My doctor said it's from severe chest muscle fatigue

UPDATE - My breathing still sucks...no pun intended. I still wheez and gasp. Hubby has noticed that sometimes just walking thru the house will get me heaving. SOOOOO, I suppose the next step will be blood test (CBC, Iron, Thyroid, etc.) and playing pin cushion for a bit just to rule out the "normal" maladies. I'm sorry, but what is "normal" anyway but a dryer setting? I can't remember....LOL

Yes! Shortness of breath, which I never had before. Belly breathing reccomended overall, but I can't control when it happens.

I am working on my breathing exercises......I phoned Dr and plan to have blood work to see if anything else is the problem

Hi, I'd be interested to know what breathing exercises work for you. I was recetntly told that if I could sort my breathing out it would be key to helping me get better, but the breathing exercise I was given made my breathing worse.

LUCY - This I know from a singing teacher..... if possible, lie on back and place a book on your tummy. When you take in a breath, the book should rise, not the chest. This forces the diaphragm to do its muscle job properly and cause the lungs to expand. Hold the breath for a count of 5 then let out slowly.

I'm trying and the first couple of deep breathes I took HURT. But I still am trying to do a couple times per day.

ALSO, if you can find REAL LICORICE, not the artificial flavored type (read the ingredients) there is a chemical in the LICORICE to aid the dilation of the bronchial tubes. Same thing with chicken broth. Coffee also has a mild bronchial dilator in it as well.

Great. Thanks for the tips. I'll try that. I'm already taking licorice from a herbalist and it has really helped. He has also given me lobelia for breathing, which has helped. As far as I know caffeine is a bad idea if you have CFS because of the adrenal exhaustion aspect and coffee is generally thought pretty toxic by alternative health practitioners.

I hope you feel better soon.

I had trouble breathing and had panic attacks about 5 times. They were awful. I went to the ER and they couldn't find anything wrong with me except dehydration. I started taking Klonopin and that all stopped. I am still very tired, but it is better. My doctor wanted me to go off the Klonopin because it is a narcotic, so I tried to very gradully go off of it, but I just got worse and had to go up in the dose to where I almost was. Was at 1.5 mg but now I'm at 1 mg. I'm ok now, but I'm not doing as well as when I was taking the 1.5 mg dose. I see my doctor again on June 9th. I don't know how I'm going to convince him that it's ok to take this. I mean I have a terrible life without it, so what dose it matter if it's not good for me. I already gave him Dr. Paul Chaney's article about CFS people taking Klonopin. Maemee

Oh yeah, this may be my biggest problem because it's so maddening! I can't take a full breath period. It hurts for me to breathe and it always feels like I'm suffocating. Always! I mean every day for the last 14 months! I cannot believe I have not killed myself at this point it is so debilitating. Plus, every time I try to take a breath I get light headed and nauseous. This would drive anyone completely insane!!

Dear LUCY - I don't drink tons of coffee anymore, altho at one point I drank appx 3 pots daily +! I limit it to 2-3 cups since this flare took me down. I try to drink more vitamin enhanced waters (NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER!) to help as well. I WANT to try RELIV as my MS gal pal did and it turned her world around.

She is now off the oxygen, out of the walker, using a cane only and occasionally, letting go of the cane to practice her balance! It's amazing as I know how far gone she was.

WE KNOW IT WILL NOT CURE HER MS but it is restoring her vitality which gives quality of life. Ain't the the goal???

MAMEE - klonopin is an anti-convulsant, not narcotic. I was on it for my PKD (paroxysmal dyskensia) and yes it helped me some but I dropped it cold turkey as the PKD was still breaking thru the klonopin and the side effects just weren't worth it for me.

If it works for you GREAT! Take care.

CJ - Odd you said that as I said the same thing to my hubby this AM. I told him I don't approve of suicide but I certainly can understand why people with chronic illness do it. I'm so SICK & TIRED of being sick.....at least with a 3 day virus, no matter how ill you are, you know that in 3 days you will be on the road to better. But with this CRAP, there is never a better it seems.

Sorry, don't mean to be a downer, just very tired and even more tired of trying to get people to understand that tho I look "fine" I AM TIRED BEYOND TIRED.

Best wishes...keep up the good fight.

I'm glad to read these posts as well. I don't experience symptoms as severe as some others, but during a "tired" phase I do find myself taking many, many deep breaths in a day, just trying to get whatever it is my body is needing and not getting, and it still doesn't feel fulfilled, like it does on a particularly good day.

FAITHHOPE - Honey, it don't matter how "severe" the fact that it is, is enough to put anyone in a tailspin.

I don't understand how negative people survive this stuff. I mean, I've been called a cock-eyed optimist or that I wear rose colored glasses, but honestly, I live in reality, and sometimes, if you read all the posts, I get down as any normal person would. BUT THEN I REMEMBER.....THIS TO SHALL PASS.

Best wishes, and read the post about LICORICE & CHICKEN BROTH

I had another breathing episode last night. I had some of the worst pain in weeks. I went to bed early only to wake up a few hours later not able to breath. I had to force myself to take deep breaths just to get enough oxygen for 5-10 minutes. It has never happened while sleeping before. I do have sleep apnea but this was different I couldn't get enough air even after I woke up. This has happened a few time before usually only when I am having a HORRIBLE day. It has never happened in my sleep.

Does any one get this in their sleep?