Swallowing fear - please help!

[jojo2316]

I have this horrible thing when eating where the food seems to be passing through a constriction in my throat. I can sort of feel it grating past a narrow place towards the top of my throat and it is horrid horrid horrid. I'm in such a state about it and feel really low . I'm terrified I have throat cancer. I want to be referred to an ENT specialist, but i'm ashamed to go to my doc YET AGAIN because I was there just last week about something entirely different (an unfounded nose cancer fear), and she told me I have to stop being soo hypervigilant with my body or I'll never get over my HA. Part of me knows this is likely to be anxiety related (my mum says she is 400% sure it is, as does my husband) but I feel really down, and it's getting to the point where I don't want to eat at all because I'm in such a panic about the sensation of food pushing through a throat constriction.
please reassure me ..... do other people get this? Is it really anxiety?

[Anxious_gal]

I don't get that, but i do know focusing on something makes it worse n therefor makes the anxiety worse, maybe see a therapist to help you learn different ways of coping with your fears.
i was drinking coke as i was reading this and the coke got caught in my throat! just because i was aware of my swallowing.
if i focus on my breathing i will feel like i'm not getting enough air. try not to think about it, and remind your self its just anxiety and it will not harm you x

[so jems like]

hm, for me .. i do have trouble swallowing sometimes. sometimes its hard for me to swallow and my mouth is always dry. this feeling is gone now, but in the beginning even when i yawned, i felt like my throat kept closing up and for a second or two, it would be hard for me to catch a breath. i have some throat pain too like when i'm breathing but i am pretty sure this is all just another symptom of anxiety. don't worry about it. It'll pass. But, if you're REALLY worried you could I got a blood test to check up on my throat, and everything came out a-okay.
hope everything gets better

[eljay]

Hi ive had the throat/nose cancer fear for the last 3 months or so, I have had a problem when I go to to the dentist which started it off, my gums are turning white due to smoking and drinking alcohol, its reversable she tells me but it freaked me out and im pllanning on giving up smoking in the next month. No point worrying when im the one causing it.

I had a problem with my tongue, lots of white lumps down the middle and I was really scared, before i went on hols the dentist said it was fine but i was still worried. This is the weird bit, ive been on holiday and in the whole 2 weeks I never looked at my tongue once! I got home and looked and the whole thing had gone? is it stress that causes this then?

Id love to say to everyone calm down and dont worry as much but it aint that easy is it

[jannnne]

Hello I am in the middle of my own panic at the moment. My lymph nodes are up and a I have some antibiotics for a cough. But my cough is at the top of my throat and my mouth is always dry and my throat feels congested all the time like there is something blocking it. I am trying to finish my tablets before I go back to the docs as I am sure I have cancer of somewhere larynx or throat or mouth or tongue the list goes on...Also to top it off a new mole to worry about and thought I had passed some blood today but think I may of used my tissue to wipe my nose first ( which is more probable ). I too am now shy to going to the doctors I have been 3 times in the last month. I have had CBT which is great when you are on top of things I feel like the wolf in road runner cartoon holding on the edge of a cliff and I have just let go and am in a free fall of panic. The trouble is once it starts its such a long way out. Hope you feel better soon, I am trying to say to myself that if I still feel like this once I have finished my tablets I will wait and get an appointment in a weeks time witht he doctor I always see for anxiety and try to find a way through this.