> A couple of months ago I developed a sort of tightness in my chest and
> shortness of breath.  It makes deep breathing difficult and gets downright
> painful with exertion.  My doctor has found nothing wrong, EKG and chest
> X-ray are normal.  I went to a cardiologist for a stress echo and it was
> also normal.  My doctor has put me on Prilosec for acid reflux (always been
> a problem) and even Prozac (apparently chest pain is a common symptom of
> depressed males).  Nothing helped.
>
> Here's the kicker.  As Thanksgiving neared and I stopped going to the gym,
> my devotion to NeanderThin waned and I started eating crap.  Breads, sweets,
> the whole deal.  It was fun.  Of course, I immediately got a cold and cold
> sore on my lip and started packing on about three to five pounds a week.
> But my chest pain left!  I was amazed.  This week after gaining about 15
> pounds, I went back to NeanderThin and felt much better but the pain came
> back!!  I'm extremely frustrated.  It's not terribly painful, it just feels
> as if the muscles that do the inhaling are weak.  It is also accompanied
> with pain in my back just below my shoulder blades.  Has anyone had any
> similar experience?  Does anyone have any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike

It may have to do with your different breathing patterns and the
exercise you do when on the Neanderthin diet.

I think it would be worthwhile to commit yourself to 3 or 4 weeks of
gentle stretching and relaxation exercises -- the stretching before
your workout, and the relaxation afterward.  You can do simple
relaxation with a 20-minute tape.  Warious kinds are available.

I went through a similar chest pain problem when I quit smoking 26
years ago.

Patty