Swallowing Problems

[KLOPPERS]

Who else out there had problems to swallow since a anxiety attack. Since I experienced my first attack in November 2008 I have this problem with swallowing. Not to swallow food or drinks but in general. For three days everything was fine and I though that it was gone. On the forth day - Hallo! - problem back. I do not know if this is common for anxiety attacks. It worries me a lot as I am constantly (sorry for the spelling) concentrating on this. The doctor told me that one of the side effects of the pill (cilift) that I use may also cause this. I do hope that this does not get worse. Sometimes it feels that I am not going to swallow and I get stressed up.

I will appreciate it if someone can set me at ease.

[Willow1]

Hi Kloppers, The swallowing issue, has been a stumbling block for me too!!! But after a time, I tried to say to myself "ok I can't swallow, so what's going to happen if I do swallow" I was convinced that I would choke and die.. But eventually I thought, I've had enough of this, I lost 2 stone because of it.. So I just told myself so what choke!!! Sounds crazy I know, but you will start to believe that nothing bad will happen. There is no quick fix and I know we don't even like to think about our phobias... But if you can just let your thoughts in and try to let them flow without making them dangerous... I have just read an amazing book called 'At Last A Life'... It really helps me to allow these thoughts into my mind, BUT I don't give them as much importance as I did. Finally I am beginning to feel free.. You will too, but you have to trust yourself aand give yourself time.

[gofishing]

I'm curious about your swallowing problem. Could you describe more details? How was it started? Do you feel any pain? do you see any unusaul redness in your throat? Do you feel that something like uvular or tonsil or voice box etc feels not normal? Do you have any stomuch acid problem? Do you have any allergy problem, or post nasal drip problem? ....

My swallowing difficulty started when I got chocked up by un-chewed slippery squid for about 10 mins in a restuarant sometime in 2006....I thought I was dying at that time (I really don't know this was only cause to my PA, I had so much stress at that time, I still do, although my perspective for the stress was changed not to worry too much.)...then a month later, all the PAs started. The first week after PA, I couldn't eat any solid food. I drank Ensure, ate some soups. I lost 15 lbs during the first week.

I got better and eat better now, but my swallowing problem still continues, although I don't have PA any more. I think my swallowing problem is rooted on some other physical illness, not a mental thing. (I tried medications for GERD, and I actually have some allergy problems, got worse since PA) There are excessive phlemn problems too, which started to develop since Jan 2008. Sometimes I feel like I'm getting choked up by those phlegm....I found that MSG in the food is the one source to cause it....but it seems there are many unknown causes.

My story: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43558
Tipsositive songs http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=44347

[Willow1]

Sorry forgot to say Hi properly..There are so many people here who can help you Kloppers... Try not to look on a bad day as if it was going take you back to square 1.. It won't if you accept it as just a 'bad day' and remind yourself how good those 3 days felt. You don't need to look for a reason for 'a bad day' Just try to look forward to the good days that YOU WILL get back. :-)) xoxo *hugs*
Good luck and

[The Fool]

you mentiond your focusing on it and that could be your problem,try and find somthing to busy your mind and you will probebly find that when your not thinking about it it goes away

[SabreWulf]

I've always had swallowing issues! I can't pills at all and chew my food loads when eating. I have no idea what in my childhood brought it on, but at the age of 30 it's as bad as ever.

And I'm sure my recent anxiety and panic attacks won't help me get over it anytime soon. But as most medication is available in drops/liquid form, it's never been an issue for me.

Of course, going to the dentist is HELL. I find it very hard to open my mouth as I have a very active gag reflex!

[xfilme]

Have you heard of Globus Hystericus? It is a common disorder amongst people suffering from anxiety (including myself). It feels as if you cannot swallow, as if you are being strangled. Sometimes it can present with a feeling you have a lump in your throat. Sometimes it feels like something at the back of your tongue that wont wash away. I was convinced my problem was something serious. The docs could find nothing and ended up telling me Globus was the most likely. You can usually spot if its likely to be the case as the more atterntion you allow it, the more uncomfortable it feels. Although it is considered a somatic disorder (ie a physical sensation brought about by psychological reasons), the reasons for ir seem more obvious the more you look into them. The more anxious you feel, the less mucous is produced in your mouth and esophagus. As you recognise the dryness, you get more anxious, making it even drier... and so on... until you feel you cannot swallow at all. Drinking doesnt ease the dryness.... but there is no problem swallowing food. I wasnt convinced at all by the doctors diagnosis, but I thought to hell with it. Maybe Im just going crazy and its all in my head. The doctor suggested I needed to speak to a counsellor to deal with it. She was sure it was not medical. I figured Id simply trust her judgement as I needed atleast a night off worrying. In doing this...it disappeared....

It does come back on occasions... but coincidentally when Im feeling very anxious.

I have spent a lot of time looking into somatic disorders and I found an excerpt that may be useful to all Health Anxiety sufferers (including myself) to help us understand our own condition. The extract is as follows:

Somatisation disorder
Not all patients have the ability to formulate psychological distress in psychological or emotional terms. They may present their inner conflicts an distress as physical symptoms. At a basic level this may be 'a way in' to discussing their problems with their doctor, but at another level the patient may be quite unable to accept a psychological basis for their illness at all.
In somatization disorder a patient may take their somatic symptoms from doctor to doctor in a vain attempt to find some test, investigation or cure that has not been offered elsewhere. Many negative investigations and therapies may have been tried by past doctors to no avail. Symptoms may involve any bodily system and may include gastric pain, belching, vomiting, nausea, itching, burning, tingling, numbness and fatigue amidst others.

[xfilme]

Please click on the link below to see the source the above extract was taken from.


http://priory.com/neuro.htm