Having Trouble Breathing?

[Healing Reins]

Several times since knowing my youth group leader- which has been about a year- She has told me that my breathing is weird...that I don't breathe normally. She says it's almost like I take 3 small breaths and then one big breath then I wheeze when I breathe too. I feel like when I breathe I don't get enough oxygen so it's almost like I start hyperventilating and then I have to calm down to take a deep breath. I don't know why I do this. I don't do this on purpose either...I think it started after I was raped last year but I'm not sure.

I'm just wondering do other people have trouble breathing too? What can I do so I stop feeling the need to hyperventilate. (I don't enjoy breathing like this..but at the same time I don't know how to change it.) Do any of you have trouble breathing since your traumas? Does it ever go away? Like will I ever be able to sit down, and breathe normally or will this continue.

It doesn't really effect me, I think it effects the people around me more than it does me, because I've had several people comment on it, but I don't really feel like anything is wrong.

Ughhh Does any of this make sense? Does it make sense that I'm aware that I feel like I'm hyperventilating, but I'm so used to it that it's normal for me?

 

[Jezanna]

Well two comments from me; first if you are able to I would see my reg dr and be checked for Athsma(sp) if it's purely anxiety as I do something similiar I hold my breath. I trained my service dog to alert me and was shocked how often I do it. I would try doing some breathing exercises when you are feeling calm so this becomes second nature and helps retrain your brain. I've had multiple traumas so I can't say when I started my breathing issue. Not sure if that helps.

 

[Sammyiam]

Hi,
I hold my breath as well, I have done it ever since I was little. I breath really bad, I can not seem to get a full breath in it is noisy and irregular, it is not asthma, and it gets worse when I am nervous or in a situation where there is lots of people. It makes me feel embarrassed and self conscious, I have a lot of issues with smell and my neck area from childhood sexual abuse it is really hard to live with.

When I sleep I hold my breath as well and it scares the hell out of people if they sleep near me ( like sharing a room in a motel etc ). Like you I just think it is normal as I have done it for 40 odd years, sometimes it seems better for a while then gets worse. If I'm not coping it gets way worse, all I try to do is try and be conscious of when it is worse try and slow my breathing and try to relax and take big slow deep breaths in. Sometimes I breath in and count to 5 while I'm taking in the breath then breath out and that can slow me down and also take my mind off over thinking everything it is so hard to try and control it takes a big toll on you.

I hope you find a way to help with your breathing and please know that you are not alone out there and your post makes perfect sense to me. I am really new at writing on the PTSD Forum site and get really nervous it has taken me over two hours to write this and it really scares me that I will do something wrong and get into trouble. I really struggle at what my life has become, even with simple things that I used to do so easy have become like a big dark monster that has gobbled me up and spat bits of me out and now I have no idea who I am.

Please know that I really hope you get some answers that will help you, everyone seems really nice on here.

Take care
Sammyiam

 

[The Albatross]

For me it was sleep apnea. Post diagnosis I had to relearn the breathing. Breath holding, particularly during sleep is something to be investigated. I stop breathing for periods of up to two minutes 25-27 times an hour.

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

This sounds like anxiety to me. I've experienced this after trauma a lot and still sometimes do. I can say that yes, this will diminish over time. Recognizing it and reaching out are key. You are not alone in this.

 

[Notsowild]

I breathe badly. Sometimes I gasp for air because my breathing is so shallow. So yes it's probably anxiety related. Doing breathing exercises helps plus mindfulness.

 

[TimeToHeal]

@Healing Reins, the breathing pattern you describe really sounds like asthma to me - especially since you say you have wheezing with it. I would check with your primary Dr.

@Sammyiam, first, welcome to the forum! :) "Holding" your breath while sleeping should not be anxiety related - like @The Albatross mentioned, this is usually sleep apnea. It can be a serious condition and cause you to get little to no actual restful sleep. I would bring this up with your primary care Dr as soon as possible. And again, welcome to the forum!