Throat/breathing problem, feel as if something is blocking my throat/airways, I feel phlegm but doesn't come out. Feels like the end.

[Julian96]

Hello everyone! First time posting on this website! My name is Julian Maccia and I'm 19 from Australia! I am a person that suffered last year from anxiety for about 6months, I thought something was seriously wrong with me, I felt like lump in throat, racing heart, palpatations and all these other anxiety symptoms which went always after seeing a phycologist. but they did all the tests and it came all clear. Then when it got to the end of the year they did a endoscopy and gastroscope and found I have Crohn's disease. I went from 69kg to 56kg I had my Crohn's undercontrol with meds for about 4months and was relived they finally found what was happening to me. It was hell! I was getting better and life was getting much better aswell. After those 4months I had to have an operation circumcision cause I had recurrent balantis. After the operation I went home and I was really anxious and anxiety came back worst than ever! I had to sleep with my mum cause I was scared I was going to die she had to call the ambulances every night almost to seek resurrance. I was told to stop my Crohn's medication for a week after the operation which flared up my Crohn's disease! I lost more weight from 59kg to 53! A week after the operation I was getting better and went back on my meds which was Pentasa 2 tablet twice a day and azathiprine 100mg. As soon as I started getting better I developed upper respiratory infection, and was rushed to the hospital with 150 heart rate and 40 fever, this didn't help also because my Crohn's was flared up! I stay at the hospital for 4 days they did every test under the sun! Found nothing wrong, chest X-rays, nothing wrong! So suspected it was an infection. After I left the hospital and went home I had a panic attack straight away my throat felt tight, rushed me back to the hospital and I was having a nervous breakdown! They gave me velium and it calmed down and j went home! I was slowly recovering from the infection and felt normal again! Had to see my gastronolist for the flare up, she prescribed me prednisone 45mg for 3days and slowly tapering. And taking allepurinol 100mg and azathiprine 50mg. After taking the steroid for three days I had a funny feeling in my throat like it was blocked, mind you I was not experiencing this feeling before I went on the steroid! It gradually got worse every day, I had issues swallowing, excess saliva and reflux! We visited doctors for about 4 times in one week for a check up as I was going mad because I was relaxed and not anxious but I was still told that this is anxiety "globus sensation" doing this to me! I didn't want the doctors to let something slip because they made the same mistake last year and I have that feeling there going to let something go again! When I was on my last week on prednisone I felt super sick I was gagging and vommiint out saliva from my throat. I was rushed to the hospital again and organised to get an endoscopy done as soon as I went to the hospital! They found noting just some mild case of reflux. I stayed at the hospital for 6 days because I had slot of issues swallowing food, but gradually getting easier but not back to normal at all. I had a speech speclist, phycologist and a upper respiratory speclist seeing me. They did chest X-rays blood tests, again and a throat X-ray to see how my swallowing is. Everything normal they suspect I had abit of a cold/flu and side effects from the prednisone which I will never take again drug from hell I tell ya! They had me tapering off the steroid quicker then normal cause of how bad it was affecting me. I left the hospital feeling the same way I went in, which was completely crappy! Last week on the steroid felt much more worse then other days, every day getting worse and everyone saying I have hypochondriac and anxiety but I experienced anxiety last year and the way I was feeling wasn't the same! I had trouble breathing, gagging, constantly trying to clear throat and can feel phlegm stuck doesn't come up. I was vommiting saliva from my throatHead felt heavy and constant twitching and pain in my head and ears. Felt like something was blocking my airways everytime I breathed. I had these symptoms every day till today and feeling much worse! I am off the steroid now but still, Fearing that I could die being home alone with the way I feel. Feeling like my family doesn't know what to do anymore and doctors have me under anxiety/hypochondriac in my area! Right now I feel like I am not anxious and I keep telling myself this can't by anxiety or hypochondriac! Phycologist keeping telling me there confident it is because they have checked for everything in the past and it is all clear.I keep denying it to my family and phycologist that it can't be anxiety. I'm going to see my phycologist on Friday and tell him I want to overcome this! Cause I really want to be back to normal and live a normal life! I'm scared of something happening to me every minute of my life, cause of the way I'm feeling every min! My symptoms are chest pain on and off throat is clogged up phlegm and food gets stuck sometimes not much though, and unable to speak as much without going out of breath, poor concentration and forgetting a lot of things from the past like what I ate yesterday, head feels heavy and pain in my ear and head. when I breath in I feel like there is not air going in! Need to always clear my throat and feels like something is stuck. Struggling to burp, and making weird gurgling noises in my throat. I get weird smelling sensation and taste sometimes. Jaw makes weird noises when I open it and I have this habit of opening my mouth every min almost. When j cough j feel like I can't cough properly and it doesn't clear anything! I'm scared that I'm going to die and have had this fear for about 2 weeks now only because of these symptoms that doesn't leave my body at all! I wake up with it and go to bed with it, and feels worse every day! I have been through hell and just want to be back to normal but I feel like I can't pull through this. Please someone help me, because I am totally think that the doctors have missed something. I fear ever min cause of how in feeling. Anyone that can help me or relate to how in feeling please help! I also suffered from panic attacks the week of my operation! And just have had physical symptoms ever since I was on the steroid for imflammination. I don't feel anxious at this point in time but there seems to be no inprovement all I do is stay home and play games. But I feel like that keeps my mind occupied my symptoms don't go at all! Help please!

[Goldfish_]

I agree that it sounds like a classic case of health anxiety. Very difficult to deal with. I don't think you can say you don't feel anxious when you can write a massive post which indicates that you are anxious.

Lots on this site are troubled by health anxiety particularly when they are in their teens and 20s. It can blight your future. Having a crohns with a background of anxiety makes it likely you will continue to worry. Maybe chest pains, breathlessness, tiredness etc. You will have lots to choose from!

nhs.uk/conditions/hypochond...

[Julian96 in reply to Goldfish_]

Thanks for the reply! I'm just scared doctors have missed something and these symptoms mean something else. I am fighting a losing battle right now, hopefully phycologist can help me. This fear of dieing is scary. Even right now j have it. Guess it will take time to get my brain back to normal cause I think it has a vision cycle of negatively even though I don't admit to it. Also feeling of burping and it doesn't come up it gets stuck, is that anxiety? I'm taking reflux medication but doesn't help.

[Julian96]

Feel better, mentally I feel ok just these symptoms phew they just don't leave my body and get worse everyday. Will take your help into thought and try it thanks!

[es27]

Hi

I can totally relate to a lot of your post. I have been to doctors hospital had ambulance out for issues with throat and breathing. For the last twelve weeks I have felt like there is a swelling on my throat I also have the problem with eating and phlegm. The phlegm is always thick and usually a milky white colour. I have lost twelve kilos in weight in this time through not eating as I can'tstand the feeling. I also say that I am not anxious about it but have come to the conclusion most probably wrong that I am dying .

I have ct scan and ultrasound bookings for the next couple of days so hope to get some answers.

I hope things improve for both of us soon . Take care

[Mloanddb]

Hi I'm sorry you are feeling that way! It's absolutely a living hell to live like this. I know first hand. Right now my stomach is fluttering it feels like a have twitching in my stomach & happens when I'm sitting down. It feels like something is actually moving in there. I'm not pregnant that I'm 100% of but its just this weird feeling this is a new symptom. My anxiety tends to sit in my chest it's always there. I get random pains all over my body like tiny shocks. Can't breathe at times. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to pass out. Dizzy blurry vision. I've been to the ER had countless test done, but yet I'm still always terrified I'm going to die once my anxiety really gets out of control. It really starts when I'm due or have my period. I'm not on medication but I may have to really start to think about it. Because I don't think I can live like this for the rest of my life. It takes a mental toll on you & it's not a life to live for anyone. I woke up at 3 am last night & sat there with racing thoughts I was going to have a heart attack. I know exactly how you feel.

[SxufferingSxoul]

Hello Julian, I relate to every bit you talked about. Trust me, anxiety can cause horrible symptoms that are worse than most symptoms of lung diseases and throat diseases. My therapist diagnosed me with GAD and hypochondriasis aka health anxiety, and put me on 60mg of Cymbalta and it has been helping me out a lot. I have always suffered the same exact things you had, except everytime I eat or chew something I get the feeling that I am going to suffocate or stop breathing. I suggest you ask your therapist about that medication? See if you can take it or not. Hope you are doing better nowadays.