I'm not sure if what I am experiencing is air hunger or not. If it is, I would suspect it is a mild case of it.
For perhaps the last week, I often have a feeling that I need to take an extra breath. But the odd thing is, this will happen when I am at rest and breathing normally.
It feels like a misfiring signal or something like a blip or accidental message. I am having no trouble filling my lungs all of the way, but my body seems to "think" I'm not breathing well enough.
It is not severe, but it is unpleasant. It feels like I am having a small panic attack when it happens. Also, sometimes when it happens a lot, I do start to feel more panic/concern and think that only makes it worse.
I wonder if it is more likely an anxiety problem than a physical problem? (Either way, I'm blaming my Lyme and co.) I am under extra stress right now.
I have a clinical Babesia diagnosis, but so far have mostly been getting treatment for Lyme/Bart. My LLMD plans to start me on antimalarials in April.
Any ideas or comments are welcome. One of my concerns is that this issue will get worse suddenly or without much warning. If anyone can tell me that is not likely, that'd be a big help.
Thanks.
Posted by darla135 (Member # 15688) on :
I experience the same issues, and I am attributing it to Lyme or Bart. Mine does not feel like a panic attack, but my body will automatically take a deep breath and it usually happens at rest.
I don't know what it is, but I hope you can find some relief. I can say, that though unrelated to this particular symptom, I experience more anxiety in general with Bart.
Best hopes for you.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
mine is similar but a little different
i involuntarially breathe in, in , in, -like 3 short in breaths...then i sort of sigh the out breath
i have done this for years
when i look/talk on here mine isn't like others...but it sounds more like yours than the others ihave run into
anyway..i just finished bart tx and start babs soon so we'll see
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi Wonko --
Sounds like babs --
When other infections are being treated it is common for other infection symptoms to flair up somewhat --
When you start babs treatment it is also likely that the air hunger will increase for a while --
Personally I got air hunger for about 3 weeks after being treating Babs for about one year or so--
I never really had them bad tho like many others have--jay--
Posted by swachsler (Member # 18155) on :
Hi Wonko,
You said:
I often have a feeling that I need to take an extra breath. But the odd thing is, this will happen when I am at rest and breathing normally.
This is often how the air hunger is for me. I tested positive for babs.
But mine doesn't feel like a panic attack or anxiety. It's actually one of those cases where the symptom description describes it perfectly:
I'm hungry for air. I feel like I need more air, so I try to breathe more, more deeply, etc., and I still feel as if I'm not getting enough air.
It doesn't feel as if I'm suffocating. I don't feel truly panicky. I just feel like I can't get enough air.
It's very weird.
However, even when my air hunger has been at its worst, it hasn't been frightening for me, more sort of frustrating and odd.
Have you tried doing anything that helps with anxiety when this happens to see if, even if it is air hunger, you can do something that will make you feel less distressed by it and more able to sort out the anxiety from the air hunger?
Different things work for different people. Obviously taking deep breaths and remembering to breathe isn't as useful here. *smile*
I don't know if you have other behavioral techniques, meds, supplements, etc., that help with anxiety (whatever the cause). For me, sometimes just knowing I have some "tools" at the ready to cope with a symptom flare makes me feel more in control and calm to get through it.
Take care, Sharon
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
Yeah, thaat sounds like what I go through.
I have a clinical babs diagnosis too (along with Lyme and bart).
When I first started treating with abx (Doxy) in the first few days the air hunger increased.
Now it's settled back to where it was before.
It's really disturbing.
Sometimes if it gets bad enough I start feeling panicky, but I think that's more my reaction to what's happening than an actual panic attack.
When it starts getting bad enough to bother me constantly, I take a Benadryl,, and for some reason that seems to pull it down enough for me to deal with it.