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So it's only started happening recently, but I've noticed that when I drink Pepsi I get extremely short of breath about five minutes after drinking it. I can't breathe in all the way, I feel shaky and nervous because of it. It stays for a few hours after drinking it, even just a sip.

I thought it was because of the carbonation...but I had a Coke for dinner today and I was perfectly fine. Had a Dr. Pepper earlier, no issues there. Then I buy a Pepsi for late night reading and all of a sudden I'm short of breath again. Getting to a doctor right now is sort of impossible(I'm in Georgia, I don't even know where the bank is, much less the hospital, it's 12 and I can't drive), but I plan on talking to my doctor again ASAP and will definitely mention it then.

I've tried searching for people who have similar issues(via "Pepsi makes it hard to breathe" "Pepsi makes me short of breath" "Soda makes me short of breath" etc.) but no such luck...am I just allergic or something? Really bites since I slipped up and bought a Pepsi for later as well and now I can't drink it without feeling horrible. :/

Was that your first sugary drink/food of the day? Have you ever had any issues with blood sugar levels or anything like that before?

I was going to suggest that maybe it had something to do with the caffeine, but if other sodas don't bother you I don't think that would be it. Did you try comparing the ingredients of the two? Or maybe it's even something related to the plastic bottles being used. (I think I've heard of this hype that plastic bottles are bad for you or something--there's a good chance I may have heard wrong.)

Plastic bottles in general are bad for us but i think it may be an ingredient in it thats not in other soft drinks you drink which would most probably lead to the diagnose of an allergy whether its just the ingredient on its own or possibly a chemical reaction between that ingredient and a few others in the pop. I myself find Pepsi somewhat hard to drink so i have to drink it slower but i have no problems beyond that.

Nah, the Pepsi wasn't my first of the day. I've been snacking(guiltily!) on the occasional sweet tonight because I can't sleep(homesick, lol), and like I said before I had a Coke for dinner only a few hours ago - like around 8:30. I haven't had any blood sugar issues, no - however my mom says Pepsi is WAY too sweet. I drink it for that reason since I don't really like the way Coke tastes, but I never had any problems with it until maybe a few weeks ago.

I don't have a soda to compare to the Pepsi at the moment, but I can say that both canned and bottled versions(even if I pour it into a cup) make me short of breath. So does the Cherry flavored Pepsi, although I don't know about the diet kind.

I personally have no issues between the two sodas so unfortunately I'm of little help. Hopefully you'll be able to see your doctor soon and get this figured out.

Yea Pepsi is soooo much better tasting then coke but it is extremely sweet. I dont eat or drink overly sugary things because it gums up in my throat... chocolate if i eat too much at once or if its half melted to begin with blocks my airways just like how it does for animals except unlike them since they dont have such access or understanding, drink hot tap water which fixes it.

My drink problem isnt just strictly pepsi though like yours is, its just the high sugar content, i salivate quite a bit naturally and together it forms a glue in my throat. Hope you can get it figured out sooon :3 <3

Xakaal wrote:Yea Pepsi is soooo much better tasting then coke but it is extremely sweet. I dont eat or drink overly sugary things because it gums up in my throat... chocolate if i eat too much at once or if its half melted to begin with blocks my airways just like how it does for animals except unlike them since they dont have such access or understanding, drink hot tap water which fixes it.

My drink problem isnt just strictly pepsi though like yours is, its just the high sugar content, i salivate quite a bit naturally and together it forms a glue in my throat. Hope you can get it figured out sooon :3 <3

Now that you mention it, this may be the case. I know that if I eat way too much peanut butter at once, I'll gum up my esophagus and make breathing difficult. I just gulp down a glass of milk to clear it up. But, that's peanut butter, not a concentrated solution of fructose.

To be clear, the shortness of breath is an issue with your esophagus, not your lungs? Might want to make that distinction when you see the doctor.

I'm fairly sure it's not any gumminess in my throat - the issue is that I feel kind of...I dunno, 'bloated' is the closest I can come up with, and it feels like it starts near my lower back and stretches up right against my lungs. I can only take a tiny bit of air in, since forcing myself to take a deep breath becomes physically painful, like something is squishing my lungs into a tiny space.

I know how the gumminess thing feels though. Hate that. :(

While that sounds like a result of carbonation, the fact you said its only pepsi and no other soft drink you currently enjoy really confuses me o.O

Edited out by me; my place isn't to speculate on these things.

Go to the doctor I mean it's your best option. I like Coke more than Pepsi as Pepsi takes like shit IMO.

Hmm..Lower back, up against your lungs..Now I'm not a doctor, far from it, but that sounds like it might have to do with your diaphragm. Basically a sheet of muscle that assists your lungs, among other things.
The pain you feel when trying to inhale could come from your lungs forcibly moving a sensitive diaphragm.
It can and does compress the lungs, accounting for the feeling of tightness.
Naturally I could be completely wrong, so don't get too fixed on the idea.

But aye, as it's been said, I'd say go to the doctor, that is very worrying.

Get checked for hypoglycemia

Since it's only the pepsi that does it, I would just avoid drinking pepsi. That is probably what your doctor will recommend. It's possible that you might be having a reaction to a particular ingredient in the drink, since that seems to be the only common factor. A lot of processed foods contain various dyes and flavorings that some people are more sensitive to than others.

Sounds to me like an alergic reaction to it. Closing up of the throat could make breathing difficult. Definitely get to a doctor on this.

Keleri wrote:Since it's only the pepsi that does it, I would just avoid drinking pepsi.

^this

zedxrgal wrote:Hypoglycemia is a low blood sugar problem none of which the symptoms are what Nubhorns is describing.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is a possibility, but it would be something experienced regularly with drinking other sodas or consuming other things to cause the type of reaction that Nubhorns is describing. Also with Hyperglycemia and shortness of breath the standard symptoms usually have happened for several hours before the shortness of breath and difficulty breathing have even started and so it doesn't sound as though Nubhorns would have either of the two since their symptoms are within minutes of consumption.

So probably not best to recommend someone be tested for something if you don't have medical training. Or do you?

FYI: I do have medical training (aka MA/RN).

That's nice. However, I have hypo and time before symptoms can vary; in my case I can consume a number of "bad stuff" without obvious effects and then suddenly I'll have one too many and bang, dizzy. Other times it takes longer to catch up to me. I haven't had a bad attack in a long time because I've learned what I can get away with and what needed to be cut out.

Hypoglycemia results from the body's overreaction to sugar and refined carbohydrates by creating too much insulin which in turn can lead to anything from dizzyness to low energy or depression, which is in line with the OP's description.

That it may or may not be a reaction exclusive to Pepsi is likely premature to say, hence the reason I advised she get it checked - can't hurt to be cautious.

So I did a little googling of my own and I found that one of the oils they use in Pepsi contains alcohol. The percent of alcohol would be low enough for them not to classify it as a malt drink but if you're not a drinker that could bother you. I mean, this is kind of a stretch but I do know people who have insane attacks when they just take a sip of alcohol. I would say to avoid alcohol and go see a doctor when you get the chance and ask a ton of questions.