I don't know what to do now

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patty818

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Hello:

I'm kinda at my wits end. I can't stop obsessing about my breathing. There are times when I can't get my lungs full, or I just start feeling like I'm not breathing right or enough. I'm just plain fed up with anxiety. I went to the docs last month and told the nurse I feel like I can't breath and even showed her how when I try to breath deep its hard. She put the oxygen reader on my finger and said, your oxygen level is 99%, thats great. So if its all so damn great why do I feel like this.

I have been thru so much in the last 14 months, I just don't think I can take another thing. My dad committed suicide last Jan 2009, my FIL died last august, my stepfather had a heart attack this past Jan and my mom has breathing problems and was dx'd with emphysema 2 weeks ago. My son is again going thru his drug problem. I am going into menopause and my health anxiety is so much worse since the meno started. I am constantly waitying for a heart attack to kill me. Its all I think about, my gosh one little twitch and I'm think this is it. I went to my gyno back in nov 09 and the nurse said momogram and chest x-ray, well guess what, since she said chest x-ray I have had this breathing issue. I have every symptom for heart disease, but all blood test are fine, stress test a few years ago was great, 24 hr holtor monitors are fine, I went back to the cardiologist and they said you are fine.

Can someone please just talk to me, help me to deal with obsession. I just want to be healthy and normal. I am no where near either of those. Thanks for listening

P
 
I have been reading so many threaRAB on here but after reading your post, I just had to register so I could respond.

I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from as I'm going through a very similar situation. I'm sorry for everything you are going through and for the losses you have had. It certainly sounRAB like you have covered all of your bases with the tests you have had. The mind can be a very powerful thing and once you start to focus on a symptom, it can get out of control quick.

My 49 year old husband was diagnosed with stage 4 Lung Cancer exactly a year ago. Around a month after being diagnosed, I started to have shortness of breath, chest discomfort and a cough. I started thinking maybe I had something wrong too. I went and had allergy testing, a lung function test and a chest x-ray. I did have some allergies and the chest x-ray showed my heart and lungs to be fine however, I do have a hiatal hernia. Finally around October my symptoms went away. In January we found out his cancer was growing and he was gearing up for a new treatment to start and ended up with blood clots that traveled to his lungs. He was in the hospital for 3 weeks, is home now with oxygen 24-7, isn't eating and is wittling away before my eyes. His treatment is on hold until he can gain some weight and get stronger. My symptoms have come back with a vengance. I finally went to the doctor this week and he gave me an EKG which turned out fine. He thinks it's anxiety aor possibly that hiatal hernia but for now gave me a script for some Lexapro. I'm on day 2 with it, feeling a bit weird on it but trying to stick with it.

Have you tried anything yet? Once you start obsessing over something in particular it's so hard to shake it. I did buy a book called "It's Not All in Your Head" How worrying about your health could be making you sick and what you can do about it. Gordon AsmunRABon & Steven Taylor. It's probably one of the better books out there regarding health anxiety.

I have two young girls (2 & 4) so I now obsess about my own health...nothing can happen to me now kind of a thing. Ugh! I'm likely going to be all they have you know?

Anyway, enough about me. I just wanted to let you know I can really relate to you. I realize most people around me can't relate so you may be going through the same thing. Someone mentioned CBT, where you retrain your brain when bad thoughts are coming. I think you just about have to, to stop the cycle. I haven't checked into it yet.

I really think your heart is just fine though. Hang in there!
 
Its so funny I have a lately been plagued by the same thing. I have good days and some worse.

But I'm constantly taking a deep breath throughout the day. And i feel the exact same way that my lungs are not getting filled with enough air. Sometimes I take in a deep breath and I get the good air filled feeling, but most times I'm taking in a deep breath and it feels like my lungs are just stooping short of explanding full enough to get a proper deep breathe.

Why I'm being plagued with this all of sudden I;m not exactly sure. In my heart I beleive it si some sort of anxiety even though I;m not freaking out about this. I am concerned but not have panic attacks over it.

I am getting super stressed at work, maybe that has something to do with it or maybe its real. I;m smoking alot and I think maybe I cause myself some chronic problem. Although I can still go to the gym and do a pretty vigosous cardio routine and actually I feel ok and like my lungs are better when i;m working out.

But as soon as I stop working out and just going about my regular routine I constantly feel the need to take in a deep breathe and I constantly feel that when i do take in a deep breathe, that i can't get enough air into my lungs, there by making me constantly take in deep breathe till I get that good deep breathe in. And then of course I test myself to see that I can now take in good breathes and the next attempt will be met by that same feeling as before.

Who knows it could be anxiety, it could be real. I hope its just temporary and will go away. Maybe I'm really suffering from a minor case of Bronchitis or something along those lines.

Bottom line I can totally relate to everything the two of you speak of. Only thing I can say is that i do notice when i don;t think about it as much and stop trying to take in deep breathes of air and just try to breathe throuogh my nose as normally as possible, that my symptoms to improve.

So just try to ingnore it and say to yourself that even though you feel the need to take in a big breathe just say "no" and take shallow easy breathes of air through your nose"

Good Luck!:wave:

P>S> I WROTE THIS SUPER QUICKLY SO PLEASE IGNORE MY SPELLING AND GRAMATICAL MISTAKES>:eek:
 
Hi,

My goodness, I am so very sorry that your husband is so sick. I can see why you would have anxiety. You have so much going on in your life right now, with taking care of him and your 2 children and hopefully yourself. I thank you so much for responding to my post.

I think it very possible for some of us to have symptoms when he have to deal with sickness. I've had anxiety since 1999 and its been under control for years, but since starting the perimenopuase its just gotten so much worse. Esp the health anxiety. I will check out the book you recommended. I do take xanax when I need it. This week I've been concentrating more on slowing down my breathing when I feel the air hunger coming on. That seems to be helping.

Thank you again for replying and I will pray for your family. Please remeraber to take care of yourself also.

Hugs,
Patty
 
Hi. I'm sorry to hear you have so much going on in your life right now. You mentioned among all of the other things going on, you are also going through menopause. Did you know that a few of the feelings your are experiencing right now are also symptoms of menopause...shortness of breath, anxiety, AND...experiencing "feelings of doom". The body and mind are so funny sometimes. It's like a viscious cycle..first you start getting anxiety over things going on in your life, which then makes your body start having funny symptoms like the shortness of breath, etc. Then you start to worry about why you are having the shortness of breath. Then your mind begins to fixate on the feelings of doom, "am I dying..what's wrong with me?" And pretty soon you're a complete wreck. I know because I tend to do the exact same thing!

Try to relax...you went to the doctor for your heart and you checked out fine. You're going through some tuff times right now and of course your mind and body are on overload. If you can, I'd consider taking a low dosage of anxiety medication to keep your nerves calm, and just take it day by day. People in your life need you, and you need to be strong and POSITIVE so you all can get through this. Try to think positive thoughts, laugh a little each day and keep in touch with your spiritual side. You're going to be fine :-)
 
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Im soo sorry to hear about your losses and just hearing about how your having a rough time in life right now reminRAB me of myself. I too have been having a hard time as well, my dad committed suicide last year and recently my grandma just died of lung cancer. I just had a baby and have been suffering from anxiety/panic attacks and depression. The past couple of days I've been feeling the same! I keep obsessing over my breathing and that is normally not one of my physical symptoms i get. I notice that when I exercise, like during I feel better, but after it goes back to feeling tight in the chest and not being able to breathe right. Its a horrible feeling I know! Im not giving you an answer/solution to this because Im not sure of an answer/solution myself. But I wanted to post something back to you because I want you to know that you are not alone. Im going back to the dr to maybe try a new antidepressant maybe you should do that as well. I wish you the best, hope you feel better soon. Also therapy can help you change the way you are thinking, which in turn can help you with your obsession over your breathing.
 
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