Breathlessness For 5 Days After Therapy?

[Deleted member 35429]

My therapist asked me about a scar I have from trauma and I started to dissociate severely, meaning I felt like my body was being yanked up to the ceiling out of myself and I immediately lost vision, we stopped the conversation right there. After that day I noticed that I felt breathless, as though I was constantly low on oxygen or holding my breath. 2 days later I went back for another session and this time we discussed the scar in detail. I dissociated into a very very sedated state/ partially frozen, but my therapist was able to pull me out of it. Problem is my breathlessness is a lot worse now. Every second of the day now I feel like I can't get enough air. I've tried relaxation, removing caffeine, massage, going for a run, alcohol, etc. The breathlessness is still there.
I do not feel emotionally anxious but that's normal because I don't tend to have feelings about my trauma just physical symptoms.

Anyone else have this breathlessness? How do you stop this? Seems like low grade hyperventilation almost. My eye is also twitching this week and this never happens to me. Clearly seems like a stress response.

Physical symptoms from PTSD are so maddening for me. It's like living in a completely haunted body.

 

[sun seeker]

I've had reactions sort of like that, not exactly. What has helped most is following the somatic symptoms and letting my body complete the movement it is trying to complete. That's what somatic symptoms from trauma are - a fight or flight response that you weren't able to complete at the time. It just needs to finish, to get the energy out of you. I'd definitely advise doing this with your therapist so they can guide you. You'll need to work on resourcing so you spend a little time releasing the trauma and then some time grounding to your resource memory, then back to the trauma again, until the release is complete. I hope your therapist has some training in somatic therapy and can help you with this. I'd also say next time you work on something that holds a lot of charge for you, like the scar seems to, you work on resourcing before you go into the trauma. It sounds like that is going to be a really important skill for you.

 

[Tinyflame]

Oh my @Orion , miserable thing. :hug: I have breathlessness too. :( Yes the twitch is usually eye strain or stress.

Actually, strong black coffee is a vasodilator, opens up blood vessels to the heart.

Have you tried a paperbag for a short time, if it is hyperventilation?

Funny, I have a scar that I forgot about today. One thing about scars, they're over.

:hug:

 

[Jody]

My therapist asked me about a scar I have from trauma and I started to dissociate severely, meaning I fel...

Hi onion I'm new to this site I recently been diagnosed with pstd. Actually I was years
Back but didn't believe I had it. I'm now going to therapy started out couple therapy but now it's
Just me going. I've had my body react to triggers which I never understood. Until my first session with emdr over no memory from childhood. My body totally reacted to this type of therapy out of control with no memory just completely uncontrollable. It was awful ! I did not finish the session had to stop cause I thought I might vomit. Afterwards for the next week or so I could not catch my breath I do not know what it is or what is going on with these involuntary body sensations and emotions.

 

[Deleted member 35429]

I've had reactions sort of like that, not exactly. What has helped most is following the somatic sy...

Thank you for your insight. I've unfortunately gotten very attached to a therapist that isn't well versed in trauma. So no, I'm not familiar with somatic therapy. I have started reading about it tonight. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Deleted member 29920]

I have had such breathlessness too, it turned out to be because my iron levels were very very low, could it be the case for you also?

 

[sun seeker]

I've unfortunately gotten very attached to a therapist that isn't well versed in trauma.

That does sound like a conundrum. Any chance you could keep the therapist you've got, and do a few sessions with someone who does understand trauma, just to give yourself some resources to work with?

 

[chant2012]

I've never heard anyone else having this!!!! I was thinking it was just me. I don't know what it means. It's horrible and constant. Feels like I'm not getting enough oxygen. Lasting for weeks at a time. No idea what causes or triggers it but seems to be stress and talking of trauma too.

My therapist asked me about a scar I have from trauma and I started to dissociate severely, meaning I fel...