Please get back to me now - shortness of breath.

[moedaddy]

Hi,
For most of October (Month 9.5 to 10.5) I've been having problems again. Dizziness, fatigue, a few panic attacks, restlessness, some insomnia, and a few more symptoms. HOWEVER, this new symptom is scaring me a lot: shortness of breath. It just woke me up and I can breathe but I it feels like I can't get all the air I need. It's been going on for the past 15 min. It scares me because it's the first time I have this ever. Is it w/d or can it be something else? Please let me know what I should do; I'm only 25 so I don't know what else it could be. Thanks

[joy10]

Hi, Just read your post. I'm a newbie here and don't know much about withdrawal,sorry. But are you experiencing a panic attack? If so, deepbreathing, relaxation could help. The other thing, is ?asthma attack, but I'm sure you would already be aware of that if it was the case. Please get medical help if you need it. Anyway I don't know if I have helped at all, but know that there are people out there thinking of you.

[eileen]

I don't know what to say to you but you could try the deep breathing relaxation. If it continues you should be seen by a doctor. I'm sorry I can't help you more.
Eileen

[zappelina]

Hi moedaddy, this is a withdrawal problem. It can be either of two of the breathing problems you can get in withdrawal. One is of the panic/anxiety type and the other is problems with oxygen. If it is genuine shortness of breath and not anxiety related, you will notice if you try to walk or run. It can be really troublesome and last for ages but does get slightly better with time. Asthma medication does help a bit if you can tolerate the extra adrenaline which can cause some anxiety until you get used to it. You must of course rule out infections which are common in withdrawal so have it checked by a doctor.

[moedaddy]

Thank you for the responses.
What scares me about this is that I've NEVER experienced this before, even during the first w/d months. If I had it, it was not to this scale. It feels as if my chest is heavy and needs air, even though I'm breathing. I'm at 10.5 months off and this is really scaring me. I was not having anxiety right before the shortness of breath (I was sleeping!) Now I'm having tummy problems and anxiety gets pretty bad at times...like I won't be able to handle it. Please I need more reassurance sorry. Is this normal?

are you taking anything else? new supplements or medications, or another psych drug?

It's so common for symptoms to mutate and new ones to crop up in w/d, even after you are drug-free. This air hunger symptom is very common, but maybe for your own peace of mind you can have it checked out. Every time I went to the ER for this, my oxygen was perfect, even though every breath was a conscious and forced effort. This stinks for sure.

Emmy

[rdjanis]

It was common for my daughter to wake up from sleep in panic during withdrawal, for a very long time. It is 'always' best to have any medical problems ruled out by a doctor.

[Katesmom]

Shortness of breath or a sensation of 'forgetting to breathe' is typical of w/d. You are smack in the middle of one of the typical 'wave' periods for a lot of people. In fact, that was my toughest period after the first four months for me. It is common to have old symptoms come to visit and new ones pop up during these times. They may be a one time visitor type situation or they may come back for the next couple of cycles. The important thing to remember is that it is w/d and it will pass.

[DanielleMB]

I've had this too. On and off for a few months now. I'm not a doctor so I won't diagnose you, but I'd put my bets on that it's just anxiety. I found that it would bother me for a bit and then if I got caught up doing something else I would find that it went away. Don't worry, you'll be OK. This too shall pass.

[csnyder002]

See "Can't do this right now" posts as well. I just posted there and shared my story and advice. And I agree- get checked by your Dr. just to be on the safe side- however, this too shall pass!

[zappelina]

New symptoms can pop up and old ones return from time to time. I haven´t had the involuntary movements for some time but the other day they came back again although not as intense and frequent as they were during the first year. If you´ve had your oxygen level checked and it´s normal and you´re breathing automatically, try not to worry too much, this is probably just a temporary setback.

[Scott]

i don't know what it is but i had the feeling of not being able to get enough air.. especially if i would try to do some light exercise like walking. It's quite scary as you know but it eases up. Plus the fact you're scared of it is causing your body to have an anxiety response to it.. which causes that symptom.

[Johnnny off Paxil]

Originally Posted by moedaddy

Hi,
For most of October (Month 9.5 to 10.5) I've been having problems again. Dizziness, fatigue, a few panic attacks, restlessness, some insomnia, and a few more symptoms. HOWEVER, this new symptom is scaring me a lot: shortness of breath. It just woke me up and I can breathe but I it feels like I can't get all the air I need. It's been going on for the past 15 min. It scares me because it's the first time I have this ever. Is it w/d or can it be something else? Please let me know what I should do; I'm only 25 so I don't know what else it could be. Thanks

Moedadday, is feature of withdrawal i.e. breathlessness, shortness of breath, air hunger, and feelings that you are not getting enough air or more commonly when you are falling asleep and just at that point where you are just about to fall asleep you catch yourself waking up, startled awake because you're breathing as apparently stopped. There is also a peculiar feeling in the chest, also in the nose and in the back the lungs. These symptoms sometimes appear during the taper or later on during withdrawal. For me the episodes are breathlessness or air hunger would even happened during the day to the point that I could not even a walk without having to think about inhaling or exhaling deliberately and consciously, imagine that trying to walk down the street where you have to think about each and every breath, consider how totally insane that is. This episode of breathlessness or air hunger continued on for me for three months solid, I still have it here and there occasionally however because of my meditation and acupuncture practices I have been able to get by these episodes. I have a theory that somehow similar to the gag reflex, the brain in going through this trauma, somehow reacts in a fight or flight manner, whether this has to do with excessive levels of adrenaline or the fluctuations of serotonin I do not know. I do know that the brain is reacting automatically and reflexively to a perceived threat, when there is none. How do you tell this to your idiot GP prescribed to you these drugs in the first place? Do not panic, this is not some weird illness, MS or cardiac failure or lung embolism or diabetes or pheochromocytoma or cancer or AIDS or Lymes disease or cystic fibrosis or myocardial infarction, or all the hundreds of other diseases that you can google or think of. I agree with you that the symptoms are very scary and made me go to the emergency room many many times. They basically came up with nothing. So to sum up, the symptoms of shortness of breath/air hunger/difficulty in breathing/perception of not getting enough air/is all withdrawal. To add more fear to the package if withdrawal does not consider this effective enough to make you fearful, then you will be given other scarier symptoms, like heart attack symptoms like multiple sclerosis symptoms like stroke or embolism symptoms, always are to make you afraid of dying. The way I told my brother about this was the analogy that it was like having someone with a loaded gun pointed at your temple everyday. This is stressful and of course you will not get any acknowledgment whatsoever from any doctor or people in the medical establishment. How long will this last? Well for me it lasted three months and still lingers, it began in March of 2007 became severe by July 2007 and started to abate by September 2007 and continues to linger and pester me, but I have a better understanding or should I say a better intuitive understanding of what I think is happening, which I believe is all part of the healing process. Lastly when we are confronted with issues like this it makes us look at the fear of dying and what this whole package entails, where the fear comes from, is the fear founded on any reality, what is death etc. Hang in there, may I suggest also that you take steps to boost your immune system, I found this in general exercise when I can do it to be the best method of overcoming these symptoms. The worst thing you can do is to sit at home in front of your computer or lie down in bed all day this will not help the healing process whatsoever, so this is best avoided.

Regards, Johnny

[Songbird]

Air hunger can be a symptom of hyperventilation. You could try exhaling all the way out, then pausing for a second before inhaling, try swallowing if it is hard to pause. You could try putting a 1kg bag of rice on your lower belly to encourage the right breathing technique. If it is hyperventilation, these techniques should help.

[Johnnny off Paxil]

Originally Posted by Songbird

Air hunger can be a symptom of hyperventilation. You could try exhaling all the way out, then pausing for a second before inhaling, try swallowing if it is hard to pause. You could try putting a 1kg bag of rice on your lower belly to encourage the right breathing technique. If it is hyperventilation, these techniques should help.

Yes this may be a possibility, but quite frankly I don't think this is what is being described right here..there is a distinction.

Unless you've experienced it. its very difficult to describe..but I assure you its not "hyperventilation"

Good breathing techniques though, I will give that a try
....

Regards, Johnny

[Songbird]

I think you're right, Johnny. Air hunger is a symptom of hyperventilation, but some people describe a heavy chest feeling that seems to be something different. The breathing techniques might not help that one, but they are good for general anxiety.

[Johnnny off Paxil]

Originally Posted by Songbird

I think you're right, Johnny. Air hunger is a symptom of hyperventilation, but some people describe a heavy chest feeling that seems to be something different. The breathing techniques might not help that one, but they are good for general anxiety.

Ahh..I still don't think you understand what I was saying, for instance certain "bacterial infections like Lymes and Bartonella, Babesia " have "air hunger" as a feature, but its NOT hyperventilation..nor is it lower oxygen levels in the blood, it is affecting the aveoli in the lungs and the nerves, giving the "perception" that simply breathing is not giving you enough air..hence ,air hunger.

Hyperventilation is more related to anxiety and panic attacks, ant that type of "air hunger" is VERY different.
I would also add that "air hunger" or where your breathing stops or where you literally have to "think" about inhaling and exhaling WILL CAUSE ANXIETY..this is something idiot doctors don't get...


Regards, Johnny

[moedaddy]

Thank you all for your help. I really really appreciate it. Yes, the feeling is a heavy pressure on my chest, but I think I'm able to get enough oxygen. I tried walking fast for a while and I didn't run out of oxygen, yet my chest felt heavy and I felt like I needed to breathe more because it needed more air (but at the same time I was getting enough air). I hope I'm making sense. Either way, it's very scary.
Before this experience, the only symptom closest to this was that I was feeling a knot on my throat that was just annoying and I thought I was getting sick or something.
I have a trip next week to Austin, TX, and now with what just happened I'm freaking out about the trip. I got anxiety, panic, SOB, bowel problems, fatigue, lack of concentration... I don't know if I'll be able to handle going to the airport and being in crowded and noisy places. It's for work and it will look very bad if I don't go : ( Do you think I can make it to the trip?

[Johnnny off Paxil]

Originally Posted by moedaddy

Thank you all for your help. I really really appreciate it. Yes, the feeling is a heavy pressure on my chest, but I think I'm able to get enough oxygen. I tried walking fast for a while and I didn't run out of oxygen, yet my chest felt heavy and I felt like I needed to breathe more because it needed more air (but at the same time I was getting enough air). I hope I'm making sense. Either way, it's very scary.
Before this experience, the only symptom closest to this was that I was feeling a knot on my throat that was just annoying and I thought I was getting sick or something.
I have a trip next week to Austin, TX, and now with what just happened I'm freaking out about the trip. I got anxiety, panic, SOB, bowel problems, fatigue, lack of concentration... I don't know if I'll be able to handle going to the airport and being in crowded and noisy places. It's for work and it will look very bad if I don't go : ( Do you think I can make it to the trip?

Thats what I thought it was........ your going to have to play it by ear..one day at a time.

Oh your signature says your Paxil free..and then the next sentence you say a drop from 10 to 9.5...so your still on Paxil or all your dates wrong??? whats up, confusing?????

Regards, Johnny

[TryingtoGetWell]

Johnny, I think Moedaddy is referring to nine and a half months to ten and a half months off paxil, not to a drop in dosage. Do I have it right, Moedaddy?

Moedaddy, my memory of that first hellish year or so is still pretty much a blur (I have notes somewhere, but they're not always too coherent!), but I do remember that for much of that first year - and not the early months! - I had a huge problem with chest pressure. Much of that time I had to use the kind of "chair" pillow that people use for reading in bed, to sleep in. I couldn't like down flat, or even with a couple of plump pillow, without the chest pressure being unbearable. Had to sleep virtually sitting up.

But I agree with Rita and others, that you should get checked out just to make sure it isn't something else. I really doubt it is, but better to have it evaluated properly. They'll probably tell you it's just anxiety and try to give you meds for that, but you don't have to take anything psychotropic; at least you'll have the peace of mind of knowing there's nothing wrong besides w/d.

By the way, severe as my chest pressure was (and I think that was the case at about the same point in w/d you're at now), I haven't had any chest pressure for quite some time. It does go away.

[moedaddy]

Sorry for the confusion. I am paxil free, and the 9.5 to 10.5 refer to months off. I have been paxil free all that time and that's why I'm scared of this new symptom and that I may develop something permanent.

[moedaddy]

I also just finished talking to my girlfriend and family. My girlfriend needs lots of attention and right now I can barely concentrate with my own things. She understands though, but still...I feel like a bad boyfriend : ( My family...after all the explaining...they still don't understand...and that is making me very angry and frustrated. They are my support and so I feel so torn when it gets very hard. I'm glad I found PP, even if it was after I was done weaning badly.

[moedaddy]

Sorry for all the questions, but Should I wait until I get the next SOB to go get checked as I'm experiencing it? Or should I just go to the doctor first thing in the morning even if I don't have SOB?

[Johnnny off Paxil]

Originally Posted by moedaddy

Sorry for all the questions, but Should I wait until I get the next SOB to go get checked as I'm experiencing it? Or should I just go to the doctor first thing in the morning even if I don't have SOB?

OK whats happening to you makes sense, let me tell my theories and what I am doing. Firstly I am going to see a Respirologist to make 100% sure there is no long standing infecting or damage to the lungs. You may want to do the same.

Secondly I believe what and why this happens is what I call a "gag reflex" from the brain and nervous system trying to recover.
Two things I believe are happening.
1) there is an histamine reaction happening due to excessive levels of adrenaline
2) the parasympathetic and sympathetic neuroreceptors are going through some reprogramming and are in essence recovering from a "serotonin trauma"..the nerves that regulate the autonomic nerves are somehow go into "seizures"..these events "spawn" the breathing issues, you will notice that the breathing issues "vary" according to the time of day.
For me as I said before this became so pronounced, when I was walking or doing any exercise I had to "think" about each . inhale and each exhale..imagine that kind of madness???

You will notice that if you inhale and exhale, the lungs are actually functioning properly, also if you go to the hospital, you will see that the "blood oxygen levels" will be fine as well. I believe that also all the "lung tests" if you take them will turn up negative.
I am sorry this "topic " is not brought up more often here on the forum or that people who have experienced this have been dismissed because of their "short term exposure" to SSRI's and therefor do not qualify. The fact remains, long or short term exposure, these things happen, they are scary and traumatic and a better approach would be simply try to help people "navigate" through this rather than argue whether they"qualify: or not.

Lastly I have found that the "breathing issues" would happen when I would just start to fall asleep and then persist for about 2 to 3 hrs, then somehow I would "get through" the episode, don't ask me how..my body would simply give me the "signal" and I would" know" that things would be ok.
For 3 months it was pure hell, I though I not live another day..but so far I am still here, so things do resolve themselves.
As I said before, doing things to help boost your immune system will help greatly in this regard, including some exercise..when you can bear it.

Regards, Johnny