Indeed, these medications are designed to open up the airways and increase ventilation. Medication and fat burning products containing ephedrine, including the Chinese herbal ma haung , might also be questioned if they are being used and hyperventilation or panic symptoms occur. Stop using over the counter ephedrine products and talk to your doctor about your hyperventilation symptoms. Progesterone Progesterone increases breathing and a consequent lowering of carbon dioxide in the blood stream when administered to either men or women. A natural increase in the production of progesterone occurs in women in the later part of the menstrual cycle, and it at it's highest between the 20th and 25th day.
Pregnancy is another time when progesterone is high.
Some scientists have made the point that the reason about twice as many women suffer from panic disorder than do men is because of their natural progesterone production. Many women who experience problems which they identify as being part of the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle would be helped if they practiced the breathing retraining exercises described in the exercises in the coming chapters. If panic attacks are occurring, then learning relaxed breathing and discussing birth control drugs with your doctor may be the cure. It is not unusual for people to self-medicate for panic attacks through the use of alcohol and barbiturates which suppress breathing when in the system. Like withdrawal from the most common tranquilizers used for panic attacks, withdrawal from alcohol and barbiturates cause an anxiety rebound as they leave the body.