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[Suzysheep]

Hiya loonarider
I had various unexplained symptoms before I was diagnosed with Hyperventilation Syndrome. It was more a case of after they had ruled other things out, that was what they came up with.  I was sent to a physiotherapist who explained to me that when we 'overbreathe' this can cause all sorts of strange symptoms.  The physiotherapist realised when I was breathing, I was breathing far too fast and from my chest and not from the stomach as we should.  I was given a bit of bumf to read, and I have been looking at it again recently. It states "when we over-breathe we eliminate large quantities of carbon dioxide on every out breath.  This causes a chemical imbalance affecting many of the body's systems.  The results can be extremely unpleasant and frightening, causing us to become anxious.  This can further upset our breathing pattern and a vicious circle develops."  It also explains that we may not be aware that our breathing is wrong, but we may be aware of some, or even all, of the most common symptoms.  The list is " frequent sighing and yawning, feeling breathless, even after relatively  minor exercise, difficulty co-ordinating breathing and talking and/or eating, breathless when anxious or upset, pins and needles in hands/arms/around mouth, palpitations, feeling permantly exhausted and unable to concentrate for no apparent reason, throat symptoms, muscular aches and tension around the neck/shoulders/jaw, bloated feeling in the stomach, light headedness."  The whole of our body can be affected, the vascular system, the digestive system etc.  I suffered a lot with panic attacks, tingling in the body, light headedness, and the physiotherapist picked up my overbreathing almost instantly.  I have a tendency to breathe through my mouth rather than my nose, and when talking when I'm nervous, I talk quickly and sigh a lot.  When I read though the information I have it does make so much sense, but I forget a lot and when I have another symptom I always think the worst.  That's part of anxiety.  Menopause definitely heightened all this for me, it got better for a while, but I'm struggling a bit too, so may be a hormone surge as well.  Hope you get on okay with the doctor.  You could maybe ask about him giving you more information on Hyperventilation Syndrome and breathing techniques.   Take care x

Holidaylover,
I’m very interested in what you have said, and have never heard of hyperventilation syndrome. My mum does a really quick shallow sniffy type breathing loads. She’s not aware she’s even doing it… and I’ve noticed it gets worse when she’s stressed. I’ve pointed it out and helped her focus on calmer breathing… but she does it all the time and is totally unaware. She is suffering from tiredness and anxiety/ depression since losing my dad 6 years ago, and then my sister in 2020.  X

[holidaylover]

Suzysheep,
I hadn't heard of it either until I got the diagnosis.  It's understandable that your mum will be suffering after her tragic losses.  Anxiety is really horrid. x

[Lynda07]

Holidaylover, I just wanted to say that your post about hyperventilation describes how I have felt on and off (mainly on) over the past two years. So whilst I am sorry to hear that you suffer, I thank you for your post, today of all days when I am really suffering.
Lynda

[KTH]

Oh God I can so relate to this thread.  I have had dreadful health anxiety ever since I was very young (I was always convinced I had appendicitis as I had stomach problems).  I'm 8 years post menopause and I don't seem to be getting any better.  My own panic at the moment is headaches.  No matter that I've had hormonal migraines, that I've been sitting at home looking at a big screen for for the last two years whilst working from home which puts strain on eyes, that I have had a lot on my mind (retirement coming in the summer, worrying about my mum being on her own and elderly, worrying about telling my work about my retirement plans etc, etc). 

No, in my mind it's something sinister.

The reassuring things are that I am eating and drinking (ahem) ok, co-ordination is fine and, as my husband said, I wouldn't have been able to do my ballet class if I had anything seriously wrong with me.  Doesn't stop me worrying though.

When I was very bad some years ago the therapist told me to write everything down.  A letter to myself if you like, so that I could see on a page exactly how I was feeling at that time.  That helped, certainly to rationalise thoughts. 

[marge]

Hi KTH, I'm about 8 years post-meno too and suffer with anxiety, mainly health, which rears its ugly head from time to time.  I really thought this would all be over by now.  I can honestly say that I flew through peri and meno, no issues much at all, but all this started post.  I haven't gone down the HRT or anti-depressant route.  "Chatting" on this forum has been a godsend and I might also try writing things down.  Worth a go anyway!

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

There are lots of breathing exercises online for anyone interested.

 I understand that breathing through our nose means we use our diaphragm instead of our chest which is helpful and calming. Breathing through the mouth is a bad habit many of us have apparently and one expert I saw  on YouTube said we should all ' shut our mouth and save our life' lol.

Take care ladies.

K.

[loveydovey]

I am exactly the same,not sure as i will be 60 years old, next year and as i am coming of age, not sure how long i have left, i just though, it was just me who felt like this,makes me feel better now,thanks ladies xx