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My story and how I beat globus sensation

Posted , 164 users are following.

chippy12
chippy12

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

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  • maureen98580
    maureen98580 chippy12

    Posted

    So pleased to have read your story - it is so similar to mine!  Mine started a year ago now when I took my nightly diabetic medication and also swallowed the silver foil from the bilster pack!!   I could feel it in the side of my throat for a couple of weeks and spend a long time trying to clear my throat, throw up, drink/swallow hot/cold, anything to try and shift it!      Started feeling the lump in my throat after that - and the rest is history - cameras up the nose - down the trhoat - barium  swallows etc etc!   Like you I have realised that it is not going to kill me - all tests are clear and  by doing the exercises also it has slowly got better - like you about 5% still there.  I was most struck by your comment about your neck - I also have that - "crawling" sensation in my neck - have never been able to describe it before - and never seen anybody on here with that particular symptom - it is all calming down now - after a year - maybe it will go completely, I dont know - but so hard to describe to non-sufferers!  Thanks for your post and good luck in future!
    • chippy12
      chippy12 maureen98580

      Posted

      Hi Maureen,

      Thank you so much for your post! I can't believe you also had the crawling feeling. I was hoping to read that someone else had this but nobody did. I really think it was the nerves in my neck playing tricks and sending wrong messages after the panic attack for weeks afterwards. It's so complex isn't it. I hope and pray it never happens again. I'm so pleased yours is calming down. Take care!

  • Mikeglobus
    Mikeglobus chippy12

    Posted

    Thanks for your story Chilly12.

    The exercises are a new thing to me, I'm glad you shared with us! I will definitely be trying that from now on.

    I have had this for about two years now and have ups and downs. Like you though once I learned it wasn't actually choking me you kind of learn to ignore it - I mean, I'm always aware of it and its usually the first thing in the morning I think about, but it doesn't bring on the same panic. And I'm FINALLY learning to sleep again. That turned out to be a massive issue after the first few episodes - but thats a whole other story.

    For me though, and I haven't found anyone else with it, I get a specifically bad episode that has only happened 3 times in the 2-3 years. I get an actual physical swelling in my throat - like it feels if I breath out a certain way I can 'move' it. Like a nodule or something blocking my throat. I have had barium swallows, cameras up my nose etc etc and nothing but its definately a different sensation - seems to be after spicy food so may just be a bad reflux damage thing. It normally means I have to stay off work - I can't even talk without gagging when it happens. Not a nice feeling.

    Im an anxious and stressed person in general anyway so the globus makes sense - and as you all know its sort of a chain reaction/catch 22 type thing, but in a way this has made me address my anxiety and try to figure out ways of mentally to beat it. I do breathing exercise, journals and generally just learning to face my 'fears'. So thats a positive Im taking from it. Goes without saying I still wish I didn't have it though!

    Also I get a clicking sensation in my throat sometimes, as if my throat is 'failing' mechanically. I'm assuming though this is due to the over swalling with the globus sensation. Anybody else get that?

    Besides all that though I don't have a lot to offer - lots of water really helps for me and avoiding really sugary phlegm inducing items helps too. Dairy can be a pain sometimes with the phlegm/post nasal drip.

    Sorry I haven't added much here - just thanks for the exercise advice!

    Good luck everybody - remember, its not the end of the world! For the most part, its just a sensation!

     

    • maureen98580
      maureen98580 Mikeglobus

      Posted

      Hi Mike

      Good to read your post - the exercises really worked for me (got it all under control at least) - especially the "kissing the ceiling" one  - must really stretch things out - also mine is worse after spicy foods and sugary things (as a diabetic I shouldnt be eating them anyway!)

      Good luck with it all 

    • terrie27149
      terrie27149 Mikeglobus

      Posted

      Oh my yes. Me too. I also get like the click sensation like something moved over when I swallow. I am thinking acid causes swelling like a nodule. I can actually see like a nodule way down the base of my throat when i used a flashlight. My ent couldn't see it but is doin a scope next week. This feeling of fullness in my throat is a pain for sure. Hoping 2 get some answers..

  • jana6796
    jana6796 chippy12

    Edited

    Hi thank you for sharing your story I will definitely try it . My problem stared 2 years ago I was about 7 month pregnant. I'm 5ft2 and I had 10 pounds 3 baby. It felt like everything was pushed up and it never gone down. I remember saying it felt like my stomach was in my throat. I was hoping that after my little one will be born it will all go to normal. Two years later I'm left with lump feeling in my throat which I'm trying to swallow all the time. It feels like someone trying to strangle me and I feel pressure in my chest. I don't have panic attacks, depression or anxiety and I don't have any other symptoms. Im just tying swallow all the time as when I eat or swallow it makes it better.  I had thyroid scan, barium swallow x- ray, seen ENT all came back ok. Tried some medicine for Gerd with no effect. Doctor said that I worry too much and making myself feel like it.( not my case) She said I have to get used to it. Very hard to live with it and get used to as you all know it's very unpleasant. Another lady suggested to see endocrinologist and neurologist, very frustrating hope I will find solution one day :-(
  • jactmj
    jactmj chippy12

    Posted

    Hi,

    Intersting article and responses.  I suffer from this too.  I also suffer from TMJ as I clench my jaw.  Im wondering if anyone else suffers from TMJ and if you think this could be a corrilation between them. 

     

    • tara47765
      tara47765 jactmj

      Posted

      I was wondering the same thing. I have been told by Dentist I have TMJ. I just started getting this lump feeling last night and it seems to come around the second night at the same time. It's not until around 10pm that it comes on. Weird. I will have ask my dentist if the two are related. If you have any new info, I would love to hear. Good luck.

    • sarah1628
      sarah1628 jactmj

      Posted

      That's very interesting! When I saw my doc this week she asked me if I clench my teeth at night (I do) and if I wore my night guard (I don't). I also have mild TMJ. So, could be a correlation. I'm going to be wearing the night guard from now on.

    • monique1979
      monique1979 jactmj

      Posted

      Hi there, Although I don't have TMJ, I thought when it started it could be related to TMJ. I had phantom feelings in jaws at first, then it was ruled out that it was not TMJ. 6 months later (February 2017) I started having the feeling of lump in my throat). being treated with PPI (Pantoprazole for 10 days so far) with no relief in sight. 

  • welshmale07
    welshmale07 chippy12

    Posted

    Hello im male 32 yrs old. I found your post very interesting as i too have experienced similar feelings, most recently whilst out i ate some food (probably a bit too quickly). Around 3hrs later i felt this lump sensation in my throat, it felt bruised when i talked and swallowed. I have tried examining near my osaphagus but cant feel anything untowards.

    I have recently had x-rays on my neck which came back normal. I also had a blood test 7 months ago (lymph nodes etc) which too came back normal.

    I do tend to stress a lot about my health and often fear the worst!

    Im very active and dont smoke. I drink occasionally but nothing to be concerned about (4-6 pints a week).

  • shaqueymom
    shaqueymom chippy12

    Posted

    I've been having the same feeling for 2 weeks now.

    & honestly I'm starting to get scared more each day...

    but reading your story is a relieve for me..

    .

    Mine (globus sensation) started just before my recent monthly period,after a whole night of severe headache (which is normal to me due to PMS) I began having these choking feeling on my lower neck,as if I have a piece of something inside...

    I too suspects/blame contraceptive pills for this since I stopped taking it just last month...well please do correct me if my suspicion is wrong...is this has something to do with hormonal change?

    I never tried seing a Dr. yet.

    Thank you for your advice & for the excercise...

    Godbless you :-)

     

    • Im1ru12
      Im1ru12 shaqueymom

      Posted

      I know this is an old post, but I have to say a few things in response.  I could have written this post - mine came on almost exactly the same way!  I woke up in the wee hours with a severe tension headache that hurt everything from the middle of my neck to the top of my head, just before my period started, and included in that headache was a weird sensation in my throat like I was getting sick.  After the headache went away, I wasn't sick, but the lump in my throat remained.  I also just went off birth control pills 3 months ago, switched to an IUD.

      I don't know if you'll read this, but I want to tell you that I read this article and skimmed through the comments, and after I read yours, the lump in my throat went away by 95% almost immediately (for a little while, anyway, but it's a relief to know it can go away).

      Big thanks to everybody for talking about the panic.  I've been in total panic attacks for days (making it worse, I know), and it helped so much to know that I'm not crazy for that. 

  • Mikeglobus
    Mikeglobus chippy12

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing, Im the same, when I got it years ago all I read was depressing stuff about how it cripples your life and its all you think about...and to be fair it did. For a long time. However I was able to research a bit more and use different mental exercises and physical exercises (like the one you said) and slowly got better. I always promised myself if it got better I would tell people and let them know its not the end of the world! Im the same as you, its about 5% what it use to be (still bad in the mornings - think its refliux related).

    I think a lot of people suffer from it without even knowing but because of our anxious nature we zone in and make it something bigger than it is.

    Anyway - it can get better anyone getting this for the first time!  

  • Kaleb19
    Kaleb19 chippy12

    Posted

    Hey glad I read your advice I'm 17 and I went through all the doctors already and it's only been 4-5 days but my globus is taking over me I have anxiety and stress all day I feel like I'm in whole other horrible life it constantly throws me in a panic attack and it's all I can think about.

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