Such a stupid symptom but GP won't take me seriosuly

[Janefromdowntheroad]

I've had this for about a year now. Excessive yawning

Without exageration I'd say I yawn upwards of 100 times a day. Sometimes 4-5 times a minute. Starts from when I get up until I go to bed. The more I yawn, the more I need to yawn. If I force myself not to yawn I feel hot and uncomfortable. Also get what feels like a tightness in my head and then a headache.

I've been to the GP and she just looked at me like . I don't think I got across how much of a pain it is. People comment on it all the time! It's really anti social to be yawning all the time. GP seemed to think it wasn't a problem.

I take Sertraline 50mg a day. GP doesn't think that could be causing it as I've been taking it for five years.

Any ideas?!

[RubyandAlexplayingfetch]

It could be the sertraline.
I'd see a different GP for a second opinion.
Are you sleeping well? Do you have sleep apnea?

[annandale]

I would certainly ask for a second opinion and a plan - e.g. if you try something and nothing changes, there is a deadline for another think.

Thyroid function test? ECG?

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Thanks.

I get the feeling GP thinks well what do you want me to do about yawning?!

Could be the sertraline, it is listed in the side effects. GP said it's very rare though so probably not that.

I'm so exhausted by it.

[BitchAdministrator]

Asthma flare up?

[TinyGoldfish]

Is it definitely a yawn yawn or just the action of a yawn (stretching your mouth)? The latter could not be a yawn at all but a tic.

[PamDooveOrangeJoof]

Yes I was going to suggest a tic.
Poss side effects from your meds?

[Janefromdowntheroad]

No it's a yawn yawn! Constant needing to yawn if I force myself not too.

Asthma? Hmm never had it? Is yawning a symptom?

[drinkyourmilk]

Asthma is my first thought. Do you wake up regularly throughout the night?

[Titsywoo]

Don't you yawn to get more air in? So possibly a breathing issue.

[PamDooveOrangeJoof]

Yes yawning is listed as side effect
Common side effects (occurs in between 1 and 10 out of 100 patients):

Sore throat, anorexia, increased appetite,
depression, feeling strange, nightmare, anxiety, agitation, nervousness, decreased sexual interest, teeth grinding,
numbness and tingling, shaking, muscle tense, abnormal taste, lack of attention,
visual disturbance, ringing in ears,
palpitations, hot flush, yawning,

[drinkyourmilk]

Yes, excessive yawning is a symptom. When I'm yawning too much I know I need my reliever

[Janefromdowntheroad]

It does feel like yawning is the only way to get a satisfying breath in.

I wondered if stress - tight muscles- under breathing could be the problem?

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

I get this too! Sometimes a hundred times in a couple of hours. It feels like I never quite get a proper breath until I finally get a really good yawn in.

I think it might be chronic hyperventilation syndrome, particularly because when I do try to do proper breathing exercises (diaphragm breathing), it makes me even more 'air hungry', which suggests I've got used to the wonky balance of oxygen and CO2. It's supposed to go away if you keep doing the exercises, but I've never got that far.

I think my breathing has gradually got better though with work. It doesn't happen as often now, though I do still get flare ups.

I tried mentioning it to the GP but didn't get taken very seriously.

There are physios that apparently help, but it's the same sort of thing, diaphragm breathing exercises. I just can't seem to get it transferred to my daily life.

[isthatmytshirt]

I'm completely unmedical, so could be talking total rubbish, but maybe ask about ear related things too? I yawn loads after flying if I get that unpopped ear sensation. Totally involuntary, and can almost become a habit I can't control, as it continues for some time after my ears have resolved. Never had it for as long as you're talking about though, so could be totally different.

See another GP though, it doesn't sound right!

[Janefromdowntheroad]

I've been tested for asthma before relating to shortness of breath. Was a few years ago. Two weeks on brown inhaler and the spirometer number was exactly the same. GP said not asthma. Another GP thought Costochondritis as I get mid chest pain. I think that is muscular though and from holding a baby breastfeeding kind of scrunched up?!

[olafforthewin]

I take citalopram and one of the side effects is yawning. I yawn constantly. Gets quite annoying. Told the doctor and he seemed really pleased that it was actually listed as a side effect and I had it!! Made a note on my record and that was it. I don't yawn when I'm not taking the citalopram. But within a day or two of starting taking them again I'm yawning

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Chronic hyperventilation is on my list of possibilities!

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

Are you particularly stressed at the moment? I only ask because this happened to me in my late teens, for about a week I think. I was in an unfamiliar place with a lot of new things to process but feeling under pressure to be cool about everything (whilst simyultaneoysly feeling like the least cool person on the planet).
I suppressed yawns literally every few minutes and felt mortified, exhausted and miserable. It did go away, not sure if teenage me woyld have seen a doctor if it hadn't as too embarrassed, and my mum wouldn't have got involved.
Sorry, not helpful as to cause, but it did stop if that's any consolation.

[TheoriginalLEM]

i am on a similar med and am always yawning. its a bloody pain.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

Wow simultaneously I mean!

[TheoriginalLEM]

strangely enough yawning in dogs is actually an expression of anxiety trather than tiredness

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Sorry you all have it too but glad it's not just me!

Yes vaguely stressed, 4 DC yadda yadda yadda!

[Janefromdowntheroad]

From reading though it doesn't seem like yawning is actually linked to low oxygen. Linked to body temperature now I think?

[PacificDogwod]

Likely subtle chronic hyperventilation with air hunger.

Try 7/11 breathing.

If you want to figure out whether it is the Sertraline or not, you'd have to wean off it and stop. I don't know whether that would be something you'd be keen to do.

[QOD]

Download a free app called snore lab
Let it record you tonight and see if you are stop.starting breathing