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Globus sufferers - There is hope

Posted , 8 users are following.

jane95355
jane95355

I was diagnosed with globus back in Nov 2013. It is now April 2014 and I am 95% better.

Unlike most people, it was affecting my swallowing so bad I had to go on a liquid diet for a while. I had a very difficult time swallowing dry stuff. I believe my globus was triggered by 2 serious choking episodes in the past year. I had alot of anxiety over eating. Ironically, the more anxious I got ,the worse the globus got. Other than having trouble swallowing, it felt like either something was stuck in my throat and/or someone had their hands around my neck and was squeezing. I would never ever eat socially, only when I was alone and could concentrate. Even drinking a Coke was tough. I remember going to an event and only managing a few sips of Coke and my throat tightening. I was really limited to what I could eat. Anything dry or with lots of fibers was out. It was really limiting. I even started pureeing things, but even the little fiber bits caused my throat to tighten.

Once I got my diagnosis, I focused on just doing things that made me happy and living on meal replacement drinks for a while. Things slowly improved. Things really turned around when I went and visited a neighboring city 3 times in a month. It was something I had been wanting to do forever and felt 'stuck'. I believe making that trip got me 'unstuck' mentally and with my throat as well. I had just 1 night away from my kids and noticed things really improved from then on.

I still am kind of afraid of choking, so I eat carefully, but I can pretty much anything now, even toast or popcorn which were previously impossible. I still don't eat celery, as this previously triggered my globus. Eating that triggers worries about those fibers getting stuck in my throat.

Just wanted to post my story to let other globus sufferers know there is hope. Hang in there!

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Jma12344
    Jma12344 jane95355

    Posted

    I too have been suffering from globus... This past October I was in a bad wreck then a week later I choked on some food and have been suffering your same symptoms. Glad to hear you are doing better. Hopefully I will start to feel better as well... I visited a doctor from Vanderbilt and they sent me to physical therapy for my neck to help losen my throat muscles... Did the doctors ever send you to anything like this or put you on any medicine?
  • jane95355
    jane95355

    Posted

    He did put me on acid-blockers for a while, at my request. Not sure it did anything but I was pretty desperate to try anything... He basically said it was emotional and not much he could do. Older doctor.

    Did the physical therapy help?

    • Jma12344
      Jma12344 jane95355

      Posted

      I'm only on week 5... I haven't felt much difference yet. The doctor said it may take up to 12 weeks but hopefully all works out and ill be back to normal. Glad to hear you are back to normal ! Hope is a big part of the problem I believe
    • jane95355
      jane95355 Jma12344

      Posted

      Hope it works out. Hang in there and let us know what happens.
  • Audrey63
    Audrey63 jane95355

    Posted

     Hello Jane

    i read your article and it seems similar to what I am experiencing the last 2 month.  It came out of a sudden and I thought it was the banana I ate accessively.  I decided to go to see GP and the first thing he mentioned was globus.  He took his time to explained and I am shock! I came home look through internet and find more and more about globus, my concern is, is there any way to treat this? What is the best food to take? Coffee is a must every morning is that okay? I jog a lot too. Does this help?

    audrey 

    • jane95355
      jane95355 Audrey63

      Posted

      Sorry to hear you're going through this too, Audrey. I can only really share what worked for me. I know there are a variety of causes. For instance, if someone is really stressed out, like a student studying for exams they can get it. For others, it may be triggered by acid reflux. I think the key is to read lots and lots online and get ideas of different things people have tried and see what works for you.

      For me, the main treatment has been to identify and avoid my trigger foods (like raw celery or dry quinoa-both of those totally set me off) and keep as happy and low-stress as possible.

      As for your questions, I'm not a doctor, but I would think the running would be good, if you enjoy it. As for coffee, maybe try cutting it out for a couple of weeks and see what happens. 1st of all, it's a stimulant so who knows what effect it's having on your throat muscles. 2nd of all, coffee is known to trigger reflux. 3rd you really shouldn't need it if you're getting enough sleep. It's not really good for you as it acidifies your blood. Maybe take a look at your diet as well and see if there's room for improvement.

      Let us know how it goes.

    • Audrey63
      Audrey63 jane95355

      Posted

      Hi jane

      thanks for your replied. My condition now is when I am lying down, eating, all seems okay, the lump feeling will start to bother me after food.  I read a lot from all related link but don't seem to find any hint of how to get rid of the feeling, example is there actually medicine to relief this feeling.?   Some said is due to stress, but if this feeling is not going away, it might double the stress effect.  This really caught me by surprise as being a very sports person, I would think why me?  

      Can anyone at least share if there is any medication to relief this feeling. Pleeeeeeease!!  Someone posted fisherman lozenges, I tried and it works for an hour and it came back.  My mum recommended squeeze 4 lime, add a bit of water drink it.  Don't work on me But no harm trying.

      Hope to hear from you again.

      audrey 

    • jane95355
      jane95355 Audrey63

      Posted

      Mine gets worse with eating too. I haven't found any medication that helps. I know it's awful and, yeah, stressing out about it can make it worse. The main thing to know is that it generally gets better with time. I haven't personally experienced my symptoms worsen when lying down. Is it possible you have reflux? Maybe someone else here can offer more suggestions?
    • tonya46846
      tonya46846 jane95355

      Posted

      I'm suffering with this also and its driving me crazy.. 😢 any new advice on anything that helps. I take meds for acid reflux.
  • yiteng
    yiteng jane95355

    Posted

    my history is almost similar to jane... it will get better.. dont worry.... 
  • Trickmeista
    Trickmeista jane95355

    Posted

    I suddenly started getting the strangulation feeling at the base of my throat and the horrible sensation of there being a "blockage" just beneath my sternum about 3 months ago which is driving me insane now. Initially Doc 1 prescribed antibiotics & antacids almost as guesswork, neither of which made any difference. I am also getting stabbing pains up my windpipe occasionally. Unhappy with no improvement I visited Doc 2 who immediately conjured up Globus Hystericus although he was at great pains to tell me that the political correct brigade had led to the dropping of the Hystericus title now. I also had my thyroid checked (previous history of over activity but tests normal) I was, and remain screptical about the whole tightening of throat muscles diagnosis, they reckon possibly resulting from stress. I do have a stressful job plus a son with Aspergers and numerous physical medical and educational issues going on which make life quite hectic and stressful, but I can categorically say that it is the throat discomfort making me stressed and not the other way round. I finally went to see Doc 3 yesterday who will hopefully have arranged an endoscopic camera for next week. I too have lay awake at night , with all bad thoughts running through my head of sinister conditions, but equally try to tell myself to stop being stupid or a hypochondriac. But no sooner have I told myself this do I feel the discomfort again, all day, becoming all-consuming, and thus the cycle starts again. I find it impossible to forget about it despite the Docs saying just try to relax. The "me" time they suggest is fruitless too as I love to fish, but being sat on a river bank with the sensation still there just as bad as any other day drives me mad quicker. Too much thinking time I guess. I have been getting more and more anxious about the sensation the last few days, topped off by 2 lots of bad news about a colleague and another friends serious health issues that were missed by GPs. Upshot is I will be phoning my GP on Monday and asking for a chest X-ray or scan even if I have to pay for it privately. This horrible sensation is driving me mad!
  • RefinedZero
    RefinedZero jane95355

    Posted

    Hey guys, I didn't know where else to talk about this but I am new to this site.. I believe I have globus and I wonder if anyone can lend some knowledge or their own experiances. It started back about 3 months ago, I just got myself sorted after a long day and laid down in bed, after about a minute I realised that the front of my throat, kind of around my adams apple and just below, basically the front of the throat was starting to feel closed. I was like trying to clear my throat and it wasn't going away, then panic started as I sat up in bed and realised it felt like I couldn't swallow and the sensation was coming on worse. I ended up getting out of bed and walking around and trying to drink water, the water was going down fine but the dry swallowing was becoming tedious. I ended up calling an ambulance and after they came, it was basically nothing is wrong, you're okay.. it never went away though, it stayed and now it comes and goes sometimes 3, 4 or maybe 5 times a day (I consider them the worst) and then sometimes if I am really luckly, it wont be there for like maybe 1 to 2 days and omg its heaven when it isn't there.. but unfortunately, it reappears. I also had to have an endoscopy recently to check down my food pipe and all that, they actually came back with findings of grade 1 varices in there.. so unluckly, they weren't worried though and they have sent me for a liver ultrasound which I have had and just awaiting results. But yeah, basically its there most days and when it comes on, it can come on if I am sitting, if I am walking or doing DIY things, it just starts and I am always like damn, why now. I can swallow once with my spit (dry swallow) but then anymore its like impossible, sometimes the first one I can't, I can drink water just fine and most food is fine as well, I just wish I could find out how to get rid of it because sometimes I do think it could very well be anxiety or something but then there are times where I am sure it comes on when I am doing things and my neck feels tense (sides and back)

    I hope I have explained enough for someone to maybe understand, its happening right now as I type this and I am sure its there because I am talking about it, likely going to give it a nickname soon..

    Thank you for reading

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