difficulty swallowing?

[teetime]

I recently (about 2 days ago) experienced sudden onset problems swallowing. I was eating a snack at 5pm and was fine and then in the middle of my dinner felt I just could not swallow. The feeling is hard to describe - it's as if my throat freezes and won't contract normally.

I am now 30 and have suffered from anxiety since my late teens (really all my life to be honest but my late teens was when I had a few real panic attacks). I'm not on (and never have been on) meds and generally do fine.

My question is about this symptom and whether or not others have experienced it. I am guessing it is anxiety as I CAN swallow, it gets much worse when I focus on it, better when I really relax, has gotten worse as I've become more freaked out, does not apply to liquids, and was so sudden in starting. I am second guessing anxiety as the root cause though because I wasn't feeling very anxious Monday and in fact was feeling better compared to Sunday when I was quite anxious (and hungover).

Thoughts?

[thechad]

I had the same thing for a couple of days. It would get worse at the ending of a meal and if I got up and-or moved (while chewing, just before swallowing) it felt like it was easier to swallow..

Anyway it lasted maybe a week or two but went away on its own.. So really don't pay any attention to it

[teetime]

Thank you. Last night it did get worse towards the end of trying to have dinner and yes moving around (relaxing muscles maybe) helps. Also distracting myself does too. Just reading your "don't worry" seriously helps.

[kdanielle]

definitly anxiety but just remember..your not really chokin..so just relax :)

[vaio]

I know the feeling and it is usually with dry food. Liquids don't make me this sensation.

[txmom]

Yeah, I can only eat when I'm relaxed (which is rarely). Otherwise, my throat is constricted and it is difficult and painful to swallow food, and it feels like I will choke (although I never have).
During these anxious times, I'm able to drink liquids, however, and sometimes the best you can do is drink some sort of protein shake.