Swallowing anxiety and breathlessness pls help!!!!!!

[mia23]

A few weeks ago I developed a fear of swallowing where my throat would just close up during eating and i couldn't swallow. It cleared up after a while but recently I'm having a problem of breathlessness.
It feels like my windpipe is blocked or something, Idk how to explain it, but its really uncomfortable. Now when i eat, the breathlessness gets worse upon swallowing and feels like I'm choking, but i never start coughing or anything.

Funnily enough the breathlessness issue, which has been intermittent, seems to disappear when I'm distracted, but last night i thought to myself "You're probably gonna wake up tomorrow and feel breathless the entire day" and sure enough, my breathing has been weird the whole day *sarcastic laughing*

Also, i have a lot of phlegm in my throat from allergies and I've heard that allergies can make it hard to breathe, but that still isnt enough to convince me something isnt wrong. Its getting so bad that soon I'll be surviving on a liquid diet lol
Pls help :/

 

[matisworried]

hey! you're good! i swear!

your post screams it! for starters, the fact that it's not present when you're distracted is classic anxiety. second, if you're worried about things like cancer? tumors don't come and go. they're there, like, all the time. what you're doing, and i know this because i have been exactly where you are, is hyperfocusing on your breathing and your swallowing. by doing this, your brain is tricking you into thinking there's a problem when there is not. if you are experiencing any REAL sensations, they are completely normal and something your "healthy" brain wouldn't even notice.

if there is anything medically wrong with you, it's that you have allergies, are dehydrated and/or might have a little acid reflux going on... because those three things can cause your symptoms, too.

 

[mia23]

hey! you're good! i swear!

your post screams it! for starters, the fact that it's not present when you're distracted is classic anxiety. second, if you're worried about things like cancer? tumors don't come and go. they're there, like, all the time. what you're doing, and i know this because i have been exactly where you are, is hyperfocusing on your breathing and your swallowing. by doing this, your brain is tricking you into thinking there's a problem when there is not. if you are experiencing any REAL sensations, they are completely normal and something your "healthy" brain wouldn't even notice.

if there is anything medically wrong with you, it's that you have allergies, are dehydrated and/or might have a little acid reflux going on... because those three things can cause your symptoms, too.

Yes, I've suspected its all in my head! And i think it could be acid reflux too, because I've suffered with that horribly for years now...
Your username is awesome btw

 

[matisworried]

Yes, I've suspected its all in my head! And i think it could be acid reflux too, because I've suffered with that horribly for years now...
Your username is awesome btw

ha! thanks. it's funny because it's (usually) true.
acid reflux, especially if you suffer from LPR like i do, can cause all of your symptoms. if you know you have it, definitely treat it. there's a chance it might even help the symptoms if they are, indeed, mechanical.

 

[mia23]

ha! thanks. it's funny because it's (usually) true.
acid reflux, especially if you suffer from LPR like i do, can cause all of your symptoms. if you know you have it, definitely treat it. there's a chance it might even help the symptoms if they are, indeed, mechanical.

Yes, I'll definitely treat it. Also, if food ever goes down the wrong pipe, would you know? Because i always get scared I'm slowly choking to death without knowing, it makes swallowing pills a nightmare

 

[matisworried]

Yes, I'll definitely treat it. Also, if food ever goes down the wrong pipe, would you know? Because i always get scared I'm slowly choking to death without knowing, it makes swallowing pills a nightmare

oh yeah. it sucks when that happens.

 

[bakwords]

"the fact that it's not present when you're distracted is classic anxiety" is a great thing to remember, matisworried...

 

[JoshhLadd]

Breathless is one of my main symptoms of anxiety nearly 2 years of it I put mine down the covid triggering anxiety for me and the Breathless was one of the first symptoms they released as a covid symptom

 

[Missy]

ha! thanks. it's funny because it's (usually) true.
acid reflux, especially if you suffer from LPR like i do, can cause all of your symptoms. if you know you have it, definitely treat it. there's a chance it might even help the symptoms if they are, indeed, mechanical.

I have been diagnosed with LPR. I never had heard of this. My ENT doctor scoped me and found it. I never experienced heartburn. He put me on omeprazole and Famotidine. I have since discontinued the omeprazole and am only taking famotidine 40 mg at night. He wants me to stop the famotidine in one month. What symptoms did you have and are you taking anything on a regular basis? My only symptom was a bad taste.

 

[Doug97]

Also, if food ever goes down the wrong pipe, would you know? Because i always get scared I'm slowly choking to death without knowing, it makes swallowing pills a nightmare

You would definitely know, because your cough reflex would be activated. The body has systems in place to deal with this sort of thing, just trust it to do its thing.

The sensation you're describing is 100% classic globus hystericus.

Globus Sensation | Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your condition. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. However, it is not meant to replace the discussion…

www.hey.nhs.uk

I've had it myself, it's caused by anxiety and is completely harmless.