Have major difficulty breathing

**JerzeyBoy** · 03-08-2005, 02:07 PM

I didn't know where this could go so I put it in the forum that gets the most feedback, mods if this has to be moved somewhere else I understand, thank you. Ok, Here's the deal...

I have been a pot smoker for a good 5 months I could say now. And it has been a lot. It was a way to cope with lots of stress I had and what not. I wasn't in the gym while I was doing this. Wasn't on any training scheduele what's so ever. Now I got my life back in order, went cold turkey with the pot for good and plan on joining the gym this monday and get back in the game. This is where the problem is...

Recently I have been so out of breath that I can't breathe. Right now I'm out of breathe just for sitting here, it's very very hard to breathe. It feels some what like a nervous feeling because I have to take such deep breaths just to feel normal. This has to be by far one of the worst feelings ever. I take deep breaths all the time, and it comes back...It's awful. I don't know if this has to do with me smoking but I believe it does, because when I smoke I don't have difficulty breathing. Maybe this doesn't even have to do with smoking weed, or maybe it does...I'm not sure, I'm just wondering if anyone ever went threw this before?? I'm going to see a doctor in about an hour to see what he says, but if some of you guys could give me some feedback, it would be great. Someone told me all it is is my lungs healing since they're so used to it..but for some reason I think it's far more serious than that. This is getting so annoying I could actually say it's reached the level of pain.

Can someone please help me out??

Thanks bros

**cut260** · 03-08-2005, 02:09 PM

Whoah. Its either anxiety from stress or you have some medical issues that need a professional MD. Best of luck to you but I have a feeling this issue is over the heads of most of us here and besides given the severity of the issue I dont think you should take advice from anyone other than your doctor on this one

**Arnie_is_God** · 03-08-2005, 02:11 PM

I smoke weed and have done so for over 15 years.I have NEVER had the problem you are describing.You better see that doc IMO.

**bullram** · 03-08-2005, 02:11 PM

definately go to the doc.. do you smoke ciggatettes? how is it when you walk? or run?

**tycin** · 03-08-2005, 02:12 PM

u might have slight asthma or something, best get the doc to check u out. ur not taking anythng else are u?

**JerzeyBoy** · 03-08-2005, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by bullram

definately go to the doc.. do you smoke ciggatettes? how is it when you walk? or run?

Not really, I used to once in a blue moon, but so rarely it shouldn't even count. Walking is the same. It's more when I'm just sitting down or laying down, like right now the trouble I'm having breathing is so terrible I feel like sleeping and not waking up until I get better. I wouldn't wish this sh*t on an enemy...Any feedback would be deeply appreciated, thanks

**JerzeyBoy** · 03-08-2005, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by tycin

u might have slight asthma or something, best get the doc to check u out. ur not taking anythng else are u?

Nothing else, nah. And I never had asthma before...how could it come out of no where?

**bullram** · 03-08-2005, 02:18 PM

definately sounds like a problem for a doc, like tycin said it might be asthma

whatever it is let us know and goodluck

**JerzeyBoy** · 03-08-2005, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by bullram

definately sounds like a problem for a doc, like tycin said it might be asthma

whatever it is let us know and goodluck

Thanks a lot bro, I will.

Anybody else have some info?

**hung-solo** · 03-08-2005, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by JerzeyBoy

Thanks a lot bro, I will.

Anybody else have some info?

sounds like a heart condition go get yourself checked out bro. no shiit!

**AandF6969** · 03-08-2005, 02:29 PM

None of us juice monkeys are going to be able to give you the advice that a doctor will...

**West Coast All Star** · 03-08-2005, 02:30 PM

um...doctor time...weed won't do that to you....either you are having constant panic attacks are something much more serious is happening...getcho azz in to see the doc stat.

**Mesomorphyl** · 03-08-2005, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by JerzeyBoy

Thanks a lot bro, I will.

Anybody else have some info?

Yes, get off the computer and get on the phone and call your doctor now.

**jo150** · 03-08-2005, 02:32 PM

I used to do the same thing. always feeling like i needed to take a deep breath and when I did, it didn't help anything. so I would do it again. it sill didn't help. It was always happening at the stressful points in my life. Like when my father died when I was 16. and again when my mother started seroiusly dating some guy who I hated. Breathing like that is caused by anxiety or stress. the only way t fix it is to solve the problem or get over it. the reason you probably didn't notice it when moving around was because you weren't thinking about what was bothering you. and you also didn't have the problem when smoking pot was cause you probably weren't thinking about it, or were more relaxed with the situation.
I hope this helps.
Let us know what the doc. says!

**Iowa** · 03-08-2005, 02:34 PM

Do you take anti-anxiety meds?

**hawkeye1877** · 03-08-2005, 02:37 PM

i'm no doctor, but it sounds to my like bronchitus, i had that, didn't even know it, but had real trouble breathing for a few months afterwards, since we are in the winter flu season still that would be my guess, but definatly see a doc

**omega 44** · 03-08-2005, 06:28 PM

From what your saying it looks to me like you have anxiety. ive had the same symptoms a few years ago. Im going to do my best to help you right now, because if its the same **** that i went threw, then i know the felling and it ****in sucks. For 2 years i had no clue what it was. I thought i had trouble breathing and butterflys in my stomach, all that ****. I'm gonna help you because it looks to me like your going threw the same **** and its not a good feeling at all. First things first. In front of me i have a medical book thats over 1,500 doctor tested remedies. The title is SYMPTOMS
THEIR
CAUSES &
CURES

Im gonna write to you from page 25-28 and hopefully it will help you get rid of your problem and ill tell you the exact symptoms and you can see if thats what you have. Lets start from page 25.

pg. 25

ANXIETY
----------------------------------------------------------------- WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR
-----------------------------------------------------------------

* You find yourself avoiding situations,places or people in order to avoid feeling anxious.
* You have chronic symptoms, such as tension, headaches, muscle aches, bowel trouble, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, stomach problems or dizziness.
* You have panic attacks (short, unexplained periods of intense fear or discomfort).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT YOUR SYMPTOM IS TELLING YOU

How could you possibly prepare for a test, meet a deadline or psych yourself up for an important event without at least a few butterflies flitting trough you stomach? "Some level of anxiety is proably healthy," says Jack Maser, M.D., a psychiatrist with the national Institutes of Mental Health. It motivates you to get up and do something." But when the butterflies feel more like swarms of skittering bats, and you feel traped in a cycle of uneasy fears that just won't let up-your anxiety has become a problem.

pg. 26
ANXIETY

SYMPTOM RELIEF

Those bats can be turned back into butterflies. There are a variety of threapies, practical approaches and medical treatments to help control anxiety.
Take a motion potion.Ventilate your anxiety by taking it for a walk. A daily exercise program of at least a half hour will help, says Bernard Vittone, M.D., a psychiatrist and direstor of the National Center for the Treatment of Phobias, Anxiety and Depression in Washington, D.C.
Make yours decaf. When you're anxious, drinking cafeine is like pouring gasoline on a fire, Dr. Vittone says.
Ban the bottle. Even though alcohol may seem to calm you at first, the next day you will feel much more anxious because of the irritating effect that withdrawal from alcohol has on the brain, says Dr. Vittone.
Breathe easy. Hyperventilation, or overbreathing, is prime suspect in anxiety and can leave you felling light headed, anxious and depressed, says Herbert Fensterheim, ph.D., clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at Cornell University Medical College in New York City. "The main difficulty is not breathing too fast but breathing with the upper part of the chest rather than the diaphragm," Dr. Fensterheim says. Breathing more deeply can help you relax, he says. To do that, lie down and place one hand on you chest and the other on you abdomen. Breath through you nose, letting only the hand on you abdomen rise and fall. Practicing a deep-breathing exercise such as this one will help teach you how to control your breathing when your anxiety level creeps up, says Dr. Fensterheim. Focusing on your breathing can acually help you cope with anxiety, he says.
Sit in the worry chair. One common cause of anxiety is letting yourself become overwhelmed by all your worries, says Dr. Vittone. Instead of worrying aimlessly all day, he suggests, set aside 30 minuted a day to sit and do nothing but worry. When anxiety sneaks in during the day, tell yourself,"I'm going to worry about that later, during my worry time."

pg.27
ANXIETY

Quick Fixes for Anxious Moments
Ruth Knowles Grainger, ph.D., an advanced registered nurse practitioner and clinical director of the Therapy Research Institute in Miami, Florida, offers these tips for intant anxiety relief.
Look up. Research shows that our felling intensify when we're looking down. Scan the ceiling.
Breathe calmly. Slow your breathing, exhale comletely and mentally add a one word soother with each exhalation, like "Calm...calm...calm."
Soften that shrug. Raised shoulders and tension go together. Lower you shoulders to ease the tension.
Slow you thinking. think in slow, complete sentences when anxious thoughts are coming on too rapidly.
Alter you voice. Slowing, lowering and softening your voice conveys calm and control to others as well as yourself.
Move you body. run in a place or dance for a few moments when you feel your anxiety level rising.
Let you face fix it. When you smooth out your forehead and turn up the corners of your mouth, you can fool your brain into lightening up.
Be a fly on the wall. Change your perspective by imagining yourself watching a tense, anxious person (you) from another angle-the ceiling or the other side of the room.

When Anxiety Just Won't yield
Tried everything and still shaking in the breeze? You might want to talk to you doctor about anti-anxiety medication, or ask him for a referral to a therepist.
Try the thinking therapy. your doctor may recommend the you visit a cognitive therapist. these anxiety experts can help you change the thoughts that might be triggering your anxiety.
"There's nothing mysterious, magical or frightening about therapy." says Jerilyn Ross, psychotherapist and director of the Ross Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders in Washington, D.C "you'll be taught various exercises and techniques to help you understeand and face what's keeping you stuck."

pg.28
ANXIETY

Find help at you pharmacy . Your doctor may prescribe medication for short-term or occasional use. Effective drugs include benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). There are impotant dietary restrictoins to follow with MAOIs, so be sure to ask you doctor for a list of foods to avoid.

What If Its's A Panic Attack?
A panic attack is anxiety run amok. Some people prone to anxiety may suffer sudden, short periods of intense fear or discomfort. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, dizziness or faintness, trembling, palpitations or fear of dying or going crazy.
Panic attacks are a problem that you should discuss with you doctor. There are, however, a few thing that you can try on you own. Dr. Vittone offers these six steps.

1. Reassure yourself that the attack will pass, usually within five or ten minutes.
2. Remind yourself, even though you may feel terrified, that no one has ever died or gone mad from a panic attack. Tell youself, "This will pass."
3. Ride with your feelings, telling yourself, "These are just feelings." allow yourself to experience having trouble breathing, and just breath slowly. You are getting sufficient oxygen.
4. Every minute or two rate you anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10. you'll find that altough levels fluctuate, it's gradually going down.
5. Take ten slow,deep, diaphramatic breaths. Check you anxiety level again.
6. Focus on physical things around you. Mentally describe the room, your clothes, sounds, smells. stay in the present, and get you attention from inside you body to outside.
Repeat these steps until the panic subsides.

There you go, i hope that this can help you to get rid of your symptoms.

**timeismoney** · 03-08-2005, 07:48 PM

From what you briefly described, it sounds a lot like the early stages of emphysima. But because of the fact that you said you rarely smoked ciggaretes and only smoked up for five months, it would be pretty d@mn rare for you to be diagnosed with that.

I would have to agree that you could just be feeling anxiety from quitting. It is most likely more that your stressing over it and making it worse because quitting something no matter what it is isn't easy by the way. My advice would be to relax, drink a bunch of water, and see a doc. Stay strong and good luck bro.