I was wondering if anyone has been through not being able to take a full deep satisfying breath?I feel like i am suffocating and hungry for air.Sometimes it comes natural and sometimes i have to keep sighing and yawning to get a full deep breath.Feels like a sensation that i need to.
UNABLE TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH
9/23/08 3:19pm
I remember experiencing this condition when I was in my twenties, which my doctor put down to anxiety. This made sense to me as the symptoms did occur while I was having personal problems. When one of my very young granddaughters experienced similar symptoms, I was able to reassure her by explaining it away while distracting her till she relaxed and breathed easier. In no time at all she was fine. This particular child is a bit more 'highly strung' than her siblings!
5/13/10 9:22am
Back in 2001, I had a 6-way bypass. No problems since. About a month ago, I "almost" caught a cold. I walked away with nothing but a lingering deep cough. As the cough seemed to subside, I noticed I was out of breath at night when I tried to sleep. This has only been going on now for about 2 weeks.
I can a-l-m-o-s-t get to the point of a deep breath but a majority of the time, it elludes me. And when I hit the point, it's not as satisfying as it should be. And I'm back to panting again. It doesn't seem to be as bad when I'm vertical. It's when I'm horizontal that it's at it's worse.
I'll give it one more week to straighten itself out and then we'll see what the medical community says.
I turn 65 in 5 days. I'm also an Agent Orange/PTSD vet from Nam.
9/25/08 8:31am
Go see your doctor right away. My brother-in-law had this symptom and was found to have stage 4 lung cancer. That's not to say YOU have lung cancer, it might just be anxiety as another writer suggested. But your anxiety level will be lessened when you know for sure what you do or don't have.
9/27/08 10:23pm
I have had this feeling when I have had bronchitis or the flu, and had a lot of chest congestion. I do advise you to get checked out right away as the others have suggested...it could be anxiety, but you do want to find out why you are so congested. It may just be that you need an antibiotic, but if it is congestive heart failure you'll want to start treatment right away. Hope you are feeling better.
10/27/08 4:14am
First do you have a medical condition causing this? If it is asthma, you must get it under control in order to breath easier. Next, you have to lay down, look at your stomach, and try to fill up it with as much air as you can. That is the way baby's breath. As we get older, we forget how to deep breath the natural way. You have to practice it all the time until you are doing it on your own. If it is a anxiety problem, muscle relaxers may help, but it still is a temporary fix, you still need to pactice deep breathing. Use deep breathing tapes to practice. Good luck! Deb
11/13/08 12:15am
I know exactly how you feel, I have been experiencing this for about a month now and my doctors have no solid evidence as to what is wrong. I have even been to a chiropractor thinking my ribs were out. My doctor took chest x-rays and did blood work. He put me on Singulair, an Albuterol inhaler and under-active thyroid medication. After two weeks I still wasn't any better so I called and a different doctor put me on Prilosec and some anxiety/panic disorder medication, so far it's not working, but I've only been on it for three days. The only problem with the anxiety meds is that they turn me into a zombie and make me so tired I can't even fuction. If I'm not feeling better by the 21st, I will be taking another trip to the doctor because I'm starting to feel like a guinea pig and I can't afford it!!
6/13/10 8:14am
I have been having the same issues. I was hospitalized twice for it thinking I was having heart issues. I wasn't . I had no potassium. This in turn was a spin off from the underlying condition of hypothyroidism. I am now on 100 mg. of generic Synthroid and a potassium supplement each day. It takes a month for your body to adjust to the different levels of thyroid meds so be patient. In the meantime, get you some potassium supplements from the store and take 4-5 daily. They are 99Mg each and our bodies need 3500 to 4000 mgs a day. Also, if you like v-8, it is full of potassium!! This helps me. I am almost fixed I think. My problem now is that I smother first thing in the morning. Have to try to yawn to get my lungs to fill up...soooo aggravating!!!!! Hope this helps.
4/16/09 11:00am
I too have been suffering this misterious condition for about 15 years now. I'm 33 yrs. old and it's comes and goes throughout the year. I never know when it will happen. I thought is was allergies, so I went to an allergist and got tested, I was positive for many allergies but have been getting shots and the breathing issue is still there. No changes whatsoever. So, that obviously wasn't it. I have a cardiologist friend that wanted to take me "through all of the ropes" to eliminate any heart issues. Nothing there. Now, after another breathing spell (it's been about 6 months since my last one) I called my allergist (because the breathing issue DRIVES ME CRAZY) and said, get me in and try something else. Wat else could it be? So, I did the Methacholine Challenge test. My lung function is fabulous! Above what is normal even. Darn. Now what? So, I got home after my appointment with him and tried to Google the "negative with asthma but can't get a deep breath) and here you were. Actually, there are millions of people with the same thing!!! I am so relieved!!! Ahhh.... finally, I can say to my doctor, "see, I'm not creating this issue on my own and I'm not the only one with this. I can't attribute it to stress or anxiety or anything else that I've read about so far. Have you found any other way to treat it or any additional information about this? I'm just diving into it now so I am interested in what I might find. Thank you so much for writing about this! I feel so much better that I'm not alone in this.
6/30/09 1:02am
I'm so glad to have found this now aswell. I've been facing the same thing since I was 12-13yrs old, and now I'm nearly 21. I have no allergies, no problems, my health is fine but I face problems with deep breaths about twice a year similar to you.
I'm not a big fan of the Doctors, as I know alot of people who they've made mistakes with so I'm cautious to go. I only go when I feel I really need to. I remember when I was about 14-15yrs old, I was with a friend, and she stopped to inhale and had the same thing we are speaking of now. We spoke about it, and realised we had the same thing, infact I know alot of people who have it. I don't think it's a serious thing, perhaps we are just people who sometimes don't take in enough oxygen lol I don't know what else to say. but hey, just like you IM REALLY GLAD TO HAVE FOUND THIS :)
10/ 9/09 9:36pm
It's nice to know I am not the only one that feels this way. I had this happen when I was a young teenager. I went to the doctor then and was told everything was fine. I am now 40 and it happens alot, but then it goes away. I've had various tests and everything turns out fine. I feel fine when I exercise. sometimes I feel like I have a tight turtle neck on. this is a little different than not getting that fulfilling breath, but I think it is all related.
5/15/10 2:12pm
Somtimes I too have trouble taking a deep satisfying breath. This works for me and I hope it will work for you. Breathe in as deep as you can filling your lungs with air and hold it as long as you can. Release the air slowly. Repeat this several times. After a few time you should be able to take that deep satisfying breath you need. :)
5/28/10 11:43pm
i also have the same problem breathing and have been taking allergy meds and inhalers and nothing works at all ive took anxiety meds i mean none of this stuff works i would just like an answer of what it might be i mean i do spend a lot of time in the recliner and drink quite a bit is this maybe why?
10/22/10 9:38pm
I have had this for about the same time as you have. I was 11 when I first started to have pain when I take a deep breath. I am a 13yr old girl and it will go on and off for awhilee and then come back. Sence most of the people on this site are Alot older then me and dont really know when they first go it, I felt i could relate to you more cause you're younger and got it around the same age. Also when I laydown in a certain possion it hurts or just when i need a deep breath out of no where I can't. Somtimes it doesn't hurt, I just can't breath when I need to yawn. I will b able to yawn succsefully on my fourth or fifth try. I am soo worried that I will have this pain even when I am as old as some of this people. But it's good to know theres other who have the same thing.
12/ 6/10 11:07pm
I don't think it could be because of your drinking. I'm a 13year old girl. Never smoked, drank, just went to the doctors got all my shots and I am very healthy. I experince this breathing difficulty also. I've had it for about 2 almost 3years. People say you should seek medical attention right away for you this may be fetal, but if that was true, you'd think I'd be dead with this going on for so long...
1/12/11 2:20am
Good for you! I've never drank or smoked either. At least we can rule that out. Im 37 and have always been in good health. Not always in great fighting shape but always trying to stay healthy and exercise. Just about 2-3 months ago i started having this same breathing issue. Doc gave me inhaler but it did nothing. The only thing that I can think of is that I had gone in to the doctor for an infection on my arm and put me on Biaxin (an antibiotic). While I was taking it I went to the gym for an intense short workout to really get my heart rate, and breathing, up. Ever since then I have had this breathing issue. It's wierd. Other than trying to get a deep breath all the time, I feel great. I'm a worrier but not that bad. So I don't think it's stress. I figure just keep living healthy and looking for remedies and being thankful for the health that I DO have.
1/18/11 11:43am
My 10 year old recently started having the same symptoms a month ago. She had chest x-rays and full evaluation and the doctors offered no answers.
I am a scientist and started keeping a journal of when the symptoms started and they seemed to occur every night after she ate a large meal. I typed in some key words and found the following: postprandial hypotension low blood pressure that occurs after a large meal when a large amount of blood is routed to the gut for digestion. I started taking her blood pressure before eating and 40 minutes after eating and her pressure dropped significantly after she ate. Took this information to the pediatrician and they ran some blood work and found nothing. They recommended more small low carb meals and have her lie down and elevate her feel after a large meal to help the blood get to the brain easier. This seems to have worked. I think young girls that get their period lose blood volume and this can happen as their body isn't regulated to compensate for the blood loss.
Looking back I suffered with this problem for years as a young girl but thought it was anxiety. Hope this helps someone.
1/22/11 2:39pm
It's time for me to respond to all these postings. I am a lung specialist and I often see what you are all talking about. It is psychogenic hyperventilation. There is no organic disease, but rather, you have all developed a "behavior" that is maladaptive. Often the initiation is that of stress, but typically the stress is now gone, and something that was once automatic and unconcious ( breathing) has become a concious act for you. When you are sitting still and doing nothing, the body needs very little "ventilation' from the lungs. The "need" to take a deep breath is a habit that you've develped. the treatment? not drugs. It's a series of breathing relaxation exercises. when you hyperventilate you are using the muscles of your shoulders, neck, chest and these are all tense. Instead of breathing with your diaphragm that allows the chest cage to expand, create negative pressure and draw in more air; you are elevating your shoulders and pulling your diaphragm up, which only makes the sensation worse. three times a day you have to take around ten minutes of time, sit alone sit up straight in a chair and take all the tension out of your neck, shoulders and chest. now, allow the air to flow into your lungs, relax....when you feel that need to yawn and stretch your lungs, just let your self drift further into a relaxed state. get all the tension out. if you do this correctly, you should feel your abdomen slightly protrude as the diaphragm drops and displaces the abdominal contents. do this exercise three times a day. learn to take a nice relaxed breath- no one should be able to see your chest move. the chest doesn't move in quiet breathing. When you find yourself needing to take that deep breath, quickly switch to this new way of breathing I just taught you. you'll quickly learn to use it as a method to "extinguish" the maladaptive habit that you unexplainably have develped ( I don't know why this happens, but it's not as simple as just "stress". in time the maladaptive breathing will disappear!
1/28/11 10:29am
2/13/11 5:58pm
You seem to have eliminated any possible cause for your problem yet you are seeking suggestions. The only things left are A-Z diseases that could affect your breathing. How about that just by reading your comment I can tell you're a perfectionist, know it all type, and it truly is anxiety causing your problem. Anxiety problems don't always happen from the obvious, and can be MUCH worse than ppl who never had a REAL panic attack would think. I would see a psychiatrist.
4/ 8/11 3:23pm
Thanks for all your help. Just wondering if this could impact daily routines, sports, etc. My son is turning 13 and over the past 4-5 months has developed breathing from his upper chest and mouth. He complains that he can't get air and it get's worse when he plays hockey or bikes etc. Will this help him if he changes his breathing habits?
11/13/11 5:02pm
OH thank you so much I used to have thos problem only when swimming, and it went away when I stopped eating wheat. BUt just this week it is back again, I have had cancer (synovial sarcoma on the top apex of my right lung and was in remission until July this year when I started having difficulty breathing, Oh I should add that in 2008 during my RT I lost my voice and it has been like that ever since. I can sometimes whisper loud enough for people to hear me BUT other times and I know when it is when I am stressed, ( a camera investigation was carried out and the vocal chords were shown to be bunched and not flat as they should be.) I lose my voice completely.
Then at my last clinic appointment after a chest Xray showed nothing they carried out a CT scan and they found a small secondary tumour in my lung, Which left me in shock. for a week I could not sleep or eat or have much energy. but I came to terms with it and knowing that the treatments are now available was ready to face surgery( I had avoided that with the first tumour as it was wrapped round the brachial nerve and blood supply. ) Then a friend died suddenly last week and I think that the stress of that on top of everything else might be causing this problem. Thank goodness you replied on here as now I have a way to deal with it. It may not do anything for my general breathing problem , talking leaves me breathless, as does climbing the stairs or other activites. A lung function test showed no sign of asthma or COPD, my oncologist did not think it was psychosomatic due to when it was happening and was before I knew anything about the small secondary tumour.
I do already manage diaphragmatic breathing so was surprised when this problem of not being able to take that deep breath manifested itself again.
Do you think the problems are related?
I don;t know how to manage it now. BUT will try the breathing exercise you mentioned. It was especially difficult today as I was driving my car on the free way when it happened and it became slightly distracting.
11/13/11 5:02pm
OH thank you so much I used to have thos problem only when swimming, and it went away when I stopped eating wheat. BUt just this week it is back again, I have had cancer (synovial sarcoma on the top apex of my right lung and was in remission until July this year when I started having difficulty breathing, Oh I should add that in 2008 during my RT I lost my voice and it has been like that ever since. I can sometimes whisper loud enough for people to hear me BUT other times and I know when it is when I am stressed, ( a camera investigation was carried out and the vocal chords were shown to be bunched and not flat as they should be.) I lose my voice completely.
Then at my last clinic appointment after a chest Xray showed nothing they carried out a CT scan and they found a small secondary tumour in my lung, Which left me in shock. for a week I could not sleep or eat or have much energy. but I came to terms with it and knowing that the treatments are now available was ready to face surgery( I had avoided that with the first tumour as it was wrapped round the brachial nerve and blood supply. ) Then a friend died suddenly last week and I think that the stress of that on top of everything else might be causing this problem. Thank goodness you replied on here as now I have a way to deal with it. It may not do anything for my general breathing problem , talking leaves me breathless, as does climbing the stairs or other activites. A lung function test showed no sign of asthma or COPD, my oncologist did not think it was psychosomatic due to when it was happening and was before I knew anything about the small secondary tumour.
I do already manage diaphragmatic breathing so was surprised when this problem of not being able to take that deep breath manifested itself again.
Do you think the problems are related?
I don;t know how to manage it now. BUT will try the breathing exercise you mentioned. It was especially difficult today as I was driving my car on the free way when it happened and it became slightly distracting.
11/23/11 9:24pm
This was awesome...it's been bugging me for a couple weeks now and it's frustrating. I did grow up with asthma but this doesn't feel like that. However, a couple months ago I was leaning over a cooler in walmart---where the keep the hams---and i felt and heard a rib pop. I think that was what started it. I couldn't get a deep breath because that rib was out of place. I keep having to push it back in and tho it doesn't hurt anymore, I think it's become "habit". I've started practicing your exercises already...thank you!
2/15/12 10:00pm
You are my savior. Ive been struggling to take a full satisfying breath for 3 weeks and guess what, it sent me into an array of symptoms similar to an anxiety attack several times. I started researching my problem and came across this site and your reply. I have been practicing your technique, which is helping me with my problem of not being able to take a full satifying breath and therefore have stopped my anxiety attacks. I went to the ER twice and nobody there could tell me this. Unbelieveable! all they did was tell me I was healthy and was having an anxiety attack and it was all in my head. Thank you so much!
9/29/09 9:05pm
I have to say, I feel TONS better having read some of this! I started having this constricted feeling in my upper chest, like I get this need to take a full breath, but when I try it gets stuck right at the top of my rib cage. I have learned to relish those elusive full breaths haha.
I was initially concerned because I have asthma, I use my inhaler and a nebuilzer with albuteral, but it didn't do anything to alleviate the symptoms. The constriction is accompanying a few other symptoms, so I really thought it was just an infection or something. Now, a course of Azithromycin, a pack of Methylprednisone steriods, and half a course of ciprofloxacin later, I'm starting to understand why it hasn't gone away!
I am in my sophomore year in college, and I just began taking Adderall for my diagnosed ADD, which has been causing a bit of sleeplessness, as well as all the other wonderful things that go with amphetamines, which makes sense that my body and mind would be more tense and stressed. I just got a chest x-ray done last friday, haha now I'm just waiting to get the call to say it looked normal ^_^
11/ 4/09 1:50pm
I just turned 41 and since August, I started having a problem with getting a deep breath. I realized when it started that I had changed my diet, pure cane sugar for coffee, drinking 3 cups of it, drinking diet cokes, drinking milk w/ DHA and taking multi-vitamins with DHA. I was so bloated and gassey, I cut all these out of my diet, I'm down to one cup of coffee. I visited a GP and he put me on Nasonex and over the counter Clairtin, didn't work. Another GP put me on Pepcid 40 MG didn't work for two weeks. Another GP put me on Omeprozale for 6 weeks I'm in my 5 week and it's back. I just went to a GI Doctor first thing he said was it was stress but he still will run tests. Upper Abdomen Ultrasound, Blood work and Endiscopy. I'm going on vacation for 4 days though let's see if I can unstress and if my breathing gets back to normal. It's heartbreaking to see that others are suffering the same and have been for awhile with no cure. This is crazy!! At least I can see that others live with it, then I guess so can I.
11/24/09 9:55pm
I have had the same thing periodically over the past 7 years or so. I'm 47 and don't have asthma. I get the same sensation where the only thing that helps is to yawn. If I lay down the whole thing goes away. I used to smoke but quit 11 year ago. I had spiral CT scans of the lungs for about 7 years straight and everything was fine. I went to a pulmonologist and my lung capacity was off the charts, the highest he'd ever seen. I had another breathing test at the GP this past year during a routine check-up and she said that she was going to blow up my chart and make it into a poster, my lung function was fantastic. It has been probably about a year and a half since I've had an episode. I thought maybe it was allergies but I don't have classic allergy symptoms. My daughter is 9 and she has had the same thing on and off since she was 4. I will never forget the first panic stricken episode in the car where she was yelling "I can't breath". She has been to pediatric pulmonologist and had all of the tests and she's fine, no asthma, CT scan of the sinuses was fine, blood tests came back negative for allergies. It's not CF because I had amnio when I was pregnant and it would have picked it up. One time she told me that it was better when she laid down. Now, she says that that isn't the case, she's had it for about a month and nothing helps. I am to the point that I am going to try to get an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist, as I am at my wit's end with her and I feel so sorry for her. She's been very quiet lately and she told me that the breathing problems are scaring her. If anyone has any experience with children and cardiologist I would love to hear what happened.
1/ 3/10 4:43pm
Hey everyone. I, like many people that have replied am fairly glad to hear that this is happening to quite a lot of people, and healthy people at that. I've started to notice having exactly the same problems recently. I'm 18, have a fairly active lifestyle, don't smoke, am rarely ill (Once every few years, if that). I haven't noticed it as much when laying down, I haven't been to the doctor as like i said, it seems quite recent.
I think that the Anxiety diagnosis is quite interesting because it would make sense, i'm in my final year of college trying to get top grades to go onto University. A lot of other things have also been on my mind, so it would make sense. Just thought I would post my situation up just in case anyone is in a similar one.
2/11/10 8:39pm
i suppose that i also find it comforting that so many other people are having this issue. like most other people replying to this post, i have also been to the doctor and was told that nothing is wrong and it is just anxiety. this however does not seem to help the problem. i was looking on the internet and found a lot of info. about chronic hyperventilation syndrome, and i am wondering if anyone has the same thing. i don't have panic attacks.....it is just this constant feeling that i need to take a deep breath, but when i try, i can't. it feels as if something in my chest in constricting to that my lungs can't take in any more air. it is horrible and at times i feel very depressed about it. i am wondering if anyone who has had this problem has been able to get over it? that is what i would find the MOST reassuring. i just don't want to be like this forever. i was reading that sometimes just some incorrect breathing patterns, even over a short period of time, can lead to a pH imbalance in the blood that can persist even when the anxiety is gone. my boyfriend is annoyed with me because of my gasping or yawning sounds. i just want to be normal again. if anyone has anything positive to share (although i know most people are reading these entries, because they feel bad, not good), it would be greatly appreciated.
2/24/10 7:43pm
I am 43 Years old now and started having this issue when I was 17. I went to the doctor than and she told me that some people can have that reaction with caffeine. I did drink soda as a teen but have quit for years now.
I don't drink soda but I am a coffee drinker. I love my coffee in the morning but when I get that breathing problem I have to lay off and do decaf for a while. Unfortunately it takes awhile once it starts because it does make you nervous not being able to breath and I believe it just makes it worse. If you are a caffeine drinker try going off of it but give it at least 30 days. See if that helps.
3/26/10 10:40pm
This is the first time i have experienced this - - scary... At first I thought i might be having a panic attack as i was laid off a few weeks ago, but i am being pretty zen about that. I was in Arizona for about 9 days and on the 9th day it rained a lot all night and most of the day... i was in the house most of the day and noticed the breath problem when i went out to meet my dad's neighbor and tried to take a deep breath and it hurt a little up at the top - started on my right upper chest... then i drove about 3 hours to palm springs and went to lay down to bed at 11:00 pm an realized it was getting a little painful to breadth deeply - i couldn't lay on my side like normal as i felt it was puncturing my lung. I was better on my back and woke up a little better - - seemed to be much worse at night - - then I drove more hours to san francisco into more rain and lots of wind. BTW I do have a mold allergy and chronic sinusitus and usually just get pressure headaches and tiredness in the rain - though i have heard the rain brings out your weaknesses. I too smoked for 15 years, quit about 10 yrs now, but i have had some issues with altitude and thought maybe my lungs were damaged too. I used to be very energetic and athletic i tire out easy these days. I haven't gone to the doctor yet as i don't want drugs, I looked up a few natural remedies: I increased my vitamin d dosage, C, and magnesium; took tumeric in tea and food for immflamation and a was 90% better last night and today - just took an ibuprofin for cramps and i'm actually able to breath 100%. I will bring it up at my next dr visit - - hopefully it doesn't come back.
3/25/10 1:47pm
Are we all talking about the same thing? Some have mentioned feeling constricted, others just not getting that deep-breath feeling. For me, I can breathe just fine, plenty of air moving through, no constriction, no fear, but the satisfying feeling of getting a deep breath is elusive and can be highly annoying when it doesn't happen (which is most of the time). It's not something I ever thought needed to be checked out by a doctor. It started in my teens after I had pneumonia, so the initial cause was obvious. A good friend had the same experience in his teens after the flu. I assume there was some sort of minor but permanent damage to the lungs or maybe to nerves that supply the "satisfying" feeling. It does seem like a lot of the comments in this thread state that it began in the teen years, if that means anything. I'm now in my 50s, but it has never affected anything I do, so it's not a big deal, but it's still annoying and I guess it will just stay that way.
5/31/10 4:18am
Hi my name is Racheal and I am 19 years old and about 2 days ago I started having breathing problems after being dehydrated and having a panic attack. I will be sitting and be breathing absolutely normal, then out of nowhere I will have to straighten up my body and force myself to take a full breath. I thought it was completely caused from anxiety but now I can't even sleep. I wake up every half our with my heart racing, then I will sit up and take breaths, then try and sleep and my heart will feel like it's racing even though it's not. I know it has only been a few days but it is really worrying me and I really don't want this to last forever.. :( I am already a hypochondriac, but I know something has got to be wrong. Any advice? (oh and I just recently quit smoking)
7/ 1/10 4:26pm
I too am glad I found this site. I've been having this same issue for about ten years now (I'm 37) and can't figure out what the cause is. I did smoke for 10 or so years in college, but quit. I attribute it to stress, but I'm starting to wonder if it's panic attack related. I have horrible insomnia and take about 6 unisom each night to get to sleep because I sit there and my brain won't shut down and with it being dark. I start thinking about things such as death and it makes it even harder to sleep. So I pretty much have to knock myself out to get some sleep. When I finally do, it's only about 4-6 hours per night and by the end of the week (today is a good example). I'm not only tired, but still stressed and still can't get a deep breath. I often wonder if it's because I've started putting on a little weight since getting older, and developed the ole "inner tube" around the waste. I thought maybe my pants were just too tight, but that didn't stop the issue either when getting into more relaxed clothes. I wish we had a descriptive name for this so we could start research into what the problem is and a solution is found.
7/ 1/10 4:27pm
I too am glad I found this site. I've been having this same issue for about ten years now (I'm 37) and can't figure out what the cause is. I did smoke for 10 or so years in college, but quit. I attribute it to stress, but I'm starting to wonder if it's panic attack related. I have horrible insomnia and take about 6 unisom each night to get to sleep because I sit there and my brain won't shut down and with it being dark. I start thinking about things such as death and it makes it even harder to sleep. So I pretty much have to knock myself out to get some sleep. When I finally do, it's only about 4-6 hours per night and by the end of the week (today is a good example). I'm not only tired, but still stressed and still can't get a deep breath. I often wonder if it's because I've started putting on a little weight since getting older, and developed the ole "inner tube" around the waste. I thought maybe my pants were just too tight, but that didn't stop the issue either when getting into more relaxed clothes. I wish we had a descriptive name for this so we could start research into what the problem is and a solution is found.
8/24/10 11:18pm
Rachel, im in the EXACT same situation. Started about 3 or 4 days ago, and about 80% of the time now I cant seem to take a full breath. It gets ALMOST there, but sometimes I ahve to sit up straight or readjust myself and sometimes even that doesnt help. Ive never had breathing problems my entire life. I think the only thing different from everyone else's posts on this board is that ive smoked pot since I was 14 (I am also 19 yrs old), been a drug addict for 3 1/2 years, also started smoking cigarettes about a year or so ago. I smoked a hard drug the day before this started happening, but it hasnt gone away, just gotten worse. So ya... my first thought was "crap, all this smoking has finally caught up to me". I was wondering if anyone has any advice? I cant afford to go to a doctor, I dont know if this is brought on by smoking, or if ive gotten asthma, if it is heart related? Should I try an inhaler? (my bf has one) Should I get on an acid reflux med? Seems like a lot of people are attributing similar problems to acid reflux? Any advice is appreciated, and glad to see this is more common than I thought.
8/29/10 1:02am
I also had this problem and solved it by taking Magnesium supplements. Take Magnesium Aspartate or Citrate not Oxide. Many people are magnesium deficient. Due to modern farming methods, minerals are depleted from the soil and taking prescription and over the counter medicine often depletes magnesium.
11/ 3/10 12:49am
I have the same problem! I'm 33 years old,I'm a mom, and overweight. Initially thought that was my issue, but doctor's say no even though I can stand to lose the weight. I've been to the ER several times for breathing problems and chest pain/tightness. I've been to a cardiologist, allergist, ENT....I've had every xray/test imaginable, and no diagnosis. I've been told asthma (inhaler doesn't work), allergies, which I do have to mold and dust (meds don't help), GERD (omeprazole and zantac didn't help). I had my gallbladder removed, still having difficulty. What is going on? I think my doctors are beginning to think I'm crazy! But I'm not, and it's awful. I do have terrible sleeping problems...terrible insomnia. Could that be causing my issues? Could it be hormonal?
Thanks to everyone for listening to my vent. Hope we all get answers soon!!!
12/26/10 12:07am
I experienced this for the first time 6 or 7 months ago and it was WORSE when it first hit, I went to the ER b/c the tightness and PRESSURE that came with it in my neck/throat were scary. But now its mostly the inability to get a full, satisfying breath, and a dull pressure in my chest. When I move my head a certain way or get a nice full breath, I can hear gas moving in my neck/throat and I'll belch sometimes and it is so great. a GI doc told me i'm fine but we could do more invasive tests if I want..
so for ME, its not just the sensation that something is too tight or 'blocking' the ability to catch a full breath, but also 'trapping' gas. I know how crazy it sounds but I don't make this stuff up. I know its not a panic attack - those come and go this is pretty FREQUENT. ALSO one other symptom I get often that may be associated I would call "hypersensitivity" - especially in the chest area where I'll have an itch or my work shirt/tie will rub a certain way against my chest and I'll have PAIN that is way more severe than I should have, like my nervous system is overreacting to it? I dunno. seeing my doc finally 1/3/11 and i'll probably have the colonospicy and endoscopy just to be safe. ANYONE have similiar issues? 32/male.
3/13/11 4:56pm
Hello, I had 5 years of strange breathing, wierd constriction in my throat, gas problems after eating and acid refllux that caused gastritis ,and strange pain below my ribs which became more intense over time. Ended up in ER several times. I got panic attacks as a result and depression last year. It turned out (after 3 CT scans, 2 ultrasounds and 3 endoscopies plus a colonoscopy and barium meal) that I had a diseased gallbladder which was removed through laporoscopic surgery six weeks ago. None of the scans/blood tests showed this; it only became clear when they operated. Don't give up hope even if the docs are saying all is fine. If you know something is wrong, please find another doctor/consultant who can help you. It was the best thing I ever did. Good luck. Em
5/ 1/11 10:18pm
I have to agree. I just recently developed this problem (not being able to draw a deep breath). It started about the middle of January 2011. I had been taking magnesium citrate for a long time, but I ran out and did not get any more...busy!! Then the breathing started. I narrowed it down to the magnesium citrate and I am taking 600 t0 800 mg again and I can tell when it wears off! The only type of magnesium that works for me is citrate. I tried magesium taurate after having it highly recommended to me and it made it worse.
I do have stress, I recently had to close my family business due to the economy and could not find a job. It was very stressful, then I spent 5 months spending every dime I made to play catch up! I ended up with really bad bronchitis which made it worse, but the magnesium is the key for me. Also, I added vitamin b12, in case it is a deficiency. Due to processed foods we are all deficient in magnesium, b complex and especially b12. B12 causes a type of anemia that has diffiuclty breathing as a number one symptom. I hope this information helps someone. i know how hopeless it can feel and how doctors just don't listen. If they can't write a prescription for it, forget it.
3/ 2/11 1:26pm
I have had this problem now for close to 30 years. My stress level isn't the problem. I've removed the stress issues. I have never smoked nor been around a lot of second hand smoke. My doctor has dismissed it as a "female issue". He said during a woman's cycle, it's normal to hear her sigh. I'm not sighing; I'm yawning to try to get a full, deep cleansing breathe! It has gotten worse in the last month. Now I am unable to sleep at night. Help!
3/19/11 6:43am
I'm 22 years old and this breathing issue started about a year ago for me but has gotten a lot worse recently. I went to the doctor twice. The first time, it was when I was sick and she told me that I had mild asthma because of the cold and that it would go away. I was fine for awhile - I just became very short of breath during exercise and occasionally at night. However, this problem has gotten exponentially worse in the last couple months. I feel like I have this constant weight on my chest that gets worse with every failed deep breath. And when I finally get that deep breath - oh man, I can't even describe how good it feels. It's a lot worse at night when I'm lying down. I can only get a satisfying breath if I sit up.
Anyway, so I went to the doctor again. He ruled out asthma and heart conditions and told me it's anxiety. This does make the most sense for me because I've noticed it's gotten worse since I moved back home (and I'm more stressed out at home). At the same time, though, I can't imagine how stress could be SO harmful. When I can't breathe, my chest hurts, my arms feel weak, and I feel like nothing else matters except trying to get that breath.
I wish there was something we could do about this - at this point, I feel like I'm living my life just one deep breath at a time and I can't even enjoy sleep anymore. It's 4am 
Thanks for listening and I hope we can all breathe again! If anyone else has been told it's due to anxiety, how did you go about resolving this? My doctor told me that I should research anxiety online and it's very responsive to treatment. He said I don't need any medications - it's all in my head.
5/ 8/11 3:15am
dude even m 22 even m sufferin frm d same exact problem..bt mine s due to gas....i got dis problem 2 years back exactly..n after tht i ve got dis problem few times...n nw nw after a long long time i ve got dis same problem again...i hav ma doctor near ma homw next street...he used to cure me frm dis problem when ever i get..n nw i went to him yest he has gven me tablets hope it gets well soon....dis sensation s should go away frm me...n hows ur s nw??????plsss if ur alright temme wat u did????plss reply
3/29/11 8:22pm
I'm 14 and I've been having this same problem since Sunday night. It's Tuesday now and I've been to the Dr. twice. Nothing. They did some blood work and gave me an albuteral (or how ever you spell it) inhaler which caused my throat to swell and made my breathing worse. So needless to say, that didn't work. They also did some test that came back and said I was fine and my chest xray said the same thing. I'm so tired & hungry all the time. All I want is a deep breath! I've taken Singular and Zyertc also.. nothing. I do have ashtma but I was just diagnosed with it about a month ago. I'm also allergic to mold and my basement recently just flooded but this breathing problem presists even when I'm not at home.The Dr. has asked me about anxiety multiple times but I can't think of anything that I would be anxious about right now! In fact a few days prior to this was the happiest I've been in a while! I haven't been to school all week. My bloodwork should come back tomorrow.. so fingers crossed. I just want to breathe again!
4/ 8/11 3:40pm
My son is turning 13 and feels that same way you describe your breathing. He's had a chest x-ray and it too came back clear. Not sure why he's feeling this way but I do know he's had a lot of stress in his life through school and sports and his breathing changes during this time. Hope you find some answers.
5/ 2/11 10:05am
I wanted to add another comment. No one around me seems to understand; doctors have no idea what is wrong and wish I would just go away, I am a single mom and my daughter (20yrs) seems supportive, but "out there" when it comes to what she is really supporting. I just figure I'll ignore it and go on since there really doesn't seem to be much choice in the matter. I will continue to take the magnesium and hope for the best : (
5/ 8/11 12:43am
m just 21 n i hav gas problem for the past 2 years...m havin tablets when ever it comes bt still its nt gng from me ...d problem i get when i suffer frm gas is...a sensation will come for me to take a deep breath every often..n when i take a deep breath sometimes i get relief bt some times i don get relief...i fel lik when i take a deep breath it gets stop in d meddle n i don get relief...when dis problem came to me 2 years back i explained it to many doctors bt none of them knew it was gas......i took many tests for heart lungs n even blood tests bt finally a doctor near ma home oly told it s just gas....n when ever i get dis problem for once in 2 or 3 months i go to him n he gives me tablets whic has zero percent side effects n it gets cured in 2 or 3 days....n for d past 4 days m sufferin frm d same thin when i hav d tablet in d nit it gets better bt again frm d mornin its startin...due to dis problem....my total mind ll get upset...u cant think anythinelse....ill feel lik thts it ....bt when it gets cure it ll be lik heaven...m prayin god for dis problem to get cured....n nw for d past 4 days m havin dis problem...m takin tablets in d nit...hope it gets alright soon .....m prayin god...if some one has d same problem....pls reply for dis messag......it ll be soooooooooooooo good n helpfulll for me...
7/ 2/11 11:23am
7/10/11 4:19pm
Same problem....seems worse after I eat, especially when I've had caffeine. Since it is usually accompanied by gas, or the feeling that I need to burp, I was wondering if I am somehow getting an air bubble trapped in my esophagus that won't allow me to take that deep breath...it just gets trapped in a spot, and I will hit my chest in that location to release the bubble. Sometimes it works, sometimes not (i also do that odd maneuver with my shoulders hunched, back arched, and kind of twist to release pressure). I do yoga and serious cardio, and don't feel like it's heart related. Same with stress...just don't have any. I am an EMT, and have taken my vitals during an episode...blood sugar is fine, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level....all within normal ranges. Someone stated that wine seems to help them...it does me too, but I can't very well start drinking at 10 in the morning!!! Going to try the magnesium supplements, and taking valerian too for relaxation....also going to cut out caffeine for a while and see if that does anything....wondering too if, since I always drink soda through a straw, if that maybe does something with getting air down where it shouldn't be and creating some type of gas/bubble??? Good luck everyone....and happy breathing : /
7/22/11 12:11am
One of the lesser known symptoms of hypothyroidism is "air hunger."
8/17/11 9:02pm
I too have been having the same issue. On and off for about the last 10 years. It seems this last year has been possibly the worst. i am a smoker. I have been an avid excesizer for the better part of my life. It affects me most when I am taking my walks. I notice that when I try to get that deep breath it is all shoulder and chest breathing. In other words I notice that when i try to draw that deep breath, my shoulders and chest rise, and then i try to do it to often resulting in hyperventilation. I have been to the doctors, but not in the last year, and my mind has me convinced that something is wrong. Our minds are incredibly strong but it is amazing how we can't seem to get it to work in a more positive direction. Some days I feel great. I am going to try some of the tips laid out in this blog, No coffee, magnesium citrate b vitamins. i also notice that if I take a zanzex, the lowest dose and I can take walk and don't have the issue. It also started at the same time the hormones started to swing due to perimenopause/ menopause
10/22/11 6:05pm
11/16/11 12:17am
I have had trouble breathing on and off over the last few years. Recently as my breathing worsened I felt like needing to take deep sighs every three minutes or so. At first I thought it was just a habit, but over the last few months I realized I couldn't breath deep enough to catch my breath. I went to one specialist after another, each one performing tests, but each test came out negative. Then I remembered reading somewhere that foot powders, if used for a prolonged time, can cause very SERIOUS breathing difficulties. If I'm not mistaken I believe it's do more to absorption in the skin, rather than inhilation, as I was very careful not to breath it in. I truly think my breathing problem was due to the use of foot powders. I used Lotirmin as a preventative for athletes foot and found it worked best to keep my feet dry. As soon as I stopped using it, my breathing problems ceased. YAY!!! I have found using baking soda helps keep my feet dry ever since. I've read corstarch works too. If you use footpowders, try STOPPING and let us know if your breathing improves. Thanx.
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Hello and thanks for posting to our site. There could be many reasons why you feel you are having trouble taking a deep breath. It is very important that you seek medical advice as soon as you can. Reaching out to your own doctor if one way for you to get started in determining what might be happening. If you at all feel like you need emergency help - call 911 or get yourself to an ER.
I hope htis helps. All the best, sue (moderator)
Learn more about heart issues in Understanding Heart Conditions
I am a very highly strung person and I have experienced this off and on for years. It seems that if I begin to get upset about it, it gets worse. I am 57, so as I have had tests through the years, and found that I do have asthma, and when this bothers me and I know that it is most likely stress and not asthma or an illness, I know that I am causing it. I am hyperventilating. So, I will cup my hands over my mouth and nose and breathe that way for a minute or two, then remove them and take a deep breath. That will usually allow me to get that breath that seems to be alluding me and making me anxious. If I am in bed, I sometimes will cut the covers over my head for the same effect. I just am reducing the amount of oxygen for a period so that when I do take that deep breath, I get the satisfaction that I am not getting and is causing me to become upset and feeling like I am smothering.
This may help you, and it costs nothing and will not hurt you to try. It is the same theory as breathing in a bag. You are just reducing oxygen.
Good luck, I totally understand that feeling of impending death, fear, anxiety. It is terrifying.
Yeah, although I have the same issue, and have gone to doctors at Mayo Clinic even and they have no idea. It feels like the muscles are tight. And won't allow you to get that relief you usually want all the time. Like the other person said it sometimes comes naturally but the second you attempt for another it won't allow you to at all.
Yeah, although I have the same issue, and have gone to doctors at Mayo Clinic even and they have no idea. It feels like the muscles are tight. And won't allow you to get that relief you usually want all the time. Like the other person said it sometimes comes naturally but the second you attempt for another it won't allow you to at all.
Im 13 girl and I have the same thing. I can't take a deep breath or it hurts alot. Sometimes if I lay in a certain possion it hurts also. It will happen for a few weeks in a row and then stop. I don't know how long this has been going on for, but it's been happening for awhile. Also when I try to yawn I sometimes just can't. I have to keep trying to yawn but I can't take a full yawn till my fifth or fourth try. Some say It's a tumor in your lungs, but I'm only 13, so I don't really know.
I have exactly the same thing. I have been getting this on and off since I was little but it seems to be getting worse- to the point that when I think about it or talk about it, it comes back. I went to a dr and was told its most likely anxiety,stress or athsma. However if ur an older person ( not in your early 20s and pretty much healthy) it could be something else and then it would be even more important to see someone
my daughter was doing this to. just found out she has asthma and is doing great with meds. i also was diagnosed young that i have panic attacks. that is why the dr put me on celexa. really helps me keep breathing normally. make sure you do go to dr and get this taken care of. good luck