My story and how I beat globus sensation
Posted , 164 users are following.
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
BrennenL chippy12
Edited
Hey in the meantime of waiting in between checkups and doctors appointments go buy some recolas. It doesn't get rid of the globus but it makes it manageable. Like makes it feel not so protruding and numbs your throat naturally
alex80814 chippy12
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Thanks for the tip, Im starting this today.... I was diagnosed with this about 10 years ago and its always been there when Im really stressed, but in the last few weeks its come back big time. I get a dry throat and have to cough and lose my voice when its really bad.. most embarrassing when speaking on the phone!. When I feel my throat going, I try and sing up and down the scales to give my throat something else to think about. I find that quite effective as long as Im on my own! I will try your exercise lots everyday as I was on the verge of going to the doctors again, but if I can shake it off without any meds, will be so pleased. :0) Thanks for sharing
charo88321 alex80814
Posted
I have the same problem
I get cough attacks with mucous and my eyes tear up .
I have to carry water with me at all times. Also my voice goes and have to clear it up all the time.
So annoying!
alex80814 charo88321
Posted
Hi charo, it's horrible but somehow comforting to know there's others suffering the same... I keep water by me too, and mints, I also do yoga and yogic breath which helps, just starting with meditation too xx
charo88321 alex80814
Posted
Me too!
I love that stuff !
I need to start dancing again
Dancing really makes me happy 😊
xxKxxxxx chippy12
Edited
Hiya, how are all you guys doing now?
During the end of December 2015 I too developed Globus. Mine started one night when taking my asthma inhaler there was some kind of small piece of paper in the inhaler from being in my coat pocket. I felt this small piece of paper shoot down my throat and kept trying to cough it up and clear my throat and from there my Globus came on. I felt like something was stuck in my throat, would choke or feel like I was choking on my own saliva but eating and drinking was fine and actually helped to some extent and I was constantly trying to cough up whatever was in there or swallow it down. I was also under a considerable amount m of stress at the time. I saw an emergency GP who had a look as much as he could with a torch and a stick to hold my tongue down and said everything looked fine. He said that if its paper causing the lump it would have disintegrated by now or would have been flushed down and he said I have Globus. This is where my health anxiety started., 3 days later I was back at my doctors convinced I had some kind of throat cancer (I didn't know a lot about Globus and was adamant if I could feel something there then there HAD to be something there). The 2nd GP checked me over and diagnosed Globus and explained it a bit more for me then gave me an information on it and did me a prescription for Lorazepam and said on your worst days try one of these as its a muscle relaxer. So the one day I tried the Lorazepam and it did help as it relaxed me so much, so much so that I was flaked out on my sofa without a care in the world and a very delayed reaction and it was lucky my partner had a few days off work as I couldn't take care of 4 children under the age of 8 while on these meds so decided to only use these in extreme circumstances.
Any ways I decided to do some reading up on Globus and see if there was any cure for it. I came across many success stories and loads and loads of stories of people having Globus but never coming back onto forums to say if it had gone or not.. I'm guessing it was better and these people were just getting on with their lives as they were no longer plagued by it.
I had some really tough times where I just broke down crying, I was constantly at my doctors convinced I had throat cancer and begging them to help me but everytime they said the same.. It's Globus, it can't kill you and it will eventually go. I started to disbelieve the doctors and sure they were missing . I did yet more reading up on it and learnt exercises and different relaxation techniques and kept a diary of my Globus..I would write how it felt every morning, afternoon and evening and how bad it was on a scale of 1-10. I soon realised that mine gradually got worse as the day went on, there would be parts of the day it would be "gone" and some days it was hardly there and some days it was constant and on some really rough days and as I was so desperate I would take just a quarter or half of a Lorazepam just to get me through. With all this going on I was diagnosed with severe anxiety. I was constantly at my doctors convinced that every twinge or pain I felt that I had I something bad going on. I was put on Sertraline and by day 3 i got a rash and doctors thought it was likely a reaction so took me off them and we waited a few week so to try me on Venlafaxine but by day 3 i felt so awful but my GP insisted it was normal but I went against her judgement and got straight off of them. This all happened in a 2 month period from the Globus starting to giving up on the meds. After another visit to my GP convinced I had some kind of life threatening illness she ordered a blood test which showed my Folate level was low and was prescribed Folic Acid and had to to take one a day for 3 months and half way through the course my Globus wasn't as bad (this was marking around 3months into Globus) but I didn't think it was because of the Folate I just think my brain was focused elsewhere. And just like that it was gone. I got referred to the nhs lets talk for my anxiety and in the June I found out I was pregnant so had to continue with Folic Acid and was bumped up their list as a priority. I started over the phone one on one cbt and within 5wks I was ready to be discharged but I did ask for a few more sessions which they agreed to and just like that all my anxiety was gone. Fast forward to my baby being 14wks old I could feel my anxiety returning after nearly fainting the one day. I saw a different GP who looked all my symptoms I had for the past 2years including widespread pain and fatigue and was sure I had fibromyalgia and sent me for a battery of blood tests to rule out autoimmune diseases and inflammation and the results showed my Folate level was down again to 2.5 and my Ferritin level was low so have been put on Folic Acid again and Ferrous Fumarate but as I have a fear of medications I can only force myself to take 3-5pills a week and also because of the affect it has on my belly with my IBS. Also my b12 is low but not low enough for treatment. Well over the last month I would get such a dry mouth and it would make it feel hard to swallow and i would feel all choked up. Then last week the dreaded Globus has reared its ugly head 😡
But I'm very accepting of it now and I'm getting the same as before.. The choking feeling when trying to swallow saliva and feeling tightness in my throat and feels like a ball of crap lodged in there that I can't shift. Very frustrating even when it felt like I was choking/swallowing my uvula the other day but I know I can't actually choke or die this way so half of the battle is already won!
I do suffer from silent reflux which flares up as and when it wants too.
The only things I used to find helped my last bout of Globus was staying calm with it, neck excerses, warm- hot flannel on thefront of my throat, gargling, voice/sound exercises and to relax with it and chill out.
I can't determine what causes it with me.. Maybe reflux? Maybe to do with my Folate levels, maybe hormones as all anxiety went with pregnancy? Or perhaps it's due to me being a mouth breather and I wake up with a dry mouth and mucous at the back of my throat which takes a while to clear with water and deep swallowing?
But trust me you are not alone and it's nothing to be scared of and try to ignore the best you can (easier said than done at times I know) and I find mine is worse when I'm stressed or over thinking. Last Thursday night was evil for me and I was adamant this was going to kill me but fast forward 3 days later to today and I've been awake 2hrs and all is good so far and it's funny that I had my bedroom window closed last night due to neighbours having a bonfire which affects my asthma 🤔
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
Posted
Hi there, there does seem to be a connection with all of us with globus ... anxiety!!! I have terrible health anxiety, like you every symptom I have I'm off to the dr and have many tests, my tests have always. One back good apart from ferritin being a little low at 33.
I do feel that when I'm busy I don't notice it as much though, I have got it into my brain that I have a hiatus hernia and I probably won't rest until I have an endoscopy, I worry that I have cancer of the oesophagus or somewhere in the stomach and it's pushing up on my oesophagus causing these symptoms.
I've also been diagnosed with fibromyalgia/ M.E, like you I have 4 kids so that's hard work and stress in itself!!
Maybe when we constantly think about these things it makes it worse!! Think I'll go and get on with cleaning and it'll give me a break for a bit 😂
xxKxxxxx katie16755
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It's 5 children I have now 🙂
My Ferritin level is at 8.. Doctor said its not too low & some people live at that level their whole life and not notice.. Umm I think it's low enough lol!
With my next blood test they are checking me for gluten intolerance.
My b12 is at 190 or 200 and the level my GP goes by is 180-1000 so as I'm not under 180 there's nothing they will do. What is really surprising is in China I think it is, is if your b12 goes below 500 they top it up with injections.. And Chinese people are very healthy and have the lowest rate of anxiety and depression so it does make me wonder if there's some sort of connection?
I do believe a lot of this anxiety and stress related.. Also I find symptoms can come on when I'm excited about something and my therapist just said that the same changes in your body happen when you are excited or anxious.
An article I read said Globus is an emotional bully and it's very true.
I have had such a low appetite these last few days since its come up which is frustrating as I don't want to lose anymore weight.
What makes me wonder about all this with me is the fact last year I had anxiety when my Folate level was low and it started picking up towards the end of the 3 month course of Folic Acid and I had to continue on the dose pregnant women have when pregnant then after pregnancy and the usual blood loss we have my Folate level went down and anxiety popped up. But I have a phobia of medications so only take a few of the tablets a week now but as my partner said its more than what I was getting before I know my Folate levels were low so it's got to be doing something gradually which my doctor agrees with but its so hard.
Did you ever feel like you were physically choking when swallowing? I find the more I think of it especially as I'm about to swallow this happens..
It's very tiring but I'm proof it does go away and okay I know it's back but it will go away again!
I had all the same thoughts.. Is it cancer? Hernia? Ulcer? Reflux? But I didn't have any tests apart from bloods and it went so I'm sure it was none of the above except reflux may have played a small part as the more stressed and anxious you are the more acid you produce and before this new bout started up I did say to my partner that I think my silent reflux is coming on again so maybe some link there..
There is a link I have to a story I read last time I had it and I re-read it again yesterday morning, I'll post it in my next comment x
xxKxxxxx katie16755
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https://www.painscience.com/articles/lump-in-the-throat.php
terrie27149 xxKxxxxx
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I feel you as well. The most troublesome to me I think is at night when I get the phglm attack, it's like I struggle getting a deep breath. Oh that's an awful feeling..I also am able to c my epiglotis with a flashlight and when I do like a gag reflux I swear I c something around the epiglitis like a growth. But my ENT can't c it, nor my dr. My ENT says it's lower tonsils. I didn't know we had a lower tonsil. I'm still hoping he saw what I am talkin about. I have my doubts, so I still find myself anxious, which therefore causes my globus to act up, then I'm thinking it's what I'm seeing, so it's a vicious cycle..
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
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Wow 5!! 4 is enough for me!! Mine always gets worse in the holidays and weekends!! Stress!!
I think 8 for ferritin is very low! I had mine done in Australia and they were 33 and the dr said low but eat more red meat, then had them done in the UK and 34 and she said they're on the low side but fine, I read optimal levels should be 50!!
The more I worry the worse my stomach gets!! I was put on lansoprazole but no change with my throat, I've come off them and I'm sure only when I think about it I feel acid, I don't want an endoscopy as it scares me but I need to know there's nothing going on in there!!
I've had it before when I'm eating and I go to swallow that my swallowing mechanism stops, again I think it's anxiety!
I sometimes feel like I'm being strangled, it's a mental bully that's for sure!!!
xxKxxxxx terrie27149
Edited
My gag reflex is terrible at the moment whereas it was never that bad before. It's such an evil thing to have and when it's playing up it can be frightening to swallow as you think what if I choke even though you know deep down you won't!
Do you get the choking on your saliva? It's mad because if I don't think about it and doing stuff I find myself swallowing normal but as soon as I think of it it comes on more and more then I fear it and it continues but as I know it won't kill me and technically it's "nothing" it makes it slightly easier.
It drives me mad!
But I know as this lump moves, it comes and goes in severity and sometimes not there at all when I wake up then it can't be nothing bad as if it was then it would be constant and of course we can all eat and drink normal.
Just wish it would go now. My GP said it'll go as quickly as it came and to accept it and it will go and she has had it before.. Well I've now accepted it so now it can do one haha!
xxKxxxxx katie16755
Posted
Crazy isn't it?!
My reflux when pregnant burns my throat but when I'm not pregnant I don't feel nothing except I get very mucousy in the back of my throat. I was prescribed Ranitidine back last year during that anxiety attack and only used it a few times. I prefer Gaviscon but my medication phobia is so bad that I won't use it even though I've used it on and off for 10years.
I bloody hate it all but even though mine only properly started back up last week it's feeling easier if that makes sense? Thursday night I was ready to ring an ambulance thinking there was something really wrong to today where it's not bothering me so much and only felt like I am "choking" on my saliva a few times which is immense progress. Maybe we all need a new outlet for stress? I might invest in a punchbag in my garden to burn it off!
My therapist said its amazing how anxiety and stress can affect us as so many people think with it we should have racing hearts, shaking ect and it's not always like that x
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
Posted
I get many different sensations, it changes all the time, now it's not strangling but that I've got phlegm stuck, when I try and clear it it feels quite scratchy 🤔
I used to have it that when I swallowed saliva I would get a gurgling in my throats each time, ENT said it's just air.
I'm worried if I have a hiatus hernia then it's doing damage to my oesophagus and will cause cancer.
I'm the same, don't even like taking paracetamol! I always read the side effects and puts me off, I only went on lansoprazole thinking it would be a one off and it would clear it, it hasn't!! It's just messed up my stomach now!
The more I think about it the more I panic!!
I'm trying to do meditation and Buteyko breathing as that helped my anxiety symptoms before...
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
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Thank you for the article! I've actually read that one before! I think I've read everything relating to globus!! X
terrie27149 xxKxxxxx
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No but I do sometimes get like a clicking movementioned sometimes when I swallow. I too feel like the mechanisms in my throat just aren't really working like they should. When I go back at end of the month to my ENT, I am going to draw him a picture of what I c and and make sure he is seeing what I am seeing and for sure calling tht the lower level of tonsils. I do have globus I know that. I feel that often. Mostly when stressed. ACV has helped the horrid mucous I get in my throat having to clear it all the time. But sometimes I feel this point on my left side of my throat more so.and it at times gets a little raw feeling there at tht spot..crazy...
xxKxxxxx katie16755
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I too read the side effects and then I'm like nah I won't bother 😂🙈 I take an inhaler for asthma and read the side effects for that the other day and was shocked but I still take it.. Very weird I am lol.
terrie27149 katie16755
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Katie, I thought about you yesterday, when I swallowed for just a second or two, I felt/hrd the gurgling you talk about..it's just happened once or twice but this last time, I totally understand what you are saying about gurgling now..
xxKxxxxx katie16755
Posted
Also I feel like I'm taking in air as I feel almost bubbly in throat.
If I feel "chokey" then I take a swig of water to swallow. I think my throat gets very dry which doesn't help!
xxKxxxxx terrie27149
Posted
What is an ACV? Maybe I'm being thick haha!
I'll try anything at this point that can help x
katie16755 terrie27149
Edited
Weird isn't it!! Since being on holiday I forgot about it the low and behold o thought about it and up came the gurgle!!
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
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I also feel like I've got a bubble, sometimes when I breath in it feels like something is catching or flapping if that makes sense 🤔
Try Buteyko for your asthma too as my son has asthma and it really helped him, just got to stick to it though 😒
I started doing it for hyperventilation syndrome and it really helped but then I stopped!!
terrie27149 xxKxxxxx
Posted
Apple cider vinegar. Helps some, not others but it truly cuts the mucous when I am struggling..I was doing it only on bad days, but now going to strt.it as a daily routine. 2 tsp. Per half cup water is wht I'm doing now. Was doing 2 tsp per c. Own chouce to c wht wrks. Yes it will burn going dwn, but it does keep phglm away..for me anyway..
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
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Apple cider vinegar! Meant to be good for alkalinity, I take to help reduce my acid feelings! I buy an organic one, not sure what country you're in but they sell in healthstores and some super markets
terrie27149 katie16755
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Lol, you make me laugh katie..the situation doesn't of course
No laughing matter, but you do my new friend..
kick this crap in the butt and show it no mercy and HAVE FUN ON YR TRIP....
katie16755 terrie27149
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😂😂😂 all nutters with a frog or some other creature causing havoc in our throats.
Thank you 😊
terrie27149 katie16755
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xxKxxxxx terrie27149
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My friend said to me to just try a shot of vinegar 😂
Last time I had Globus I used to send my partner out a few times a week in the evening/night for rice and curry sauce from the Chinese and have loads of vinegar on it and that used to help me 👍🏻
xxKxxxxx katie16755
Posted
Will look that breathing up tonight. I usually just do mindful breathing but worth giving anything a go. I used to listen to a bloke guiding through meditation every night and would almost be asleep before he finished 🙈
katie16755 terrie27149
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Oh 😳 Was it a proper big burp?!! Too much acid then?? How odd!!
I will do again in the morning!
katie16755 xxKxxxxx
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I just started using the Headspace app for meditation ( when I find the time to do it!!)
terrie27149 katie16755
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terrie27149 xxKxxxxx
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terrie27149
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katie16755 terrie27149
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😂😂😂 that sounds like us!! Not normal 🤣🤣
a little burp might be acceptable!! I'll try tomorrow, I do feel a bit if acid tonight 😒 Though I was very stressed earlier!!
charo88321 terrie27149
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I learn some massage techniques from you tube for that and is helping!
terrie27149 charo88321
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charo88321 terrie27149
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They have tons of information
terrie27149 charo88321
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