Do you ever feel like you can't breathe from focusing so much on your breaths?
459792
Yes, that happens to me sometimes and it's so annoying, or I'll focus on my heartbeats and then I get palpitations.  I think it's a pretty normal reaction because those functions are controlled by the unconscious part of your brain, and when you focus on them your conscious brain is trying to take over.  Don't sweat it!
104434
Asthma narrows the airways making it difficult to take a deep breath and/or breathing out normally. One of the most difficult things for me, a non asthmatic, is to try to explain to someone who is asthmatic how to breath.  I am sorry if what I suggest makes no sense.   You need to work with a rhythm when you breath, especially when you are in crisis or coming out of a crisis....do not yet worry about deep breaths, just take it slow and easy...slow in and slow out.  Think of something you find comforting...like the QUIET ocean wave....in....and out....When you use your nebulizer....do NOT wory about breathing deep, this will happen more naturally as the medicine begins to open the bronchioles...forcing a deep breath may have the opposite effect.  When a person has an asthma crisis, the truth is the harder the work, the less effective the breaths...so...Take your nebs and your Advair and practice slow easy breathing...slow in and slow out. It is almost like meditating and focusing only on your breathing rhythm. If your breathing does not improve,or it gets worse at anytime.. you may need an IV dose of Solumedrol...a stronger steroid, or IV Epi.  Keep in contact with your physician and head to the ER if your physician is not available.  Also, this anwer is really not mine.  I have a friend whom I work with who has been an asthmatic since she was 4 years old (she is in her 30s now).  When I need to know what my asthmatic patient might be going through, I go to her and ask.  She is married and has a son just over a year old and it is important to her to do her best to manage her asthma for her sake and her son's.  She said, the first thing she has to do when a crisis begins is not to panic for her next breath...which is what she or her body/mind wants to do.  She also gets to the ER quickly if she finds she can't manage her oncoming attack.....Meditating and focusing on her breathing is one aspect of her own coping mechanisms.
763041
are you able to notice your breaths for a minute without having a single thought?
151947
Breathing exercises and breathing meditations have been important ways in helping me cope with stress.  When I wasn't doing some sort of breathing exercise, I noticed how sensitive I was to any kind of stress.\n\nAwareness of breath is essential for developing control of the mind and body. When the mind has feelings of anxiety, negativity, loneliness, and unworthiness breathing is shallow and fast, and the body responds with an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and fear hormones. But when the breath is deep and slow, the body relaxes and the mind quiets the noisy churning and comes to rest.\n\nI had chemotherapy and radiation in 2001 for non-Hodgkins' lymphoma and realized how crucial it was for the mind to be calm and proactive in my responses to the effects of the treatments on my body.\n\nI became paraplegic because my body was vulnerable from the radiation treatment.  The necrosis to the thoracic area of my spinal cord was triggered by stress from living in Washington DC, and from living less than 10 minutes from the Pentagon.  Imagine how hard it was to breathe when you felt the impact of a plane hit the Pentagon building.\n\nI can't stress enough what doing breathing exercises and meditation have done to help me recover from the treatment, cope with physical therapy for a spinal cord injury and move across the country within a 6 month period by myself.\n\nIt's only when you have experiences like that do you realize how important it is to BREATHE.
878949
Hi there,\nMy name is Alison, 21 (22 this Thursday) and have been suffering with Panic disorder/agoraphobia/health anxiety/OCD for four years and have had my fair share of panic attacks!\n\nYou've probably heard about the paper bag technique, breathing in and out slowly until the attack has subsided, I find breathing into my hands as useful too. The idea behind this is that  when you panic you overbreatheas you take in way too much oxygen and your carbon dioxide levels decrease rapidly, casuing you to feel faint, dizzy, insane etc. The idea is to regualte the your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels agin.\n\nWhen you breath into your paper bag it is important that you breath out slowly, so that your carbon dioxide levels increase. Breathe evenly and try not to hyperventilate too much.\n\nThe way you think can make your panic attack worse too. My therapist gave me some information that says that it only takes three minutes for your body to recover from the effects of panic, but when we think wrongly and catastrophise the cycle of panic is allowed to continue needlessley.\n\nDr Claire Weeks advises in her book 'Essential help for your nerves' that overcome you panic attacks and anxiety you have to accept you symptoms and don't add any secondary fear. By that I mean, when your attack first strikes, (primary fear) don't keep adding the classic 'not again!', 'what if' and 'i'm going to die'  thoughts, (secondary fear) and instead think, 'Ok this is a panic attack, i'm going to take control and allow this to pass.' Actually let your body do it's worse to you, don't tense up and think the worst, just tell yourself that the moment will pass.\n\nAccording to Weekes the key to overcomming anxiety is acceptance.\nShe advocates a four step programme to overcomming panic:\n\n1.FACING: When faced with a situation you feel uncomfortable with don't run away, stick with it!\n\n2.ACCEPT: Accept that you feel panicky, by telling yourself you don't want to feel this you makes yourself more tense. Accept all of your symptoms, let your panic 'do it's worse'.\n\n3.FLOAT: Rise above the situation. No matter how bad it gets, tell youself that your going to get through this. Carry on with what you are doing.\n\n4.LET TIME PASS: Of course you want your panic attack to go away immediately, but you can't rush it. If it takes a couple of hours for calm to return again, then that's the way it has to be. Just tell yourself you are going to gain control and get better. \n\nThis technique does take practice, but it does work. I was terrified of choking and so ate alone, since beginning thearpy, and using this technique, I've begun to eat downstairs again. Even when I feel panicky and tight chested, I never run away, I take my time to eat my meal and allow panic to be overcome by confidence.\n\nI've gone on for too long I hope it helps. The Claire Weeke's book is brilliant. Maybe you should get a copy.
518949
maybe "Still Breathing"
891112
Yes, once on a hot day I was laying inside watching T.V. I ran outside to water my horse and just as a got to the trough I felt as though I would pass out. I think it was just the change from A.C. to a hot 98 degree day. I had shortness of breath and felt lite headed.
260502
I get panic attacks too. You feel like you are going to pass out and your heart rate goes thru the roof.. right?\n\nHave to talked to your doctor about medication? Maybe they can perscribe something to help you. \n\nWhen I know I'm having a panic attack, I call my father and he talks me thru it. It's all in your head. Worrying about them can bring them on. You have to de stress yourself. And when you have them, call SOMEBODY and just talk, not about your panic attack, just about anything. If your parents know you get them and you are close with them, call them and expalin what is going on and why you are calling. Freaking out about them whil you are having one will make it worse. I'm saying to call (or talk) to someone because it takes your mind off of it while it's happening. While you are talking, lay down. It will go away sooner than it normally takes and it's not as scary. And remember, control your breathing while you are having one. That will slow the heart rate back to normal. In thru the nose, out thru the mouth. You CAN control it (panic attacks).\n\nHope I helped.
284124
Because when you are distracted, you will breath involuntarily. We can get a more accurate breathing ratio when you are breathing involuntarily.
498377
You have tired out and possibly sprained your diaphragm, the muscle below your rib cage which expands and contracts your lungs.  This is similar to the shortness of breath people have when the "wind is knocked out of them."\n\nI don't think you can get rid of the groggy feeling you get when you dive a lot.
671092
I take several deep breaths with positive thoughts attached to them.  If I am having a really bad day, I will take a few minutes to breathe and think "It's ok.  Things happen which I cannot control."  If I am having a normal day, I will try to remember to look at things or experience things that make me happy.
877599
Sounds like panic attack to me.  Same thing happened to me.  Brought on by stress although I didn't feel stressed.  I fyou don't deal with stress properly or productively, then your body will in its own way
927142
Are you talking about panic attacks?
931436
You have to pace yourself and practice. You have to regulate your breathing too, if you concentrate on your breathing rhythm, you won't focus on the pain.
1150422
I think you have inhaled a little too much.
872152
Try breathing exercises.  Concentrate on breathing in to the count of three, holding for the count of three, out for three and hold for three.  Take slow deep breaths and concentrate on the entire breath.  This works for me and I have the same problem.
900947
Wow I have been to the point where I was on a vent also.  I have to admit I don't take care of my asthma the way I should.  I should take advair and I don't.  I give you all the credit in the world for keeping up with your medicine.  I do know how you feel, no one knows how much stress and anxiety you go though when you can't breath if they don't have respiratory problems.  \n\nI don't know if you live in a large populated area, but do you think it may be your environment??? Might be too much pollution around you.  Also keep a journal of what caused your attacks, write down what you were doing and where.  Keep track of the time of day, what you were doing and maybe you can find a trend  and avoid the situation in the future.  \n\nBy all means if you are depressed over your asthma contact a counselor or your doctor.  If you are stressed that can bring on another attack.  \n\nI too try to keep my sense of humor.  Both of us are here to stay and it will take more than a bad lung or two to keep us down....lol\n\nGood luck!