Panic Attack/ breathing issue 24/7

[Thatguy19]

During the past month i have been in and out of the ER 5-6 due to constant symptoms of a panic attack that i did not know was the root cause of my symptoms at the time.
my original symptoms consisted of light headness, feeling of faint, disassociation, and even felt immobilized like i couldnt move. Each time i would wake up and my body would start shaking each time and the feeling of faint and lightheadness like i was going to pass out persisted for about an hour so i would go outside for a walk and the symtoms would stop.
I have taken numerous tests to rule out any major health issues, such as MRI of my brain and carrotid arteries, ekg of my heart, chest xrays and nothing was found.
My panic episodes got more severe to the point where i was hyperventalating and had a feeling that i was going to die and even blacked out for 15-20 seconds and thought i was dead.
i was finally admitted to the psychiatry unit in a hospital for 3 weeks, while they were feeding me lexapro at a starting dosage of 15 mg and increased it to 20 mg. i have taken this medication for 3 1/2 and nothing has changed. I was also given klonopin twice a day at 0.5 mg each to a total of 1 mg. Which i really dont see a noticable change either.
After being discharged after 3 weeks nothing has changed with my breathing issues. I have a constant urge to yawn all the time to try to catch my breath and sometimes that doesnt work and i have to continue yawning.
The psychiatrist at the unit has prescribed me to continue to take klonpin at a dosage of 1 mg twice a day to at a total of 2 mg daily. while hopefully the lexapro will kick in.
It has been five days since I have been discharged and nothing has really changed.
My psychiatrist that i visited yesterday informed me that I should stop taking lexapro and taper down to 10 mg for a week and switch over to Prozac since lexapro isnt known to alleviate my OCD tendecies.
I have browsed online complusively over the last few days looking for possible solutions to assist with my constant feeling of being out of breath and have seen people have dealt with this issue for years.
Ever since my last major panic episode in which i was hyperventalating constantly for over an hour and felt as if i couldnt catch my breath i have been having these symptoms. During the day it can worsen out as well. I'm constantly thinking of my breath, hopefully the prozac will alleviate the complusive thought
Is there anyone out there that has overcome a similar situation and how?

This is something that I wish to change immediate and am looking for tips for those that have experienced a situation similar to my? How did you overcome it?

I just don’t want this issue to linger for years like how some people have experienced.

 

[Thatguy19]

My main issue is with my breathing as through out the day I feel as I can’t have a successful breath and constantly may need to yawn or take a gasp for air? I would like tips on how to go back to automatic breathing from those that have experienced this

Please and thank you

 

[Cuchculan]

I think a lot of us would have went through a lot of what you described over the years. The thing with anxiety is that our symptoms can change. What do I mean by that? It is kind of like we all have one big symptom and a load of smaller ones. i have always found the bigger one changes as time goes by. I began my anxiety life with panic attacks. They were my major fear. 20 plus years later panic attacks don't bother me at all. They have not bothered me in years. I used to get all the depersonalization. ( disassociation ) That is not an issue any more either. With time it just vanished. There was no magic trick behind it vanishing. I just think I got so used to it, thus I stopped worrying about it so much. And that might might be the big secret. We worry about things a lot. Thus feeding the fear. Hard not to. When you stop feeding the fear certain symptoms can simply vanish.

I am not saying this happens to everybody. But with me something new also comes along. I begin to focus on that. That becomes my big symptom. Like I mentioned at the start of the post. One big symptom and a load of smaller symptoms. For example I became emetaphobic. ( Fear of throwing up ) That took up my focus. Everything else was no longer a major worry to me. I had something new to worry about. So my attention shifted. It can be as easy as that. With time you might see changes in your fears.

Distraction is the main thing we all use. Finding things to do. So the mind can't focus on the body. The more your mind is focused on your body, the more you are feeding your own fear. Thus making things worse. Not sure if there is anything you like doing? A hobby of sorts. Something you might have always wanted to try your hand at. These sort of things can help us. Give us something to focus on. May not get rid of the anxiety for good. But it gives us a break from our anxiety. Even if it is just an hour. But from that we can learn. Learn how to take our mind off of our worries. It is as we learn that we begin to notice some of our symptoms might simply up and vanish.

Can take time. I won't lie about that. Can be frustrating at times. We will have both good days and bad days. We will have setbacks. They do happen. When they do we have to tell ourselves it is just a setback. Then we continue on with what we were doing. I know I might have made it all sound so easy in my words. It is not. We live and we learn. The more we learn the wiser we can become to what is going on. The more we know what is going on, the less we begin to fear certain things. Bit like a chain reaction in many ways. It can all be done. So never give up hope. That first push might be the biggest and the hardest. But it will be all worth it when you see progress.

 

[Thatguy19]

I appreciate the lengthy post and the tips you provide.

I agree the main thing is distraction but it’s amazing how even when I do breathe and am calm that I can’t fully have a satisfying breath unless I yawn or slightly gasp for air even when I’m not feeling anxious.

This was a problem for you the also persisted for years as well? Did you take up any yoga or meditation and focus on daily breathing exercises?

It seems as I lost the ability currently for my body to breathe automatically as where I’m constantly focused on manually breathing.

 

[Thatguy19]

Also for anyone that has experienced the 24/7 breathing issue, has medicine such as Prozac or any SSRI helped with you to refocus your breathing back to normal?

 

[Cuchculan]

I simply think you are far too aware of how you are breathing than what you should be. If you just let it happen without focusing on it, it would happen in a normal way. Same with many things that come with anxiety. People are fully aware of so much because they are focused on that one thing. There is no other way to put that. If I started thinking about my heart here and now, in ten minutes something would not feel right. I would begin to become fully aware of this. It would get worse. Because my focus is only on my heart.

All your breathing problems are part of your anxiety. Nothing more. If it was me I would try not to focus on my breathing. Just let it happen. You will always breathe. Gasping in air just makes a person worse. That can lead a person to hyperventilating. Because they are sucking in air quickly. You might begin to feel dizzy. Even feel faint. Because you are not meant to breathe that way. In through the nose and out through the mouth. But the more you think about how to breathe the more it will probably go wrong for you. Hence I am saying just don't think about it. Let it just happen by itself.

May as well add in that no medication will fix breathing problems. That is just another symptom of your anxiety. It may help with the symptom. But if you are hyper aware of the symptom, which you are, nothing will work until you learn to take your mind off of your breathing.

 

[Thatguy19]

The thing is I don’t feel anxious at all and my breathing hasn’t normalized in 4 weeks since my last panic attack episode when I was hyperventilating. It seems as if I forgot how to breathe properly after that episode where I was severely hyperventilating for over an hour. I can’t seem to satisfy my breathing. It seems I can’t consistently breathe normally without much effort possible due to the fact that like you said I’m more conscious of my breathing. About every 10-15 minutes I may need to yawn to satisfy my breath or take a slight gasp of air. Sometimes I may need to yawn more consistently if I feel I can’t satisfy my need for air. The severity of my breathing varies at times. But it seems to be consistently that I can’t normalize my breathing currently.

When I say gasp for air I mean more like take a slight deep breath to satisfy my need for air. I haven’t hyperventilated since my last panic episode.

I asked about the medication since I have OCD and the obsessive thoughts that come along with the symptoms.

 

[tkiss1]

Mike cuchchulan said , you don’t had to feel panic in order to have anxiety . Even my self , most of the time I feel fine meaning no panic but my subconscious there is anxiety, and then if I feel any sort of discomfort I automatically focus on that and it gets worse and at that time it’s harder to get rid of it because my subconscious is also thinking about it .

Even just thinking about you not breathing rite made me question if I am and then all the sudden my breathing shifted .

Somehow some way you have to “not worry” about how you are breathing and that should take your mind off of it. Just say it’s ok , you are breathing you are feeling ok so it’s ok . It’s not something that’s going to have immediate affects but the harder you focus on not worrying about it the quicker it should come back to you .

I know this isn’t to much of a help but if everything else the drs tested for we’re good then it shouldn’t be anything to worry about .

Good luck!

 

[Thatguy19]

Mike cuchchulan said , you don’t had to feel panic in order to have anxiety . Even my self , most of the time I feel fine meaning no panic but my subconscious there is anxiety, and then if I feel any sort of discomfort I automatically focus on that and it gets worse and at that time it’s harder to get rid of it because my subconscious is also thinking about it .

Even just thinking about you not breathing rite made me question if I am and then all the sudden my breathing shifted .

Somehow some way you have to “not worry” about how you are breathing and that should take your mind off of it. Just say it’s ok , you are breathing you are feeling ok so it’s ok . It’s not something that’s going to have immediate affects but the harder you focus on not worrying about it the quicker it should come back to you .

I know this isn’t to much of a help but if everything else the drs tested for we’re good then it shouldn’t be anything to worry about .

Good luck!

Thank you for your response.

Have you experienced symptoms similar to the ones I listed above (unsatisfying breath, yawning to catch your breath, slight gasp of air) consistently through out the day?

I find it contradictory that many doctors have said focus on your breath but that may lead to being too concentrated on your breathing to an obsessive level especially after experiencing a panic attack in which you have difficulty breathing consistently after the panic attack.

 

[tkiss1]

Not to that extent . But I do find my self taking very shallow breaths which starts to give me anxiety and my stomach even tenses up and then i focus on my breathing in a negative way and it makes it worse .

But at those times I try and do what’s called a 7 11 breathing . Breathe in for a count of 7 ( not 7 seconds , just quick count to 7 ) then breath out for a count of 11 . And you do that a few times which will also help relieve some anxiety, even if it’s underlying and also help get your breathing in order and prevent you from hyperventilating and such .

I believe that’s what the drs are recommending by saying focus on your breathing . Not focus on how it’s “not proper “ and worry .

Again all this is easier said then done and that’s where YOU have to be strong and let your self know it’s ok . Again the fact your alive ( because you are breathing ) should be a big sign that things are over all ok .

Also are you able to sleep well or do you wake up gasping for air then also?

 

[Thatguy19]

I can sleep through out the night and when I wake up I focus on my breath and it happens. It’s just what nervouses me is from what I read from other people that have similar symptoms experienced it for years with no relief.

 

[tkiss1]

I can sleep through out the night and when I wake up I focus on my breath and it happens. It’s just what nervouses me is from what I read from other people that have similar symptoms experienced it for years with no relief.

Well again that should help you a little bit and make you realize it happens when your thinking about it and focusing on it being incorrect . Try your best to not look st it that way and to just say it’s fine and maybe do the excercises I mentioned with breathing in and out . Few times throughout the day . It won’t be an immediate relief but you have to keep doing it and keep telling your self it’s fine

 

[Thatguy19]

I’ll give it a try thanks

 

[ManaClash]

Jesus Christ 3 weeks in a psychiatric ward would make me go crazy. I was there for 3 days and it was too much on my Anxiety it made things worse lucky I was voluntary and was able to check myself out.

I suffer from Severe Anxiety and Panic Disorder and some ocd. My panic attacks never feel like I'm out of breath just pounding heart sweats and and well panic. Years ago I thought something was seriously wrong with me and would go to the er a couple times a month until the ruled everything out and was like it's probably Anxiety. The thing was I wasn't really having Anxiety issues I mean I've suffered for most of my life but the symptoms were manifesting physically. I felt sick and week and lightheaded all the time. I also have legit asthma but I wouldn't be able to catch my breath. The think was I don't think it was the asthma it was me causing it by thinking about it 24/7. I would definitely try another SSRI or SSRN because whatever your taking isn't working.

I've never taken klonopin but I do take Xanax regularly and I get immediate relief for Anxiety with about .5 Mill
The klonopin doesn't help at all?

 

[Thatguy19]

The Klonopin doesn’t do anything and I take 0.5 mg every 4 hour 4 times a day. I tried lexapro now for a little more than 4 weeks and that has done nothing.

I will be trying Prozac tomorrow for compulsive thoughts.

I can’t seem to get my breathing back to automatic as I’m consciously breathing. And for some reason I have to take a deep breath or yawn to satisfy my air hunger.

I can fall asleep without any issues and when I wake up I’m consciously breathing.

I’m afraid that this issue will linger for years like other users on the forum and list forum I don’t want this to be a life long issue as it can seem to be.

 

[ManaClash]

Sorry buddy it sounds like your having a rough time. That's a common feeling of extreme Anxiety hopelessness thinking and fearing that you will never get better or feel better. Fear feeds the loop of anxiety which in turn feeds the fear. Tell yourself a few times a day that you will and are getting better. Don't let let it win, I know some people go with the philosophy of letting go and just Anxiety take its course. That doesn't work for me if I let my Anxiety run rampant I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. I treat it as the enemy and don't given in to it. I have ocd and intrusive thoughts also which I battle when my anxiety gets really bad but I refuse to give in to it. That's just my opinion though hopefully the new meds will help also ask them about a different benzo.

 

[ManaClash]

Let me ask you this and I mean no disrespect. Do you still believe that your breathing problems are physical or can you accept the fact that it's anxiety induced? Because if it's anxiety you will get better it takes time but you can turn things around.

 

[Thatguy19]

Sorry buddy it sounds like your having a rough time. That's a common feeling of extreme Anxiety hopelessness thinking and fearing that you will never get better or feel better. Fear feeds the loop of anxiety which in turn feeds the fear. Tell yourself a few times a day that you will and are getting better. Don't let let it win, I know some people go with the philosophy of letting go and just Anxiety take its course. That doesn't work for me if I let my Anxiety run rampant I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. I treat it as the enemy and don't given in to it. I have ocd and intrusive thoughts also which I battle when my anxiety gets really bad but I refuse to give in to it. That's just my opinion though hopefully the new meds will help also ask them about a different benzo.

I’m able to function at go to work and live my daily life it’s just the fact that I’m consistently focused on my breathing now and I just have difficulty breathing at times at different severities but not to the point where I have to gasp for air. It’s more like I can’t catch my breath.

 

[Thatguy19]

Let me ask you this and I mean no disrespect. Do you still believe that your breathing problems are physical or can you accept the fact that it's anxiety induced? Because if it's anxiety you will get better it takes time but you can turn things around.

I’m about 95 % convinced that it is anxiety related since I have done all these tests and my oxygen level shows 95-100 %, a chest x-Ray was done and they even took blood from my artery to make sure I had enough oxygen in my system and it all turned out fine this was all done at the ER. I’m thinking of just meeting with a pulmonologist to possible completely rule everything out.

 

[Thatguy19]

I’m also worried about withdrawal effects of Benzo since I don’t want to take drugs my entire life just temporary