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Why do I get short of breath so easily?
I usually notice it when I'm just lying down to go to bed. As I lay there, my heart rate increases and I have a hard time catching my breath as if I've just run a short distance, but all I've done is walked to my bed and gotten under the covers. I'm 5' 10' 170 lbs, so a little overweight, but not too bad. When I come back from a walk, It often takes me several minutes before I completely catch my breath, and my heart rate is quite high. This isn't a new thing but something that's been going on for as long as I can remember, it's just never caused enough of a problem to have it checked out.
I had an EKG done about two years ago, and they found no abnormalities, although I wasn't having it tested for this problem, but to see if I had any reactions to a drug that I was on at the time. I seem to have this problem regardless of what medications I'm taking.
About 10 years ago, I had to take a physical exam for a job that I had gotten. Part of that included a lung capacity test, which I had to take twice, and just barely passed on the second try. I very rarely drink, I've never smoked tobacco, and I haven't smoked cannabis on a regular basis in about 12-13 years. (I still smoke pot once every few months or so if a friend has some, but never more that one hit.)
I'm sure I should probably see my doctor about this but I was wondering what could be causing this so that I have a little bit to go on before seeing her.
@Parakeet- I think you may be on to something about the anxiety. I do have an anxiety disorder that I'm currently taking medication for. Although, even with the medication, I still experience the breathlessness. I have a psychiatry appointment next month, I will bring this issue up with her, before I see my GP.
In regards to the pot smoking, one of the reasons that I stopped smoking on a regular basis, is because It was actually making my anxiety worse. Everyone kept telling me it would help me relax, but it always seemed to have the opposite effect on me. When I say that I do it rarely, I'm kind of over estimating. I've not done it for years at a time, and I still have these breathing problems. The last time I smoked, was several months ago, perhaps even close to a year, so it's not something that's a problem for me. But given what you said, I could easily cut it out all together.
2 Answers
- ?Lv 59 years agoFavorite Answer
Well, first of all,the fact that the EKG was normal is great news - it means that your heart has never been damaged, so whatever is causing your cardiac problems is not a damaged heart.
Your symptoms - high heart rate, breathlessness - sound very like anxiety to me. You don't have to feel nervous to have anxiety symptoms - your body can 'store' anxiety and react in a panic, even when you yourself feel calm. Exercise can bring it on as it 'over-stimulates' what is already a highly-alert central nervous system, making you breathless, heart race etc.
Have you ever talked to your doctor about anxiety, or been treated for it? Cannabis smoking is once of the most common causes of anxiety problems and panic attacks, so I'd quit even occasional use.
As for the lung function test........ if you've never smoked, you couldn't really have damaged them, other than through very rare things like asbestos exposure. If you passed the test (even "only just") it probably means they're fine.
Finally, fast heart rate and so on can be a symptom of a food allergy - wheat / gluten is the most common, so you could try cutting all wheat and gluten containing products out of your diet and see if that helps.
Best of luck.
EDIT: Sometimes anxiety meds really don't tackle the underlying problem - they just mask (some of) the symptoms. I'm not a doctor, but I always advise people never to take meds for depression or anxiety, as usually there is some lifestyle change that can eliminate the problem more efficiently and naturally. Meds have nasty side effects too....
With anxiety, the causes are usually drugs or alcohol (both of which you've stopped / never started) or, as I mentioned earlier, diet. Almost 100% of people with anxiety problems have some dietary issue they're unaware of. I'm attaching for you a book I just read about Paleolithic nutrition - the author suffered appalling anxiety until changing his diet; now he has none. It really might help you!
- Anonymous9 years ago
I'm about 5'3" 100lbs with the same problem, I went to the doctor and they gave me a lung capacity metre, an inhaler and a chart, I haven't completed the chart yet but you should go to your doctor as it could be asthma or something worse, the same as it could be with me.
So it's either that or you could have a problem with your throat, I don't think you're overweight enough to be at much risk of sleep apnea but you don't have to be overweight to have it, it could be an extended pallet or genetics causing it.
Either way, go see your doctor soon.