To think I'm not unfit

[Pickingmyselfup]

For years I've been suffering from shortness of breath. It feels like I can't get enough oxygen in my body but it's not constant. Sometimes it's every day and then sometimes it's hardly ever.

It first started in 2012 when I was planning my wedding and although I didn't feel hugely stressed I put it down to that. It carried on in fits and starts and was present when I have birth to my first child on 2015. It was picked up that my heart rate was abnormally high but several tests showed nothing wrong. The visits to the doctor about my breathing previously showed nothing physically wrong, it was suggested that I was just unfit.

Fast forward to 2024 and my breathing is flaring up again. It's been alright recently but this last week has been really bad. I constantly feel out of breath, every now and again I get a good deep breath but I don't feel satisfied for want of a better word.

I am now probably the fittesr I've ever been, last year I was running regular 10Ks and weight lifting 3 times a week, now I'm starting the running again on a tougher course so instead of my 10K taking 1 hour 7 it's taking 1 hour 18 but the hills are insane. I'm still weight lifting, I work on my feet 4 days a week and aim to walk the kids to school and back (4 miles total) as much as possible.

Now I haven't been for a run since a week last Thursday or the gym a week ago today because I've had an injury and trying to rest it. The kids have also not been at school so although I've been at work I've been doing less walking overall.

Surely though that wouldn't make a huge difference and make me suddenly gasp for breath?

Should I go back to the doctors and see what they say? Could it be mental? I don't feel stressed right now but I often do feel overwhelmed because the bulk of everything is on me (cleaning, school stuff, pet stuff, child stuff) but my job isn't the kind that I take home. It can be stressful in the moment when it's all go but honestly it's a walk in the park.

I'm so fed up, it's impacting my life but everybody seems to think it's my own doing! I can't make myself any fitter overnight, I can't stop stressing when I'm not stressed! Argh!

Asthma?

I get tight chest/breathing when a bit anxious and stressed but I’ve also wondered if it’s actually asthma.

get yourself a peak flow tester. It’s a very simple thing. Get some readings daily and when you’re feeling tight chest. And go to GP!

I just put it down to falling iron levels and get on the liquid iron for a bit.

I actually have a kids peak flow because one of the kids has very mild asthma.

I don't know what my results should be but I'm not quite getting to 400. I have also tried a brown inhaler before and that hasn't made any difference.

Agree with poster above - get iron levels tested.

Also, from what you've written, it does occur to me that it may be anxiety-related. It may be worth considering something that allows you to slow down a bit a breathe - either some meditation time, or perhaps adding a yoga class to your gym routine, may be beneficial.

400 sounds quite low ?

Search peak flow rate chart - woman aged 30 might expect 420 too 460

The only thing I can do is fitness pilates once a week, my gym doesn't offer anything else outside of my work hours and I can't really afford to pay for somewhere else, especially when I'm paying to sort out an injury through pyshio. I do hope we get more classes in the future and I can take up yoga at a more convenient time.

There are lots of free yoga and meditation classes on youtube. 🙂

Sounds anxiety related from what you're saying. Try some simple breathing relaxation exercises, you never know it might help

I think it is low. I'm not quite getting to the end of the peak flow designed for children! 400 is the absolute maximum I think but I'm probably getting more like 180.

I'm not hugely convinced it's an iron deficiency either, I eat a lot of meat (mostly chicken) spinach and a lot of broccoli but it's worth ruling it out at least anyway.

I have to admit I struggle to switch off for stuff like this, I find pilates and yoga very boring but it is something I want to incorporate for the stretching and to try switch off because my brain is constantly whirring and it drives me mad. I just don't know how??

180 is very low. You need to see a GP

If you really struggle to switch off then definitely anxiety related. How well do you sleep?

Sometimes, low levels of other minerals or substances can affect the body’s absorption of iron (ferritin is one example), so even if you are ingesting enough iron, the body is not always able to use it efficiently if ferritin levels are low. Might be worth asking for blood tests to see.

Definitely sounds like anxiety symptoms. I had this before, had 24 hour heart trace, said they can see my heart rate change but wasn't heart related, told me it was anxiety.

180 is badly low

Sorry I meant 380!!!

Depends. I struggle getting to sleep, sometimes I struggle to get back to sleep if I wake up in the night.

I would say getting to sleep is my biggest challenge and it's because my brain is going at 100% thinking of everything that I need to do even if it's really not important or an event for months down the line.

You definitely need to try some Meditation and relaxation techniques.

Have you done a 24h heart monitor? I suffered with similar symptoms for years in my 20s and 30s and saw many doctors and was told it's stress, too much coffee, lack of sleep... Until I had a 12s arrhythmia episode during my c-section and the anesthesiologist transferred me to ICU and I was monitored for a few days that they discovered I had something called RVOT. I had to do an ablation and no longer have any symptoms.

I don't think so...

I've had an ECG and a heart scan as well as 24 hour blood pressure monitoring after having my first child. The ECG and heart scan weren't long after having him and after one of the kids they said my heart rate was too high. When my first child was a few days old I had to go to the doctor because of my heart rate and initially she was really worried and put me straight on beta blockers but the subsequent tests showed there was nothing wrong.

This was almost 9 years ago now, second child is almost 7 so it's all a bit hazy.

Please get checked out for pulmonary hypertension. I have been through what you have and was nearly in heart failure even though I was at my fittest. I am now on the right meds and feel much better. You need to look for a specialist in PH and get a right heart Cath to diagnose this. It's taken me twenty years to get diagnosed.

I have POTs. One of the symptoms is 'air hunger' or shortness of breath. It feels like I can't get enough air even though I know I'm breathing fine. One day I can run a 10k the next I'm gasping for air and my hearts racing all over the place. It flares up and down.

I was fobbed off for years being told it was anxiety until I insisted it was investigated properly.

It's definitely not anxiety, if you've had issues with high blood pressure/heart rate it will be something else. If you need any advice please message me as I've been through similar.

I've been exactly the same as you OP. It's come and gone. I've wondered if it has to do with being hypothyroid.

If your iron is low it will cause breathlessness. Have you had an iron check?