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Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
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What causes gagging or dry heaving?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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MedHelp Member's Question

What causes gagging or dry heaving?

by Rs2win18, Nov 02, 2003 12:00AM
I seem to suffer from gagging attacks, and sometimes start to dry heave and/or choke and cough. It's not usually accompinied by nausea but maybe once in awhile it can be, it's mostly just on it's on it's own. I usually worry about my breathing when I start to feel it coming and can feel myself very tense. It happens most when I feel pressured or nervous or when I have to go somewhere I'm worried about going. I have had Panic attacks with some OCD symptoms before but did very well with treatment. Now these seem to be more limited symptoms but very intense and I don't seem to be able to stop it. It doesn't feel like a panic attack, but more just something causes me to gag or dry heave. I was wondering are those symptoms of anxiety or should I seek another diagnosis, it doesn't seem to be listed in almost any book or information I've seen on Panic/Anxiety. Also is there something could cause this and if so, is there some type of treatment that could help or stop that gagging? It's very distressing and interfers with me doing things. Thanks in advance for the response.
Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Nov 02, 2003 12:00AM
It sounds very much like an anxiety equivalent rather than an organic physical problem, but you can never be sure, so you should consult an ear nose and throat specialist.  If nothing is found, then consider a short bout of counseling rather than medications to deal with your social anxiety.
Member Comments (29)

by Rs2win18, Nov 04, 2003 12:00AM
Thanks for your response and I'll try to look into it. I have had recent physcial exams and do seem to be in general good health. My main interest or concern was whether or not anxiety or an anxiety disorder could cause symptoms such as gagging, ocassional dry heaveing and/or choking and coughing because I hadn't seen anything about it in any literature. Also, if it does how could anxiety could cause such a symptom?

by anamari, Nov 05, 2003 12:00AM
Have you ever been bulimic?  Specifically, have you ever had a period in your life when you self-induced vomiting on an occasional or daily basis?

by Rs2win18, Nov 05, 2003 12:00AM
No, never... why, is that typical in bulimics? I'm definitley not, I don't think I ever voluntarily made myself throw up in my life. I've never been a fan or throwing up and the thought of it makes me a bit sick, but it doesn't seem to me to be tied to anything like that, at least no that I'm aware of at all. Thanks for your comments/questions/advice.

by mirano, Jan 16, 2004 12:00AM
I have the same problem. My throat gets really dry and feels like it's closing, so sometimes I end up dry heaving. I don't believe it's from something I ate but more from anxiety or allergy disorders.

I got a full physical and on paper have good health. my doctor says it's from my allergies but I am not convinced. I can see why he says allergies, because one of my nasals is always blocked and this causes my throat to get dry and I constantly have to clear my throat. But I don't know why it causes me to gag. After an episode I feel a little better, but worry that it is something serious. I am now considering surgery to correct my septum, may be the answer. I've learned to live with it, but it does make it difficult sometimes for social activities and daily living, I still don't know if it is either a psychological or physical ailment.

by dan541, Jan 26, 2004 12:00AM
I have the same problem.  I've searched evrywhere for answers.  I have the same triggering circumstances but also cold air sets it off.  In my search for answers I was diagnosed with asthma.  I haven't begun treatment yet, so I don't know if it will help.  I also have been treated for anxiety.  I have been on Xanax for years.  I've noticed some rare side effects listed for Xanax that may be contributing to the problem(laryngeal spasms, difficulty swallowing, increased salivation, and specific muscular control problems which can directly effect esophageal motility).  I'm weaning myself off of the Xanax to see if it may be contributing to the problem.  Also, Xanax is not suppossed to be used by people with asthma.  

   The asthma seems like a real possible source.  My sister and my son both have the same gagging issue(although not as severe, and both have previously been diagnosed with asthma.  It causes a sticky muccous in the back of the throat which is difficult if not impossible to clear.  Cold air and increased heart rate both are triggers for asthma.  This seems to correlate with the gagging triggers.  Does it seem as though I'm on the right path here?  It's a terrible problem.  I also avoid doing alot of things because of it.

by boyzrtoys, Jan 29, 2004 12:00AM
Well.. My mom was given Zoloft, but i dunno why b/c she's not like really depressed or anything. At times she could be but that is seldom. She never took them and she is ok. Me on the other hand could use some. Well i'm not really sure. What if i were to take the Zoloft? If i were to need it then i would feel better right? And if I felt funny then it means i dont need it? I am scared to go to the doctor and talk about myself b/c what if i get institutionalized? So i'd rather just test the drug. If you really aren't supposed to take it or if there is no chemical imbalance and you take zoloft.. would you feel a high? and if you did need it then would you feel normal? I know what normal feels like b/c that is when I Am the happiest. So, is it ok to take Zoloft to see if i were to really need it? Like to find out for sure if i suffer from depression?

by Blue bossa, Mar 09, 2004 12:00AM
I cannot explain in an email how happy I am to know that I am not the only one out there.  I have just turned 16 years old and for a year now have suffered constant gagging attacks every time I do something social or am very nervous.  A lot of times it even leads to vomitting due to a repeated gagging attack.  It has greatly affected my life and the people around me. I now dont want to do anything I usually do to constant gagging.  But I have a limited control on it.  A peppermint sometimes stalls my gagging and calms me down. Also chewing gum or swishing listerine.  I know its a mental problem because I think myself into it.  If there is any cure for my gagging problem please let me know because it is ruining my life

by Luckypozzo, Mar 11, 2004 12:00AM
Since I was 5 or 6 I remember everytime my family would go somewhere for vaction I would have these gagging attacks. Then when I was 14 I had to dropout of school because of these attacks started to happen almost daily. Now I am 23 and still have these attack. No doctor, I have seen about 30, had any good thing to say about it. They would say just dont eat and u wont throw up, needless to say that didnt work. The only thing that has ever worked is Vicodin. When i was hit by a car, the dr. put me on vicodin, and it was short of a miracle. When I was having an attack i would take a pill, and it would stop within seconds. I have started Zoloft, 3 days ago, I hope it works because I am thinking of stopping college because of this.

by frogfucious, Jul 03, 2004 12:00AM
Im relieved to see that im not the only one with this problem. The gagging feeling usually comes when I am about to do something stressful or something social. First I will feel the gaggingness in my throat and the more i think about it the worst it gets, a vicious cycle. When I give in to it and gag nothing comes out and I will feel better for a bit but then i begin to worry about it coming again and sure enough it does and then i gag, then I worry about gagging non-stop and get more nervous and gag some more. I've had this problem once every few years, lasting from a week to a month but this time its been going on for almost a year. It harsh effects all aspects of my life. Man it sucks...

by frogfucious, Jul 03, 2004 12:00AM
Im relieved to see that im not the only one with this problem. The gagging feeling usually comes when I am about to do something stressful or something social. First I will feel the gaggingness in my throat and the more i think about it the worst it gets, a vicious cycle. When I give in to it and gag nothing comes out and I will feel better for a bit but then i begin to worry about it coming again and sure enough it does and then i gag, then I worry about gagging non-stop and get more nervous and gag some more. I've had this problem once every few years, lasting from a week to a month but this time its been going on for almost a year. It harsh effects all aspects of my life. Man it sucks...

by spidermonkey, Jul 15, 2004 12:00AM
ive had the same problem for at least 8-9 years.  i had the most problems at the dentist and sometimes in sports.  i found that sucking on a tic tac or any candy made it go away but only for a short time.  I have no idea why this happens and it doesnt have to do with what i eat or when i eat.  My best guess is that its stress/anxiety.  I also notice i can work myself into it like others have said.  For me it doesnt happen all the time, but is random.  When i gag it doesnt happen again and goes away, for instance if i run a long distance and gag i dont have the problem for the rest if the day.

I plan on seeing a doctor about it soon, but if anyone finds anything else that helps let me know.

by Sean Powers, Jul 22, 2004 12:00AM
well it's great to hear other people have this too..though I don't wish this on anyone.



i just started doing this about a month ago. After an intense year of college where I had to wait for 3 months to know if I was accepted into a prestigeous program I started having these "gagging" attacks. Not so much the dry spot on the throat though I've had that on occassion, this is all out gagging. It is almost like clock work, when I brush my teeth I can't touch my tongue, after that when I'm just chilling around the hosue i'm fine. But the minute I have to go do something, as in go to work, walk the dog, etc. I start "gagging". by gagging i mean throwing up without actually puking. I have to lock my jaw and they usually go away after I just let a gag take place. No puking but as close to throwing up as you can get without throwing up.



I have no history of anxiety, or eating disorders. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get the answer that I already know. It has to be an anxiety type attack. Nothing else makes sense. No matter what I eat, what I do it happens until I 'settle down". I've never been as stressed as I was this year (never been one to make a deal of it either) but it was a hard year, and the minute the waiting period started I started having these gag attacks. Gotta be anxiety, but if I find something out i'll let you know.

by C4matted, Jul 31, 2004 12:00AM
Yeah well I think I can relate to everyone typing on here. I first started having panic attacks when I was about 18 years old. It got really bad where I couldnt even be in a car with someone else driving! I couldnt really do anything social so I learned todo things that required only one person so I could do it by myself. My Anxiety was only getting worse. I saw a shrink for a little while but it didnt seem to help. Im almost sure this is a mental issue cause I used to think in my head