At wits end with throat sensation

Hi all. Some of you might have read my previous throat concerns. Anyway briefly, I've had a sensation of something in left side of throat for 6/7 months. No problem swallowing, no visible lumps in mouth,no hoarseness and no lumps I'm neck. I've seen 4 docs since August and had full blood tests. Docs say probably globus, but it concerns me that it's mostly one sided. There have been times when I'm not do aware, for instance when I took diazepam for a short time. But at the moment it's driving me crazy and I'm at my wits end, and feel terrified that I will be stuck with this forever, and also there's the little voice that pops up saying "maybe you have throat cancer, and it's going to be too late for you ". Feels good to write it out. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions on how I can cope with this it woukd be much appreciated.

You won't have it forever. Just until you stop focusing on it.

If you've seen the Dr 4 times, I doubt that he'd have overlooked signs of cancer or anything else serious. You need to trust him and the test results.

Globus is horrible, I know, but mine only really left when I read up about it and realise it was nothing to worry about. Btw mine was only on one side too, the left side.

It's actually just a muscle that you use when you swallow that hasn't relaxed. Just the same as a muscle spasm anywhere else in your body.

Apparently you can get physio for it, but often just the action of eating and swallowing will help to relax it. But mainly I'd say it's anxiety that's causing yours so you need to find a way to convince your mind that this isn't anything serious and hopefully you'll stop worrying about it and stop focusing on it, then it'll relax.

CBT should help too.

Mine is one sided also and sometimes in the middle like something is dangling at the back of my throat, I was diagnosed with Globus last year February & it still has not left me only because my anxiety is not managed.....(my own doing) - sometimes when I swallow it feels like I am swallowing on something but then soon goes..

Thank you for your replies. It does make me feel a little better knowing others have the one sided sensation. I'm working on my anxiety but it's not easy as we all know. :wacko:

No its not easy however when you start to forget your throat sensation and concentrate on something else I realize it does dissipate for a few days but then back full force when things get a little hectic again, lets all hang in there and hopefully our throats will be better soon...

Hi there!
i also get one sided globus, sometimes it'll alternate between left and right but it's usually on the left, it doesn't always have to be in the middle like you would believe, it can be pretty scary and uncomfortable actually because sometimes i'll think that i'm actually choking x

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Originally Posted by Sam Winter

Hi there!
i also get one sided globus, sometimes it'll alternate between left and right but it's usually on the left, it doesn't always have to be in the middle like you would believe, it can be pretty scary and uncomfortable actually because sometimes i'll think that i'm actually choking x

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YUP! I feel this too, its horrible

Hi there! x.
i also get Globus like you and many others, i also get one sided just like you and my Other half Sam does, my silent reflux defo makes it worse, i find soothing things like Chamomile and honey tea helps, also things like sucking on sweets also help dim the sensations down, if you're more anxious it will probably feel worse because that's unfortunately what Globus what likes to do x

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Originally Posted by Sam Winter

Hi there!
i also get one sided globus, sometimes it'll alternate between left and right but it's usually on the left, it doesn't always have to be in the middle like you would believe, it can be pretty scary and uncomfortable actually because sometimes i'll think that i'm actually choking x

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Little update. I have been back to the doctor today. I saw a different doctor and she was so lovely. She explained all the reasons why this cannot be anything sinister, length of time I've had it (6 months) no red flag symptoms.
. She gave me a short course of diazepam to be taken as and when and advised me to double my antidepressant (sertraline) from 50 mg to 100mg, and to come back in a month if no better. She said she did not think it needs further investigation and if she thought it did she would insist on it. This is the first time I've left the doctors not feeling hopeless and unsure. As I was on my way home I could feel my throat relax, and I felt so much less panicky than I have in ages. I took a diazepam and for the past few hours I've had virtually no horrible sensations in my throat. I can't believe that this morning I was convinced I had cancer, such is the power of the anxious mind.

Great news Primula, glad you feel better about it all.

With a bit of luck simply having the diaz might reduce your anxiety.

50mg is a low dose for Sert so the increase in dose maybe all you need to get this sorted once and for all.

Thanks Elen. I really do hope so. Yes she said 50mg very low. So hopefully once the new dose takes effect I can kick this in to touch. It really has been the most distressing symptom I've ever had.

Good news! What a difference, seeing a nice compassionate doctor can make:)

Yes BikerMatt. Sometimes that's all it takes. She was empathetic but firm and confident, and left me in no doubt about her diagnosis and that rubbed off on me. Such a relief.

After a pretty good week, where I managed to really calm my anxiety, I've had a full blown mega panic attack. The full Monty, crying, shaking, tingling and feeling sick. So aware of my throat again, feeling like it will never end. I've done some relaxation and now going shopping. Just have to pick myself up, dust myself down and start all over again.

I'm sorry to hear this but you know how persistent the pesky HA thoughts can be and how much of a battle it can be to manage them and put them in their rightful place. It's a work in progress for a lot of us but you are doing absolutely the right thing and you have the knowledge and insight to succeed in keeping your anxiety in check and look on this episode as just one of those things. I hope you feel better this afternoon x

Sorry to hear this Primula.

However if you have had a good week try and think of today as a wee blip.

Recovery is never a straight path, there will be little blips on the way.

As Pulisa says you are doing totally the right thing. You go girl.

Thanks Pulisa and Elen. I know it's my anxiety making me think catastrophic things, bit it's so damned scary when it happens. I've been reading about sensorimotor ocd, where you can't get your mind off a feeling in your body, such as breathing, or in my case a sensation in the throat. It says instead of trying to make the symptom go away, pay attention to it deliberately as often as you can, so that your mind stops attaching so much importance to it. I'm going to give it a go anyway.

I've had both the breathing and the throat issues. It's like anything-focus on something which happens subconsciously and you will have problems. It's like blinking and swallowing too.

Personally focussing on my breathing is something which only triggers me even after 25 years since it first reared its head. I know we are all different though so I hope this new approach helps you, Primula

Hello Primula glad to hear you're feeling better. If I may ask what were your symptoms? My doc prescribed me clonazepam which works okay and I'm thinking about switching to Valium

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Originally Posted by Happyman168

Hello Primula glad to hear you're feeling better. If I may ask what were your symptoms? My doc prescribed me clonazepam which works okay and I'm thinking about switching to Valium

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I still have the sensation but I've stopped worrying and focusing on it. Im feeling much better about it. The sensation is mostly one sided but sometimes in the middle. You can look back through my previous posts on this.

Hi Primula,

Some time ago I was reading about the use of Mindfulness in treating Sensorimotor OCD. That theme of OCD is all about focusing on controlling a normally automated bodily function like breathing.

What they were saying was that rather than work on stopping the compulsion (like in ERP) they encouraged entering a Mindfulness stage (probably via meditation) and then purposely watching the bodily process. The idea was to change the thought about it from needing to do to being comfortable with it just happening.

I thought that sounded useful for many things. I wonder if that could be of use in your case because it's clear you need to accept something that has been forced on you? You have little choice but to adapt to this new thing, so changing your thinking is going to be the real way just like it would be if you had a chronic illness (and therapy does get used in that circumstance too).

It was just a different way to the usual CBT style way. It sounded useful and from what I've seen of ACT, that seems big on accepting things as they are and not making them trouble you more by adding to them (pain doesn't equal suffering, for instance).

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Originally Posted by Primula

I still have the sensation but I've stopped worrying and focusing on it. Im feeling much better about it. The sensation is mostly one sided but sometimes in the middle. You can look back through my previous posts on this.

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Thanks for the reply Primula, glad to hear you're feeling better. Just knowing that a muscle relaxer like diazepam can help diminish a sensation is relieving. I'm going to ask my doctor to put me on a trial of that considering I'm currently on Clonazepam.

Hi Happy man. I'm not taking diazepam/Valium now it was just a very short course to try to break the cycle. Be wary of using it long term. The way I've dealt with it is through acknowledging that it's there and not going to go just because I want it to. I've done lots of relaxation, also listening and believing what my doctor has told me. I'm also focusing outwards into the wider world. It's not easy but it can be done.

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Originally Posted by MyNameIsTerry

Hi Primula,

Some time ago I was reading about the use of Mindfulness in treating Sensorimotor OCD. That theme of OCD is all about focusing on controlling a normally automated bodily function like breathing.

What they were saying was that rather than work on stopping the compulsion (like in ERP) they encouraged entering a Mindfulness stage (probably via meditation) and then purposely watching the bodily process. The idea was to change the thought about it from needing to do to being comfortable with it just happening.

I thought that sounded useful for many things. I wonder if that could be of use in your case because it's clear you need to accept something that has been forced on you? You have little choice but to adapt to this new thing, so changing your thinking is going to be the real way just like it would be if you had a chronic illness (and therapy does get used in that circumstance too).

It was just a different way to the usual CBT style way. It sounded useful and from what I've seen of ACT, that seems big on accepting things as they are and not making them trouble you more by adding to them (pain doesn't equal suffering, for instance).

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Thanks Terry, really good post. I think that's what I've been doing lately. I've deliberately examined the sensation instead of trying to make it go away. I'm accepting that it's nothing sinister and accepting it's there and probably always has been but my focus has picked it out over the past 8 months. I'm finding as my anxiety is abating so is the sensation. :)

Great to hear that you are doing so well, Primula. It's all about finding what works best for you x

I have never taken diazepam but when I was going through similar issues with my throat I did some research and I believe they prescribe it as a muscle relaxant for things like this, so i'm glad it's working for you. I know there are the addiction risks but I am sure your GP has spoken to you about that.
I still have my right sided throat sensation but i push it to the back of my mind and now i am not 'focused' on it all the time i can actually forget about it a lot of the time - there are some days when it 'bugs' me and i feel a bit of pain in the area too but overall i have trained my brain to stop zoning in on it.
Have you tried hypnotherapy? I have and although it is not a miracle cure or anything I found it helped me to relax.

Thanks for the replies Carrie and Pulisa. I did go back to my counsellor recently, but I found it made me much more anxious because I felt like a failure going back. Although I do agree with what she said, and I'm putting it in to practise. She said that I need to stop researching the internet for cures, as this is reassurance seeking.
Stop asking friends and family if I'm ok = reassurance seeking.
Don't make any more appointments with the doctor about this, accept what they have diagnosed (globus). Obviously go to Doctor if any new unusual symptoms occur, but use the 2 week rule. (don't google the new symptoms)
Stop looking for 100% certainty in everything.
I'm also doing and listening to relaxation/meditation audios and going to start some yoga again.
Stop making anxiety the forefront of my life, acknowledge the anxious thoughts and then get on with something I used to enjoy, even if I don't want to do it, fake it until you make it! Last weekend I did exactly that, me and husband met our kids for a meal, I felt anxious but I allowed the anxiety and it went away. On Sunday I did all the things I used to do, even though I felt weak and anxious, I gardened, I did washing, loads of ironing, and looked at learning Spanish, something I've always wanted to do, so I've downloaded an app to get me started. also got husband to massage my head and shoulders with lovely essential oils.
Anyway the upshot of all this is that I've gradually started to feel less anxious and focused on my throat, and there have been times I haven't been aware of it. I know I'm not fully better yet but I feel brighter than I have in a long time.

I'm also realising that CBT is not for me, it makes me focus too much on myself and my anxiety. I'm sick of writing thought record sheets and journalling my thoughts. I've put every book and diary (except for Claire Weekes) I have on anxiety in a cupboard where I can't see them. I'm sure some find CBT helpful, but for me I feel it sets me up for failure. So I'm going to live the life of a non anxious person, and JFDI.

What a sensible and helpful counsellor! I think the same about CBT although I'm sure it works for some.

Sounds as though you are doing really well-there certainly is more to life than anxiety and you are proving this!

An update

I've been putting my plan in place for the last two weeks, and it appears to be working. The anxiety has greatly reduced. I feel 'normal' a great deal of the time. The throat sensation has also receded. I can still feel it if I bring my attention to it, but it's not bothering me anymore. When I think back on the last 8 months I can't believe what my mind has had me believing.
It appears that for me, once my anxiety calms down I am no longer worried about my health. I still have moments of anxiety and thoughts about my health, but I've stopped engaging with them, I've started saying 'so what' to them and then finding something to do instead of sitting ruminating. I'm not pretending it's easy, it isn't, but it's what you have to do if you want to get better. I still feel a bit shaky in the morning but I just get out of bed, and remind myself that mornings are always the worst and that in time that will fade away too.
In a nutshell I'm behaving like a non anxious person and doing all the things I used to do before anxiety got hold of me. As I said before you have to fake it to make it, your brain doesn't seem to know the difference and eventually the anxiety let's go.

Really good news! The trick is not to care regardless of the intensity of symptoms but no one says this is easy and it takes time and patience and obviously a modified mindset.

You must feel so relieved and liberated, Primula! x

Thought it would be nice to give an update. Since I last posted in March , I've been really well and not bothered about my throat at all. I can still feel something if I bring my attention to it, but I don't care about it anymore, and I can quickly divert myself on to other things. Just wanted to let people know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, it's not easy to get over anxiety it requires a lot of work but it can be done. I'm sure I'll still get anxious times but I feel that my past experiences have helped me to cope with things that may crop up in the future. Many thanks to all those who helped me through that horrible time.

Wonderful news, Primula! You must have worked really hard on your anxiety and it's great that you are feeling so much better.

Brilliant to hear this, Primula!

Just look how much it agitated you not so long ago and how no you can give it a "meh" and plod on with your day. Isn't that what recovery looks like? :yesyes::yahoo:

It's a learning experience for if you get a blip too, although they are horrible when they happen but get easier as you respond less to them, as it shows the power is most definately within you.

Well done!!!