Ok so this is a really new symptom for me and I’m freaked out. So about ten minutes ago I had like a really bad FND flare up/episode and one of the things that happened is that it felt like I couldn’t breathe and like there was something closing around my neck? It hurt a lot. I’ve had some issues before with my chest feeling really tight and like I can’t get enough air even though I’m clearly getting some air because I’m not passing out. (btw I also have an anxiety disorder so I’m familiar with anxiety/panic attacks and it’s not that because the chest pain feels different). But yeah, I guess I’m interested to see if there’s a chance anyone else deals with this and what to do. Do you just have to ride out the wave of pain and panic until it’s gone? I appreciate any advice, sorry if this is barely coherent!
Throat constricting/breathing issues - Functional Neurol...
Throat constricting/breathing issues
Sorry to hear that you had a bad flare up, I haven't heard of that symptom but I am sure some other members will be able to shed some light. Hugs xx
Ps. Were you eating or drinking around that time?
Hi ChaosCats it’s nice to meet you and I love the name I adore Cats
I’m sorry to read what happened to you it’s a scary feeling this has happened to me before and I was rushed into hospital and they put a camera up my nose back down into my. Throat and they called see nothing they also did a cray of my chest to see if I had an infection then they see I had Fnd and they stood day and told me it’s just one of those things be on your way if it happens again to keep upright and try to take slow breaths in and try to remain carm that’s a hard thing to do when you feel as if you had a boa constrictor around your chest getting squashed and you can not get enough air in so I can relate to what your saying and it was not a panic attack as they said it could of been because I was deep asleep woke up not being able to breathe it felt like something was pressing down on me
Hope this helps
Best wishes
Tabe
Thank you so much, it’s nice to meet you as well! I love cats as well which is why I chose the name! That’s awful what happened to you. I’ll definitely have to try being upright at least that if it happens again. I tend to try and distract myself when I have symptoms, particularly the chest issue. The throat constricting is relatively new so I’ll have to see how any of the strategies work. Thank you though for sharing your story as well, I feel less alone. (P.S. any particular cats that for whatever reason have a special place in your heart? I like black cats because they’re a little void cloud, ragdolls seem so fluffy and sweet, and maybe sphinx cats because while they look a bit odd there’s a certain little odd charm to them! But there’s so so many amazing cats out there and I can’t wait to one day own one!)
Hey ChaosCats.
I have had something like this a few times. It's really scary isn't it? It must have been so tough for you. The muscles around my neck close up and I can't breathe. Then, as the air in my lungs starts to run out, my body starts thrashing around desperately and I start to sweat very heavily. It really feels like I could die a sudden and painful death by suffocation. But eventually the throat muscles suddenly relax and I'm left panting frantically.
My explanation of it is this: with FND we have episodes where parts of our body contract very strongly, like in seizures. This is an extension of that, except with the throat muscles.
If it is any comfort to you, these episodes where I cannot breath did stop happening on their own after a number of times; it's been a few years since I've had them.
There is an option to get an emergency appointment with your neurologist about it, report the new symptoms and get their input. That said, I want to give you credit for mentioning it on this forum, I think that was a helpful decision. Talking about it with people you trust may also help you cope and feel less alone.
Sorry this has happened. I realise it's a terrifying experience, I hope it gets better for you.
That’s EXACTLY what happened to me! Thrashing and heating up included! Oh my gosh it’s both awful and a relief in a weird way to know it’s happened to other people? I hope that sentence makes sense. I wasn’t sure if I would find anyone who has experienced this particular issue because it seemed like a particularly weird and scary one! I can take minimal comfort in the fact that the brain is hardwired to want to protect itself and the body so I won’t pass out I guess when it happens even if it certainly doesn’t feel like it in the moment. As someone who has gone through it, do you have any tips or do you just have to ride out the storm and the pain? Or even any tips on like… “recovery” afterwards? It’s a terrifying thing to go through and I’m happy for you that you haven’t had one in a few years!
I feel the same way ChaosCats. I feel relieved and less alone in some way, in finding people who can relate to the experience, but of course it would be better if none of us had experienced it in the first place. It just makes me feel glad communities like this exist.
Yes I think that's a reasonable conclusion. Adding on to that, FND is fundamentally not a lethal health condition, which I totally take comfort from.
As for tips, during the attack I've found there's not much you can do, as I personally had minimal control of my body.
Before and after, there are countless things you can do. Besides talking about it and seeing a health professional, things that help with your attacks/seizures in general can work here. Identifying triggers, telling people what you'd like them to do if they see you having an attack, grounding techniques if you sense them coming on, etc. I will drop a link here with more info as a reminder or if you are not already aware of these kinds of techniques.
neurosymptoms.org/en/treatm...
One tip that is especially important is this: The more you worry about FND symptoms, the more likely they are to happen, and the more frequently they happen too. Don't get me wrong, it's stressful af and any level of worry is completely valid and understandable. But we are in control of how we respond to it all. So keep focused on your goals and things important to you, on things you enjoy, also take time out regularly to relax yourself, you deserve it.
Also thanks for the kind words. Glad I don't have to deal with that specific symptom anymore lol.
I can't be sure this is your issue but my issue has had me feeling suffocated for far too long, there aren't words to describe living this way when breath is life.I was diagnosed with FND but I believe that I've found finally the cause of my neurons misfiring, and that is upper cervical spine misalignment. My head is not sitting properly on my neck due to the misalignment, vertebrae C1 and C2 are seriously rotated out of place as well. Another way to say it is that C1 is supposed to be directly under the skull but in my case it is not. This happens to people but is not well known. I had severe blunt force trauma to the head/whiplash/concussions as a toddler, child and teen. But all it can take is one hit to that area for misalignment to occur. Then muscles can be injured and constrict, over much time the constriction can worsen and involve the tissue (called myofascial holding) and intensify the constriction to the neck (or elsewhere), and can feel like strangulation. Neurologists have never been able to help me, they've pissed me off insisting mri's and CT scans are the best. My problem was discovered through Nucca Chiropractic. They take detailed xrays which show much more (of the bone only) and they interpret the x rays differently than the neurologists do. You can locate a Nucca Chiropractor via nucca.org. I paid Cdn $360 for consultation and x rays, and Cdn $60 per treatment (that'sCanadiandollars). Please if you can, get the xrays. How I wish I knew about this years ago because my life is now on the line due to the strangulation. I am slowly improving with treatment but have to hang in there. Ask me anything. Thrashing and heating up for myself too, which I later realized that when my neck constricts my diaphragm does and when it was overwhelming the thrashing was over the top. Changes in temperature have long happened because I understand that the vagus nerve is affected. Upper cervical misalignment blocks the proper neural flow and seizures/neurological problems can come from that.
Ok so if I am understanding correctly, you think that there could also be an issue with the spine that could be responsible for the breathing issue? Like… there’s a full on physical thing that could be causing the brain to act all weird? Am I understanding correctly?
Hi, yes. It's understood that is what it is in my case, yes - this is understood by myself, the Nucca Chiropractor, an osteopath, and an rmt/craniosacral therapist I've seen. Western medicine doesn't have time to figure it out for me because nothing shows up on tests. Western medicine offers only surgery and medicine. I need to heal the root issue. I know other people with upper cervical spine issues who's breathing is deeply affected.When the upper cervical spine is misaligned it directly impacts the brain. The brain stem goes into C1 and C2, it all works together. When there is not proper neural flow to/from the brain it can cause spasms/muscles constricting, all kinds of things.
Also in my case the misalignment directly affects my neck/throat area physically. The top two vertebrae are rotated out of place so that affects everything else in my neck (it changes the placement of the muscles, ligaments, tissue) so it impacts feeling more suffocated. It wasn't always this bad. Years ago I would have trouble breathing once in a while and no one knew why. I wish I went to Nucca Chiropractic then.
I hope that helps to clarify. Let me know if it doesn't or if you have more questions. I want you to be healthy. Ask yourself and your parents if you ever have a known head, neck or upper chest injury.
I’m not sure it would be the case for me but that is a good point regarding western medicine in regards to FND in general. The only treatments is pretty much just stuff like physical therapy or occupational therapy (both of which I have done). It probably couldn’t hurt to do some research on the general field of alternative medicine itself though to see if anything could be helpful for FND.
Hey angel, I checked out your replies. I see you've suffered a ton with such issues. Really sorry to hear that.
It's not the first time I have read online about someone with FND going to a chiropractor, finding out they had spine misalignment issues and getting a lot of improvement from seeing said chiropractor. So I am happy for you; I'm also not surprised in a way. In fact I just went to the neurologist last week and I am getting an MRI scan on my back, just in case. I'll keep in mind that x-rays from a chiropractor could reveal more, though.
As for injuries, well I walked into a lamppost as a kid lol. I also slung my school rucksack on my left shoulder a ton. Pretty sure that messed with my posture.
Hi itzDave, I saw the neurologist two weeks ago and he insisted that mri's are the best but it just ain't the truth regarding seeing bone issues for upper cervical. I wasn't going to get anywhere with him, so I didn't push it. I just want to reinforce that for you. Best wishes.
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Overcoming Functional Neurological Symptoms: A Five Areas Approach - Have you read this book?
