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Trouble taking a deep breath

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goosegoose

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Has anyone else experienced almost like heart palpitations? I genuinely don't know how to describe it, but I'm starting to learn how to be aware of my breathing and for the past week or so, my heart randomly feels like it's dropping in my chest. Kind of like a stomach dropping sensation? It doesn't cause me any pain. It's been happening mostly when I'm "air hungry" as Geopolis wrote about (here) but it's been all the time. I've actually been kind of scared the past few weeks when trying to sleep, because I'm so not used to being able to just...breathe. My heart rate feels slower and my breathing is less labored, but that feels like I'm allowing my body to give out! I know it's not, it just feels so unnatural.

But yeah - is a pounding heart a symptom of anxiety/breathing issues? I do have asthma but it's not typically an issue unless I exercise. I've also been avoiding talking about a lot in therapy, if that could also be a contributing factor.
 
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With that out of the way, difficultly breathing is definitely something you should speak to a doctor about. It's one of those things that, even if it turns out to be anxiety, calling a doctor is the right decision, you know?
 
The issue with having trouble taking a deep breath could absolutely be anxiety, as could the palpitations, but I definitely would go and get it checked out. I had the same, and the palpitations ended up being PVCs, nothing to worry about, but something I could fix so it wasn't an issue anymore. I stopped caffeine (ok, for a while) and limited some other things that I noticed were causing it. But palpitations can be different things, so it's always best to get it checked out.
 
my doctor calls them, "heart palpitations" and we believe they are solidly connected to the way i breathe under the influence of anxiety. i tend to hold my breath when i am anxious and the heart, or any of the other body organs need ample oxygen to function well. i've been addressing the symptoms with breathing exercises for allot of years and i still have to remind myself.

for what it's worth
i like to get creative with my breathing exercises. i learned some of my more effective breathing exercises in childbirth classes. equally, singing, humming and wind instruments are wonderful breathing exercises that double as cathartic expression.
 
Sounds like total anxiety. When you have trouble with A then it affects B. It's the same problem.

Go to the blue menu bar above, click on articles, find the Stress Cup. It's one of the most basic and simple things you need to learn and work on to start managing your PTSD.
 
The "sinking feeling" is rather disagreeable. Could totally be anxiety or peaks of stress, and the air intake making it worse somehow. But before assuming anything is psychogenic, it’s good to check if it isn’t an actual issue and, as whiteraven says, most of the time these ones are fixable.
 
Thank you everyone for all your responses. I've been putting off seeing a doctor for a check up for a long time, I guess this is my sign to consider it

The issue with having trouble taking a deep breath could absolutely be anxiety, as could the palpitations, but I definitely would go and get it checked out. I had the same, and the palpitations ended up being PVCs, nothing to worry about, but something I could fix so it wasn't an issue anymore. I stopped caffeine (ok, for a while) and limited some other things that I noticed were causing it. But palpitations can be different things, so it's always best to get it checked out.
I looked up PVCs and that "extra fluttering" sensation is exactly what it feels like, and it's been happening when thinking of stressors

Sounds like total anxiety. When you have trouble with A then it affects B. It's the same problem.

Go to the blue menu bar above, click on articles, find the Stress Cup. It's one of the most basic and simple things you need to learn and work on to start managing your PTSD.
Thank you, I'll check out the stress cup right now. I haven't explored this site much yet
 
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