Anxiety

[hope132]

It's been a really long time since i wrote.hope everyone is doing well.i got covid in late Feb but my breathing was not affected.however i had massive fatigue for a week and then my trigeminal nerve got upset from the virus.

It's something i had over 20 years ago from a mild thrush infection and it upset my nerve and the pain took 4 years to go away and dissappeared for 20 years until the virus brought it back that was 7 months ago and after months of pain I'm like 98 percent better

My problem is about a week ago i walked up 4 flights of stairs and i was sucking wind more then expected.i stopped exercising when covid entered the world and stopped eating healthy figured why do all this work when one wrong breath some where can destroy me.i think the 4 flights of stairs is cause I'm outta shape cause in almost 8 months i did not take a single puff of my inhaler not one.now since the stairs I'm fixated on my breathing all the time.last 3 days i took a puff a day cause it's in my head .when i forget about it I'm fine..my question is how do I stop testing my breath in my mind to create such anxiety when i actually know there is nothing wrong and I'm fine.it could take me awhile to get my head on straight again to stop this.

[knitter]

Hi Hope , I have been thinking about your query since I read your post last night .I guess you scared yourself getting out of breath climbing those stairs when before you were ok.

Now you are worried that it will happen again even when resting .

So anxiety, thinking about it, may change your breath pattern……faster, tighter , higher…..leading to more anxious feelings ….a vicious circle.

I know Mindfulness and Meditation get a bit of a bad press recently , but I find it helps break the link between anxious thoughts and bodily reaction.

Get professional advice from your health professional…. get checked over physically ..heart/ lungs OK .

Then ask about a safe gentle exercise regime.

The BLF website is a reliable source of information on exercise and managing breathlessness afterwards.

Try gentle pursed lip breathing , a few rounds , and gentle low and slow nose breaths while listening to relaxing gentle slow music .

I think I may have had Covid at the start , before routine testing was available ….sore toes, joints , throat , weird taste, breathless ……I always had a cough .

It’s a horrid ailment , it seems to take a time to recover.

Sending best wishes .

[hope132 in reply to knitter]

Thanks.i started exercise again and eating right.i ran yesterday 150 yards took a 3 minute break ran another 150 yards.was breathing heavy at the end but was not having trouble breathing.I know I'm fine but when my mind locks into thinking about breathing it takes me awhile to stop this behavior,it's hard.

8 months not a single puff of inhaler and the stair thing messed with my head if i can run in 90 degree heat i know I'm fine and yet it's still hard to stop mentally testing my breathing and letting my mind take over with fear.thanks for your help,peace