bluekarin Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I seem to have developed an anxiety problem which has manifested as making it difficult to swallow certain foods, and some drinks. It started end of November when the inlaws came to stay and I think they were a tipping point after a lot of things worrying me (the kids, the dh with his angina, the house move, a flight to Manchester) and whilst trying to enjoy a glass of wine once they had gone back to their accomodation, I found it hard to drink my wine *sobs* It got worse and worse over the next few days and I could barely swallow the tiny bits of veg in a cup a soup. I went to the gp where I just broke down, and she prescribed some relaxants to help relax my jaw and help me eat. I thought I had got on top of it, but its reared its ugly head again when I got a little bit stressed when we went to the cinema a few days ago. I sat in the seat and suddenly felt like I was going to choke on a polo mint I was eating (one time I thought this was going to happen was eating an extra strong mint when dog walking one evening, and prior to that when I flew to Manchester and was sucking a boiled sweet to stop the ear popping but my jaw felt like it froze and I had no control over my tongue and felt like I was going to choke). I am trying to not let it get to me and trying to relax, and the butterflies I had in my stomach the first time isnt as bad this time, but it is worrying me. The gp suggested booking in for an endoscopy but I said to her the thought of having a tube down my throat would make me worse. I have done the thing you shouldnt do, and google it and some of the possible causes terrify me. I am sure deep down it isnt the big C, as I am not losing vast amounts of weight, just a bit due to lack of eating. Can anyone suggest how to help beat this? I try deep breathing, but I have never been able to do that without feeling like I will pass out, or my mind wanders and I forget what I am doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 It sound to me like its psychological rather than physical. I'm not a medical person in any way but I would have thought some kind of talking therapy. Maybe counselling, CBT or perhaps even hypnotherapy (not sure on my feelings on this but it seems to work for some people. Sorry to hear you're having a rough time and I hope you get back on top of things. Make sure you ( and your family) give yourself time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 Thank you for replying. Its not really a rough time, just a lot of stressful things happening all at once. The kids thing has been on going for many years to with their physical and mental health. I think so too, though I do get physical symptoms - jaw gets achy, throat gets almost sore from the effort of trying to swallow. When it starts to flare up, my jaw feels sort of frozen, like when you've been out in the cold for too long. I did wonder if it was a mild throat infection or something to do with my ears, but I dont know. My throat looks normal when I've had a look at it. The gp did think talking to someone about it might help, and gave me a phone number. I was going to wait until we moved (end of this month all being well), but I think I will do it sooner just in case there is a wait. It does get me down quite a bit, especially when it first appened as it was over my birthday and I couldnt even enjoy a glass of wine or get the m&s meal we planned to treat ourselevs with. I just had a cuppa soup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Poor you, it sounds really unpleasant and frightening Some sort of talking therapy sounds like a very good idea. Wondered if you have any time to try yoga? It might help you to relax a little. I've found it really useful when I've previously been going through a stressy time. Hope that you manage to get some help soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 It sounds very unpleasant, sorry to hear it. Your GP is bound to consider ruling out physical causes but it does sound as if you're fairly certain that it's a reaction to stress. Obviously one option is to try and reduce the stress, easier said than done especially when it involves other people's health problems but it may be worth taking some time to review your commitments to see if there's anything you can do to make life easier- can you delegate any responsibilities or tasks? Assuming that's not possible then the other option is to try and change the way you react to stress and CBT could be very helpful in overcoming this. Anything that helps you to relax, whether it's yoga, Pilates, swimming, meditation or just walking every day could help so I'd take advantage of anything you can. Moving is really stressful as we all know so give yourself as many breaks as you can - eating takeaways or ready meals a bit more often in the run-up to it won't kill anyone, get help with packing and make sure you spend a bit of time each day doing something for yourself (and that doesn't mean sitting in a bubble bath worrying about what you're not doing!). I hope things improve for you after you've moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Hi Bluekarin, does it also feel as if you have something stuck in your throat? Then when you are eating it feels as though you can't swallow? I have reflux, sometimes seen as GERD or GORD depending which website you use. It can be exacerbated by stress and you certainly have plenty of that. Mine flairs up for no real reason and settles after few weeks on Nexium. I have had tube down throat,under sedation as I couldn't have that sort of procedure awake. It showed gastritis. My symptoms, feel as if there is something stuck in throat, then the more I think about it, it gets worse. I used to keep apple in car to eat when working and felt it had stuck in my throat, I pulled over in front of shop and was about to run in, grab water, drink and then pay when it settled. It happened again so now I seldom eat in car unless I have water. I f you wanted to see if it was physical you can buy ranitidine or Nexium over the counter and try one or other for a week to see if it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Another acid reflux sufferer here. If you have the endoscopy with sedation you won't feel anything. I gag on a tongue depressor much to my GPs disgust. Why people feel nureses are any less wussy than the general public I don't know. I do know anxiety manifests itself in many ways. With me it's chronic tummy discomfort, itchy scalp and sleeplessness. Have the endoscopy to put your mind at rest. CBT is good. Hope you feel better soon. Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I suffered with throat constriction and nausea as a teenager as a result of anxiety. I also have acid reflux and an under active thyroid which when enlarged feels like a lump in my throat. It was diagnosed because I went to doctors complaining of a lumpy feeling which made it feel like food was sticking in my throat. When I saw the ENT specialist he could see lots of acid erosion but also noticed how large my thyroid was and sent me for a blood test. Yours sounds more like an anxiety response but this can be made worse by acid reflux which is something that you are also more likely to suffer from if you are stressed and eating in a rush. Finding coping mechanisms will help. I always find that I am worse in hot or crowded places when eating g or faced with a huge plate of food. Try eating little and often. I hope that you find a solution that works for you. When I went along a camera was put up my nose not down my throat. Like you I gag at the slightest thing and was dreading goi g so that came as a pleasant surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Work in progress for me but I'm learning that it's about taking control. That's how it works for me. So for example, have the endoscopy, which sounds horrible but at least you've taken control, you can deal with the results and your mind will be clear about that worry. It's very difficult with worries about kids but I could drive myself crazy going over things so I've done a pretty good job of controlling my thoughts. When ES was soldiering I used to get upset worrying about if he got captured and tortured but that was beyond stupid of me so I would say no out loud to stop my thoughts going there. What was the point? Worrying about what might happen wasn't achieving anything at all. Regarding your in-laws. Are they putting out vibes that make you feel stressed or are they nice people you want to please? Either way, tell yourself to stop it. People have to like you and your family and your home as it is. If they don't that's their problem. I know being calm etc etc is good advice but sometimes I think a little bit of rage and fighting your fears can help. It really has worked for me with my family situation, I feel it's made me harder but much happier. I hope some of this is relevant and helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 A bit more....... I actually tell stressy symptoms to go away - very rudely. After my fainting palaver last year sometimes something as simple as going to a shop makes me get lightheaded and odd. I get angry with the feeling and tell it I'm going to ignore it. It sounds crazy but the alternative would be to do nothing and never go out. MS said to me that I don't faint normally on a daily basis so why would I walking down the road. Feeling stroppy about my anxiety helps me beat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 That's good advice PL And something I am going to try as I worry about DD, health issues,on an hourly even minute basis,waking at night also. It is something I can do nothing about so I will start telling my thoughts to STOP and go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Don't worry about endoscopy! I have had two and the first was just with the spray in the throat....dreadful experience and I did'nt stop shaking for an hour afterwards. So when I was told I needed another one I opted for the sedation and was blissfully unaware of the whole thing! It did mean that OH had to come with me as I couldn't drive afterwards but it was a million times better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 What a useful thread, thanks everyone I have also had times in the past year when I felt I couldn't swallow and that there was something large in my throat. I don't suffer from reflux, but I do gag easily. I have worked out that mine is to do with stress as well, or if I don't cut my food up small enough and I don't chew it enough. I partly get round this by eating softer food and drinking water. I am encouraged to hear that I am not alone. For you Bluekarin, I know its easy for me to say, but I think I would have an endoscopy because everyone is saying its not painful. The massive gain is that it would put your mind at rest, or you would find out once and for all if there is a physical problem, which can be addressed. I have planned to mention my problem to my GP next time I am there, as its a bit out of the ordinary and vaguely worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Stress is properly weird stuff that can produce the most strange symptoms (I have a friend whose fingernails fell out and another who had symptoms not dissimilar to yours). A technique I used when I used to have panic attacks was to talk to it directly - sounds bizarre but worked for me. I would tell it that I knew it wasn't real, that I wasn't actually terrified of anything, but that neurons and chemistry just made it feel like it. I told it to go away. After a bit of practice it worked. Personally, with everything you're going through, it sounds like counselling might be more useful. Many GPs can do a short course of CBT without too much of a wait - which can be useful for coping mechanisms. Might be worth asking? Hope you feel better soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 My mum. She worries about everything (even when there isn't anything to worry about) and when she is really bad she chokes. In her youth she would only drink an egg beaten up in hot milk and a teaspoon of sugar. I suppose in recent times she would have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Even after I was born she never ate much and I was introduced to the . . . well . . . it's runny custard without the cornflour isn't it! She seemed to get sessions where it would happen all the time she was eating and would leave the rest of her meal. I haven't seen her do it in recent years, however since the early 1980's (and probably triggered off by the death of her mother) she started choking in her sleep and having panic attacks because she thought she was dying. Poor dad had the joy of having any part of his anatomy crushed as she flailed and grabbed for anything to hold on to before it subsided. It was only in the moments just after she first nodded off. After years of it Dad finally told her to see the doctor and she had to be wired up by the sleep clinic - verdict sleep apnoea (not life threatening edited to add hers is non life threatening - she has a mild version of it) and she was supposed to have some form of valium - low dosage to relax the muscles. She decided she wouldn't take the tablets, was told politely by the doctor that this was for life and to jolly well take them. So she did but broke them in half. I think she takes about a quarter of the tablet nowadays. So no - you aren't alone. Stress and anxiety plays evil tricks on everyone and manifests differently each time. Hubby has psoriasis. I eat. Daughter picks her hair out and at one time it was her eyebrows too. Son used to self harm, but he does tend to shut off when things are bad and changes jobs. Currently enjoying a totally different environment and is happy. I do hope you manage to find some sort of comfort - you've certainly had quite a basinful of stuff to deal with recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 I wrote a huge long reply last night, but my ipad ran out of juice and shutdown. When I started it up again, it was all gone *sobs* I don't feel as if anything is stick in my throat. It feels more my throat is too dry, or that tne muscles aren't working properly to enable to swallow. It is getting better, I am managing to eat and learning what I can and can't eat. If it is still bad after moving, I will go back to the gp and see what might be causing it. It is very frustrating; took me 40 mins to eat a bowl of pasta with salmon. I will get some Zantac as I have been getting more acid reflux than usual, so poss taking in more air when eating. As for the inlaws - I do not feel the need to please them at all. They have done one good thing for us in giving us the deposit to buy our new home. They are alcoholics who can be really nasty. They are selfish, and their hygiene is something else. When they were here early last year, without going into detail, I had to wear a scarf to cover my mouth and nose to clean the loo. My MIL situation is more understandable than the FIL as she has hd several falls and breaks and can't do much for herself. But he can. They didn't have a single shower whilst here for almost 10 days I think shortly after they came again just before Christmas, the very thought of having to clean the loo again and what it might be like made my jaw lock up and its been that way since, esp if something makes me feel stressed without even realising it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I think that would make all of us gag with that to deal with!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 I saw some Nexium in Sainsburys today (how much!?) and and my first pill today, which I had to break in half, but....I managed to eat a dinner of chicken casserole with jacket spuds. Still needed to chew a lot, but it felt easier. Now, I dont know if that was psychological or if its at the end of this particular cycle of anxiety, but I shall keep an eye out for next time, should there be one, and see if there is a pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Yes expensive without script, take one each am, I usually take small drink as tea really irritates my stomach/ reflux. I judge if it is settling when I can have a full cup of tea without symptoms I would try a full week and see how you are. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 My plan is to do the two weeks that I have in the box (they'd sold out of the 7 day box) and see how I go. I have to say its quite nice not having a single bout of acid burps all day after days of it. I have acid indigestion quite often, thought it was due to IBS, but maybe it was somthing else in the wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 My acid reflux was down to gallstones. Although the docs thought it was a hiatus hernia and I had tablets - which funnily did pretty much nada! My dad had only part of his stomach and often used to get acid reflux so he was taking Gaviscon - which is what I was told (by the surgeon) to take if ever I needed it. I've only had one acid bout since the op and that's just down to me being a bit oinky and eating too much! Poor tum couldn't digest the food quick enough (no gall bladder to help, just a drippety drip now). Lesson learnt. But glad you managed to eat something. Here's hoping it goes well from now on. Does soup go down OK? It's a good time for soups!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Soup does now. At its worst I couldnt even swallow the tiny bits of veg in a cuppa soup! I was living on Ready Brek, soup and water, which incidently was my birthday meals that day. It is feeling better, but I do still get a mild sense of panic if I feel like the food is going to get stuck. My stomach is virtually butterflies free, so we shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Oh this sounds so horrid and hope you are feeling better after your pills and glad you were able to eat. Your inlaws sound a real shower (pardon the pun)!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I guess learning to try and relax is one huge hurdle to tackle, but at least the soup is good for now. Keep fighting against it all. It's no fun gagging on something you can't live without!!! When I had an endoscopy (just a throat spray and not out for the count) it was so difficult to keep swallowing but knowing this thing was there where it shouldn't be. I did gag and the ladies constantly kept reassuring me all was OK. And I had to tell myself much the same - and it was soooo hard. Deep breaths and slowly does it. It will get better. The more you beat it, it will soon become the norm. Lots of hugs for you hunbun xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
