Uvula drop

[HypoCanuck]

I got the weirdest situation going on. While I am going for several tests ranging from MRI,Cardio,Blood, and various other diagnostic tests going on for several ailments, I recently developed what I call - "Uvula Drop".

I stopped smoking cigs 47 days ago and started ecigs to help me quit. After that full fledged anxiety broke out and I am suffering fears of MS, ALS, and various diseases and feel like I am going to become worse.

My uvula is now touching my tongue and has never done that before. Anyone else ever heard of such a crazy thing?

Right now I am experiencing severe anxiety I think - is it possible to have this anxiety from when you wake up till sleep?

I mean I feel like I am having panic disorder and health anxiety but there is not 5 minutes of rest - it goes on and on from wake to sleep.

[Dubbmented]

I have this, the Uvula touching my tongue. I mentioned it to a Doctor in a Walk in clinic I went to a few weeks ago.. and he didn't seem to concerned at all. I just try not to look in my mouth unless something is hurting.

[Anxious_gal]

sounds like it has swollen or stretched in your case, maybe the e ciggs have irritatedit, it can be due to allergies. It shouldn't last too long, I think it can often clear up on it's own. I've seen it before, where the uvula is sitting on their tongue, but it's good to figure out what caused it. it might also be due to bacteria so then your doctor may give you some antibiotics.
when did you first notice it?

[HypoCanuck]

Yeah its the strangest thing. I mean I just noticed it a couple of weeks ago myself. I have never really looked into my mouth closely before, but after quitting smoking i started to get pretty bad mouth ulcers which i have read are common when first starting to quit. However when my uvula started to touch my tongue (causing a weird tongue sensation) i got worried from it. I only noticed cause I was trying to figure out why my tongue was feeling weird at the back - then i noticed the uvula was touching it. i of course freaked out and am spun out of control over this thinking its some sort of thoart cancer symptom ect ect...

Several months now I have been having pins and needles in my arms, numbness in face, and burning sensation in jaw, leg cramps, and other issues, so i decided to go to the doctor and do a check up.

She said all blood was fine, physical fine, just that i had a low HDL level - this prompted me to worry about Heart Disease and i spun out of control and started doing everything i could do to raise the HDL level which involved quitting smoking.

After quitting smoking now symptoms are unbearable and worrying about all kinds of diseases i may have got. Its just crazy really.

After visiting a walk in clinic (doctor shopping) I got several tests to do.

Tonight I go for an MRI if cervical spine in 5 hours, tomorrow i have 3 cardiac tests - holtor monitor 24 hour test, echo and ekg stress test.

I have lots of blood work to do, ultra sounds, xrays and various things i have already done..

The last time i had something similar to this was about 7-8 years ago and last about over a year, i worried constantly for months and months over becoming ill.. seems to hit me every 7-8 years.. lol

[Anxious_gal]

well if it's just touching the tongue that doesn't sound too bad, as I've seen them resting on the tongue due to them being so long.

ah typical symptoms of anxiety, sadly they are rather common symptoms so if they may be caused by something else it can be difficult to pin point it.

with all the cramps I'd wonder if you might be slightly low on potassium or magnesium or even dehydrated.

ah see where you are going wrong. lol or just pain old health anxiety is that low HDL levels can be caused by a lot of harmless things too yet you focous in on heart problems,
Like you said you smoke or you used to, if you've a bad diet, and what not that can also cause you to test low,
It's great you stopped smoking, seriously well done for that : )

you might be still in withdrawal, when I try to not smoke I feel like I am going kinda crazy, I get very depressed, moody, anxious, spaced out, dizzy, angry, hungry...
Nicotine too tends to have an antidepressant effect, and god knows what else are in tobacco, your brain and body need to readjust.

ah well if you've been through the same thing before, it would appear it might be mood/anxiety related.

That's a lot of tests, if they come back clear do you think that would be enough to reassure you?

have you tried any CBT or something to help you cope better? Even antidepressants even though I am not really a fan, could help you in the short term.

If not, and depending on if you are on any medications they are quite a few herbal remedies that can help relax you and improve you mood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(herb)

maybe even herbal teas such as chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and so on.

since you male, I usually suggest getting your testosterone levels checked out, if it's too low it can cause depression and anxiety. I don't think it's too common, but I think hormone levels are often over looked in men, compared to women.

but if everything checks out ok, your main problem would be anxiety and learning to deal and cope better with your symptoms and maybe CBT or something if you find you get a bit obsessive with health and researching illnesses.

[HypoCanuck]

Thanks so much for that information!

Yeah I had this feeling things were made worse when i quit smoking - everything seemed to have gotten much worse, but I cannot think after 6-7 weeks i would still have withdraw.

But yeah right now I am getting ready for a MRI - OMG just not ready for the results

[reddevil]

I get it sometimes when stressed, it's like it gets coated with catarrh then swells.

When I swallow you can feel it etc.

I got mine checked out with doctor, when it first happened.

[HypoCanuck]

what is catah?

your uvula swells when stressed? and touches tongue?

[Canadiana]

I've noticed this in myself too. The uvula touches the back of my tongue. I had a bad habit of checking my throat/ mouth due to my throat cancer fears. I also noticed my throat hole looked much more narrow? I wonder if allergies can cause all that? I dunno, the mouth is nasty there is waaay too much things going on in there, so I try not to look too much.
Good for you for quitting. I smoke still. Tried one of those ecigs and I thought I was having an allergic reaction to it lol. I don't think I was imagining it, but it made my throat really sore, felt wheezy too, like my throat was closing?

[HypoCanuck]

Hi yes i also feel i am having an allergic reaction to the e cig. I have never looked in my mouth so much in my life. I brushed my teeth 3-5 times a day and floss 2 times a day as i was worried about gum disease and its relation to cardiovascular health. I have been on a heart worry rampage so i am doing everything to try and improve my condition.

Anyways same thing - uvula touching the back of tongue and yes the throat seems narrower as well. I think its allergies - i dont know. I have never noticed it before.

[tr92]

Don't know if you still look at this but I had similar symptoms, turned out to be a bad case of Candida overgrowth, caused sweats pains aches and swollen mouth

[cfafly]

Just like you, I could see my uvula on the very back on my tongue sticking there with saliva. It caused me to have some breathing problems. I then figured out I was having an allergic reaction to something at my school. My throat would start closing and my tongue would quickly swell. Since my tongue got swollen it caused my uvula to touch it. I personally find it easier to believe a swollen tongue than a swollen uvula. Unless your uvula is causing breathing problems or additional swelling, it shouldn't be a problem.