I hear it listed as a symptom for Babs but what exactly is it?
BT
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
It is a feeling that you cannot get enough oxygen no matter how deeply you breath.
You take a deep breath but it is totally unsatisfying because you feel that you are starving for oxygen.
It is very uncomfortable.
Terry
Posted by MonaVox (Member # 12956) on :
Agreed. It's like you can't breathe in enough, like you were just running for 20 miles straight. I have asthma and the Lyme's anxiety made it worse. Do you have this symptom / Babesia?
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
It can be a less extreme presentation also.
Sometimes I get the feeling I can breath but I think I actually wouldn't breath if I wasn't telling myself to do it. A strange sensation.
Kinda goes with a do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do feeling sometimes.
Can last a minute or a couple of hours.. or longer.
It almost can be described as that first "twinge" you get before having a panic attack.. but it doesn't go into a panic attack.
Don't know if that makes sense.. as the sensation is hard to explain. But I do feel like the air I am taking in doesn't have oxygen in it. Deeper breathing doesn't relieve it for me.
Hope that helps.
But it can be as extreme as an asthma attack or the sensation of having one.
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
EyeBob,
I bumped an old thread up to the top for you
its called "what is air hunger anyway"
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
It's like everyone said ... you just can't get enough air ... it's like an incomplete yawn. I would get it so bad that I would hyperventilate ... eventually I learned that if I focused more on breathing OUT rather than breathing in, I felt a little better, it didn't stop it though.
Posted by hardynaka (Member # 8099) on :
He's right. Concentrate on breathing out, not in, it helps.
It can be a nightmare, it can send you to emergency with total body paralisy if you start breathing without control. It happened to me, that's why I know.
It can be dangerous. See a thread about herxing, done by Californialyme. Herxing can cause air hunger and can kill too.
Selma
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
quote:Originally posted by hardynaka: He's right.
She. Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
He, she, it.. whatever.. is right!
It can lead to hyperventilating. Did for me.
IF that happens.. a warm heating pad laid on your chest for a few minutes may help?
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
My experiences are much like Tincup described. Like I forgot how to breathe right.
Posted by EyeBob (Member # 12572) on :
I've had about 3 episodes of something similar over the past 10-12 years. None since 2005, well, well before my known tick bite.
I'd be just sitting around or exercising, or whatever, and I'd have to try to take a deep breath. These episodes would last maybe a week or two, then stop. Just go away. I had my pulmonary function evaluated and it was fine, no masses on x-ray, nada. I told this story to my LLMD and I don't think that he thought it was much. I've always chalked it up to anxiety.
I've had none of the other symptoms of Babs, that I recognize at least.
BT
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
For me it's like trying to yawn and your breathing stops halfway and no matter how much you try you can't take any more air in.
It's very frustrating and can be scary. With babs treatment it's gotten a lot better.
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
up for savebabe
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
one of the last posts on the other tread helped me understand it-FINALLY. i was a PE teacher (i talked alot and loud in the gym to keep the kids on task)...there were times when i could only say a few words at a time...then had to gasp for air. this was only bad in one building that had mold-and other bad air.
my lung specialist said it was classic "shortness of breath" (sob).
i have to say it stopped when i left the building...but i still have the 5-6 quick breaths in occasionally that i described in my old post.
maybe it is a babs thing...but gets worse when you are bombarded with toxins or something.
25 yrs and counting with this disease and i still don't understand this and lyme arthritis...
Posted by terri3boys (Member # 12993) on :
I wasn't really understanding the term "air hunger" until I read these posts. I'm curious if these sx would be considered as "air hunger?"
*pressure/tightening in chest that makes you automatically cough to breathe - completely involuntary - like a crushing feeling
*several short "stuttering" inhales that are exactly like the kind you get when you've been crying really hard - think childhood cries - again an involuntary reaction
*forgetting to breathe - all of a sudden you realize "I'M NOT BREATHING!"
Do those describe "air hunger?" If so, then I'm starving! LOL!
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
"Air hunger" for me is shortness of breath. It's scary. I really dislike the feeling. It can be quite scary. Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Thanks AZURE WISH!!
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
I'm bringing this back up because I have had this, and was told recently that I don't have asthma because I don't lose my oxygen level when I have an "attack"
Lately, I feel like there is a dog on my chest. higher than my heart.
At the same time, I have joint and muscle pain down my right side.
My heart is good.
I think it's babs...gonna take art and see if that helps
kelmo
Posted by jennyflyer (Member # 12792) on :
I get it too, it used to be frightening but I've gotten used to it.
Happens all the time. Had seen a pulomary specialist a few years ago when one episode was so bad I wound up in the ER. Did the whole breathing test thing, was told it wasn't really asthma but I wasn't getting a lung full of air.
Allergist concluded the same.
Inhalers don't help at all. Odd thing is, when I exercise and get a "breathing rhythm" going, it gets better.
Actually, is the worst at night when I lie down.
Posted by jennyflyer (Member # 12792) on :
Ah, could be coincidence. Or maybe it's that at least for me, I'm starting to become more in tune to the connection between all these symptoms I've had for years but didn't know what was causing them, chatting with you guys the other night was another step in helping me see.
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
Its like your breathing in and you cant get air , your throat beggins to close and you feel tired white doint this.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
terri said:
*several short "stuttering" inhales that are exactly like the kind you get when you've been crying really hard - think childhood cries - again an involuntary reaction
*forgetting to breathe - all of a sudden you realize "I'M NOT BREATHING!"
these describe me perfectly. first time i have had another describe what i feel.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)