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Thread: Really frightend of Swallowing,

  1. #1
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    Really frightend of Swallowing,


    HI Everyone here,

    I don't post very often, but I do read your Posts every Day.

    I need some reassurence at the moment.
    I have this Swallowing problem, and it is really getting to me now,
    It isn't the lump in the throat, Iv'e had that. this is something
    different, I have to have all my food mashed to a pulp to swallow it.

    If my tounge feels any lumps , however small, then when I swallow,
    I get the message that I will choke and cannot swallow it.

    My throat goes into a Muscle Spasm, it closes up,very frighting.
    It is not the food that is making this happen, it is mashed up.
    it is purely the fear of choking.
    My eyes water when this happens and I heave and can do nothing
    untill the throat muscle relases it self.

    It is only far a few secondes, but it is SO frighting.

    This means that there is lots of food that I do not eat now,
    so loosing weight.

    Is there anyone out there that has had this problem?
    if so, how did you deal with it?

    Like I said previously, it is not the lump in the throat feeling prior to
    eating, it is only the Muscle Spasm when my mind seems to think
    there is big lumps of food, yet it is really mashey.

    Look forward to hearing from you soon.

    Your Friend,
    PENNY,

    PENNY,

  2. #2
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    Hi Penny,

    I am currently fighting EXACTLY this. I can eat ok but I feel I have to rush my food down me to get it over and done with and feel very anxious about eating. I then sit and work my throat at the back until I can't take a swallow and always feel like I'm fighting off the need to retch. It feels like a very tight band above my Adams apple that I keep continually tense. I know WHY I'm doing it (phobia of vomitting) but not sure what to do to stop it. The anti depressant that I'm on has helped a fair bit but I still need to get over this. I'm ok for the first hour of the day until I'm properly awake and have tensed my throat and then I'm fighting it for the day. At the point where my throat closes momentarily and I want to heave, I feel absolute panic and as you say, it's only a few seconds but it's enough to leave you anxious.

    A lot will tell you on here that distraction and relaxation is the key. I'm trying to distract myself and even chatting about it now is helping.

    Regards,

    Mark

  3. #3
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    Hi Penny and Mark - me too, had just about every variation of throat and tongue - Mark is correct though the one and only thing that got me passed it was distraction.

    It is hard but maybe try to eat whilst doing something that really occupies all of your mind. It takes practice but it really does get easier. I lost 15lbs through the throat and tongue phase so I do hear what you are saying hunny.

    Break all the normal eating rules, I use to eat breakfast whist washing up, one bite then concentrate on what I was doing.

    Take care though, Angie

  4. #4
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    Thanks for that tip Angie (eating whilst doing something). It does take the heat off concentrating about it! I am using my strength of mind to say "ignore it" harder than ever at the minute and have had 2 decent days so far (fingers cross). Many thanks for your input Angie!

    On another note, I know this may sound daft but Penny mentions the notion of lumps in her food making her feel like she wants to choke. With me, it's hearing certain people speak, especially French! The sound that their throat makes just makes me feel like gagging and can actually bring on anxiety. Absolutely bizarre!

    Mark x

  5. #5
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    Hi there,
    Have similar problems with eating, agree with everyone, distraction, i do crosswords, watch t.v. wander a little, as said breaking all the rules, but if it encourages you to eat that's more important right now, try to vary your food intake, making sure you get enough vitamins etc. try not to make a big fuss of mealtimes, it will gradually get better. take care and keep in touch

  6. #6
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    hi penny,
    i too had to have my food blended for ages for the same reason. i got over it using a combination of things - firstly making sure the food was a bit lumpier every few days, to let me gradually get used to it again. also, i never ate at the table but in front of the tv, while reading, or whatever. the reason distraction works i think is that it stops you from thinking about eating and stops the fear. your throat muscles are therefore more relaxed and you can swallow easier.
    if you practice breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as distraction techniques, it will help keep your throat muscles relaxed.
    let us know how you get on,
    henri

  7. #7
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    Hi Penny,
    i've had this kind of thing too! It was pretty bad just over a year ago and i lost almost 2 stone. I got the feeling that i was going to choke if i tried to swallow anything-no matter how small, and it even happened when i wasn't eating-just swallowing in general. It is really scary so i really feel for you. I really hope you feel reassured although i know it's a petrifying feeling when its happening hun. I hope you are ok.
    Love Em xx

  8. #8
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    Gawd Emmie does it go?? I have had this in varying degrees for about 5 months now and just lately I'm finding it really crippling. I am ALWAYS concious of swallowing and continually fear that I'll retch. It's making me feel like I don't want to speak because when I had the initial panic attack, I was despirately trying to stifle a heave and could barely speak. I have a phobia of vomit and this was the main reason for reacting so badly to the tight throat and retching thing but I just don't give a damn about the vomit thing now, I just wish I could lose this horrible choking/despirate feeling. I have to be very careful how I balance distractions too. If I do anything that takes a lot of concentration it actually starts to get worse and I feel really ill. I'm sure people are going to get sick of hearing me go on if they aren't already but I've always been really strong with my anxiety and I'm scared of having this for the rest of my life. [Sigh...]

    Sorry for the ramble,

    Mark x

  9. #9
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    Mark,
    sorry to hear how bad you are feeling with it. On a positive note yes it can go away. I do still get it sometimes if i am eating in front of people and am thinking about it but nowhere near as bad as it was. I dont really know how it goes away-i guess its just when i stop worrying about it i dont have the problem although i know thats much easier said than done. I guess you just have to try to think 'right this is the way i am at the moment and if i have to mash my food up for a while then so be it.' When i feel bad i take a sip of water with each mouthful (not very enticing i know! lol) and it makes it a little easier. When i get the feeling when im not eating- just feeling like im going to choke if i swallow saliva (that sounds gross! lol) then i take a sip of water to reassure myself that my throat hasnt closed and it does seem to help. It got so bad at one point that it happened whenever i was in a car or train and i had to rush off the train to be sick because my mouth had gone so dry- since then the water thing has really helped so, no matter how bad you feel, it honestly can get better.
    Give yourself time and dont push yourself too hard. I do know how petrifying it is and i really wish you all the luck in the world! Oh no im going for a meal tomorrow and im scared now!! lol
    Take care
    Love Em x

  10. #10
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    HI to everyone that replied to my Swallowing problems.
    It is nice to get the reassurence from othes.

    It is a nuisence whan you have to DUNK everything
    before you can swallow it.
    Thanks for thr PM Debbie.
    I will try to grink some water with the food and will let you know
    how I get on.
    Love
    Penny
    xxxx

    PENNY,

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