Yes we all go thru this terrifying feeling. Stop immediately:
-start purse lip breathing
- lean over a counter or railing or sit down
-put your hand on your stomach and concentrate on making your diaphragm go all the way in and out
- think of cool breathe in and warm breath out
- then when you have recovered slighty you can decide if you need your rescue inhaler
- i found most times this approach works and i dont need the inhaler
*i found with exercise(daily walking) makes my recovery much faster. Start small and increase your time you can walk. It improves all aspects from quality of life to sleep. Good luck and breathe free my friend.
P.s. i am stage 4 COPD

Panic Breathing, I just remembered something today that I was taught in one of my therapy sessions and I still use it today. If you have to climb stairs, take steps only when you are exhaling. On your exhale, take however many steps and don't rush. I usually try to get in 3 or 4 steps, stop and take a breathe or 3 or 4. When you are ready, do the exercise again. Breathe out and climb the stairs a few steps. This seems slow but it goes pretty fast. I use it when I have to climb stairs and it really helps. Probably many of you know of this technique already but I thought I( would mention as maybe someone is not aware of it. I also learned that if you are somewhere and get out of breathe, lean back against a wall or something, so your back is touching the wall, don't stand straight up, lean back into it a little. That's only if you can't sit down. Hope this helps somebody. Ernie 71

My kids smile cause i never pass a washroom without making sure my bladder is as empty as possible! Lol. I found with moderate exercise(walking for me) where i started with 2x 6 min strolls and everytime i could do both of them without stopping, i would add a minute to each with a break in between. You will surprise yourself how fast your strength will improve. The huge benefit for me was that as i got better at walking, my recovery from breathlessness to comfortable went from minutes to literally seconds. What a wonderful thing to know that if a sudden flare up caises me to lose my breath that within less than a minute, im back feeling normal again. This went along way to help control my anxiety attacks i was having. Just start slow and do what you can do, and just build from there. Most days i hate and even have to push myself to do my walking, the payoff is awesome! Breathe on my friends! ( jeff- end stage COPD) :)

don't let it get to you Hon, that is just the way this disease is. I know that no one told me I HAD to smoke, Did that all on my own and now I am suffering for it. Take one day at a time. For example, today my breathing was not good at all, don't know why, just wasn't so I did almost nothing today, Tomorrow will be another day and probably better and I will do what I am capable of and that is all till the next day.

Doc told me, breathe in to count of 4, hold for count of 4. breathe out , pursed lips for count of 8.To be sure to get it all out before you repeat. Works great for me. In 3 breaths, I have calmed down a lot.