View Full Version : Throat, improvements, questions
I'm sorry to harp on and on and on about the stupid obsession with my throat. Yes it's been 7 months now and STILL I go on, the symptoms different to the beginning.
My question is... over the past few weeks I've started to feel a lot better. My anxiety is no where near as bad as it was, I've not had a panic attack for a month and a half or maybe more, I can go out without things feeling worse so I consider myself well on the way to recovery.... but then... I have to speak.
From the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed I have a feeling in my throat and I can actually see the part of my throat that is causing me discomfort, it looks fine! No pain in my throat (other than muscles). If I don't have to talk very much through the day I can distract myself enough for it not to be a problem, even going out. I have recently stopped being so worried about gagging and am a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. It's just the dangly bit and the 2 flaps of skin either side of it, it feels really tight as if you had a muscle spasm but is it possible to actually tense your dangly bit?? Is it a muscle? When I speak, even with family, it feels as if I can't shape words properly because I can feel the dangly bit dragging on the back of my tongue which, when I was nervous made me feel like heaving. Even though my anxiety levels seem very low, my physical throat symptoms don't seem to be MUCH better, I just feel like I've accepted that it feels uncomfortable. The only thing that gets me on edge and makes me feel a bit anxious now is when I have to speak and can feel this dangly bit dragging at the back of my throat.
I'm wonder if it will be one of the last symptoms to go and I still wonder if there is really something 'wrong' down there...
Just wanted to air that for comments...
Thanks for reading my ramble AGAIN,
Mark
chucklehound
20-06-05, 21:47
Hi mark. The dangly thing is not a muscle. I dnt know wot it is but it cant drag like you say it feels because its attached inside. Just go to gp and make sure but i would say its another crappy anxiety symptom...
All the best
Feel free pm me if you want to chat
steno -x-
hi Mark,
I don't think it's a muscle either. It probably will be the last symptom to go because it seems to be the things that you are the most paranoid about. Things have gotten better for you so hang in there and I'm sure that this symptom will eventually go too..
Sarah :D
"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal
Mark,
I'm very glad to hear the good news about most of you feeling better ! Well done for making the effort
The dangly bit is called an uvula.
No, its not a muscle - its there to direct food the right way.
If it is really swollen which if it's actually making contact with your tongue it is, it's either because you're dehydrated - drink at least a pint or two of cold water, got a sinus infection or have been snoring or sleeping with your mouth open.
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Thanks for the replies all...
Steno, my GP checked my throat with his torch and by physically feeling around it with both hands and was pretty certain all is ok. As you say, it's more than likely a 'crappy' anxiety symptom :D.
Sarah, yes, it's definitely the thing I constantly think about obsessively, I guess it's similar to when you have a new filling and constantly rub your tongue over it making it ache until you forget it!
Meg, funnily everything you mention applies to me. I sleep with my mouth open because my sinuses block as soon as I lay down (have always suffered with them), I'm told I snore very loudly, I also don't drink enough through the day, I tend to sip water or drinks but don't get through that many which ends in strong urine. So all of what you suggest could be a combination that's making things worse. I think the reason for not drinking enough has been because of the sensitive throat thing but I guess being summer as well it's going to be even worse. Thanks for pointing those things out!
Mark
Mark,
Now you tell me !!
See if you can't get yourself off and have a Hopi ear candle treatment to get your sinuses a bit easier.
Practice resting during the day on your front and eventually sleep on your front where its much harder to keep your mouth open wide enough to cause an issue and obstructive snoring.
Get plenty of water down you pronto. Your urine should still be dilute despite this heat. I know they say 8 glasses but really each person is individual and it should be enough to keep you dilute..
My bf found adding some 'green bottle' elderflower cordial to pints of water helped it go down better-it has a slippery/soothing element to it.
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
i've had it for years.
It's an emotional symptom.
Probably related to talking as witm me it was.
I couldn't be honest with my mother, she would never listen and i felt unconfortable talking with people.
When i tackled that problem it was gone.
Hi Meg,
Thanks for your suggestions. I know a person that can do the hopi candle thingy so I will try that at some point. I am drinking more water now which has also helped a bit. As for sleeping, I think that will take a bit of working at :).
My main concern now is what Janamba mentioned. The problem with speaking is very anticipatory (is that a word?) and related to the initial incident that set it all off. I feel my throat tighten when I even think of speaking leaving it very unnerving and uncomfortable to speak. The very second I wake up in the morning I think about my throat and I find distraction very hard. I usually find myself saying 'don't think about your throat' which is obviously reminding me :). I have never been so utterly obsessed by something like this. Funnily my anxiety is still quite low and as long as no one speaks to me I'm ok :). This isn't really helping though as my job requires a fair bit of talking so this is one big hurdle to get over. :(
Mark
Interesting...When does it kick in :
What happens if you just do reading aloud to yourself, talking to parents, speaking on the phone, just saying thanks to shop assistant etc
ie in progressing exposure terms when does anxiety kick in ?
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Singing is a strange one Meg, it doesn't seem as bad when I sing. If I'm caught 'off guard' and get spoken to whilst out before I've had time to think about it, those few words seem to be spoken ok. I find it worse around my parents and on the phone. I find brief replies ok but a longer conversation where I feel I have to reply a lot will cause me to feel uneasy until my throat is really tight and I'm feeling quite anxious/racing heart.
Just looking at the Cipralex leaflet that I'm taking and some of the possible side effects read as follows.
"Rashes, increased tendency to bruising, pruritus (itching), angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat, sometimes with breathing or swallowing difficulties)."
Could this be linked maybe? It's the first time I've taken Cipralex and what started as a nervous throat and most likely still is to a degree has become something much more uncomfortable than before...
Mark
No - you've been taking it too long fior this. Those are just immediate - this really doesn't suit you reactions - bit like allergies.
**get spoken to whilst out before I've had time to think about it, those few words seem to be spoken ok** So spontanous stuff is easier than pre meditated stuf.
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
It definitely is meg and I've excelled myself today! I started out going to a hardware shop to get some bolts, then to B&Q, Wickes, Toys R Us, Comet, Currys, Tescos at peak and did a bit of shopping, bumped into someone that works in the same department and had a chat with her for about 20 minutes and told her why I am off etc etc, then onto McDonalds to get a McFlurry! My pulse didn't increase at any time whilst I was out either! <FAB>
My throat has been pretty acceptable whilst out (distraction?). One big thing that I think is making things a lot worse is the pills drying my throat and mouth. Chewing gum helps a lot but I have to change it about every hour as my gullet feels like cardboard. I think this leads to the dangly bit and tongue brushing against each other and I react in a nervous manner.
Mark
Hi Mark
good to hear you have had a good day just keep focusing on that,
wel done x
take care
kairen x
nomorepanic
24-06-05, 21:31
Mark
I am pleased to hear that you seem to be making progress with this and accepting it more.
Sucking mints will help keep things lubricated as well - may be better than gum anyway.
You are doing great so stick at it ok and in time you will forget about it - distraction is great for that.
Nicola
"Nearly all happiness comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open"
Hi Kairen and thanks! Did you have a good holiday?? x
Thanks for the encouragement and suggestion Nicola, it's so very much appreciated! It seems that going out seems to be my best distraction now whereas a month or so ago I wouldn't have dreamt of stepping outdoors! If it hadn't been for this site..... well let's not even go there! :D x
Wow Mark,
Thats was a day and a half in one .. Very well done indeed - you do seem to have turned the biggest corner.
Yes a well known side effect is drying.
Your uvula should really not be in contact with your tongue.. Is it or are you thinking it is .......
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Hi Meg and thanks!
It may just be the perception that it's touching my tongue. It could be more likely that because I hold my tongue against the back of my throat and against the roof of my mouth most of the time that it feels like it. It's at the very back of my tongue/throat/roof of mouth that gets the driest, even when sipping water my tongue literally sticks to the roof of my mouth. I think that's why certain words feel a little strange to speak and the sensation just adds to the sensitivity of my throat as it's my nervous focal point. As I mentioned before, I looked down my throat and I thought my uvula was fairly big but my throat looks fine. I asked my dad if I could look at his and it's HUGE! His looks as if it disappears down his throat and is a lot wider and longer than mine! :D
Mark
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.