I had my first experience of laragospasm today which was frightening to say the least.
Could it just happen once or now it’s happened will it be something I will have to live with.
It’s worrying me sick. I only had a tiny little bit of hot sauce and it made my throat burn which in turn made me drink water. I coughed but couldn’t get my breath at all and then I made that awful noise of breathing you make where you feel like your going to die and then it slowly stopped.
Truly awful experience first time. I’d really appreciate any advice on if some people just have this the once and it goes away
Karen
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Kazzajess
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Apart from the hot sauce, do you have any underlining conditions that could have caused it? Asthma, reflux,allergy for example. Stress can also be a cause and if you panicked when the sauce burned your throat this could be the reaction.
I was working on my burger van and serving customers. I took the protective lid off the sriracha sauce and ended up with some in my mouth. I swallow it and it burned so i instantly drunk some water and then coughed at same time. Once I coughed over and over when I tried to cough I couldn’t and it’s when I realised I couldn’t breath. I just made that awful sound and I couldn’t talk. People went from laughing to asking if I was ok. I walked from my work truck outside where it continued and I just thought this was the end. It was not nice at all. It then naturally starting to come back and my breathing returned
Laryngospasm is often associated with silent reflux (LPR = laryngeal-pharyngeal reflux). And chilli and hot spices can be a trigger for reflux. I would talk to your doctor. It could be as simple as the water irritating your vocal folds which reacted by spasm-ing. I get it from mucus in my throat slipping down the trachea to the larynx.
But Im wondering why, if you havent had it before, you seem sure it actually IS laryngospasm - have you been trying to look it up on google? There's no way, not being medical people, we could diagnose this and you really should talk to your doctor. Certainly no way we could tell you whether or not you will get it again, though I really hope you don't as it sounded very scary.
Thankyou for your helpful advice. I really hope it isn’t that to be honest. However I watched the videos on people having it happen and to the point that’s exactly what happened even the breathing sound. It’s like someone slid something across my throat to my breathing and I was totally convinced I would die. It was that scary. I have a sore throat at the moment and lots of post nasal drip as that’s something I’m prone too also. I’m normall very fit and well with no health worries.
I do sometimes try to swallow and and it’s just sometimes it feels like hard work in that area so maybe it’s been happening in a small. Trying to get to see the doctor right now is pretty hard and I was thinking if it’s a one off should I bother mentioning it to them at all!
Hi I started getting this at the beginning of the first lockdown. I put it down to my asthma until I came across the word L. I haven't been diagnosed but I'm sure that's what it is. I find it's most triggered by eating anything very cold like ice cream, eating whilst breathless or in a rush, or having a big mouthful first. I don't do any of this now and I haven't had an attack for months.
It's worth remembering that sometimes you can breathe through your nose a bit. Try and stay calm (not easy when you can't breathe), and it will pass quickly. I wait until the coughing has passed then use my ventolin. If I try and use it during an attack it just makes it worse.
Thankyou .. I think when you have it happen it’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced and the and the fear is enormous and the description they put out that is so accurate to the symptoms it’s hard to imagine what else it could be. Not a nice thing to experience
I think the noise is called stridor , it’s happened to me and to my husband . It’s when you are desperately trying to get air in and out.Contact your health professional and explain what happened , or ring 111 for advice today.
The BLF have a helpline for U.K. residents open on Monday on 03000 030 555.
Do you have a list of the ingredients in your hot sauce ?
I know one of my asthmatic daughters has problems with wasabi and some nuts.
I am certainly no expert , you need to get professional advice .
Can you list the ingredients and tell the doctor or nurse. It may be an allergy ....a physical reaction .
Please contact someone today, I know the Covid situation makes things more difficult .....and no more sauce !
Thankyou .. I will give the doctors a call today and get it looked into. I’m just worried it will happen again when my daughters around that’s all. She’s only 7 and I know it would really upset her. I’ll talk to the doctor. Thankyou for your reply 😊
Oh My God! I have this happen quite often and never knew there is a real thing I thought it was me inhaling a bit of spit. I terrify anyone who is near me when it happens. I will take some advice. Thank you for bringing this up and i very much hope your was a one off.
Sounds really frightening. As well as contacting your doctor-a must- they are busy but you have as much right to an appointment as anyone else, contact the BLF nurses. They will point you to suitable breathing exercises to help you keep calmer if this ever happens again.
I did phone 111 later that day but she wasn’t that helpful. It feels like unless you have covid symptoms your not a concern. She didn’t even advice going to my doctor. It was only when I said should I mention it to my doctor she said it could be beneficial 😟
Very helpful- I don't think. I hope that doesn't mean 111 is going down the drain. I have always thought of them as a dependable last resort when you couldn't get hold of doctors etc. and were desperate for advice. That really must have added to your stress. I hope you find someone more helpful today. Best wishes. I think Karenanne's advice is excellent. If you haven't got a helper at hand, imagine her husband sitting near saying 'blow it out'. I might well borrow him myself in future. Hope Karenanne won't mind.
I have 'episodes ' which have been diagnosed as laryngospasm. They are very frightening and although you desperately want to breathe in , try and breathe out. My husband sits with me saying "blow it out. Blow that nasty co2 out". It happens very rarely and I don't know what causes it. I must add I have bronchiectasis, emphysema and asthma. I agree with other posters that a diagnosis is important.
Thankyou very much .. it’s so good to get advice off of others
Don't worry about these episodes, they are terrifying (more so at first) but never fatal. I am 77 now and have suffered from laryngospasm since I was a child. It tends to be associated with those people who are of a nervous disposition but has no pathology associated with it. The greatest difficulty is trying not to panic when you cannot breathe in any air whatsoever. As one poster has said, it is sometimes possible to breathe slightly through your nose if the attack is not a bad one otherwise it is really just a question of waiting it out. It cannot kill you and you will not choke to death - know that as an absolute truth. An attack usually eases before the loss of consciousness but even if it doesn't your throat muscles will relax the moment you pass out and normal breathing will start again. It can be caused by any irritant from a drop of mucous to a tiny crumb from a biscuit and is a purely defensive reflex action. What makes it so frightening is that you get no warning, it just happens. The best position for me to adopt is to fall onto my hands and knees. The good news is that like depression the fear factor, frequency and length of an attack does usually lesson over the years IF the condition remains with you. It may not since, as indicated, it tends to be much more pronounced during periods of stress or worry and these lessen as we grow older. My best wishes, and please don't worry for whatever the trigger a laryngospasm cannot hurt you.
(Qualification: B.D.S. from a UK University, retired.)
Thankyou very much. That has put my mind at ease completely. I think if it happens again at least the terror side may not be so much knowing it will subside rather than me thinking I was going to pass away right then. When you have such a young child dependent on you and you have time to think your life is going to end at that point you have time to consider how your child will feel loosing you. I think that’s the part that I found most disturbing.
Kazzajess you are more than welcome. However terrified you might feel when (and if !!) you suffer another attack - and they are truly terrifying to everyone of us if we are honest, it is so good to know that it can not hurt you and that it will pass. Having a hand to hold and squeeze during an attack is a great help but don't feel bad if there isn't one there at the time because you will get through it safely no matter what.
I have suffered from emphysema for over thirty years, am now at stage 4 and am on oxygen 24/7. Being ill in the USA, where I am effectively stuck, is a costly nightmare for anyone who needs healthcare of any kind. Unfortunately my American wife died at the early age of 50 from a heart attack and now, because of my age and the prevalence of Covid-19, it is unlikely that I shall ever see England again or be treated by our magnificent NHS of which I am justifiably very proud. It's the best health care system in the world, bar none.
Your child will be fine and won't lose you to a laryngospasm, so don't worry about that mum, and the NHS is there for both of you should any any medical issue befall you in the future. Keep on smiling and breathe well. You're safe. Love to you and to everyone in the UK.
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