Anxiety or Asthma? Thoughts..

[Crawf95]

Hi All,

First post here - I’ve had anxiety and panic disorder since I was 17 (now 22).

I’m wanting to see other people’s experiences with anxiety and asthma.

Im currently experience chest discomfort - breathing tightness (not severe but mild). I do have asthma and use a preventive inhaler and ventolin when needed. Currently not helping.

I went to my doctor today - who is actually really good, he had a listen to my lungs and narrowed it down to anxiety.

I am not experiencing wheezing, shortness of breath at all. I keep taking a deep breath and forcefully coughing to try and clear my chest but nothing is there.

Peak flow readings are at 700, quit smoking 2 months ago for this exact reason and my doctor believes I may be over medicating myself with ventolin and the preventive inhaler and wants to take me off both.

Any advise or personal experiences would be great.

[blondguy]

Hello Crawf95

Welcome and thankyou for being a part of the forum family too 🙂

I understand your situation as I have had anxiety on and off for a while now (in recovery) and when our adrenaline starts pumping (with anxiety) our chest muscles do constrict and can make our breathing tight

My anxiety started in 1983 and I really had difficultly taking a full breath and it was a huge worry for me. It actually was scary at the time because I was in the first few years of having anxiety which are usually the worst until they slowly reduce in severity with ongoing counseling.

Your GP has an excellent focus where anxiety is concerned Crawf95. Its only my humble opinion yet I would stick with your GP like superglue. He would not have let you walk out of the clinic if you had asthmatic issues

The early years with anxiety are the hardest where symptoms are concerned. The symptoms do reduce 🙂 Can I ask if you have other symptoms since you have started having anxiety?

Just a note...The forums are a safe and non judgemental place for you to post Crawf95! Your privacy and well being is paramount to the forums

I really hope you can post back when its convenient for you!

my kind thoughts

Paul

[azarrah]

Hi Crawf,

It's hard to tell sometimes, isn't it? I didn't realise that my anxiety wasn't asthma for several months. I was taking medication every day, thinking the hayfever was particularly bad that year, and somehow it never helped...

If your peak flow is 700 (which is very high - I usually struggle to make 400!) and you have been to your GP, it is very likely to be anxiety. The tight chest you are describing is exactly what I experience, too. If I don't have other asthma symptoms (such as feeling my breath catch or wheezing) then I know the tightness is caused by anxiety. I will also notice other hallmarks of anxiety, like a racing heart, tense muscles, or feeling slightly dizzy. Often you won't realise you are experiencing these things until you actually think about it.

Put another way: This specfific medication always works for asthma. If this medication doesn't work, it's not asthma.

It is hard, but I try to distract myself. The more you think about your breathing, the tighter you will feel. Get up and move about, having a warming drink, and engross your mind with something else like, like a book or video game. That usually helps me a lot!

Best wishes 🙂

[Tgirll]

Hello 🙂

I can understand where you are coming from. It can be hard to differentiate between the 2 at times! I've gone into emergency or the doctors thinking I had asthma (i do suffer from asthma) but then turning out it was just anxiety. My sister is a registered nurse and Im in my last year in obtaining my registration and with what I know now, yoy can usually hear wheezing and asthma with a stethoscope, even if the asthma is mild. Chances are, if your doctor has listened to your chest and has said it isnt asthma then you can be pretty confident it isnt 🙂

I recently had a cold and i at times get asthma towards the end of it. I started feeling like i was a bit wheezy and was unsure if it was just anxiety triggered by my cold (i have health anxiety). I decided to take my puffer which after a few minutes helped. I will also mention that i was a smoker for 10 years and have now quit for 2.5 years (well done on making yhe decision to quit. It is so worth it 🙂 ) my expereince with quitting was that my lungs actually felt worse the first few months especially after quitting!! It could be that your lungs are actually starting to function, bringing up irritants that have been in there for a long time. Plus not smoking at first triggered a little anxiety for me. It will get better though. Just a thought. Maybr have a chat to your GP about it.

All the best 🙂

[Bec06]

Hi all

Hi my name is bec I have anxiety and autism I do group therapy at today and I am waiting in the waiting room and one of the other people from the group is crying I am crying having an anxiety attack a flashback and Also feel like self harming I feel like I need to tell my psychologist but both of us is crying so how will she adele my psychologist help do I just go in there crying

[Tense_Sez]

Late to the party here, by almost a year...

Interested in how you said your early years you were having difficulty breathing, blondguy.

I too am experiencing this and have been told its anxiety.

I first felt all of these symptoms after what I've been told was a panic attack at the start of the year, all other symptoms have mostly gone, but my difficulty breathing persists.

It's almost like Its impossible to take a deep breath...

Any words of wisdom? Can't wait until I break free from this.