Hi.
I was relaxing around the house when suddenly I could not breathe. My lungs felt blocked of air. I panicked and tried to scream for my wife in the
Garden. After 20 seconds I felt air coming through my lungs again . What a
Relief. I do not want to go to A/E. Please has this happened to anyone else
Out there. I do have lung disease. And this awful incident happened one
Hour ago.
Brian.
That would have been a long 20 seconds, I've not experienced this. Glad you are breathing easy again.
Keep a note of date time, duration, what you were doing eating immediately before hand and if it should happen again contact your GP.
Keep on breathing easy.
It must have been awful for you, if it happens again please get help or at least some advice. Have a good day and take care of yourself and your wife 😊 Bernadette xx xx
Hope you’re feeling better now Exocist but what a scare for you. Xxxx
Glad you're ok now. Could it be a heart thing? Sometimes I get palpitations and/or a funny heart beat that seems to instantly take my breath away. Usually it only lasts a few seconds but that's long enough ☹️
Don't think it's a heart issus. !!! Thank You for your comment.
😊😊
I can sympathise , it’s a dreadful feeling......but even though you feel better please ring your gp or nurse and tell them what happened.
The BLF have a helpline too-on 03000 030 555.
But I would ring your health professional first, have you been told what to do if it happens again.
My gp has told me what to do...and when to get help .
Best wishes.
Thanks. 😊😊
Yes do what knitter says ?
how frightening. Was it a panic arrack do you think. The body does act in strange ways sometimes.
Hi.
don't think it were panic attack. .So frighting. Still shock up 6 hours
Lata.
please God it was a one off.
😊😊😊
Please let your GP or whoever you get your care through know
It happened to me Exocist, on the 3rd of March last year. A date I will never forget! I got up and went to the loo. My breath just went. I knew I tried to get back to the bedroom to wake my husband, I knew I couldn’t shout. Couldn’t get that far and sat down on a chair that wasn’t supposed to be there. (Thank goodness for my lazy habits!) I whispered for my husband. How he heard me I will never know! It lasted until the ambulance man gave me a nebuliser.
I was eventually diagnosed with asthma.
Do you have a blue inhaler? If not I would get one. And a spacer with a mask- very handy when you are very short of breath. It is also reassuring to know it is there if you need it.
I would also report this incident to your GP. I had had a momentary loss of breath prior to my big attack. One of those things where you say to yourself, if it happens again I’ll see the dr.
It could be something quite simple that triggered it. Pollens for example. Your GP will have more experience of this kind of thing.
Great advice. You personally know what I went through. X
Just had a thought. I was so alarmed by my attack, (you understand why) I bought myself two spacers with a face mask on them. I also bought two very cheap red bags, put a spacer and a blue inhaler in each one and I have them hanging on the back of my bedroom door and the dining room door.
The face mask spacers are because there was no way I could have taken an inhaler effectively in that condition. I just didn’t have the breath. With a mask you can take normal shallow breaths and the Ventolin or whatever, gets where it needs to be.
The red bags are so that a family member can find them easily and bring them to me.
They have never been used, thank goodness, but I did and still do find them reassuring.
I have had similar symptoms when I used to get panic attacks. I thought it was my asthma at first. Hopefully its just something simple like that?
It happened to me last year I swallowed spit/ nothing down the wrong way and started coughing then I couldn’t get air down through mouth or nose . Everyone around just carried on! It seemed to last for ages with no breath at all. A little longer and I don’t know what would have happened. Hasn’t happened since but I panic now if I swallow ‘down the wrong way’ in case it blocks off my airway.
I thought afterwards it could have been a laryngospasm.
Oh that's interesting. I had several episodes of this recently when eating or drinking. I am on meds for indigestion, but I put it all down to asthma. Maybe it's not after all? x
Without waiting to diagnose you, I would imagine that's exactly what it was Chris - I have a lot of pnd andit happens to me when I see friends suddenly as happened this morning, or get excited during a conversation. Big intake of breath through my mouth which I think must draw the mucus down onto my larynx. The resultant spasm can last up to 45 minutes until a large blob of gunk finally comes up. Then it's ok again. It seems to help with dislodging this to walk around gently during a spell of this - seems to
During hospitalisation in 2018 i had a bad attack of this and the respiratory physio told me not to worry as if the lack of breathing went on too long I would faint and air flow would be restored. Reassuring huh?
I do think trying to breathe in through your nose helps minimise this.
I couldn’t breathe through nose or mouth for what seemed like a dangerous amount of time.It only happened once, never since.
I think my worst was around 15 seconds - it felt like forever. Air wouldnt go in or out - total blockage, very frightening.
Recently when I was using a lot of organic full-cream milk (lockdown thing) it started happening again, several times a day and it took me a while to realise that maybe the milk was making too much mucus. Which turned out to be true as once I stopped it, the lanryngospasm stopped too. Now it happens about once a week and not as badly.
Hope you never get a repeat Chris.
Gosh frightening . I started having lacto free milk a while ago due to milk and cream( got addicted to lattes after buying a nice coffee machine) made my Gerd bad causing SOB and a build up of mucus.
Horrid. What a shame - I love coffee. Rita and I used to go to our local cafe and see friends about 3 times a week. Our social thing, cos I dont drink and Rita drinks very little. So that was hit on the head by lockdown.
Anyway back to dairy - I find cheese is ok, it doesnt have the same effect. And there's a branch of Oatley, it's called barista version, or something like that. And it's really nice in coffee.
It could be the coffee that is causing GERD to be worse, not the milk? Coffee is classic for doing that. Do you take a PPI? I take lansoprazole as Ive got Barretts (which isnt thought to be much of a problem).
Hi yes I’m not taking lansoprazole at the moment as I don’t need it since I stopped overdosing on lattes and creamy things. Have some on standby in case.I’m intolerant to gluten and often with gluten intolerance there is either lactose or casein intolerance. I’ve not been tested re lactose, simply done an elimination test with that, coffee and other dairy products . P.S I also find with normal milk I got a lot of mucus at the back of my nose ,
Hope you and Rita will meet up for coffee with friends soon Cx
Sorry to hear this Brian, very scary. You don't have asthma as well do you? I ask this coz I do along with copd. I have had the odd asthma attack when something has triggered my airways. Dust mites are a big trigger for me so I try to keep them down but it's impossible to eliminate them entirely.
Several times I have woken in the early hours completely unable to breathe with my mouth open and my throat hitching like mad. If this happens again try (I know this is really hard) to stay as calm as you can and remember you can usually breathe through your nose. Keep your reliever inhaler always to hand and use it when able. I was told up to 10 times if necessary. After a few minutes my breathing returns to near normal.
A medical professional once told me that if you do pass out your body will automatically relax and your lungs will take over. I have not heard of this happening to those with only copd, but I'm sure someone will tell me if I am wrong.
I hope this helps a bit. Obviously if your breathing doesn't go back to normal you might need to call an ambulance. I have never had to though. Take care. x
Hi.
Just ordered inhaler from my GP yesterday. I was worried yes I could die.
Thanks for your nice message.
😊😊X
Yes,i have this quite often i use airway clearance technique - huffing until it clears.its very hard work.its easy to say but vital not to panic.in march,had a flare up and ? Covid (no tests),airways blocked frequently for cpl of wks,was awful ,v hard work.please if u arent aware of lung clearance technique,do ask nurse asap.it will help u if happens again.meanwhile practise slow deep breathing,as a starting point,and itll help u relax x
This happened to me it is a esasibation not spelt right and I had to have a ambulance was in hospital for a week but you should tell your respitory nurse as she will know what it is and you can get sorted do not leave it
All the best
Hi.
I have not got a respirarory nurse or doctor at hospital. Still waiting
For Appointment. This really worried me.!!!
Brian.
Just to put your mind at peace, please call your GP - they'll be able to ask you the right questions to find out if it needs investigation or if it's something transient and safe to ignore.
The GP is likely to do telephone/skype/zoom call at short notice so it won't take much time.
I called my doctor yes. He was not much help. Advised me to call 999
Next time. I explained I could not breathe and Certainty speak to any
Emergency services.!!!
How dreadful. Must have been so scary. I haven't had anything like that, fortunately, so can't help. Some great replies here, which I'm sure will be a great help. Sincerely hope it was a one-off.
Hi there. Yes, and it is very frightening and easily causes panic which can make it worse. Generally, this is what is called Bronchospasm and is often associated with asthma, although other things cause it too. COPD exacerbation, certain fumes, excercise induced etc. I have very severe COPD and chronic Asthma and have had this more than once. Once caused by a drink of water 'hitting the wrong spot' causing serious unstoppable coughing.
It is very important to try to remain calm and breathe steadily, via the nose if possible, use the routine of 'smell the roses, blow out the candle' rythm whilst breathing and also have as much of your blue inhaler as required at the time. Get advice from a respitory medic, maybe on here, and meanwhile check out Bronchospasm for yourself. Remember that you are not alone while you can access this site. Hope this may help.
John.
It is terrifying! I have had this happen a few times. Fortunately my husband is usually close and gently talks to me whilst my body sorts itself out. Sadly my consultant was not much help. I can't use an inhaler during it as I can not breath in or out. As others have said, at least if you pass out your body will recover! It does make me anxious though as I never know when it will happen again.
It's very scary to suddenly loose all your breath....try to breath out (if only a little) so you have a bit of room to breath in. A cup of tea will help with the inflammation of your lungs, massage the area between your thumb & first finger which helps your lungs recover. lean forward with your elbows on your knees to help with your very laboured breathing, try not to gasp or deep breath through your mouth (I know you want to!!) I really hope this doesn't happen again for you. Take care
Thanks for your replie. Could you please give more detail on your message
the area. .this confused one a little.!!!
Cheers.
Exorcist.
and....I think you had an asthma attack, I have severe asthma and experience the same as you, but I also have stage 4 COPD and get exacerbations....I can never tell which I am having when I suddenly stop breathing....does anyone know the answer.
One step. Totally SOB.
Its still cold out but I'm fed up so it was time to get kitted up and break out.
Thought today was friday the 13th
COPD sufferers, have you ever felt you are going to, stop breathing altogether, and die? 
Lung Cancer for over 10 years and still going strong. It can take its toll on our nerves. I am only human after all. 
