Swallowing & Choking

[caligirl78]

Hi everyone,
I'm so grateful this community exists, if anyone has an advice/experience with this, I'd surely appreciate it. About 6 months ago I got a bad virus and it turned into bronchitis. Around this time I also accidently inhaled some on my saliva and began choking, I felt like I couldn't breathe, turned pale and got enough words out to ask my sister to call 911. She was about to when I grabbed her arms and said, "Calm me down!" She told me to calm down and I was able to breathe again, I had some kind of spasm. That incident, the trouble I had with breathing from coughing with bronchitis, brought on A LOT of anxiety. I had not experienced anxiety since childhood - and now 20 years later it had returned. Since that time (6 months ago) I've gotten a lot of symptoms that point to reflux disease, sore throat, burping, coughing after eating etc, also a feeling like there is always mucous in my throat and that I'm about to inhale it. I constantly clear my throat, because I'm scared to choke, like before. My Dr. is slow on treating the reflux. This has caused my mind to wander like crazy - do I have a swallowing problem? Is my throat not working correctly? Am I developing multiple sclerosis or something terrible that's affecting my swallowing?! All these things have crossed my mind. I'm sure it's just reflux. Does anyone else have irrational anxiety regarding swallowing/choking? How do you control it? I've had two tests - a barium swallow, to show that my food is NOT going into my windpipe, also a laryngoscopy - to verify that my larynx is ok, and my upper throat looks normal - both tests were just fine...so you would think my mind would be at ease? BUT instead, my anxious mind says, "Maybe they didn't read the tests correctly?"
So...if anyone has any words of wisdom - maybe if you've experienced anxiety about swallowing/choking, or have experience with anxiety & reflux, or have any advice in general regarding anxiety. I feel new to it all over again - has speaking with a therapist helped at all? Part of me just wants to take medication to feel better, but I know that doesn't work all the time either...I just feel kind of on my own - not sure how to deal with things.

[Enduronman]

funny story..I had extreme chest pains one day a couple of years ago that persisted for hours. I decided I had better call it a day as the client that owned the home suggested I go to the ER asap. Well, I didnt do that in that order. I came home to be sure my life ins was paid up and once I confirmed that then I went to the ER..A flurry of test ensued, to find out it was GERD. Basically, it was heartburn but I'd never had that ever before so they told me to take Pepcid daily. An OTC med designed to treat acid reflux disease and no more pains in the chest since. Although, I dont take anything for the disease daily now because I chose to change my diet instead..so I did. No more acid reflux disease, weird.. I also got into big trouble for not telling anyone I thought I was having a heart attack but that was my choice to keep things on the "down low" until something in the Defcon 5 ranges were actually confirmed as I didnt need a bunch of people jumping around and freaking out around me and asking 1000's of questions that I would obviously have NO answers for..I hate that!

So,..go get some famotadine tomorrow and take it in the am. You'll be fine, and this will give you the time needed to assess your dietary intake of foods that are likely causes of heart burn, reflux, GERD, and choking and swallowing. Yes, a lump in the throat feeling is a SIGN of this condition...AND NOTHING MORE!

Enjoy your life and have a happy retirement..

E-Man.

[DragonLilly]

I used to have a similar issue. I felt my throat was constantly blocking up and I felt like coughing/choking all the time.

For me it turned out to be GORD and allergies. I moved so I don't have trouble with the allergies now and I take a medication called "Pantoprazole Sandoz". Now I don't have much trouble at all.

I may mention I found my anxiety just made it worse. I used to panic that I would not be able to breathe and then I would hyperventilate and feel dizzy/sick. I did have actual times where my throat closed up and I did have trouble breathing so I had a reason to be worried, but the anxiety just wasn't helping the case.
So my advice is to try to stay calm but always take it seriously. Better have half a dozen trips to the hospital over a panic attack then to actually choke and do nothing. It's what I believe in anyway.

Good luck.