Does anyone else who is generally healthy suffer from breathlessness when speaking?

[bountybean]

I am a mildly asthmatic, non-smoking otherwise healthy, 25 year old, getting really breathless when I speak - especially in the evenings. I have the blue and brown inhaler but neither have helped really. I can't get a good breath in and I am tending to sit hunched forward at times and use accessory muscles to get relief. At times my lungs feel heavy. Anyone else feel similar?

I just don't know what it could be or why; it's really hard to speak less too as my job depends on it! Sorry for the long post.

[Hidden]

I think you need to discuss this situation with your doctor.

[Oshgosh]

Perhaps you need to speak to your GP. or respiratory nurse

[bountybean in reply to Oshgosh]

Thank you for your reply. I did tell the asthma nurse at a recent check up but she didn't make much of it... I shall see my GP, but just wondered if anyone else had the same symptoms and maybe had a label for it

[knitter]

You say your inhalers are not providing much relief......do you take the brown preventer regularly? How many times are you needing the blue reliever?

When I have to hunch over and use the muscles in the top of my chest I now my asthma is not under control.

I was a teacher and I know talking adds to the problem.

The breathing pattern gets disrupted and adds to hyperventilation and more breathlessness.

I think you should go back to your GP, get your peak flow checked...review your medication, maybe a different brown reliever. I had to try a few before I found one that was ok.

Separate ones suit me best.

Get your breathing pattern observed and checked.....how many breaths per minute, what part of your chest you are using, how talking affects you, whether stress affects your breathing pattern.

There are also breathing techniques to help with asthma

and help prevent hyperventilation. I am reading a book now by Patrick McKeown on asthma, and I have tried Buteyko Breathing ......gentle, gentle nose breathing, with relaxed diaphragm and lowered shoulders.

Meditation using gentle breath helps me too.

Best wishes, and keep in touch with us .

[bountybean in reply to knitter]

Thank you so much for your reply, I do take the brown one as advised - twice a day and blue one as needed. I will look into breathing techniques.

[Sparkywoo]

I have this and have been sent to speech therapy several times. As an asthmatic I shallow breath, and mostly through my mouth. Without conscious thought and effort I only use the top part of my lungs which invariably leaves me short of breath when I speak. I practice meditation too which helps. Knitter makes some great point to but Please speak to your GP about this though x

[bountybean in reply to Sparkywoo]

Thanks for your reply! Relieved to know it is likely related to asthma rather than something more cryptic...I'll look into meditation

[guytane]

I do a little but not breatless sort of need take a breath as when I was younger it never botherd me

[bountybean]

Thanks for your kind response and I'm glad you feel better. It is really scary! I'm a medical student so I learn about all kind of disorders and I was fearing my symptoms were matching those from fibrosis and emphysema, which was terrifying! I will try and get a referral x

[Maximonkey]

Hi Bountybean, if you have a brown and blue inhaler then you are probably not using them properly and this is why you are feeling breathless. I would make an appointment with your GP's nurse preferably the asthma nurse and explain your problem. They will help and advise you. Good luck and take care, Maximonkey