Well, I’ve been feeling sorta better lately, and yesterday I happened onto a possible piece of the puzzle.
Eating crappy greasy food-bloating, can’t breathe.
Eating raw veggies-no bloating, breathing eased somewhat.
Hrm…
I had an ulcer when I was about 12. Similar things would occur, although it was more along the lines of violent vomiting if I ate the wrong things. So I stayed away from anything good for a few months, stress levels died down, and we were good.
I still can’t get into my doctor for a few weeks, and I’m not sure what this is, but eating less crap can’t hurt me. But at the same time, eating almost anything still causes it to happen, so what do I know?
ARGH. I hope you feel better soon.
Are you eating too fast? I get the same thing when I wolf down my food, regardless what it is.
not a scarfer, not usually. Plus, this lasts all day, not just for the time it takes to digest.
I’m not really wanting to stop eating everything I eat. Not fond of that option.
If it’s just greasy foods, it may be a gall bladder thing.
If it’s grainy carbs–how do you do with rice and pasta? You may want to consider getting tested for celiac disease. Gluten allergies can sprout up willy-nilly at any age, and make you feel like absolute crap. Most of the time though, people just feel crappy for a long time because doctors (although much better now!) still don’t always consider or even think of a gluten allergy.
Either way, I hope you feel better soon.
feeling bloated after eating fatty foods is not uncommon, but the breathing? hummmm … your bloated stomach may be pressing on your thoracic diaphragm, causing you difficulties in breathing. i’ve never heard that, but i guess it would be possible.
could you try to rule out single foods by leaving them out? i guess just leaving anything fatty, crappy or starchy out doesn’t leave you with much options. try starting with a few especially crappy things, maybe you can reach a stage you can live with until you see your doc. maybe you just need an enzyme supplement to aid your digestion to break those hard-to-digest things down.
hope this passes soon. not being able to breathe right sucks.
babe, an ulcer at 12? that makes me want to cry.
Yeah Jen….nothing like a little repressed anger and grief to rot out your gut. Things had been stressful around then. The barium swallow was the worst part. I REALLY hope I don’t need to do one of those.
But mostly, I’m beginning to believe I’ve always had issues, which haven’t been helped by a raging cola habit, and a lazy detour towards crappy food. Most of that started around that age. Something is going on with mah belleh….
It’s not just greasy food-it’s all food it seems. I’m fine in the morning until I eat. The zantac however doesn’t help. So I don’t know. I do know that it got worse when drinking coffee today.
I would go to an after hours clinic to see if they can refer you to someone in the meantime….
hahahaha. Last time I did she listened to me breathing and said “go to the ER”.
It’s not terrible at this point-annoying, but if I stay clear of weirdness, it’s ok. Anything not involving nearly having panic attacks is ok by me.
Um. When I was having hernia issues, I was also having breathing issues. Basically because my stomach had herniated into my chest, it was crowding out my lungs, which made it very hard to breathe. For me, I threw up a lot, as it felt like the food was stuck part way down in my chest, and a balloon was blowing up there. However, there were times when there was just pressure in my chest and it was hard to breathe.
At first, they thought it was gallbladder, then they did a barium swallow and found 80% of my stomach in my chest cavity.
Oh, and everyone has different reactions to a hiatal hernia. Some people get major heartburn, I didn’t. Most people didn’t throw up. I did. I’m speshial.
yes. You are.
I’m hoping it’s nothing more than being over weight. But since I’ve only gained maybe 5 pounds from the Lithium after being the same weight for the last 2 years, I doubt it.
I’m not a doctor – disclaimer.
It could be acid reflux – I go through scary pain/breathing difficulty after eating absolute crap, and that’s what it is. You’d still need to get tested. But basically, eat less crap, eat less pop, have less reflux.
yeah DI, we’re coming to the same conclusion. Which SUCKS.
Still sounds like gall bladder to me.
I have almost no abdominal pain though. I remember Nat having problems with hers, and she’s be in HUGE amounts of pain, for no explicable reason.
We’ll see what happens.
I have this same problem!!! i actually just ate mcdonalds and am having trouble breathing im not overweight at all..it has to be all the crap in the mcdolands and bad food thats causing it (DOnT ASK me why i eat it lol)
I have the same difficulties as described above. In the morning I’m fine, but as soon as I drink or eat something I have difficulty swallowing as though my mouth were very dry. I also get the sensation something is either lodged in my throat or chest. I recently had an upper endoscipy where they found a small nodule in the lower part of my stomach, but I find it hard to believe that this could be the problem.
I too felt that consuming a lot of diet coke may be the root of the difficulties I’m having, but I have laid off the beverage for just over a year now and I’m still having the same problems.
What’s the procrdure used to identify if you have a hernia? And how would the gallbladder have any affect on breathing and swallowing as mentioned? If anyone has any solutions to this problem, your suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks
i too have this problem every time i eat heavy i cant breathe i dont get im 27 and this never happened to me before this jsut started happening when i turned 22 this sucks boy it seems like the old you get the worse things be come
I got the same trouble. I get bloated after cooked meals, raw peppers, fizzy drinks, too much Coffee or tea. I don’t throw up or have any acid, no trouble at the other end, it seems to only be in breathing. I’ve been on Inhalers for years for Asthma and they can help a little bit but not a lot. The breathing can get me a little concerned on odd occasions as I might feel faint. I can go out, do some training on my Bicycle and the breathing improves as I go. Maybe the stomach empties slightly to give more room for my lungs but if it was Asthma then the breathing would get worse as I went along.
People are strange!!
-Jerry
Hey, jsut had something similar to what my sister and mum describe as an asthma attack after eating a couple of bacon sandwitches. I’m slowly getting my breath back by the way so Im ok! I’d say the bloatedness iss quite common and could be the result of many things. But the trouble breathing sounds like what I get. Since about this time last year iv notaced after eating/drinking certain foods such as meat, sugar, cheese and milk i get an excessive amount of mucus that blocks my throat this is also accompanied by a wheezy (sometimes painful) chest and alot of coughing. Never been to the doctors about it cause its so hard to get an appointment and its never been that bad that i feel unsafe, but I think after what I have just experienced now I will try get an appointment this week. Get it checked!
Ps. Oh and chocolate that sets it off badly!!
Pps. WATCH OUT FOR ASPERTAIN! Its found in diet coke etc and citric fruit juices such as Robinsons. It is well known to trigger asthma attacks etc.
Actually, im not sure if its aspertain… help anyone?
I’ve been having this problem for a long time. Every time I swallow, I clear my throat for a while. That’s just soup…solids catch, and I hack them up. I always feel dehydrated, and my saliva is very thick in the back of my throat. My stomach is worse…if I even drink water, I get heartburn. I can feel slightly better by “cracking” the area behind my sternum…sometimes. Strangely, I have no problem eating if I’ve had enough alcohol… I often feel bloated right under my ribcage, and have a tough time belching. I get the thick mucus, which even gave me anxiety attacks for awhile, but the attacks have lessened (the mucus has been slightly diminished by corticosteroids from an allergist.) I still hawk up about a half a soda can daily. Thoughts?
Wow, it looks like google returns this blog for a lot of searches, mine (for my girlfriend) was [after drinking coffee trouble breathing], because she claims to have trouble breathing after drinking coffee. Now I’ve come to a good conclusion: you all need to see your respective doctors. And so does she.
Hi
Im new and im scared cos Its happening to me right now. Ive been to the doctor so many times in the past few weeks i feel like moving in, ive had every blood test imaginable and urine samples they now say if it carries on Il have to have an endoscopy quite frightened cos Ive never even been in hospital before. my breathing is so bad at the moment but im in work trying to take my mind off it. I can eat ok but still feels like food is in my throat and chest about an hour after i eat. Im sorry you are going through so much trouble and I truly sympathise I hope that you can get it sorted, I hope we both can. x
Hey. I’ve had the same problems within the past year. I’ve gone to the doctors on numerous occasions and all they could draw up was panic attacks and anxiety. I have the same breathing problem after eating fatty foods, actually almost anything. The past few days have been pretty bad as I can’t breathe all day before and after I eat. It’s beginning to be a pain, and I’d rather not go to the doctor again with no health insurance to be told it’s panic attacks again.
I suffer from ibs c it seems the symptoms change all the time. the past week , same thing, so bloated underneath my sternum, i cant breathe and god forbid you suck your stomach in- out in public like most girls do, i have to catch my breath and pant as soon as the moment is over for which i did this, because meanwhile im shallow breathing. i wish i knew if this were just another chapter in my ibs journal of pain in the ass living or if i should look psychotic and ask doc for an upper gi. uggh I hear ya squawkin brothers and sisters!!!!!! Arent there any nosy g.i. docs online??? premed perhaps??
Wow Matt, it’s like you’re me typing up my “symptoms”. Anyway I decided to try a google search just for the hell of it to see what came up. I googled “trouble breathing after eating” and I was kind of expecting an answer to do with greasy deep fried foods causing the problem.
Anyway, I know it sucks to hear and it’s hard to accept, but some of the posters here (myself included) have to accept that it’s due to anxiety and panic. I’m sure you’ve gone to your doctor and they suggested the possibility of stress but you just shrugged it off like I did.
Like Matt said in his post, I too have no problems when I drink alcohol. I’m guess it’s because being drunk pretty much relieves stress, which sucks because it’s become my crutch for anxiety inducing situations.
My 2 cents…
I don’t know about anyone else, but the one thing I DON’T get when anxious is trouble like this. This latest episode has now last 6 days I think, and seems to have been triggered by something dairy.
And all the Ativan in the world doesn’t work. I’m willing to try anything to make it stop, anxiety or not, as many people are. Anxiety just isn’t always it.
Yeah, I’ve been having a lot of trouble breathing for the passed few months, myself. I googled the problem and came up with this page. Surprise, surprise, right?
Anyway, I’m loathe to go into ER, but I wound up having my husband take me in anyway. When I went in, my heartrate was 165bpm. Now THAT was anxiety (coupled with the fact that I’d had radiation over my heart 7 years ago). I know what anxiety is and the breathing problems I went in for were not 100% due to anxiety. At any rate, they admitted me, gave me 1001 tests (they even tested my lungs THOROUGHLY) and still came up with anxiety. They said all tests were clear. However, now I’ve been waking up gasping every once in a while.
This cannot be anxiety. I have a feeling that whatever it is, it’s about 60% this mysterious ailment and 40% anxiety. However, anxiety meds do not seem to help.
Neither does liquor, btw. :-p
My breathing problems seem to be stimulated by the food I eat, as well. When I’ve not eaten, all is fine! However, I don’t feel any swelling. I’m also not overweight. Haven’t gained much at all in the passed few years, soo… wth is going on??
it is sort of a relief to know i am not alone . i have all the same symptoms and no clue what it is. i am very athletic and while engaged in physical activity i do not have any problems its when i want to relax after dinner or watching tv after linch or behind the wheel i start feeling the symptoms what is it???
I am having this problem for the last 10 years. following any meal, I will not be able to do anything, I feel that my lungs are closing and even feel like fainting unless I stop and stay still for a minute or so.
This issue started back in 1998 when I started to take medicine for high blood pressure (Bisoprolol fumirate 5 mg) I don’t know if it has anything to do with, but I suspect that. the Drs say No !!??
Consulting too many Dr, each one had different theory, I went to do ALL heart tests, including stress ECG, again the heart is good. OK, so why I can not do enything after a meal?? this last until all food are digested.
even if I speak fast I will suffer !!
The help from anyone is highly appreciated.
So, I too have been experiencing trouble breathing after eating and also some other weird seemingly unrelated symptoms and after doing much research I have found these two sites to be helpful. One that talks about Hypophosphatemia is this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypophosphatemia#Major_signs_and_symptoms
And the other that talks about hyperventilation syndrome is this.
http://www.erzo.org/kimberly/health/HVS/
Read the hyperventilation one first (that is where I found the other word as a symptom and looked it up later)
The hyperventilation is related to anxiety and panic attacks (which I have regularly) and the phosphate thing can be related to many things one of which is drinking alcohol (which I do too). I think I have self diagnosed my problem to be a mix of both, and I can now blame some of my anxiety on this too, although I’m sure sometimes the anxiety comes first. They both sound a bit strange at first and unrelated but keep reading and see if it helps. I hope it does!
I have this problem too- its probably your gallbladder. Do some research you’l fine most naturopaths urge against gallbladder removal and for good reason. Try a digestive enzyme called Betaine Hydrochloride, also you should comsume apple juice w/ of apple cider vinegar daily before each daily meal and before you go to sleep. I get immediate relief from the bloating and chest pressure w/ this regimen. This problem is a wakeup call ,steer clear of all the crap food out there, get off the crap food for a few weeks-then get yourself a wonder meal at one of the burgers joints fries pop all of it-you will feel like such S$#@ you will never ever let that c rap past your lips again-Swear!
hi ive suffered from massive problems with being able to breath docters all being useless the usual anxiety panic attacks blah blah blah it ended up that i made the connection with food and stopped eating to see if this would help which it did until i got an ulcer again no help with docters they decided i was anorexic in desperation i paid alot of money and saw an allergy doctor on the off chance, he was great within 5 minutes he said if the symptoms improve when you dont eat you have a food allery, by this time i knew i had also become allergic to face and body products aswell and had always had a congested nose anyway i envoked on a 4 day rotational stone age diet and guess what 99% improvement the only time i have short breath is before my period i have no idea why but i dont know how i coped with it on a daily basis 365 days a yr the diet took time as i was sensitised to lots of foods but slowly i healed go to an allery doc in the mean time no coffee fizzy sweets bread gluten milk products and nothing processed at all so nothing you havent made yourself no stock cubes or gravy no msg and no sulphates found in dried fruits lastly no tea as this contains one of the highests concentrations of nickle which lots of people are allergic to hope this helps
Glad to see this post going after almost a year! I too found this via a Google of my symptoms. Yes, everybody here is experiencing the same thing I have. And like everybody else it seems that 1) the issue is strongly linked to Anxiety and 2) I’m in denial over that fact. I’ve found that exercise helps; maybe because it relaxes me.
I just came across this blog page and this is the first I have heard of someone you has had this same problem It started around a year ago and I cant figure out why. It just came one night and it hasnt went away since. At times I feel ok, but other times, mostly at night I seem to have trouble breathing. It feels like something is laying on my stomach. Whenever I eat alot I also have trouble breathing. As much as I breathe in, it doesnt feel like Im getting enough air in my lungs. I have went to the Docter twice and I have no logical answer. I was hoping for an update and any input to these issues I seem to be having.
hi just to touch on the stress factor stress doesnt have to be psychological if you have chronic allergy this will cause you to be massively stressed without an emotional reason ( exercise will help with any type of stress)stress to the body drains the adrenal system which then unbalances hormones which inturn cause allergies to worsen all these thing have shortness of breath as a symptom and your doctor will not be able to identify any of this because they work for the pharmacutical industry and if you dont show up on a test for which you can be prescribed a drug then they become close minded to anything else. Chronic allergy also leads to leaky gut and a whole host of auto immune diseases and thyroid problems all have shortness of breath as possible symptoms i have had this problem with breathing for 17 years it ruined large patches of my life if i didnt have children i would have killed myself, after lung ts and asthma tests i even had my head xrayed to check my nasal bones! ive had inhalers relaxation exercises breathing exercises homiopathic meds i tried everything doctors convinced me it was all in my head and i thought i was mad for a long time but i wasnt the fact that my health has improved so dramactically is proof that anyone reading this blog should see an allergy doctor or at least go on the stone age diet for 2 wks see how you feel if there is the smallest improvement carry on you dont have to be so strict for ever, after a while you will soon find out which foods or substances are a problem doctors dont know everything they are only human. You know yourself if you are an anxous panic stricken type or if your inability to breath is the only reason you may be stressed if you do not get relieve from your doctor then explore every other avenue untill you find a cure love to all
Heartburn is not normal. Believe me, I know – too late to do anything about it tho. I am an Esophageal Cancer Survivor. My cancer was caused by 2 factors. Being overweight and chronic heartburn. One of my symptoms was a problem breathing after eating, but it was nothing compared to what I feel now that my stomach or rather what is left of it, sits in my chest between my lungs. If I have scared you just a little – GOOD!. Please take a minute to have yourself checked out. EC, when caught early, as mine was can be cured. EC, when left untreated can be a killer. I am not trying to be a harbinger of bad news – I am dedicated to trying to make people aware of Esophageal Cancer and how it can be prevented. Take care of yourself. serendopeity.wordpress.com
man i am only twenty and i feel like death.. i wake up to to trouble breathing feel light headed hard to eat like throat is closing a lot through out the days but started only a few months ago what can i have?docter said its not asma or nothin showed up on xrays or blood test im guessing its a panic or anxiety attacks what do you think? what ever it is it is freakin brutal feels like death
These are all reactions of chemical intolerance to something you’ve eaten. Doesn’t show up on regular allergy tests. Common triggers are wheat, dairy, soy, corn, MSG, BHT, food color or preservatives, and caffeine. Oh never mind the label – food manufacturers have many hidden names for these. Try eating nothing but veggies for 2-3 days and you’ll see what I mean.
And forget the “but I never had a problem before” stuff. Foods are being tampered with in this country now whether or not you realize or believe it. It’s called profit, people.
I know mine is something to do with food, since I can narrow it down to certain things at certain places-like ice cream at McDicks-it flares up within minutes, faster than my lactose intolerance ever does…
Yup, same problem here with me!
Actually, i had a severe shock (emotionaly, and maybe something else) in a hospital when i was given electrolyte for dehydration. But before that i think they gave me a different drug such as an anti-psychotic, cause i was leterally scared. Just imagine, there i was on vacation with my dad and sister and im thousands of miles away from my home in this complete scary hospital i was rushed by some complete strangers. Arriving there the doctors didnt understand a word i said as everyone only talked their country language. I was freakin out.
By the time they injected me this thing in my arm and this misterious fluid going through my body. I started to get really anxious, and then all of a sudden my muscles behaved weird! It seemed that my muscles were contracting inward!! I was freaking out of my mind! I couldnt control them! they were moving by themselfs my fingers were curling in a tight fist! And by then my arms were bending inward, i saw my nails turning DEEP BLUE my whole body started shaking. I Screamed soo loud everyone must of heard it. GET IT OFF ME. I kept saying and saying again. The doctors took it off and i was shaking so voilently my sister was crying. It was my very first vacation i had and the worst aswell.
When there was about 2 days left before departure, i was ill like and fragile like a 90 year old. I had a full host of symptoms i never had before. lightheadedness, palpitations, pressure in head, vision problems, feeling of congestion in chest area, breathing problems, excersise intollerent, even to not being able to lie down on my back! Withought feeling breathless and full of “malaise” feelings.
When we finally got the chance to leave and get back home, everything seemed to be well for me. I ate a BIG plate of speghetti and chicken. The next day. Was probably as frightening to me as what had happened at the hospital. I caught some what of a bacteria and i (think) had tourista. My bowels were soo loose everything came out. It was to the point where only water was coming out of my body. i lost around 10 to 13 pounds of weight. And i was already very skinny for my age being 6 feet 3 at 135 pounds… i really hate taking meds. So i had to figure out another way to kill the bacteria. My grandma told me to drink the amidon from the cooked white rice. While my father bought me this high potent yoghurt formula. But i knew it wasent enough… I needed to get hydrated again i went to the pharma prix to get an electrolyte formula. Wich consists of a certain percent of water with orange juice and some salt. The pharmacist woman told me that i should go seek emergency, my eyes were caved in and i was a walking zombie with just bones holding me up. It was horrible.
So as time passed by i eventually and miraculously i got better and gained back some weight but still underweight.
So as of today (2009) i am here somewhat doing a lot better then before but know im plagued with this problem that hasent left me wich all comes down to Breathless.
when i wake up i feel ok but as soon as i eat, bam it can take 10 minutes to 5 hours after the problem starts. Sometimes it may not even be the food that triggers it. it seems that during the night the problem is more persistant and its harder for me. It has been already a year im living like this. My life quality sucks. i cant even keep a job, nor go to school full time. Im here at home. While everyone out there is living there life. Im going to see an allergist specialist as mentioned above. And hope i find something. Thank you for reading. Have a nice day. And best of luck to anyone out there going trough simalar problems.
Jesse P.
I have had the same symptoms for almost 2 years. I have been tested and xrayed for every possible thing by an allergist, pulmonologist, cardiologist, and I am about to go back to the gastroenterologist. I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia 6 years ago, so maybe that is it. I eat healthy, I don’t eat any junk, all I eat is fresh fruit and veggies and whole grains. No soda or artificial sweeteners. It starts with the first bite of food, I don’t have to eat a full meal. I have tried anxiety meds, which don’t help, I don’t drink or take drugs. I am a competitive athlete so I am in great shape. In fact, all of the doctors comment on my great lung capacity. The only other symptom is that I feel lightheaded when I exercise.
When I am having the breathing problem, the only thing that helps me get air in is to bend forward. My internist said that is typical in cases of bronchospasm, but I never wheeze, and asthma and allergy meds have been no help. The only way to describe it is that it feels like my lungs do not have room to expand, and it is only when I bend forward that the pressure is relieved and I can take a deeper breath.
I also have episodes of extreme itching without hives. It feels like my skin is too tight, and it is worst where I have stretch marks from pregnancy. It also itches badly on my sides. I have to put tegaderm bandages on the stretch marks to protect myself from the scratching. It is torture. I notice that this happens if I gain any weight. even 2 pounds. I don’t know if this is related to the breathing problem. I thought I was having food allergies causing both symptoms, but the allergist tested me and said no.
Wow! I can’t believe how many people have this problem. I am also fine when I get up in the morning. As soon as I eat , I cannot breathe well and lately I have extreme internal itching! It’s inside my body! It is maddening and I am miserable. I went through a series of doctors and tests about 5 years ago and no one knew what was wrong with me. I did discover however through testing that I have an issue with wheat but I experience the breathlessness and itching even when I don’t eat wheat. It is getting so that I dread eating yet I am always hungry; starving!
I had the same problem for a long time. It was reflux. Treated the reflux and now it’s gone.
I’ve had trouble breathing off and on for ten years, particularly at night, and particularly if I eat before going to bed. Feels like mucous sitting on my vocal chords constructing my airway. It gets much worse if I’m anxious.
For me it turned out to be silent reflux. Google it and you will find it can present with no feeling of heartburn whatsoever, and can lead to apnea like symptoms, day or night. It is very common and often misundestood or not understood by doctors. It can cause anxiety, particularly as your body starts producing adrenaline when you have trouble breathing. I have found that anxiety does make the reflux worse also, but the acid is the root cause.
Antacids reduce symptoms a bit, elevated sleeping helps for some ( haven’t tried it yet), and a sleep study verified that all symptoms went away with a CPAP machine.
I don’t feel alone any more. I went to my pulmonologist yesterday because I felt like I couldn’t get enough air. I have chronic bronchitis and thought an episode might be coming on.
He asked me if I had any heartburn or reflux lately and I said that I didn’t……just the feeling of my chest feeling heavy and lack of gettng enough air. He checked my pulse oxygen level and it was 98 out of 100.
On the drive home from his office I remembered a severe episode that I had after eating green onion potato chips. I was up all night and miserable. I have a lot of stress going on in my life too with my father being extremely ill and my husband having a terminal illness.
After reading your many posts I am going to try to eat what a site I checked out listed when I Googled “foods to avoid when having acid reflux.” I wish I had the link to paste here. I have never drank much tea until lately and on the list of no no’s was decaffeinated or caffeinated teas and coffees. I was making and drinking a lot of decaf sweet tea. Not any more!
Good luck to everyone! This pressure is an awfully scary feeling.
Excuse me for the spelling errors! It was around 9pm today on the first. I took a friend to Buffalo wild wings ordered their burger and a few wings plus a coke. I have had asthma for my life as well as a lot of other people have stated, but anyway I came straight home feeling fine just tired. Went into my room undressed and went to sleep…..now mind you by the time I got home it was 11.30pm . After two and half hours of sleep, I wake up to a pressed breathing problem enough to wake me. I get up feeling like hell, stomach was hurting, chest was short on breath, and to top it off i to have had recent panic attacks due to other things. Hoping that it is just the food(cause really I hope it is) this is the first time I have ever felt this bad in my life after eating. Still feel bad as of now, but reading this makes me feel a bit better! I guess I should start to take it easy even if i’m only 21 right now
I really hope this subsides and I can go to sleep with no worries and the best of luck to everyone else.
I have the same symptoms too. I was told that it is due the the acid reflux that swells the esophagus. It squeezes the lungs that make you feel that you can breath properly. Fatty foods make your stomach to produce more acid.
Hi… I don’t know if mines related to eating as I feel like this constantly and I actually don’t eat a lot at all, but I feel awful
I’ve had a right pain below my right rib cage for about a month now. I’m used to having health problems but lately I’ve been unable to breathe, and it’s that feeling that scares me. I didn’t see a link between the two before, but after going to the doctor’s who told me the pains in my gall bladder, I realised that the two could be related. I ended up in A&E at the weekend and she said it’s not my asthma, something I already knew as it’s such a bizarre and unique feeling. I’m not breathing heavily like I do when I’m having an asthma attack. I actually feel like I’m not breathing and that I’ll just pass out and die! It’s very odd. I don’t ever stress about my health as I generally have something wrong, but I’ve been told that I could be stressed without knowing that I am and that it’s my body responding to it? I don’t know really, as I think there probably is a link between the pain in my gall bladder and the breathing, and the breathing definitely causes me stress. I’m currently studying abroad, so I’m without my family and friends, and I worry about having to go into hospital out here. I ignored the advice of the nurse to stay at home, and I flew back out here. I regret it now, as I’m going to have to spend yet another night trying to keep busy as I can’t sleep with this breathing problem 
I have to say that most people here have the same symptoms as me.
I think it is a blockage in my Gallbladder thats trapping gas and causing pressure high in the area of my upper abdomen and causing asthma like symptoms. For awhile I thought I had asthma. But I soon found out bending and stretching and forcing the movements of the gas through my body and releasing it instantly making my breathing alot better. When this first started I went hours with these asthma symtoms. And it was very worrisome. But really just some situps some bending made the gas move through. I am still going through this because im not insured. Im starting to pay more attention to the things I eat. Eating things that are healthy for my gallbladder.
I have lump in my stomache thats not very noticeable. maybe you do too.
Lay on your back lift your legs slighlty in the air and lift your head up like your doing a crunch and take one hand and look for a lump in the center of your stomache above your belly button.
Dont overlook the gallbladder. Also people who worry, plan, stress and have anxieties are more likely to have these gallbladder symptoms.
I have been having these symptoms too..and glad to hear I’m not alone.
I don’t have a gallbladder anymore though.
When I have gone to a doctor they run all the tests and see I’m not having a heart attack..duh.
Thanks for the posts.
Very similar symptoms as well, though wondering if anyone can help out here. I was diagnosed with LPR
or Laryngopharyngeal reflux, which the doctor said is causing my difficulty in breathing. I really have an apnea-like feeling where if feels as if the problem is around my throat as if my throat is consticted..always have difficulty breathing after drinking alcohol and after lifting objects above my head or even turning my neck or moving my body in certain ways, can’t play with my son.
Taking off my shirt in a specific way will induce the symptoms as well..I also have difficulty swallowing (10 years now) though these are my only symptoms..can anyone relate?
Thanks Much,
I’ve had this problem sometimes in the past, and only lasted a couple of days maximum. Now I’ve been having it for a week. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I don’t feel bloated, but other times I do.
It all started when I caught a cold because of the air-condition. The next morning I could hardly breathe. From that time I was feeling like having a balloon inside my stomach every time after eating.
I noticed that venting gas really helps, but it seems more difficult to achieve with the bloating.
If you feel really suffocating try sitting down, bend your torso forward and try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Don’t worry, things will improve!
I’m having alot of the issues that are posted here. I’m just now relating it to when I eat. I was fine this morning, a customer came to our office, we went to lunch, he bought me a steak and now I feel like I can’t catch my breath. Constantly half-yawning and then a full yawn where I catch my breath. Pretty stressful…makes you think you are going to stop breathing all together which would not too good at all. I guess I need to see someone about it but I’m not real sure what kind of doctor to go to…suggestions?
Thanks!