Extremely Hyperactive Gag Reflex while swimming or exercising

My problem is there is the feeling of something in the back of my throat that causes me to get an involuntary urge to gag. I however have never actually gagged because when ever I get this feeling I immediately suppress it by swallowing hard or stroking the palate with my tongue. I have noticed this happening when I am running and even normal things when I am just talking. The main thing that is really bad about this, is my inability to run and exercise to stay in shape because of this problem. After a few minutes of running or exercising I get that feeling of having to gag. I have told doctors about this and one doctor said about the post nasal drip causing it and the other said I had a hyperactive gag reflex and I just have to live with it. What it feels like is that my uvula gets irritated somehow and it stimulates the reflex for no reason.  I am currently taking swimming lessons, but this problem makes it almost impossible because when I am blowing the air out through my nose in the water, this also causes me to feel that sensation of gagging which causes me to stop to catch my breathe. I understand that there are many people who have an overactive gag reflex, but I have not read about it being to hyperactive that it affects someone like the way it does to me.

[kidcoopa]

hey im sorry im so late with this but i have had the same problem for a year but i researched alot and found your posts alot.  However i think i know what your true problem is.  I believe it is your uvula.  In case no one knows the uvula is the dangling thingy in the back of your throat (not your tonsils)  I found out that when the uvula becomes enlarged it can rest on your tongue.  IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE TOUCHING YOUR TONGUE.  I looked in the mirror last week and what do you know, mine was super long and touching my tongue.  I have an appointment with the ENT to see if i can get it shorten or completly removed.  but look it up it is uncommen but does happen to some people and i believe that might be the issue.  I havn't seen any recent posts so you may have already discovered it or something else but i will let you know what happens after the appointment, peace.

[KyleG]

Hi, kidkoopa. It has been years since I've tried to solve this problem and eventually I just sort of gave up going to doctors as I had other priorities I had to focus on for school. You mentioned an enlarged uvula as being the possible problem. When I was researching this originally, that was one of the main problems I came across. I went to an ENT and inquired about that possibility about my uvula and he checked and said they were normal sized but I just had a lot of adenoid tissue. I still have the same problem today, I was never able to solve it. If you find out anything else please let me know.