Throat ache, losing breath.

[LittleLionMan]

Hi everyone!

I know anxiety can cause a lot of throat symptoms, and I have had most of them over the last few months!

The discomfort has settled in the throat, right at the bottom of my neck and I feel like its stopping me breathing. I'm eating ok now, although that again makes me breathless. It's hard to explain, but it feels like I lose my breath. Does anyone else have this, or experiences it? It's really scary, and I'm struggling to rationalise it as anxiety.

Thanks in advance!

Phil

[Clydesdale Epona]

I experience it quite regularly, I often feel the need to breathe in multiple times at once because it feels like its not enough x

[LittleLionMan]

Yeah, that's it. My throat feels raspy, as if air is scratching its way through rather than easing. It's totally floored me today! I've been all over the place! It's really hard to explain. I end up coughing and choking trying to clear it, but there is obviously nothing to clear! How have you been? x

[Buster70]

Hi I'm kind of reluctant to reply because I don't want to dishearten you
I've been like it for the last ten months hopefully yours will go a lot quicker , mine started after docs messed up my asthma inhalers and gave me oral thrush and throat infections since then my throat has been tight every day and I get a raspy wheezing , eating makes it tighten up and I feel I can't get air in , if I use my peak flow I can blow a normal number , what I'm looking into is vocal chord dysfunction, your vocal chords close when they should open so it feels hard to get air in , anxiety can be a trigger , I constantly try and clear my throat to a point where it get dry and a but sore , I can also feel that I'm tensing my throats muscles at the bottom of my neck , sometimes chewing gum helps distract my attention or a cold drink , it is slowly driving me insane and I think all sorts of horrible reasons it could be , mine call also go if I have a nap and let my neck relax , I could be wrong but yours does sound like mine , yah stupid throat buddies . :mad:

[LittleLionMan]

Haha, don't worry about that, I can't be any more disheartened than I currently am! I have been unbelievably anxious lately, like worse than I ever imagined it could get! I just have aches and pains everywhere! The throat thing is the worst though, mine comes as like a full ache at the bottom of my neck and then feels like I lose my breath. Not in a panicky way though, just like a really physical way, and then I tend to have a little anxiety wobble after. I have spells where it's gone though, so I'm sure it's anxiety! I'm trying to pack in smoking, but am too stressed to do it. If I stop and take a breathe, I can always take one fine, it happpens when I'm not thinking about it!

[Buster70]

Hi , been like it all bloody day today just small breaks when I've been distracted , who'd have thought breathing and swallowing would take so much thought , I used to be normal , ok if I'm honest I was never quite normal maybe a little eccentric but I could breath and watch tv at the same time , take care .:)

[LittleLionMan]

Did you ever get answers for your throat thing? I'm just bumping this thread as well, as it's scaring me to death and I'm really struggling.

Anyone got any ideas? Cheers, Phil

[Clydesdale Epona]

Hiya x

the specialist i saw is putting mine down to just LPR/silent reflux but is sending me for a barium swallow on Friday just to make sure i don't have another thing i've forgotten the name of, if i do end up going through it(unlikely as terrified) but if i do i'll let you know the results x also remember if you're really struggling i'm always here just send me a message x

All the best :hugs:

[Kay8010]

Hi everyone!

I know anxiety can cause a lot of throat symptoms, and I have had most of them over the last few months!

The discomfort has settled in the throat, right at the bottom of my neck and I feel like its stopping me breathing. I'm eating ok now, although that again makes me breathless. It's hard to explain, but it feels like I lose my breath. Does anyone else have this, or experiences it? It's really scary, and I'm struggling to rationalise it as anxiety.

Thanks in advance!

Phil

Yes I get this too, at first I thought it was my thyroid, well I think its all sorts to be fair! Mine is like breathing through a straw or cloth (best way I can describe it)

[Kathryn313]

Hi I'm kind of reluctant to reply because I don't want to dishearten you
I've been like it for the last ten months hopefully yours will go a lot quicker , mine started after docs messed up my asthma inhalers and gave me oral thrush and throat infections since then my throat has been tight every day and I get a raspy wheezing , eating makes it tighten up and I feel I can't get air in , if I use my peak flow I can blow a normal number , what I'm looking into is vocal chord dysfunction, your vocal chords close when they should open so it feels hard to get air in , anxiety can be a trigger , I constantly try and clear my throat to a point where it get dry and a but sore , I can also feel that I'm tensing my throats muscles at the bottom of my neck , sometimes chewing gum helps distract my attention or a cold drink , it is slowly driving me insane and I think all sorts of horrible reasons it could be , mine call also go if I have a nap and let my neck relax , I could be wrong but yours does sound like mine , yah stupid throat buddies . :mad:

I think i was exactly were you are back in Aug/Sept. I looked into VCD, as I don't believe my asthma diagnosis. Wheeze on inhale, not exhale. However eventually I went on a turbo inhaler, as couldn't tolerate the brown - kept getting the oral thrush. I take it every morning and every night and it seems to be working. I did have an nasoendoscopy which would be able to see VCD but nothing was noted.

[LittleLionMan]

I've only just seen these messages, hope you are all doing ok!

Mine stopped for a while, but has started up again.

The breathe dropping is the scariest thing, I'm even wondering if it's just a palpitation that I'm feeling in my throat. It comes and goes that quickly, just feels like my throat kind of sinks, and I have a split second panic. My throat is still tight all the time. It's the worst combination of symptoms ever.

x

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

Fellow VCDer here. A lot of times, getting anxiety and reflux under control can lessen the symptoms. OP, have you noticed this happening with certain triggers--like tea, coffee, red sauces, strong scents, panicking, etc.? If so, there are breathing exercises that can help as well.