tachyfor50years Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 I have been suffering from this all my life and for some reason at times it gets really bad; I feel almost like my airway tightens up and I need more air. I try to catch my breath in between bites (I don’t mean rapid breathing) in addition to difficulty swallowing. I experience the same exact thing during showers and washing my face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellgirl Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 Are you holding your breath? Sometimes we do this without even thinking about it. Try breathing slowly through your nose, while you eat. You could be experiencing pooling in your stomach and your lungs at the same time. I also at times have trouble swallowing. Are you on a Beta Blocker? You may want to talk with your doctor about decreasing the dosage, if you are on one. When you are standing you can be more symptomatic, as well. I sometimes sit in the shower, and wash my face sitting, as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachyfor50years Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 No Kimbellgirl I am not.Years a go I was on the Beta Blocker (Inderal) for more than 20 years, but now I am on Atenalol (10 Mg).I forgot to mention that no matter what I eat, I get tachycardia afterwords specially in the mornings (light breakfast).Thanks for your reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Symptoms with eating are not uncommon. I get tachy after eating, especially in the AM. Until recently I didn't understand that themechanism for me may be a reaction to insulin. Insulin causes vasodilation and I believe I get vasodilation in my abdominal region, causing the rise in heart rate, which worsens on standing. I used to think it was due to extra blood going to my stomach region after a meal and due to low blood volume, this would increase tachycardia for me. Anyway I do not know the reason for sure..but in any case I find I typically need to eat a small, protein rich meal or meals in the AM to feel my best. I definitely feel poorly if I eat anything sugary in the AM, in particular. Not sure why this is all worse in the AM either--but again, this seems to be a fairly common experience.As far as the breathing issue specifically, I don't typically experience that, but I know I have had weird breathing symptoms from time to time. For example I can get out of breath just talking, if I am in a relapse. Sometimes I feel this heavy feeling like breathing is sort of difficult--hard to explain the sensation but it is a bit disconcerting. Hopefully allergic reaction and asthma have been ruled out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellgirl Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 This blood pooling, and breathing issues happens to me more at night for some reason. It could have something to do with eating a larger meal when I can tolerate it, after I've been up and about at dinner time...Just yesterday, I was having trouble talking for some reason. I couldn't get my words to form at all without slurring, like having a stroke. I was walking my dog... It was strange. I wasn't really that symptomatic otherwise either. This condition is just bazarre...just saying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachyfor50years Posted March 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Yes MomtoGiuliana, allergic reaction and asthma have been ruled out for me so far!Kimbellgirl, I do experience that bizarre thing too, where my brain betrays me to let me freely put my words together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinkofani Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Yes! This has been happening to me a lot the past few months. I explain it as not being short of breath (lots of small, quick breaths as if can't catch breath) but rather feeling OUT of breath ( need to stop and focus on taking a full deep breath in). My neurologist quickly mentioned in an email that maybe seeing a pulminologist could explain this but never followed through with me. This also happens to me when I'm talking sometimes. I'll get a few words out and you'd think I had read a novel outloud without taking a single breath lol I actually have to stop and open my mouth and take a huge deep breath in. Very strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abnel Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Tachyfor50years and blinkofani, Yes!, I have this too! I am so glad I am not alone as I have been feeing like there is no one else with POTS who experiences anything like this.I have had POTs for nearly 2 1/2 years now, and this symptom only got really bad last year, following a very nasty gut infection. While I am eating, it actually feels like I am going to suffocate. It is terrifying sometimes. I usually prefer to eat alone, as I can rarely eat around others and talk at the same time. When I was at my worst, I had to take deep gulps of air in the middle of chewing my food.Someone else on this forum has Vocal Chord Dysfunction and told me that eating and breathing is also very difficult for her. I also have probable Mast Cell Activation Disorder, and occasionally my Mast Cell meds have helped when I start wheezing and reacting to the food I am eating. But other times my mast cell med's haven't helped, so I think there is something else going on. I have seen immunologist, respiratory physicians, etc, and no one can tell me why this is happening to me.The only thing that helps me when I sometimes feel like my windpipe is closing up (different to the lung congestion feeling I get which is MCAD related I think), is to try the exercises for Vocal Chord Dysfunction. Suprisingly it sometimes helps. I also have a singing technique which my opera singing teacher taught me (in pre POTS days) called the "Muti" exercise which also helps strengthen the vocal chords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichGotsPots Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I have this exact same thing for everything you mentioned. regarding eating it happens usually for me when I eat heavy or dry carbs. I do not believe its an allergy or celiac thing. I believe its a dehydrating thing/pooling thing. I have to eat small meals. It almost never happens with veggies unless I over eat. It also doesn't happen too often with proteins if they are well cooked and wet. Keep an eye out for a new poll I will post soon regarding breathing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinkofani Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 This happens to me even when I take sips of a drink, too so for me I don't think it's caused by what I'm eating. My doctor asked if anxiety was causing it...really? I can't say that I'm anxious drinking water lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachyfor50years Posted April 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 RichGotPots,I can't wait until you post about breathing!Blinkofani,Same thing here with drinking water.Please ignore and disregard the (anxiety) explanation!lotusflower,Thanks for the 2 terms: (Muti) and (Vocal cord dysfunction). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownsea Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 i was at my worse with breathing and drinking/eating just before i was dx with POTS. i asked the a&e (er) doctor he said i would have had to be born with a condition where i couldnt breathe whilst eating. that was before the dx of POTS. its reassuring others get this too. im not so bad now im on meds, yet i still have days when drinking is a problem i couldnt gulp down water like before.also i couldnt sing a full song, i gasping for breathe half way through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachyfor50years Posted April 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Dear emma,Do you know if that condition that you mentioned has a medical name?For me, I was not like that when I was a child or a teenager.Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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