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talkhealth forums • Air Hunger
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Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:36 pm
by Janmars1
Hi, my daughter (diagnosed with CFS Dec 2010) has been making a slow but sure recovery over the last few months. She is currently having a lot of trouble taking deep breaths. This can be quite distressing and I haven't really found a solution to address the problem when it happens. Does anyone have advice?

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:50 pm
by Marianne123
At a fibro clinic in the Cumberland infirmary a breathing specialist visited patients none of which were breathing properly. The recommendation was to practice abdominal breathing at fixed times during the day until one got back into the habit of breathing properly. The recommendation was also to talk in short bursts so that breaths could be incorporated.
Jack and Jill went up the hill breathe
To fetch a pail of water breathe
Etc

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:50 pm
by montybodkin
I struggle with breathing too especially at night time.

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:38 pm
by Dr Caroline Grayson
I have certainly come across this before in some of my patients and it has been described as the feeling of not being able to take a full breath in. It can be associated with panic/anxiety type symptoms and if this is the case it may be helpful to look at strategies to help manage anxieties which include reassurance that there is nothing sinister underlying the symptoms. ( I have on occasions elected to carry out base line lung function tests which can be very reassuring) I have also involved psychological support if there are further concerns about anxiety
I think simple breathing exercises can be helpful

Caroline Grayson

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:02 pm
by goblinff
Caroline

Where can one go to find 'simple breathing exercises'? Who does one ask?

I'm not a child and it's a new thing to me (definitely not anxiety related) but some days I'm really concious of an effort to breathe if I'm super tired. So if there's some I could find to do for myself, it might help?

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:56 pm
by cags2015
My daughter also suffers from this and usually has some chest pain at the same time and a very high heart rate. It nearly always helps if she lies flat and in fact during one visit to A&E with chest pains and breathing problems, she was left for so long in a cubicle, lying down, that by the time the doc came to her, everything had improved. Interesting, because the ECG was normal, the nurses told her she was having a panic/anxiety attack and that if she didn't relax, she would begin to hyperventilate. All the advice she was given for chest pains, breathing difficulties and rapid heart rate involved the term 'anxiety' and psychological treatments. My daughter has never had anxiety problems and is one of the most laid back people I know!! The only anxiety she has is dealing with doctors who try to attribute her symptoms to psychological factors.

On the advice of another patient, I pushed for a consultation with a POTS specialist, who attributed these symptoms, along with her gastro problems to POTS or autonomic problems. She had a tilt-table test to confirm the POTS diagnosis and has been put on sodium tablets and 2-3litres of water a day. We noticed a quick improvement in chest pains, breathing problems and dizziness after she started increasing her salt and fluid intake. She is by no means cured, but small improvements can make such a difference.

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:04 pm
by goblinff
People keep saying POTS.
What is it?

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:44 pm
by cags2015
goblinff,

POTS is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and is usually diagnosed if your standing heart rate increases by more than 30 beats per min from a resting (lying down) position. It signifies a problem with the autonomic system and can explain dizziness, nausea, fatigue, gastro problems etc. Lots of patients with ME also suffer from othostatic intolerance and autonomic problems. Good resources are:

http://www.potsuk.org/ - POTS UK

http://www.stars.org.uk/patient-info/conditions/pots - Stars

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:37 pm
by Janmars1
Thank you Caroline.

This never starts with anxiety but after a few hours my daughter becomes anxious which obviously doesn't help. I need strategies to help before we get to this stage.

What are 'simple breathing exercises'?

My daughter does have a POTS diagnosis and takes salt and water but I understood this to be for heart pain and tachycardia. Is it connected to breathing as well?

Could we have input from another member of the team please.

Re: Air Hunger

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 10:37 pm
by Dr Caroline Grayson
Hi
POTS involves dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system and will effect different organs not just the heart. There can be an effect on respiration /breathing control and this may be contributing to your daughter's symptoms.
When I mentioned simple breathing exercises I meant slowing down breathing and taking deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth but would be interested if anyone else has used any other specific techniques.
Caroline Grayson