Afraid of dying

[StrayingDog]

Hi,

I’m afraid I have a brain tumour and I feel a pain in my throat. I don’t want to suddenly choke and die.

[Kkimm]

Hi

It sounds really frightening for you. Do you think you suffer from anxiety? Are you getting any support, medication or therapy?

I think it would be good to talk it all through with your GP. It is probably very unlikely you have a brain tumour but see your GP for reassurance and to see what help you need.

[Hidden]

Hey there,

I'm really sorry to hear about this and I have no doubt that you're scared and worried. Thankfully I think we can help...there are so many things prior to a tumor to ask. Anxiety is terrible problem causer that makes us think we have something rather than having nothing. Sore throats and sore feelings in the throat can be common. One of the most common causes is the "globus sensation". It can make you like you cannot eat, drink water, or even breath properly. If you have acid reflux, the "lump" feeling could be acid irritating the lining in your esophagus (nothing that will hurt you this instance). I'll go on further about other situations, but if you have nothing else that might make you feel this way, deep breathing exercises may help relax your throat and the tension you feel.

The next questions would be this....any issues with asthma, food/drug allergies, or swallowing of any foreign objects? Regular allergies, nasal drainage, a cold, dry air, or issues with any air (cold/dry)? If you answer yes to the first question (asthma and onward), I would get checked out soon. All of those things could require immediate medical attention if you don't already have emergency medication (inhaler, epipens) to ease the situation. If you you have the others, it's merely a sore throat via globus sensation or from all the other things in play. You will not choke to death. If you can talk and breath, you're not choking. I would talk to your doctor at the earliest convenience and perhaps visit an ENT doctor (ear, nose, throat doctor) just to ease your worries about cancer. If you smoke, drink, or use anything that might irritate your throat, I would try to avoid those things as much as possible. I don't think you have a brain tumor as much as anxiety and likely health anxiety which many of us on here have.

The best advice I can give is to first....relax. Try some guided breathing exercises found on YouTube or on a smartphone app (there are a ton of them...some of them free). Drink some soothing tea with or without honey or cool water and maybe use a lozenge if it continues to feel painful. If you're free to do so, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and other NSAID pain relievers can help, but I feel like once you relax, the pain is going to subside. If you're truly very much in doubt, DO go get medical attention. You're not foolish or shamed for doing so....I've gone for issues like this with my tail between my legs (not sure why I have a tail) and have been met with simple answers but at least they were simple and reassuring. If it's anxiety and you have any short acting medication (such as Ativan, Klonopin, or Xanax), this might be a good opportunity to take it. If the pain subsides, again, we know that anxiety is probably the culprit. I don't think you'll choke to death, but if you feel that you are, call 911 or the equivalent for your country. If you're convinced you can make it through the night, see urgent care or your GP as Kim mentioned soon to rule out all of your worries.

I really feel you'll be okay and just need to relax a little bit. It's easy for little thoughts to become big thoughts...throat hurts to choking to death. Once you relax and take your burdens off your shoulders, I think you'll feel tremendously better. Best of luck...and definitely call for help if your situation gets worse. Sending thoughts, love, and kindness your way