Choking easily after 18 months post intubation

[Polzeath10]

Choking 18 months after intubation

Hello, just wondering if anybody has noticed that they choke easier than they did before icu. Wondering if intubation would cause a narrowing of trachea?

Thank you.

[Sepsur]

I’ve always put my choking down to scar tissue around trachy.

I have to be a bit careful what I eat - crumbly cheese is bad, bread….things just get stuck

[Polzeath10 in reply to Sepsur]

Thank you.

[Tedsdad in reply to Polzeath10]

I have the same sensation. Trache scar took the best part of a year to stabilise and I still have ongoing sensation of tightness in throat.

It seems to be associated with indigestion which I suspect may be related to long term meds, I tried something from doc to help with that but that gave me bad trots.

I also wonder whether this slight choking feeling is down to anxiety. I did suffer from this years ago and it really was a very similar feeling. And to be fair when I am engaged in something that really engages me I quite forget about it. I have mentioned it to doctor and am waiting for outpatients appointment to have it checked.

It is strange that although there is this tight sensation in my throat behind the trachy scar it never causes any real trouble with breathing or swallowing and I don’t think it is really getting any worse.

The horrible truth is that after the experiences that we have all had there is a new normal to get used to. I certainly didn’t reckon with all of the things that have changed mentally and physically since my operation caused a blood clot in my heart and I don’t know and can never know how much of the open heart surgery would gave caused some of the symptoms anyway.

Come to that I can never know whether my aneurysm would have split. You pay your money and take your chance. I am alive and creating a different life.

[FamilyHistorian]

Hi. Yes. I came out in March 20 and still have swallowing issues. There are certain foods I definitely avoid. Brown rice but white rice is ok, lettuce, chocolate brownies, nuts are a bit iffy. I always need a drink ready when eating and often if I start coughing I have one almighty sneeze that might clear it. I did have a trachy and was fed by tube right up to when I left.It may be worth getting this checked out just in case.

[Rach2Sym]

Yes. Two years on – choking, hiccupping, a curious involuntary inwards snort – for me, bread and pasta are the usual triggers – like Sepsur, I’ve assumed it’s some sort of damage. Something is not right in my gullet, but I’ve settled for living with it – non-essential hospital appointments seem unlikely to be available for years.

[Copse77]

My brother also had this issue when he came out of ICU though he didn’t gave a tracheotomy. I think all the tubes in the throat can cause it. It has improved over the past 4 years. Best wishes for your recovery.

[Gooddaysunshine]

Yes, I concur with all the above answers, regarding swallowing issues. I have been home 14 months, and my intubation/trachy throat scar still looks really tight and raw compared to the surrounding skin.I avoid the following which all make me choke; rice, couscous, scrambled eggs, green beans, and anything "sharp" like crispy toast or french fries.

I also seem to have an involuntary swallow habit even through nothing is in my mouth or throat, it must be a throw back to hospital days and trying to clear my throat.

I have been back into hospital for a radioactive drink down the throat so they could see my swallowing on x-ray, but they said there are no blockages there, which is reassuring.

[Sleepalotmore]

I came out of hospital in march 2020 after being on ECMO and a ventilator with trachiotomy. I often find some foods make me cough/choking feeling. Shredded wheat is the worst! I also now and then kind of have trouble with the swallowing movement. Literally can't make myself swallowed even the saliva in my mouth, which we all do instinctively. Definitely feels like it's more of an effort to swallow at times.

[Myfanwy58]

I’ve certainly been aware of “throat” problems since being discharged from ICU almost 2 years ago. Id been intubated as an emergency 3 times in the space of a week, eventually being intubated and on ventilator for approx four weeks. I had no real swallowing problems post extubation & ng feeding, although I did feel a constant need to clear my throat as it felt like something had stuck there. This became very troublesome. Whilst I made steady progress in my overall recovery, this remained difficult to live with. Although I didn’t choke as such, eating certain foods would worsen this sense of there being something stuck my throat and so I always felt the need to cough. My very experienced, considerate GP prescribed steroids and liased with ICU & ENT. However, no improvement after several weeks and so I was referred for endoscopy & scan. Results showed a large volume of mucous and a paralysed vocal cord (trauma to vocal cords known to sometimes be a complication of intubation). I’m pleased to say that after much combined speech and physio therapy my vocal cord has regained much of its movement but this excessive mucous in my throat persists. I’ve been advised that this and an accompanying irritating cough (especially when eating certain foods eg dairy products, chocolate, spices etc) is likely a result of acid reflux so I now take a daily antacid tablet and a dose of Gaviscon at night. I’m told that gastric problems aren’t uncommon following C-19, critical illness and ICU. I now drink much more water than I ever did, so as to keep my throat/cords moist & hydrated. I wish I could tell you that this has made a world of difference to me, but sadly it hasn’t. Instead, its just one more thing I’m simply having to learn to live with post C-19, critical illness & ICU. Im trying to always remind myself that it’s a small price to pay for having survived.

[Tedsdad in reply to Myfanwy58]

Hi Myfanwy,I have had almost exactly the same experience as you. Not covid based but after post operative blood clot and weeks in ICU. This whole thing in the throat has been literally a pain in the neck. It got really bad two or three weeks ago at the same as there was a tv program about thyroid cancer that really put the wind up me. I got an appointment with my GP aho referred me to hospital and I got a call for a short notice appointment yesterday for this morning. I didn’t expect a camera up the nose and down the throat job on the first appointment but that is what I got. And a clear bill of health apart from a bit of silent reflux showing up on slightly reddened vocal chords. Reflux caused by ongoing meds s but probably predominantly aspirin. I tried one stoma h protecting med which gave me also runs. But the doc in hospital suggested ongoing gaviscon. I am quite happy with that. But most of all I am happy that they have had a look and that there is nothing at all sinister in my trachea and it is probable that the real problem is anxiety. I can live with that.

[Myfanwy58 in reply to Tedsdad]

Morning, Tedsdad. Pleased to learn you’ve been reassured following your ENT referral and on-the-spot laryngoscopy. It can make such a difference to how we manage our health problems when our concerns are heard & addressed, can’t it. Wishing you all the very best in your ongoing recovery.

[stevet11753]

I'm seven years down the line from four weeks of intubation and trachy. My problem is with liquids, which my throat occasionally snatches at causing aspiration, with resulting coughing and spluttering. I'm generally okay with foods.

[Kit10]

I found the inside of my mouth was very ticklish so I often coughed on biscuit crumbs or membranes, ie things like onion or baked bean skins. Sometimes a sudden mouthful of cold water made me cough. I kept having to defend myself from being put back on thickened drinks see the "Food and drink in icu" thread.

Sometimes a dry mouth made me cough, I'd take a sip of water to prevent it, but it didn't work always. Then I'd get hassle from hospital staff who thought I was chocking on every sip of water!

Coughing is not the same as choking.

Over a year on it's now back to normal, thankfully.

[CLM68]

I am now 8 years on from 3 weeks of being intubated in ICU, the tube being removed at least once as they tried to bring me round. I still have issues with anything that is flaky or crumbly or if when I drink the liquid hits the wrong place at the back of my throat. I find that eating some dairy products makes my throat feel very "claggy" and I feel like I can't breath so I avoid these foods!

[manicminer001]

I found that when I lie down on my face down liquid can can be coughed up, also when you sit straight with back straight and chin up plus someone can tap your back can help to clear your airway. I think mastering these technics helps and give me more confidence in case bad things like a misswallowing or chock8ng on saliva happen. I had to figure this all out as hospital staff was pretty much useless they were just noting that I can’t stop coughing. 😱 they did nothing to resolve it

[charliesdad]

A benefit of having speech and breathing therapy it has improved my choking. The speech therapists have been a great help.