My story and how I beat globus sensation

I made a promise that if I got better I would share my story on this discussion board in the hope that I may help someone. All the posts on here were a great comfort to me when I was experiencing this awful condition.

It all happened about 8 weeks ago. I was in the theatre and just sat down to begin the show when I ate a sweet normally, took a sip of water normally and afterwards felt like I was having difficulty swallowing. My mouth went super dry and I felt like a had a lump in my throat and my tongue was enlarged (it wasn't). I thought perhaps I was having a reaction to something so before the interval I had to leave and get out of there. I felt complete terror and danger and thought I was going to die. My husband was worried and took me to A&E. I couldnt breathe properly but was not wheezing. I felt like someone was strangling me, standing on my neck and I was in a complete panic that came out of nowhere. Apparently I had a panic attack or severe anxiety episode. Well, I didnt believe this diagnosis because I had over the years suffered from anxiety on and off and bouts of low mood but even when I have faced the most difficult times in my life, never have I had a panic attack so wondered why on such a happy day I would develop this. Anyway the initial attack was only the start of my problems, I was told the symptoms of my choking sensation would go away within a few hours. It didnt. This made it worse and I was not so easily going to put this down to stress as most things seem to be these days. I went to my GP who said I did seem to have some swelling in my neck and ordered me an ultrasound. As I couldn't wait 3 weeks for the paperwork to come through I saw an ENT consultant privately who put a camera up my nose and down my throat and said everyhing looked perfect and likely to be globus sensation which is common when experiencing panic attacks and anxiety. This only gave me some comfort because I was still feeling these awful symptoms. After the 4th week I had scan and this showed nothing. My thyroid was perfect, which I suspected may be the issue due to my high thyroid antibodies, although I knew I had normal thyroid function. This was also some comfort. I was suffering, and it was really really getting me down. Having to get up every day and go to work was so hard and I was so anxious I was not sleeping or eating well. I thought I would have it forever. After a while I started to think, well this isn't going to kill me as time has proven, its not getting worse or better so I need to start trying things to see if anything helps. I also had a strange crawling sensation in my neck not on top of my skin but underneath - hard to explain. Also when I put chin to chest I felt like the part between my neck and chin was swollen. I tried breathing exercises, hot water bottles, hot baths, drinking red wine, taking NSAI's, drinking loads of water, trying to eat better, sleep better, watching funny films but nothing worked. I then found a couple of websites online suggesting a very simple neck exercise to do many times throughout the day and specifically for globus sufferers. I started to do this and over a week the symptoms started to ease and has got better and better to the point that its only 5% there. The most important part is to make sure your shoulders are always down and pushed back as far as you can. No hunched shoulders or it won't work. Then carefully, with mouth closed, ease your neck back as far as it can go, all the time looking up to the ceiling. You should be able to feel yourself stretching your neck. It may make you cough a little. Then roll your head a little to left and right and centre. It probably won't work the first go. you have to do it many times a day over a week or so. 

My GP said that panic attacks can cause a lot of problems in the neck, real tension and muscles, and other structures and a horrid sensation of a lump in your neck. I have to understand now that this is the cause.

Apologies for the long post but it's a long story.

I hope it helps someone.

Good luck to you all and take care of yourselves.

x

35 likes, 1120 replies