Trouble breathing

rileyhill77

I have recently began running a few weeks ago starting at a mile a day, and then by the second week realizing that my body was in a much better shape and have ran around 20+ miles in the past week everyday averaging atleast 2-4 miles by 1 mile increments and quarter mile and half mile faster runs to try to find my potential.

I suffer from anxiety and depression which contributes a lot to my difficulty breathing i'm not sure if i'm a shallow breather but often times i notice that i have stopped breathing and i try hard to catch my breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Many of these symptoms have contributed to my difficulty breathing when running. My progress now on the seventh day of increased running with the last 2 weeks i have been running everyday taking no days to break.

Today my breathing seemed to shock me today when i was at school because my difficulty with catching my breath it feels like i can't get a "full breath". It adds to my anxiety and weakens my run time. My nose isn't running and my mouth doesn't have mucus like it did when i was a smoker, but i just feel like my airways both nose and mouth are a bit more constricted which is making it harder to breath. I have a big nose and pushing on my nose seems to help open this airway, but the constriction seems worse than usual but i'm not sick.

I have a poor diet because I have dropped around 80 pounds in the last year going from around 260-270 to 180-195 now. My diet is poor because I don't feel the urge to eat unless if I'm high which I often times honestly run high (marijuana) because it helps me tune out and mindlessly reach my goals. This hasn't effected my breathing before and the past because I was able to play sports and increase my performance so i know its not from smoking that has led to this.

On average I eat less than 2,000 calories a day often times less than 1,500 or 1,000 sometimes lower than that. I only drink water I'm very valiant about this I drink on average 2-3+ 3 liter jugs of water a day. The medicine I take is Wellbutrane. Other things I take are St. John's Wort, Ginkho Baloba, Vitamin B Complex, Niacin (Flush Free)-No reason really? I try to also get an average of atleast 6-9 hours of sleep daily.

This link is very similar to how I'm feeling - http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111012192402AAWzLAE

Are any of the things I'm taking contributing to this hard to breath symptoms? Should I take a day to rest or continue everyday?

I'm 18 years old 6 foot tall 182 pounds wider set

In advance I know that smoking before or even at all will be scrutinized, but I went from being 260 pounds a year ago to changing into a better person at a more healthier weight all while smoking and playing sports having fun being a kid.

LoraF83

I would still guess that smoking plays a part in it, even if you don't want to think so. I'm not telling you not to do it, but I'm telling you it probably is an issue.

SLOW DOWN - if you're having trouble breathing, you are running too fast. You don't need to have a 6 minute mile right out of the gate. Go slow enough that you can have a conversation while running. Speed comes with time, experience and training.

Take a rest day. Beginner runners are usually advised to only run 3-4 days a week, with a rest day between every run. After some experience (about 6 months), you can run consecutive days. You're setting yourself up for injury by doing too much too soon.

Eat to support your activity. Don't complain about a poor diet. If you want to be active, eat like you know you should.

rileyhill77

A lot that is behind my poor diet is that I don't have the "right foods" to eat all the time and I'm aware of that. I'm not sure if I should eat the foods I know that aren't good for me or as good or just not eat at all so thats what I do.

The thing about smoking is before when I played sports I smoked cigarettes and weed. I had lots of mucus.

Once I cut out the cigarettes several months of recovery has led me to a huge decrease in mucus practically none! And this has benefitted my running a lot because I don't have to stop because i'm sloshing mucus in my throat and choking.

LoraF83

Well, as far as the "right foods" goes - I live by the advice "everything in moderation." I try to make sure that I'm getting enough protein, eating lots of fruits and veggies, having healthy fats, etc. But I'm still going to eat pizza on Friday night. I have a slice of cake waiting for my snack this afternoon.

My other advice still stands - slow down. Be aware that the smoking might be affecting you. That's all.

Sqeekyjojo

Go to the doctor. You could have an infection, anaemia or, seeing as you're taking both St. John's wort and welbutrin, both of which affect brain chemistry, you could even be risking serotonin syndrome. Which is a hell of a lot more serious. Especially as you're describing symptoms that feature in adverse event reporting.

And spliffs still affect your lungs.

hosegirl

Frankly, I think your post is a rant of what is wrong with you and not about your breathing and what we on this site can help you with. There are a lot of excuses of why you can't breath correctly, Why you have a poor diet. I beleive the saying goes "One step at a time" Get rid of the pot. See a doctor not only about you breathing but nutrition and an allergy test as well. as well. Why are you running?

rileyhill77

I'm running because I look to burn more fat, to overall just be cut. One step at a time for me is starting with losing my body fat and then moving towards building the muscles. Running is easier for me to do mindlessly and weight training/strength training isn't.

Also one way I tested to see if smoking weed would damage my run is one day I ran a mile at a time of 6:26 the next day I got high right before I was getting out of the car to run and my mile time was 6:36 a 10 second difference doesn't seem like it has made a big difference to quit.

windyrobotham

I know everyone is different but when I run I cannot breathe in through my nose. I breathe in and out through my mouth. I know of a few other friends that run that do the same thing. Good luck!

rileyhill77

The problems I'm leaning towards is my intake of water is too high maybe but my activity level balances this out I would expect.

Breathing in and out through your mouth increases dryness of the air which also increases the difficulty of breathing for me anyways.

LoraF83

I'm running because I look to burn more fat, to overall just be cut. One step at a time for me is starting with losing my body fat and then moving towards building the muscles. Running is easier for me to do mindlessly and weight training/strength training isn't.

You're doing it backwards, honestly.

If you want to cut fat, you should be on a lifting program now.

rileyhill77

If so then what should I expect to see improve (body composition wise) from running daily?
And what are some things I can throw in to help remove this fat which is almost all in the stomach and my stomach is almost all composed of extra skin and fat.

windyrobotham

Your right breathing through your mouth tends to dry your mouth out. I have found if I'm running any sort of distance chewing a piece of gum really helps. I don't have to chew it constantly to get the benefits either. Simply having got in my mouth helps stimulate saliva production.

LoraF83

If so then what should I expect to see improve (body composition wise) from running daily?
And what are some things I can throw in to help remove this fat which is almost all in the stomach and my stomach is almost all composed of extra skin and fat.

I would suggest a compound lifting program with a 20% cut from TDEE.

Something like Strong Lifts.

You can do cardio along with it, if you want. I lift heavy 3 days a week and run 3-4 times a week. But cardio isn't necessary.

billsica

omg. this just sounds like a train wreck. I'll comment of the edges of what you can do to help today.

You need rest days for running. Try 1 long run a week and shorter runs for the other. Maybe check out C25k. you might need to start in the middle, but hey who knows.

SLOW DOWN YOUR RUNS!! Go slower for now till you build up your distance.
Pinch your shoulders back slightly and lean ever so slightly forward, so your almost strait up but not quite.

Start lifting now too, your just going to lose muscle mass this way.

Now, you need to go see a Dr and get some help. really, we all love you go.

onwarddownward

My diet is poor because I don't feel the urge to eat unless if I'm high which I often times honestly run high (marijuana) because it helps me tune out and mindlessly reach my goals. This hasn't effected my breathing before and the past because I was able to play sports and increase my performance so i know its not from smoking that has led to this.

Running high on weed is likely to result in more problems than breathing, like, perhaps, traction or a tombstone.

Get your life in shape, eat right and get off of drugs. You're 18? What are you doing this for?

Sometimes the children on these boards just drive me nuts. 'I'm trying to lose weigh and it's not working," say the anorexic teens who's legs are toothpicks and who eats 500 calories a day. "Why can't I breathe?" OP asks between puffs of MJ.

Eating disorders and drug addictions need to be dealt with through a rehab program, not via message boards.

Sorry. Rant over.

jus_in_bello

omg. this just sounds like a train wreck. I'll comment of the edges of what you can do to help today.

You need rest days for running. Try 1 long run a week and shorter runs for the other. Maybe check out C25k. you might need to start in the middle, but hey who knows.

SLOW DOWN YOUR RUNS!! Go slower for now till you build up your distance.
Pinch your shoulders back slightly and lean ever so slightly forward, so your almost strait up but not quite.

Start lifting now too, your just going to lose muscle mass this way.

Now, you need to go see a Dr and get some help. really, we all love you go.

This.

Also, you might asthmatic, you might have allergies, have you talked to your doc about taking SJW and welbutrine and all those vitamins because they can mess each other up.

fbmandy55

My diet is poor because I don't feel the urge to eat unless if I'm high which I often times honestly run high (marijuana) because it helps me tune out and mindlessly reach my goals. This hasn't effected my breathing before and the past because I was able to play sports and increase my performance so i know its not from smoking that has led to this.

Running high on weed is likely to result in more problems than breathing, like, perhaps, traction or a tombstone.

Get your life in shape, eat right and get off of drugs. You're 18? What are you doing this for?

Sometimes the children on these boards just drive me nuts. 'I'm trying to lose weigh and it's not working," say the anorexic teens who's legs are toothpicks and who eats 500 calories a day. "Why can't I breathe?" OP asks between puffs of MJ.

Eating disorders and drug addictions need to be dealt with through a rehab program, not via message boards.

Sorry. Rant over.

FYI Pot is not an addictive drug. So please don't treat him like a drug addict. If it helps him to have an appetite then good for him. In some states he could get a prescription for that.

Running while high though may not be safe. I would not do an intense workout while high just because you have a better chance off spacing out and getting hurt. A walk or hike in the woods is always nice.

obrientp

Sounds like you've got some issues you need to work on before you worry about your stomach flab, or at least work on at the same time. Getting high is no way to go through life, and taking smoke into your lungs is never a good thing. It doesn't seem to be making you any happier, and it will catch up to you one day. But, you'll have to decide that for yourself.

sullus

My diet is poor because I don't feel the urge to eat unless if I'm high which I often times honestly run high (marijuana) because it helps me tune out and mindlessly reach my goals. This hasn't effected my breathing before and the past because I was able to play sports and increase my performance so i know its not from smoking that has led to this.

Running high on weed is likely to result in more problems than breathing, like, perhaps, traction or a tombstone.

Get your life in shape, eat right and get off of drugs. You're 18? What are you doing this for?

Sometimes the children on these boards just drive me nuts. 'I'm trying to lose weigh and it's not working," say the anorexic teens who's legs are toothpicks and who eats 500 calories a day. "Why can't I breathe?" OP asks between puffs of MJ.

Eating disorders and drug addictions need to be dealt with through a rehab program, not via message boards.

Sorry. Rant over.

FYI Pot is not an addictive drug. So please don't treat him like a drug addict. If it helps him to have an appetite then good for him. In some states he could get a prescription for that.

Running while high though may not be safe. I would not do an intense workout while high just because you have a better chance off spacing out and getting hurt. A walk or hike in the woods is always nice.

My breathing on a run is a LOT easier 45mins to an hour after smoking a bowl than it is normally. But smoking right before a run? That will cause me some breathing problems too.

rassha01

Good luck keeping a proper diet with the munchies!!!!

Of course you are going to have issues breathing when inhaling smoke, tar, and whatever else into your lungs. As many others have said, you have bigger issues than belly fat.

CherryOnionKiss

see a doctor. might be asthma.