Any doctors or nurses (or anyone else!) about?

[Ainteasybeingwheezy]

is there a way to differentiate between genuine breathing problems and breathing problems from anxiety?

(I’ve posted before seeking general advice about this in the past but it’s got worse tonight )

basically, my hayfever has got a bit worse tonight. Just to clarify, I can still breath and I’m not sitting here struggling! I’m absolutely fine, It just feels a bit harder work than normal to breath properly IYSWIM. If I breath normally without putting in effort I can still breath but it feels like it’s not very good breaths (not sure if shallow is the best word for it) and my heart starts pounding a bit with it as if I’m holding my breath but I’m not I’m just breathing normally. If I put my shoulders forward and open my mouth wide and try and get a really good deep breath, it feels a lot better to breathe and my heart doesn’t start pounding, even though I’m having to work a bit harder it’s just better breathing IYSWIM.

im not sure if this is

1. just a hay fever flare up (I have been prescribed a blue inhaler for when my hayfever makes me wheezy and it’s helping)
2. maybe just from dust annoying my body? I was working in a really dusty environment today and was out in the dry coldness for a long time too
3. Anxiety- I’m not usually a particularly anxious person, but obviously panic can cause breathing changes and im wondering if maybe im just worrying without even realising it and it’s causing it
4. maybe I’ve got a cold or winter bug starting? I’ve got a bit of a cough starting today -not a phlegm cough, more like a chest vibrating one (hope that makes sense lol) and I just finished some steroid pills so unsure if maybe that’s given me a cough and caused all this

when I posted for advice before I was recommended to book a GP appointment for an asthma test and I absolutely will get that done when I’m off work in a few weeks. But a few people suggested anxiety and it made me realise that might be it but I don’t know how to tell!

But for tonight, is there any way to tell if it’s just anxiety or panic causing this? I think that’s the most likely reason as the more I cough, the more I need to cough so maybe thats aggravating it and causing the symptoms and maybe it’s not a real cough because I’m not bringing anything up! It’s a mild chest-vibrating-feeling cough. I’m not wheezy, and I feel fine apart from this, just want to clarify again I can breath normally (incase people think I’m sitting here struggling for breath) it’s just a bit harder work tonight and it’s easier and better when I try hard to do it

Apologies for the big post, the summary question is how do you differentiate between anxiety and other breathing problems?

TY if you got this far down x

You've certainly put a lot of thought into it.

Weird time of year for hayfever.
Are you breathless on exertion?
Asthma review really needed, maybe you need a preventer inhaler that you would take daily.
Dust doesn't help.

You do sound quite anxious in your post though so def worth getting a few things checked out.

That sounds very much like anxiety. Have you got a wheeze?

Yeah after reading it back, I realised how anxious I sounded! I just wanted to reiterate it a few times in case people told me to go to a&e because it’s breathing related that it’s not an emergency like that, but in real life I’m usually the most chilled out person and not anxious as far as I know. I also can’t sleep because my dog is snoring so I just decided to put all my effort into that post, lol.

but to answer your question I think exercise makes it worse in general, it definitely made the cough a bit worse today.

No I don’t hear a wheeze at all, although when I was wheezy in the past I didn’t hear it, the doctor heard it in my chest- so presumably it can’t have been too bad.

because im not usually an anxious person I don’t have any experience with it IYSWIM, that’s why I was confused about if this was it, lol.

If the blue inhaler is salbutamol, anxiety and an increased heart rate are a very common side effect. Try and remind yourself that it’s the medication and you’re okay.

Not a medical professional but fellow asthma sufferer - sounds like asthma, breathing is harder work, feels like lungs won’t fully expand to allow more air in. Like lungs are in a vice

The only way anyone can know is for you to have a physical examination. No one here can tell you this is just anxiety. Anxiety or not, you are putting stress on your heart. You need to have it checked out by a professional.

when anxiety is suggested it does make you doubt yourself but I think you have to go with your gut - do you really believe it’s anxiety? You say you’re normally quite chilled? If you’ve been in a dusty environment that will definitely not have helped. Can you open a window and take in some cool fresh air? Try some meditation to calm you down (so many good podcasts on Spotify) … and what about an antihistamine?

I know doing all of the above at once won’t help you work out the source of the issue.,, but if it helps, it’ll mean you can relax and call a GP when you have time tomorrow.

I have had my breathing affected by anxiety. When it happens I’m not in any form of distress, it just feels like I can’t fully expand my lungs.
Try breathing in and out of a paper bag if you can.

My colleague recently felt breathless at work and she had blood clots in her lungs. So I don't mean to alarm you but I think you should speak to a health professional about your symptoms, especially if you have any pain or discomfort.
If it's anxiety related then when you don't think about it and watch you favourite program or are distracted by something then your breathing will probably be fine.

Have you showered Inc hair since being in the dust?
Antihistamines as well as inhaler.
You're allergic to dust. It's not hayfever

Ask you GP/ practice nurse for an asthma review and script for a peak flow meter. Doing regular peak flows will clarify things. The "can't get a deep enough breath in" sounds more anxiety especially if your chest is usually clear

Thanks for all the help/advice. My inhaler helped last night and eventually I went to sleep.

interestingly enough, it’s the exact same today and seems to get worse around the end of the day (not sure if that’s because of the build up of dust from during the day, the cold weather, or just a bit of both!) the cough is worse too and it’s like my chest is buzzing when I cough. Tonight I could hear a husky sound when I was breathing and a whistley sound too at times, again I took the inhaler and it’s helped it which makes me think it’s probably not anxiety after all.

I’ll book an appointment with the GP and see what they say about it. Just glad I’ve got my inhaler in the meantime as I would be miserable without it!

I think it’s quite common for asthma symptoms to become worse at night you know, so don’t be quick to dismiss your symptoms as anxiety … particularly if the inhaler is working. Anyway, best to get checked like you plan :)