I made a promise that if I got better I would share my story on this discussion board in the hope that I may help someone. All the posts on here were a great comfort to me when I was experiencing this awful condition.
It all happened about 8 weeks ago. I was in the theatre and just sat down to begin the show when I ate a sweet normally, took a sip of water normally and afterwards felt like I was having difficulty swallowing. My mouth went super dry and I felt like a had a lump in my throat and my tongue was enlarged (it wasn't). I thought perhaps I was having a reaction to something so before the interval I had to leave and get out of there. I felt complete terror and danger and thought I was going to die. My husband was worried and took me to A&E. I couldnt breathe properly but was not wheezing. I felt like someone was strangling me, standing on my neck and I was in a complete panic that came out of nowhere. Apparently I had a panic attack or severe anxiety episode. Well, I didnt believe this diagnosis because I had over the years suffered from anxiety on and off and bouts of low mood but even when I have faced the most difficult times in my life, never have I had a panic attack so wondered why on such a happy day I would develop this. Anyway the initial attack was only the start of my problems, I was told the symptoms of my choking sensation would go away within a few hours. It didnt. This made it worse and I was not so easily going to put this down to stress as most things seem to be these days. I went to my GP who said I did seem to have some swelling in my neck and ordered me an ultrasound. As I couldn't wait 3 weeks for the paperwork to come through I saw an ENT consultant privately who put a camera up my nose and down my throat and said everyhing looked perfect and likely to be globus sensation which is common when experiencing panic attacks and anxiety. This only gave me some comfort because I was still feeling these awful symptoms. After the 4th week I had scan and this showed nothing. My thyroid was perfect, which I suspected may be the issue due to my high thyroid antibodies, although I knew I had normal thyroid function. This was also some comfort. I was suffering, and it was really really getting me down. Having to get up every day and go to work was so hard and I was so anxious I was not sleeping or eating well. I thought I would have it forever. After a while I started to think, well this isn't going to kill me as time has proven, its not getting worse or better so I need to start trying things to see if anything helps. I also had a strange crawling sensation in my neck not on top of my skin but underneath - hard to explain. Also when I put chin to chest I felt like the part between my neck and chin was swollen. I tried breathing exercises, hot water bottles, hot baths, drinking red wine, taking NSAI's, drinking loads of water, trying to eat better, sleep better, watching funny films but nothing worked. I then found a couple of websites online suggesting a very simple neck exercise to do many times throughout the day and specifically for globus sufferers. I started to do this and over a week the symptoms started to ease and has got better and better to the point that its only 5% there. The most important part is to make sure your shoulders are always down and pushed back as far as you can. No hunched shoulders or it won't work. Then carefully, with mouth closed, ease your neck back as far as it can go, all the time looking up to the ceiling. You should be able to feel yourself stretching your neck. It may make you cough a little. Then roll your head a little to left and right and centre. It probably won't work the first go. you have to do it many times a day over a week or so.
My GP said that panic attacks can cause a lot of problems in the neck, real tension and muscles, and other structures and a horrid sensation of a lump in your neck. I have to understand now that this is the cause.
Apologies for the long post but it's a long story.
I hope it helps someone.
Good luck to you all and take care of yourselves.
x
1 Like
Hi, I have suffered from globus for over 18 months. I went to ENT and got the same answer as you. It was very servers at first, I take omeprazole for acid reflux since then. My GP put me on antidepressants for anxiety, but the globus was the thing that started it all. I have got better, but still have flare ups of really bad globus that last about a week. I just try to forget about it and it gets a little better, but it's always kind of there. Thanks for the tips I will try it x
Good luck Amy. The only time I really feel it now is when I'm trying not to cry at the TV, it's such a similar sensation but g
Yes that's the exact feeling it is when your going to cry and try to stop yourself.
The exercises you are doing are exactly what the speech therapist suggested to me when I was referred by my G.P after she diagnosed globus. I am glad they have worked for you. I did not find them helpful, but as this site proves, we all find different ways of relieving the globus sensation.
So pleased to have read your story - it is so similar to mine! Mine started a year ago now when I took my nightly diabetic medication and also swallowed the silver foil from the bilster pack!! I could feel it in the side of my throat for a couple of weeks and spend a long time trying to clear my throat, throw up, drink/swallow hot/cold, anything to try and shift it! Started feeling the lump in my throat after that - and the rest is history - cameras up the nose - down the trhoat - barium swallows etc etc! Like you I have realised that it is not going to kill me - all tests are clear and by doing the exercises also it has slowly got better - like you about 5% still there. I was most struck by your comment about your neck - I also have that - "crawling" sensation in my neck - have never been able to describe it before - and never seen anybody on here with that particular symptom - it is all calming down now - after a year - maybe it will go completely, I dont know - but so hard to describe to non-sufferers! Thanks for your post and good luck in future!
Thanks for your story Chilly12.
The exercises are a new thing to me, I'm glad you shared with us! I will definitely be trying that from now on.
I have had this for about two years now and have ups and downs. Like you though once I learned it wasn't actually choking me you kind of learn to ignore it - I mean, I'm always aware of it and its usually the first thing in the morning I think about, but it doesn't bring on the same panic. And I'm FINALLY learning to sleep again. That turned out to be a massive issue after the first few episodes - but thats a whole other story.
For me though, and I haven't found anyone else with it, I get a specifically bad episode that has only happened 3 times in the 2-3 years. I get an actual physical swelling in my throat - like it feels if I breath out a certain way I can 'move' it. Like a nodule or something blocking my throat. I have had barium swallows, cameras up my nose etc etc and nothing but its definately a different sensation - seems to be after spicy food so may just be a bad reflux damage thing. It normally means I have to stay off work - I can't even talk without gagging when it happens. Not a nice feeling.
Im an anxious and stressed person in general anyway so the globus makes sense - and as you all know its sort of a chain reaction/catch 22 type thing, but in a way this has made me address my anxiety and try to figure out ways of mentally to beat it. I do breathing exercise, journals and generally just learning to face my 'fears'. So thats a positive Im taking from it. Goes without saying I still wish I didn't have it though!
Also I get a clicking sensation in my throat sometimes, as if my throat is 'failing' mechanically. I'm assuming though this is due to the over swalling with the globus sensation. Anybody else get that?
Besides all that though I don't have a lot to offer - lots of water really helps for me and avoiding really sugary phlegm inducing items helps too. Dairy can be a pain sometimes with the phlegm/post nasal drip.
Sorry I haven't added much here - just thanks for the exercise advice!
Good luck everybody - remember, its not the end of the world! For the most part, its just a sensation!
Hi Mike
Good to read your post - the exercises really worked for me (got it all under control at least) - especially the "kissing the ceiling" one - must really stretch things out - also mine is worse after spicy foods and sugary things (as a diabetic I shouldnt be eating them anyway!)
Good luck with it all
Hi Higs58,
I also did the following as well as the exercises which may have helped me in combination. It may sound a bit odd but I realise we start to feel desperate and will try anything. I was drinking a small bottle of water with it upside down and my head back amd chin up. When it was about half empty I was also taking air from the bottle so it was caving in on itself. All the time I was swallowing in very quick succession without thinking too much about it. I felt like the vacuum created in the bottle and my neck whilst drinking small amounts with very fast swallowing somehow reset the actual swallowing mechanism to normal and overriding the laboured swallowing I was experiencing.
Reading this back I sound totally nuts but it may be worth a go. I was really experimenting because I was totally desperate.
I hope the others can see this post. I should have put it in my first one.
Good luck to all! Keep me posted.
Chippy12
Hi Maureen,
Thank you so much for your post! I can't believe you also had the crawling feeling. I was hoping to read that someone else had this but nobody did. I really think it was the nerves in my neck playing tricks and sending wrong messages after the panic attack for weeks afterwards. It's so complex isn't it. I hope and pray it never happens again. I'm so pleased yours is calming down. Take care!
i have been suffering with this for 6 months i am trying to learning how to carrying with it and i didn;t work either so any good advice for me ?
Hi thank you for sharing your story I will definitely try it . My problem stared 2 years ago I was about 7 month pregnant. I'm 5ft2 and I had 10 pounds 3 baby. It felt like everything was pushed up and it never gone down. I remember saying it felt like my stomach was in my throat. I was hoping that after my little one will be born it will all go to normal. Two years later I'm left with lump feeling in my throat which I'm trying to swallow all the time. It feels like someone trying to strangle me and I feel pressure in my chest. I don't have panic attacks, depression or anxiety and I don't have any other symptoms. Im just tying swallow all the time as when I eat or swallow it makes it better. I had thyroid scan, barium swallow x- ray, seen ENT all came back ok. Tried some medicine for Gerd with no effect. Doctor said that I worry too much and making myself feel like it.( not my case) She said I have to get used to it. Very hard to live with it and get used to as you all know it's very unpleasant. Another lady suggested to see endocrinologist and neurologist, very frustrating hope I will find solution one day :-(
Hi,
Intersting article and responses. I suffer from this too. I also suffer from TMJ as I clench my jaw. Im wondering if anyone else suffers from TMJ and if you think this could be a corrilation between them.
Hello im male 32 yrs old. I found your post very interesting as i too have experienced similar feelings, most recently whilst out i ate some food (probably a bit too quickly). Around 3hrs later i felt this lump sensation in my throat, it felt bruised when i talked and swallowed. I have tried examining near my osaphagus but cant feel anything untowards.
I have recently had x-rays on my neck which came back normal. I also had a blood test 7 months ago (lymph nodes etc) which too came back normal.
I do tend to stress a lot about my health and often fear the worst!
Im very active and dont smoke. I drink occasionally but nothing to be concerned about (4-6 pints a week).
I've been having the same feeling for 2 weeks now.
& honestly I'm starting to get scared more each day...
but reading your story is a relieve for me..
.
Mine (globus sensation) started just before my recent monthly period,after a whole night of severe headache (which is normal to me due to PMS) I began having these choking feeling on my lower neck,as if I have a piece of something inside...
I too suspects/blame contraceptive pills for this since I stopped taking it just last month...well please do correct me if my suspicion is wrong...is this has something to do with hormonal change?
I never tried seing a Dr. yet.
Thank you for your advice & for the excercise...
Godbless you :-)
Thanks for sharing, Im the same, when I got it years ago all I read was depressing stuff about how it cripples your life and its all you think about...and to be fair it did. For a long time. However I was able to research a bit more and use different mental exercises and physical exercises (like the one you said) and slowly got better. I always promised myself if it got better I would tell people and let them know its not the end of the world! Im the same as you, its about 5% what it use to be (still bad in the mornings - think its refliux related).
I think a lot of people suffer from it without even knowing but because of our anxious nature we zone in and make it something bigger than it is.
Anyway - it can get better anyone getting this for the first time!
Hey glad I read your advice I'm 17 and I went through all the doctors already and it's only been 4-5 days but my globus is taking over me I have anxiety and stress all day I feel like I'm in whole other horrible life it constantly throws me in a panic attack and it's all I can think about.
Is it worth having an xray done? I first had this problem 23 years ago after the birth of second child. I wwent on xanax for quite a while then slowlycame off them but had to face thelump and kknow I wasn't going to choke. Now it'sbback again, I'mto hhave a barium swallow tomorrow for the xray but my doctor thinks there'snnothing there and it's anxiety relate. II'm wondering if it's worthggetting it done or not. Seeing a ppsychiatrist tomorrow regarding this.
I know you posted this a year ago, but by chance has it come back? Or is there anything else you tried? I am really bummed out so bad over this, because its been a month and the doctor did a catscan and the scope up my nose and down my throat and found nothing. Yet put me on an antibiotic which I took since Tuesday night, and some PPI and I thought I was going to die in my stomach. So he kept me on the antibiotic but not the PPI stuf. I can't get rid of this feeling at all. I have tried so many gas products and antacids and antihistamines and sudafed as well as probiotics and other gerd items, everything! Please if you do get this can you tell me anything else to try? If anyone reads this and has any advise, please! Please I beg of you to help me out. We are going on vacation on Monday and I am so worried that this will just ruin my trip and its already depressing me so much. Thanks if advance
Hello. I realize this is an older post, but I want to thank you for the tip. I've had globus for two and a half years and I'm taking amitriptyline and celexa for it. It has helped a little, but not completely. I'll definitely try this.