise and also do the breathing exercises to get by on but it is still so horrible to have this 24/7. I do use oxygen at night since an overnight test revealed that my oxygen has gone down a few times to 85% and I guess I can die in my sleep?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Doesnt anybody know Or are you afraid to tell me?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Have you had a full thyroid panel done? TSH/FT3/FT4

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I thought so...is that with blood work or a scan? i had those. What are those numbers? TSH/FT3/FT4

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It's blood work.

If you've had them tested it would be helpful to see them.

Many with thyroid issues have something known as "air hunger" which could be what you're experiencing.

I had it for year; where I just felt I couldn't get the air into my lungs, like there was an elastic band round my lungs.

It's been relieved since I sorted my iron levels.

Have you had ferritin tested?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You sound very knoweledgeable about this. Thank you. I appreciate it. As I now feel I am grabbing for straws and anything out of the ordinbary to releve this breathlessness....I am now looking into having this tested. Is there a certain type doctor I would see for this or just my Primary General care doctor?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm not sure how it works in the US. Here in the UK I just ask my GP!

Definitely ask your Dr to run a full iron panel including ferritin.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for this information...I will follow up with it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

How would that tell me why I cannot get breaths? (Dyspnea). I thought the thyroid would just have to be swollen...and it was but the Ear Nose and Throat doctor said that would not give me troubles breathing (although reseach says so?).