I have been doing the pursed lip breathing & using oxygen - any other suggestions?
The anxiety can be dealt with through a combination of medication to reduce anxiety, talk therapy to learn to deal with the anxiety and learning and using breathing techniques like pursed lip breathing. The first thing you must do is learn that when you do get short of breath (SOB), you either need to slow down or stop and do your pursed lip breathing. One of the hardest things to learn is that if you do get SOB, and your O2 saturation levels are still good (above 90), you can continue with what you're doing and you won't do yourself any harm. If your O2 sats are low (under 88), you can turn your O2 up a bit and that will help some, but you can still keep going and won't do yourself any harm. You'll be really uncomfortable, but you won't hurt yourself. That's the hardest thing to learn, but if you learn it, you won't get so anxious and it will be much easier to catch your breath.
Yes and the more anxiety the harder to breath. I just try and calm myself down. Easier said than done these days lol.
Good answer- practice PLB until it is automatic. After 14 years I even do it in my sleep. what is already trapped stays there, won't come out. PLB is to prevent further air trapping, also the counting while breathing in then longer count breathing out keeps your mind concentrating on the count and helps to forget the anxiety. always keep your oxygen level especially during exertion at normal (circa 94-98%). More oxygen is safer than too little, and forget about that old myth about the urge to breath diminishing - oxygen is GOOD
Anxiety is part of Cops. If I experience this I get on my knees rest my elbows on chair that has a nice cushion and breathe normally for about 10 minutes then I am fine
I like reading what Jean has to say I think that gals very good explaining thing . I take Alprazolam (..5MG ) one every night at bed time helps me sleep to.