Weirdness with my breathing... any ideas?

[Meowster]

Hi all,

I've recently developed (within the past two or three weeks) a weird breathing... thing. You know when you feel a little bit breathless, so you sigh/take a deep breath, and then feel fine again? Well, I sometimes just constantly feel the need to take these deep, sighing breaths. And it doesn't ease the breathlessness, in fact it almost feels like it's making it worse.

I don't take small, sharp, quick breaths... just very deep ones. It's not like I start breathing faster...

Yesterday I was walking home and kept trying to take deep sighing breathes until I think I actually hurt my lung from trying, because I got a sharp pain in there and then my er... back hurt ¬¬ might have been unrelated, just got a sharp pain in my back, between my shoulders...

It's awfully annoying, I'd like to know what's causing it, I'm sitting here at work now fidgeting in my chair because I feel breathless... trying to get myself into a more comfy position... bah...

Any ideas what this could be? yes yes I know... go to a doctor... I am pretty terrified of doctors though so I'd just like to know what other people think it could be before I go...

Sometimes I'm fine... but sometimes I feel breathless...

...PS I'm 20 ¬¬ and relatively fit and active, not overweight at all, good diet (no sugar and crisps and chocolate and crap)...

[Mr Flibble]

Before we go jumping off to the lung cancers and the water in the lung,  less serious things could also be the cause. It could be a pulled muscle of some kind thats preventing your rib cage allowing your lungs to inflate fully, for instance.

Poor posture could also be involved, and could cause the aforementioned muscle strain.

But yeah, overall, I'd recommend going to see a doctor. Most serious afflictions usually have more symptoms than just this, so don't be worried when you go to get it checked out.

[Meowster]

The only other thing I can think of to add is that it seems to be getting worse, and that yesterday when I was walking home I breathed very hard and 'hurt' my lung... and then felt a lump in my throat ¬¬ errrm....

But no, I don't think it's serious... just annoying and uncomfortable... wondering if anybody suffers something similar?

[Tuomas]

My answer to everything nowadays apparently, but, asthma? I know my mom had similar things earlier for years, then she went to asthma tests, and badutish, it was asthma. Or just bad allergy it could be. It's surprising how many different lung problems can be explained with asthma.

[BOYD1981]

i have a weird breathing problem that started one night when i was laying in bed and thought to myself "hmm, wouldn't it be strange if i couldn't breathe in all the way" and ever since then i've had problems taking deep breaths and it can also stop me from yawning properly. i probably am taking in full breaths but it doesn't always feel like it and i don't always notice it.
but anyway, i'd suggest you go see a doctor.

[Miez]

This could be related to stress - meaning you've been breathing fast and shallow for a long time, without really noticing. Any back/shoulder pains, like muscle aches?

[Becky]

Go to the doctor.  The internet is not a great place for diagnosing yourself!  Breathlessness can be a sign of several things, including asthma.

[Meowster]

BEcky, can't get to the Doctor until Monday... I only decided it had gone too far today (I was hoping it would go away... foolishly ) and it's too late to see a doctor now until Monday soooo..... so I'd like to have some idea of what it could be and what to look out for, until then...

Meiz... yesterday I got a pain in my back and in what felt like my lung, from trying to hard to breath in... I've also developed that lump in my throat again today... so it's probably not unrelated. Just feels like a pill stuck in my throat...

Hmm I don't think I've had any muscular aches or pains apart from that though... just feel tight chested occasionally...

[Miez]

Anyway - what Becky said: go see a doctor. Soon. Take care...

[Layabout]

Sometimes your lung gets 'stuck' apparantly. Like it sticks the the other gooey bits inside you. It can cause pain. It's nothing to worry about. But i'm not a Doctor.

[Meowster]

For two or three weeks, slowly getting worse with more symptoms? :/

[Darth Mandarb]

I have something similar ... I suddenly need to take a deep breath.  I didn't know why.  Then I realized that it was because I wasn't breathing normally.  I was, subconciously, holding my breath.  It turned out to be something very common to do with stress.  It causes you to breath out, then just sort of delay breathing back in.  Which, obviously, slowly starves the body of oxygen, thus the sudden urge to take a deep breath.

I know you mentioned the problems you've been having at work with your fucker boss ... this sounds pretty damn stressful to me.

Stress is a bitch, plain and simple.

But the concensus in here (which is very viable) is to go to the doctor.  Better safe than sorry.

I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, just aggravating.

Best of luck!

[Nikolas]

Around November I was caughing heavily.

I went to the bloody GP who gave me 10 days antibiotics! Amoxilsin. They didn't work!

I went back in 20 days complaining that I was still caughing and having hard time breathing some times. She heard my lungs but found nothing and refused to give me anything, saying that it is common and it will pass.

Christmas came and I went to greece for the holdiays. I went to my father who is a doctor, but he couldn't hear anything either. Still I was unable to breath normally or run. So anyways, we went and got an x ray and there was a little problem in my lungs. Got differnet antibiotics and started breathing again.

I was catching my breath after dinner for example, after walking, after working, adfter anything! It was because I was not getting enough oxygen becasue of smallish breathes, like Darth above, but not due to stress...

Do visit the doctor, or even better call 08454647 (I think is the number) for NHS Direct. Talk to them and if needed they will book you for an apointment to Harmony, sort of emergency but with apointments and much less people waiting outside. I always use that for the kids when over the weekend instead of going in a walk in hospital where you can wait for hours to be seen...

Good luck.

[Stupot]

I would say take a deep breath and count to ten, but that would probably hurt.

Seriously though it sounds like stress might be a factor.  Don't take our word for it though, you should still see a doctor, but maybe you should try some breathing exercises.  Lay on your bed, for example, and close your eyes and breath slowly in through your mouth and out through your nose.  Concentrate on the breathing pattern for 10 breaths, then 20 then if you haven't fallen asleep by then do a few more, however many you feel comfortable with.

It might not stop the lump in your throat, but it should help you relax and not worry about it, until you see the doctor.  Especially if you do it 2 or 3 times a day.

Another thing you might want to try is to do a few stretches.  stretching your arms out wideso you can feel it in your shoulder blades and in your chest.  Again, this might have no effect, but it can't hurt to try.

I hope it's nothing serious, I'm sure its not.

[ManicMatt]

Hello, I've had a lifetime of crappy breathing, and I still say don't rely on internet feedback! Just wait for docs, plain and simple.

Could be stress though, as I am easily stressed (I'm stressed right now, and I'm just waiting for a mate to come round my house... ¬_¬ ) and I'll forget to breath, like Darth said.

Speculation however is not very helpful.

I also have asthma, and last year, in the summer I was hyperventilating. Fun fun fun! The doc put it down to the humid air.

...In fact, just talking about breathing puts me at ill-ease. Psychological too, you see.

[Evil]

All sounds like asthma to me. Stressed induced asthma isn't unheard of, though theres not a lot of information on it. I agree, go to the doctor.

[LimpingFish]

Partially collapsed lung? When mine went kaput, the first thing I felt was breathless, then I couldn't swallow. Then I doubled over in pain and collapsed on the streat. Could be something similar?

PS. Don't collapse on the street. People have a habit of stepping over you.

[Da_Elf]

all of those things are possibilities and as everyone said a doctor will be able to tell better. i know i used to feel weird and stuff just like that when i went through quitting smoking the 1st time and developed alot of anxiety attacks. basically during an attack as much as your body thinks something is wrong and starts to freak out its just all in your mind because of chemical imballance. im almost a pro at handeling anxiety attacks now hehe

[BOYD1981]

i once left something to go away by itself instead of going to the doctor... 2 years on and i'm still waiting to have an operation for a very painful pilonidal sinus that gets worse the long it's left untreated.

[Chicky]

Do you smoke at all? I know it seems the obvious question but if you have recently started smoking this could be part of the problem.

Maybe recreational smoking?