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The most natural reflex doesn’t seem to come easily to me

I’ve been having trouble breathing lately.

I mentioned once that I breathe really heavily (or so I’ve been told) and  I always wake up all dried out from breathing through my mouth. I get a tight chest when I sit in hot pools or spas. I also sometimes find myself mouth-breathing by default throughout the day; it’s just easier.

I started to get a bit worried when I read the other day (unfortunately I didn’t save the link) that you should be able to keep up a conversation while you run. Er, no. If I was snailing it along with a verrrrry light jog, perhaps. But my usual pace? No fucking way.

Not long after that, I was walking to the bus stop – it wasn’t quite dark yet, but there was certainly a bite to the air. Suddenly a tightness in the chest hit me, forcing me to resort to air-sucking like I’d just been held underwater. And it’s not the first time that’s happened, although not to the same extreme.

Maybe I’m borderline asthmatic? Or maybe it’s my sinuses playing up more than usual. I don’t know. I’m not really too worried, but I must admit I’m starting to wonder.

9 thoughts on “The most natural reflex doesn’t seem to come easily to me

  • Reply Sandy @ yesiamcheap November 11, 2010 at 16:44

    Woman, are you nuts?! Get thee to a doctor stat. Could be asthma, could be allergies, could be congestive heart failure, could be a heart murmur or arrhythmia. Doctor. I mean like tomorrow.

  • Reply Fig November 11, 2010 at 21:58

    Go to the doctor! Seriously!! Sandy is right, it could be any of those things. Get it checked out and be safe!

    I developed asthma since moving to New Zealand. No breathing problems ever before moving here and in a couple months I was having trouble and diagnosed with asthma. It sucks and it’s definitely a downside to living here. 🙁

  • Reply Manda November 11, 2010 at 22:25

    I don’t have any problems breathing in general, but I definitely can’t keep up a conversation when running. I get short of breath really easily when I run, but I don’t have any problems when I’m not running. But yes, I agree with the comments above – go see a doctor. It couldn’t hurt!

  • Reply Jane November 12, 2010 at 03:40

    Get yourself checked out. I didn’t realize I had mild asthma until I had a life-threatening asthma attack. In the hospital, my doctor told me that a third of people who die of asthma have very mild asthma like mine – they die because they don’t realize they need to carry an inhaler.

    I don’t want to scare you, but it is a good idea to get checked. Take care!

  • Reply ndchic November 12, 2010 at 03:54

    I definitely agree with Sandy and Fig. Please go see a doctor. I’m not asthmatic but it does sound like asthma.

  • Reply Stephany November 12, 2010 at 06:14

    A) It might be safe to see a doctor and get checked out, just to make sure it isn’t something more serious.

    B) I can’t breathe either while running! I read somewhere that you shouldn’t be able to hold a conversation while exercising, because if you can, you’re just not working hard enough.

  • Reply gem November 13, 2010 at 06:52

    Doctor! It sounds like either an asthma attack or a panic attack maybe. I don’t know, but a doctor would and doesn’t it scare you enough to doctor it??? Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!

  • Reply everyday tips November 13, 2010 at 16:13

    Wouldn’t hurt to go see a doctor. I have had asthma most my life, and if I am having allergy problems, it gets really bad. I don’t even mean sneezing type allergies. But if I am around any fragrance at all, my bronchial tubes just tighten right up. Exercising in the damp or the cold really gets to me too.

    Let us know how it all works out.

  • Reply aloysa November 15, 2010 at 14:38

    Have you gone to a doctor yet? if not, get yourself to see one ASAP.

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