air hunger/shortness of breath

[Tammie]

have had this symptom for awhile, but lately it is getting much worse - almost feels like I am trying to breathe carbon monoxide instead of oxygen

anyway, just wondering if anyone has any good ways of dealing with this.....I have tried laying down and relaxing, and I have an air purifier in my apt....not sure what else to do

 

[Jody]

Tammie,

For whatever reason, I find I have less of this symptom when I'm taking Vit. D3. I take 8,000 IUs a day. When I don't have them for awhile, I get this symptom you're talking about. Back on D3 for a few days and it recedes.

Taking breaks, lying down and resting, for say 20 min. every 2 hrs or so, will over a bit of time make a difference as well.

Being aware of your breathing -- many of us tend to breathe shallow and sometimes unconsciously may hold our breath off and on, like we forget to breathe -- and breathing deeper and slower, can help.

Getting off your feet can help. This symptoms sometimes serves as a headsup that I need to take a load off.

I don't know that it's related to OI (orthostatic intolerance) but at least in my case, it seems like it might be. If so, drinking lots of water, maybe increasing salt intake can help with low blood volume which can lead to some scary symptoms.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Hi Tammie--

I had this symptom very badly last spring, during pollen season. So I know how annoying it can be. I usually don't have it consistently, but because my adrenals were particularly wiped out, it was a LOT more extreme.

What helped me were the following things:

1) doing yoga breathing exercises 2-3 x/day--with this EXCELLENT Rodney Yee DVD http://www.gaiam.com/product/id/1026714.do?SID=WG098SPRTAPEMACS&GCID=C18376x014&keyword='05-53295

2) breathing oxygen from a tank, when it got really bad

3) taking Hydrogen Boost by Source Naturals--I did fairly LARGE doses initially for several days

4) Ashwaghanda and Schizandra Adrenal Complex (to support adrenals)

5) getting acupuncture treatments once a week--the most effective and expensive of all

I hope there's something there that might be useful to you. Good luck.

 

[Tammie]

Tammie,

For whatever reason, I find I have less of this symptom when I'm taking Vit. D3. I take 8,000 IUs a day. When I don't have them for awhile, I get this symptom you're talking about. Back on D3 for a few days and it recedes.

Taking breaks, lying down and resting, for say 20 min. every 2 hrs or so, will over a bit of time make a difference as well.

Being aware of your breathing -- many of us tend to breathe shallow and sometimes unconsciously may hold our breath off and on, like we forget to breathe -- and breathing deeper and slower, can help.

Getting off your feet can help. This symptoms sometimes serves as a headsup that I need to take a load off.

I don't know that it's related to OI (orthostatic intolerance) but at least in my case, it seems like it might be. If so, drinking lots of water, maybe increasing salt intake can help with low blood volume which can lead to some scary symptoms.

Thanks for answering, Jody. Vitamin D is about the only thing that is actually at an optimal level in my body....and I was only able to get it to that point by tanning and taking D3, too.

I do know what you mean about not breathing deeply enough, though. I know that is sometimes a problem of mine....and I am the same with taking breaks - if I overdo it (which may mean just being upright too long), I find myself breathing like I just finished exercising....usually if I lie down that gets better.

I am almost 99% sure I do have OI, so your thoughts about that are on target, too. I drink all the time, though, and never seem to have enough fluid in me. I can literally drink two 16oz bottles of water and still feel thirsty. Lately my blood pressure has been high, though (despite having nearly perfect 112/72 all the time until the last couple of yrs)....so I am a bit reluctant to take in too much salt.... I do not restrict salt intake (bc my levels tend to be on the low side), but I'm not sure if increasing salt would be smart at this point.

Anyway, sorry if it sounds like I just shot down all your suggestions......like i said, I do think that some of your ideas as to cause are probably accurate....just not sure what else I can do about them since I am pretty much already doing what I can

 

[Tammie]

Hi Tammie--

I had this symptom very badly last spring, during pollen season. So I know how annoying it can be. I usually don't have it consistently, but because my adrenals were particularly wiped out, it was a LOT more extreme.

What helped me were the following things:

1) doing yoga breathing exercises 2-3 x/day--with this EXCELLENT Rodney Yee DVD http://www.gaiam.com/product/id/1026714.do?SID=WG098SPRTAPEMACS&GCID=C18376x014&keyword='05-53295

2) breathing oxygen from a tank, when it got really bad

3) taking Hydrogen Boost by Source Naturals--I did fairly LARGE doses initially for several days

4) Ashwaghanda and Schizandra Adrenal Complex (to support adrenals)

5) getting acupuncture treatments once a week--the most effective and expensive of all

I hope there's something there that might be useful to you. Good luck.

I wrote a reply and lost it....bummer....anyway, I have treid breathing exercises and I do support my adrenals.....I would be willing to try acupunture even though I hate needles, but unfortunately I cannot afford it......from quickly looking at the info on hydrogen, it seems interesting - not quite sure how it would help with breathing, but does look like it coudl be very good oevrall for CFS....as to the oxygen, the only time I have had this was in the ER and it did seem to help...how did you go abotu getting it for home use? did you have to go thru a bunch of tests and if so which ones? and after being on it, did they have to do an arterial blood gas to check if you were getting the rt amt? I am normally not a wimp about pain at all (have gone on long runs, pre CFS on a broken foot, with broken toes, and with all sorts of other injuries that even the doc was astounded I could handle), but I was in MAJOR pain the one time I had a blood gas taken - I really, really dread ever having to have another one of those.....I would do almsot any other test before going thru that again (unless the person giving it was just messing up or somethign - she did try it and get nowhere, then gave me a break adn came back and tried it again, so that could have something to do with why it was so horribly agonizing)

 

[Tammie]

Ok, something new and really bazaar to add to the breathing issues....last night I woke up and it felt like the involuntary action of breathing had become voluntary (& extremely difficult).....I know this sounds nuts, but it was seriously like my body was refusing to breathe unless I told it to and even then I had to really struggle to get my lungs to take the air in and to let it back out - and I could only manage that when lying on my back (which is really uncomfortable for me, but on my side it felt like I was suffocating & I was too tired to sit or stand)....this is not sleep apnea or anything that I have heard about before....was unbelievably scary, though.....got up and used my inhaler and took Bendryl (thinking it could be an allergic reaction and even if not, the benedryl could help with the panic I was starting to experience - note that the panic came AFTER the breathing problems started - this was not a panic attack- I am fortunate not to have those, but my counseling degree did teach me what they are like, so I would recognize one)....I tried to distract myself by reading, thinking that focusing on it was making it worse and if I wasn't paying attention, breathing would become automatic again....it didn't work....went on for a few hrs before finally subsiding enough I was able to go back to sleep.....seriously it almost felt like my lungs were just too exhausted to work rt

 

[Min]

I had this until I was diagnosed as having cryptostrongylus pulmoni (microscopic lung worms) by live blood microscopy. I was also diagnosed with borreliosis and micro-cocci on the red blood cells.

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=1215&t=CFIDS_FM

The breathlessness stopped after I had a course of Ivermectin for the worms.

 

[Wayne]

Air Hunger - MMS

have had this symptom for awhile, but lately it is getting much worse - almost feels like I am trying to breathe carbon monoxide instead of oxygen

Hi Tammie,

I began experimenting with MMS almost two years ago and found (unexpectedly) that it helped with my sometimes serious episodes of air hunger. I've heard that air hunger can result from one of the Lyme bacteria (can't remember which one). I suspect that the MMS was lowering the level of the offending bacteria and gave me some good results.

Wayne

 

[susan]

Wayne,
How many drops did you get up to. Tried it last year but made me nauseous too much. Trying again now and only on 2.

 

[Wayne]

MMS Dosage

Wayne,
How many drops did you get up to. Tried it last year but made me nauseous too much. Trying again now and only on 2.

Hi Susan,

I started out at one drop and found it to be way too much. I then backed off until I found an initial maintenance dose of 1/3 drop every other day. I eventually started to do this amount every day, then gradually moved up over several weeks until I reached one drop per day.

Over the next several weeks and months, I eventually moved up (very gradually) to as much as 6 drops/day. I then went on an extended trip and couldn't keep up with it. I also decided it might be a good experiment to stop for a while and then restart to getter a better take on how it was affecting me.

As soon as I started back up, I started feeling better (somewhat). I'm back up to 3-4 drops per day and am finding it to be a good maintenance dosage for me. I do think that at some point (perhaps this year), I might experiment further with higher dosages. If I do, I will likely go very slowly and carefully.

Good luck with your own MMS experimentation. I think the key is to respect what a strong therapy it can be, and not overwhelm our bodies. Especially important for us with some fairly fragile bodies.

Best, Wayne

 

[xlynx]

I began experimenting with MMS almost two years ago and found (unexpectedly) that it helped with my sometimes serious episodes of air hunger. I've heard that air hunger can result from one of the Lyme bacteria (can't remember which one). I suspect that the MMS was lowering the level of the offending bacteria and gave me some good results.
Wayne

Hi Wayne what is MMS

 

[klutzo]

I have Lyme as well as CFS and FMS. The Lyme Disease coinfection called Babesia is a major cause of this air hunger problem. The symptoms of Lyme and CFS are very much the same, so being properly tested for Lyme and it's most common coinfections would be a good idea (Babesia, Erhlicia and Bartonella). If you have Babesia and don't treat it, you will never get well, as it is very serious. It is treated with anti-malarial drugs.

I also think dysautonomia can have something to do with this in some cases. I have noticed that I often involuntarily stop breathing for quite a few seconds before a panic attack hits, and I think this is a trigger for me. I have had panic attacks ever since I developed a Mitral Valve Prolapse in the 2nd yr. of illness. I have hypopnea all the time, common in FMS. it is very shallow breathing and just as serious as apnea. You can easily be tested for this with a small deck of cards sized oxygen unit you can wear for 24 hrs. You would also have a clip over one fingertip for the test.

Mixing barbituates with other CNS depressants is also a cause of this. I don't know if you are taking narcotics, but if you are and are also taking muscle relaxants, anti-anxiolytics, or alpha-blockers, among others, that could certainly be at fault. I took just 1/2 dose of Klonopin once and almost stopped breathing, due to my being on Darvocet at that time. My respirations dropped to 2 per minute and I had to pace the floors for 8 hours, telling myself to breathe over and over to stay awake and conscious until it wore off. It was awful, so I empathize with you and hope you get to the bottom of it.

klutzo

 

[Denn]

Dear Tammie--

Try a table fan. The feeling of the rushing cool air against my face seems to facilitate my breathing when it is restricted.

Denn

 

[Victoria]

Tammie,

sorry to be a grouch, but could you please break your posts up into smaller paragraphs for me. Had eye trouble for the last few months & am having a wee problem reading.

thanks (& looking forward to birthday time next week - remember we're both born on the same day).

 

[Hysterical Woman]

Tammie/Victoria

Tammie,

sorry to be a grouch, but could you please break your posts up into smaller paragraphs for me. Had eye trouble for the last few months & am having a wee problem reading.

thanks (& looking forward to birthday time next week - remember we're both born on the same day).

Tammie,

It would make it slightly easier to read if it is possible for you.

Victoria,

Love your new avatar!

I am looking forward to your birthdays too - love celebrating with everyone. Are your names on the calendar?

Take care,

Maxine

 

[citybug]

I get air hunger a lot when doing too much. My doctor said she thought it was from the diaphragm not relaxing. This made sense to me with my lack of atp and magnesium.
I can feel myself breathing shallowly even lying down, and feel like I'm not breathing standing up. Myhill talks about hyperventilating. If your breathing is shallow, there is not enough carbon dioxide for exchange, so I try to do a few breaths with 7 count in, 7 count hold, 7 count out, 7 count hold (can't do that long these days) or Dr Cheney's breathing with hands over face and mouth for 60 seconds every 20 minutes for an hour. Also rest, what ever do for crash.
Will check out the pulmoni worms too. So far babesia etc negative.
I also wonder what MMS is.

 

[Wayne]

I also wonder what MMS is.

Hi KDP,

MMS is short for Miracle Mineral Supplement (I hate the name). In short, it's a chlorine dioxide compound that is being used by many people to treat all sorts of conditions, primarily pathogenic conditions. I just made a fairly lengthy post recently about my own experiences with MMS.

If you check this out and would like more information, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Regards, Wayne

 

[Tammie]

Sorry I have been delinquent in replying to all the responses here....been crashing and sick.

Also, sorry about not breaking up my posts enough - I totally understand bc I have the same problem seeing what I am trying to read when there are too many words too close together. I think that I am more used to writing on another different board, and the way that posts appear on there is different, thus I can better tell how it is going to look while I am writing (on here I can't really tell until I have already posted). I will try to improve on here, though.

I do not have the energy rt now to reply to each response, but i wanted to thank you all for writing and to let you know that I read your responses and appreciate them.

Oh, and the breathing issue is not due to meds - I barely ever take any bc I react very badly to most....and it is not a panic attack - I don't start to feel any sense of panic at all until AFTER I am already having a really hard time getting enough air. I do know that those things can cause breathing issue, though, so they were certainly worth suggesting.

 

[Tammie]

Tammie,

sorry to be a grouch, but could you please break your posts up into smaller paragraphs for me. Had eye trouble for the last few months & am having a wee problem reading.

thanks (& looking forward to birthday time next week - remember we're both born on the same day).

ugh - I share a b-day with a grouch! ; ) yes I am totally kidding.....it's fun to have a b-day buddy, and I don't thik you are a grouch

 

[Tammie]

I am looking forward to your birthdays too - love celebrating with everyone. Are your names on the calendar?

Take care,

Maxine

I don't know if they are on the calendar (still learning stuff about this site) - I just know that i added mine to the b-day thread and Victoria mentioend on there that we share a b-day