Always short of breath

[MummySS22]

I've been having a his fo quite a whil, I go through phases where I feel like I can't get any air. I'm not gasping for air by any means or panting. I just feel like an air hunger all the time and the constant need to take deep breaths or yawn to try and get some air? Does this make sense to anyone? I have bad health anxiety as well but I know that this is real, it's not in my head, granted the sensation of this air hunger does send me into a meltdown. I've mentioned it to my GPs several times and they dont seem concerned. Anyone else experiences down thing like this?

Feretin under 50 isn't ace
Yours is under 30
.are u of an age where u have periods too

Yes I'm 31. The GP said today that 20 is fine as long your actual iron in the blood is good and your hb is fine which mine is. He said we would treat you as deficient but you can take a OTC supplement if you wish.

I also have very light periods too aka two-three days of light flow.

20 is not fine

NICE GUIDELINES say over 30 needed

As someone that had iron iv - and mine went up to 252 - i felt way better

Do u eat red meats ?
Iron rich cereal daily ?
Peas ? Blue berries?
Dried apricots ?
^ all iron rich

After nov surgery / polyp removal - mines 82

My body already feels meh
I need mine over 100

When your losing blood on period - do u have steak 4 iron ?

You can buy better you '- oral iron spray
And take that with orange juice

Youd feel better with higher feretin

Also with iron deficiency - they need to.find the cause
Rather than treat symptons

I had bowel polyps
And gallstones
Both of which can effect inflammation
And iron..

Have u ever done a Qfit test / poop test??

Ifnot - ask 4 one
Or order 1 online

U could have bowel polyps
They could b bleeding
Mine were
That played a role explaining low feretin

Also ask 4 or let me know your
Vit d
And b12 numbers?
Vit d and b12 play a role in so much

2000 iu of vit d a day - really helps me

I do hav gallstones, which are on a watch and wait approach as they don't cause me much pain/problems for quite a while now. I also have major stomach issues/toilet struggles but I was told its just IBS. I think I will take an iron supplements and see if I can see any improvement.

I can tell you my numbers as I had recent blood tests.

Gallstones can contribute 2 low iron

If u havw ibs - iron supplements may agrivate that
Or / and have absorption issues

Good idea to increase the iron rich foods u eat

Full blood count
Haemoglobin concentration 144 g/L [115.0 - 160.0]
Total white blood count 9.6 109/L [4.0 - 12.0]
Red blood cell count 5.53 1012/L [4.2 - 5.4]; Above high reference limit
Haematocrit 0.456 [0.37 - 0.47]
Mean cell volume 82.5 fL [78.0 - 100.0]
Mean cell haemoglobin level 26.0 pg [27.0 - 32.0]; Below low reference limit
Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 316.0 g/L [310.0 - 350.0]
Platelet count - observation 287 10*9/L [140.0 - 450.0]
Red blood cell distribution width 13.4 % [11.
0 - 16.0]

Serum iron tests
Serum iron tests 18 umol/L [9.0 - 30.4]

Serum vitamin B12 level
Serum vitamin B12 level 320 ng/L [187.0 - 883.0]

Serum folate level
Serum folate level 4.9 ug/L [3.1 - 20.5

Differential white blood cell count
Neutrophil count 5.2 109/L [2.0 - 7.5]
Lymphocyte count 2.3 109/L [1.5 - 4.0]
Monocyte count - observation 0.6 109/L [0.2 - 0.95]
Eosinophil count - observation 0.1 109/L [0.01 - 0.7]
Basophil count 0.1 10*9/L [0.0 -
0.1]

Serum calcium level 2.26 mmol/L (2.2-2.6)
Serum albumin level 39 g/L (35.0-50)
Serum 25 -hydroxy vitamin D3 level 55.3 mmol/L

@worldwidetravel2017

@worldwidetravel2017
Ferratin is 20

Your folate is low...

You need them to look @ feretin esp too

How did they find your gallstones?
From an mri ??

Oh I'm so confused. Why are they saying it's fine if it's low x

Have you ever tried to work with a breathing facilitator or go to sessions? Most of us have bad habits with breathing that we need to unlearn. But it's just about knowledge and then practice.

From an ultrasound. They said multiple calculi in the gallbladder and thin walled. I had really bad pain and I got refferred for the ultrasound. This was over a year ago and I've not had any major problems after the original first 3 months. Its like ot flared up and then just stopped. I know they are still there though because I get the odd tenderness and right side twinge.

It does sound like classic breathing pattern dysfunction which can feel very unpleasant and frightening. It is very treatable but you need to invest in the breathing exercises and self management. Link posted upthread is a really good resource

Thank you. I've looked at the link and I do have every single one of those symptoms! I'm going to try my best to incorporate some of these exercises. I find it very hard to actually breathe from my belly and I've actually realized that I am chest breathing so to speak.

I haven't ad I didn't know it was a thing. Do you know how I would go about that?

I noticed below you mention you find breathing hard. I would recommend watching a video on what happens with optimum breath. your diaphragm is powerful and should take 80% of the workload. When you're breathing sub optimally, the accessory muscles around your neck and shoulders do more when they should only support 20% of the movement. When we get into bad habits, the accessory muscles take over making our breath more shallow and harder to get the oxygen we require. Plus a myriad of other issues.

Learning diaphragmatic breathing is really important for overall health. If you google breathwork facilitator near me, you will have people locally who can help you with one-to-one sessions.

A good place to start is in a supported, relaxed sitting position with one hand lightly resting on upper chest and the other on your abdomen (make sure your shoulders are relaxed. Slowly and gently breathe in through your nose, not deeply - just for a slow count of 3 or 4 and then let the breath escape naturally (through nose or mouth. Focus on the movement (it won't be v big but should be noticeable) of the hand on your tummy which should rise gently on the breath in and fall on the exhalation. The upper hand should stay pretty still. Alternatively you can rest both hands on your tummy with fingertips lightly touching, as you breathe in gently through your nose your fingertips should part slightly as your abdomen rises.
Lots of videos of diaphragmatic breathing available. You could also look at Nijmegen questionnaire to see if you symptoms fit with BPD
Good luck

Thank you. I believe this is consistent with my symptoms. Do I need to mention it to my GP,? Although they think im just a mad crazy anxious person.

Hyperventilation syndrome? Do you struggle with anxiety?

Yes I do have very bad anxiety. But I tend to get this even when I'm not feeling particularly anxious. And then obviously along comes the air hunger and feeling like I can't get any air and then it triggers the anxiety.

Thiamin (Vit B1) deficiency!