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tightness in throat, nausea, chronic feeling as though i need to gag, miserable, please help

Hi, my name is will. i am eighteen years old and in very good physical shape an otherwise very healthy, but for a long time or at least its seems like an eternity, i have had this recurrent feeling of tightness in my throat just below my jaw bones on either side of my face. It is like i have this constant need to gag, and eventually i finally do but afterwards the feeling just comes right back with no relief.

Some times if i take a sip of a drink of some sort the feeling will go away for a second, but then comes right back and i have to sip on it continuously until it eventually goes away, sometimes not for hours. Another thing that helps a little is chewing peppermint gum. But neither of these completely relieve the feeling.

I have been to many doctors. Until just recently i have referred to this feeling as nausea because it always makes me feel like i need to gag an sometimes almost vomit. Due to this i have had many GI tests done with all clean negative results. I also seemed to notice that this feeling gets worse if i lay in an inclined position such as a dentists chair. This feeling seems to be completely unrelated to anything i do. i am unsure but sometimes it seems to come a little while after i eat, and many times after i eat i will burp for hours, long deep burps.
I have seen a neurologist who diagnosed me with abdominal migraines, and i have since tried several medicines to treat this, all with no results. I have recently several days ago been diagnosed by a different doctor with gastroesophagal reflux disease.
This seemed very strange to me as the main symptom is heartburn and i very rarely get heartburn.  the day before yesterday i was prescribed prevacid solutabs that dissolve in my mouth and gas x for the burping. so far i can tell no difference whatsoever, but it has only been two days and i am going to see if they work after a couple weeks.

I have always referred to this as nausea because it makes me feel like i need to gag and vomit, so i always believed it was some sort of digestive problem as did the doctors. and recently the idea hit me that this could possibly be something wrong with my throat?

This is so miserable, it is practically ruining my life. If anyone has any suggestions as  to what is causing this, or anyone out there with the same symptoms, please comment i would greatly greatly appreciate it and thank you for taking the time to read this
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Avatar universal
Hey, Im 18 and Ive had similar things to you but my throat is that tight sometimes it feels like I cant breath. But I get the dizzyness really bad and the gagging I can't eat food without gagging and almost vomiting after as well as I cough and I just constantly gag for each cough, it really does suck. :/
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Avatar universal
I know how you feel it's terrible will
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I've been on acid reflux meds for more than 5years now.  My gaging 24/7 hasn't went away at all. My digesting is not better and my stomachs hurts everyday on and off
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Avatar universal
Guys it could most likely be acid reflux.
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1 Comments
Take acid reducer medicine.
Avatar universal
Guys it could most likely be acid reflux.
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Avatar universal
Hi did you find a solution to your throat tightness problem?
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1 Comments
Hi I took acid reducer(Omeprazole) medicine and it went away. At first, I didn't think it was acid reflux bcuz I didn't feel any burning. I took it anyway and the feeling went away almost instantly.
Avatar universal
Researchbefortrusting, I neither had any surgery prior to gastroparesis nor felt pain during the whole incident. To reiterate, it was principally nausea and the accompanying vomiting. Check with your and your son's certified physician to see whether or not undoing the surgical procedure, which is not doing its job, is a viable option. In my opinion, I would have your son experiment with strengthening the gastrointestinal muscles (as mentioned in my original post) for a few weeks to see if your son's condition improves. It takes patience, as muscles can take weeks or months to return to their normal state. Best of luck.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your information. Did you have surgery prior to gastroparesis?  My son age 16 had Nissan fundoplication, gastric emptying study normal prior to surgey (severe reflux x years), and now he has gastric paresis and sow motility of intestines causing a lot of trouble , and from what I am reading, an unwrap (undo of the Nissan) is serious but he wants it undone, he can't even make it to school/work some days due to the pain if he tries to eat. It sits in his stomach for a day, moves slowly down,meds don't help.  Do you know of any testing to check for the vagal nerve being intact enough to have the surgery undone and then he may get his stomach contractions back? thank you
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Avatar universal
Solution found! Hello. My name is Pablo, and I was going through hell due to the problem, spoken about on this thread. Thanks to the doctors’ help and your posts, I finally found out what was causing the symptoms and derived a solution. I will inform you about my symptoms to make sure you are suffering from the same. If you are, implement the solution below.
Symptoms: Nausea throughout the day (comes and goes); vomiting if nausea was bad enough; excess gas coming up and out of my throat (mini, inaudible belches). Pertaining to food, I was still very hungry but could not eat due to fear of vomiting; when I did eat, I felt nauseous throughout the process. Note that nausea occurred whether or not I ate. When checked up medically, all results were negative on all tests.
Problem: Since results were negative (on my and several of your tests), I deduced it had to be something not picked up via medical exams: a neuro-muscular problem. Indigestion, the inability to properly digest food, is associated with nausea, vomiting, and minor belching. Weak gastrointestinal muscles are linked with gastroparesis, their lack of proper functioning, which causes indigestion. Similar to what is seen in chemotherapy patients, weakened stomach muscular fibers/cells cause nausea and vomiting. Hence, the problem was an overall weakened gastrointestinal system.*
Solution: Like any other muscle in your body, weakened muscles are strengthened by contraction. Specifically, just as you would contact a bicep, I focused on contracting the esophagus, esophageal sphincter, and stomach throughout the day. Prolonged contraction of these muscles strengthened them back to prior state.** Now, I am, as they say, ‘good as new’.
*This medical problem is officially known as dyspepsia; however, 6 out of 10 cases have unknown causes and, therefore, no treatment. I believe that the unknown causes are now known thanks to you, the doctors, and myself, and treatment therefor is simple.
**Note that the solution’s duration will be contingent upon the degree of gastrointestinal weakness: weaker muscles could take several weeks to months to rehabilitate fully.
If you have any individual questions, please reply to this comment, and I will contact you shortly thereafter.
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1 Comments
Hi, great info! How exactly do you contract the muscles of your esophagus?
Avatar universal
It could be a food sensitivity that you are not aware you are allergic to. Best thing is to see a clinical dietitian  or nutritionist and get tested. Your body  can develop food sensitives over time and your intestines will develop antibodies cause you to feel sick.
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Avatar universal
I am 47 years old and I sometimes have the feeling of gag , especially in the morning. I went to see a few specialist and the only one who came close to it was The ENT . There is something called silent reflux (LPR), you don't have to have heart burn to have reflux. What is happening is the acid goes up the throat and damages the lining of the structure , the esophagus is equipped to handle the acid and you may not feel any heart burn during the episode. As time goes by your throat becomes very sensitive to the damage from the acid content, you will feel there is always something in the throat and you want to gag to get rid of it. The way to treat the condition is the same as GERD, don't expect it is a week of treatment, it can take more than 6 months. I find it better if I choose a gum every time when I have the feeling.
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Avatar universal
Hey I have the same issue. Do you have swollen glands are lymph nodes under your chin are by your throat at all?
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16177893 tn?1445889151
hey, Try looking up cyclic vomiting syndrome....i see no cure YET, but this will at least get you a step closer and you can look up remedies.
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Avatar universal
Jerry if you go to the doc and get some help please let me know what they say...  Nothing has helped me so far...  
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Ok Jerry I have the exact thing here.  Just went to a heart doc for help.    No idea what this is... I take prilesect but it does not help.   Feel like this with one bite or a bowl...
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Avatar universal
It really helped me to find this old thread today. I have been having a problem with this "gagging thing" for over 10 years now. I have been to several doctors (who have all made me feel crazy) and been told allergies, GERD, reflex the whole gambit. I've also had an endoscopy and and the barium swallow test...all negative. I've noticed that the gagging is worse when I'm outdoors.

I definitely want to continue to fight this thing; whatever it is. What I'm most afraid of is being told it's nothing, but then having a worse issue later in life. I'm 31-years-old and have been dealing with this issue since the age of 20. Thanks to all of you for the information and support.
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Avatar universal
I have had my throat tighten up a few times like this. Usually after I've puked. The only way I've found temperaru releif is by burping. Yet every time I burp it would make me salivate and I would need to swallow. And each time I swallow it brings the feeling back creating the need to burp again to relieve the pressure. Such a horrible feeling.
As it only usually last for a couple days this time it lasted 3 days. In the 3rd day it wouldn't let it keep me from going to the gym so I went lastnigjt.
I usually start with good mornings and squats. As I was doing my good mornings I would go down with proper form and shape my neck like a hook to hold the weight. While doing this I stained my neck hard in purpose. It seemed that after only my second set that the pressure was gone.
I think that when I would puke my neck and throat muscles would strain or overwork themselves forcing them in an awkward position. Where as when I do heavy goodmornings I feel that my body straining forces my neck and throat muscles into their normal position.
I really hope that this helps as I know it was very discomforting and annoying as ever.
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Avatar universal
Hi will,
I have the same problem, I feel very sick every single day sometimes worse than others. It is a gagging feeling aswell, it makes me want to keep on yawning. It is ruining my life!!
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1577970 tn?1296226391
I know this is an old thread, but wanted to share my experience, and possibly shed some light on things.
First, I believe that a sudden onset of the hyper gag reflex is a symptom, not a condition. I also believe it is somehow histamine and anxiety related. Although certainly in other cases it is a result of chronic reflux, or GERD, which seems to be a common condition in most of these posts.

I'm experiencing the hyper gag reflex currently, and have had it in the past. It's very difficult to brush my teeth properly, especially if I touch the back of my tongue. There is a constant tight, almost burning feeling from the thyroid area up to the back of the throat, and I as well have had a history of GERD. I've also had my gallbladder removed, about 7 years ago, because of severe gallbladder attacks and the discovery via ultrasound that it was packed with stones. Plus, my appendix was removed almost 20 years ago due to acute appendicitis.
I've always had a major issue with belching, and sometimes when I have a large build up of gas in my stomach, I will feel extremely nauseous, discomfort in the chest (spasms of the esophageal sphincter), heightened anxiety, heart palpitations, difficulty with breathing rhythm, sweating, and overall really crappy. I try to belch, but can't, only to take in more air. When my esophageal sphincter finally relaxes, I will let out a massive belch, and all symptoms disappear instantly. So, like most of you, I've had gastric issues. But, never a gagging feeling associated with it. However...

14 years ago, I dealt with some severe lower back issues, some of which requiring surgery, and now my neck is in the same condition. I'm only 44 now, but have had degenerative disk disease since my 20's, as well as the steady progression of osteoarthritis in my lower back and neck. This points to an autoimmune issue.
Back then, I was on a hefty dose of opiate analgesics for 4 years straight. Recently, I was back on them for a year and a half. I quit 2 weeks ago. Both times, as well as when I would run out of meds too early, an aspect of the withdrawal symptoms was a sudden onset of a severe gag reflex, even just touching my throat makes me gag, but only if I touch the area just below the jaw. I've also at the same time, developed sneezing fits and increased mucous production. This tells me that somehow the opiates altered my histamine levels, and when I stop the meds, I develop allergy symptoms I don't normally have, which may be causing the gagging as well, but somehow I think the gagging is heightened anxiety from the detox, and my nervous system coming back to life.

So, in a lot of cases, the gagging is usually a symptom, not the condition, which makes it so hard to pin down. With some it's hormonal, can be caused by imbalance of the thyroid glands, can be caused by overactivity of the adrenal glands, can be caused by chronic GERD (which eventually burns out the nerves in the lower esophagus and we don't feel the burning acidity anymore), can be caused by chronic anxiety and/or depression, drug side effects or withdrawal, diet, and the list goes on. When it's caused by increased adrenaline and cortisol, the fight or flight hormones, increased physical activity can either help relieve it, or stimulate it more if there are deeper triggers. This is why we can feel sick and sometimes vomit when we are frightened, or suffer from panic/anxiety disorder, and feel the squirt of adrenaline into the gut area, directly affecting the digestive system.

Because the hyper gag reflex is symptomatic, it can be difficult to pin down the cause, especially if it is anxiety related, which in itself is also a symptom, and won't show up in physical examinations.

I'm sorry if my post was long winded, but hopefully it might help individuals try to find the cause of their misery. I'm not a Doctor... but have seen enough of them in my life, and always investigated my health issues independently. If you're going to be a patient, be an informed one.  
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Avatar universal
My Daughter is 12 years old! The past few weeks she has been up most of the night gagging! She describes it as "Soggy Food" stuck in her throat! Which is keeping her awake! This is the only symptom she has! She just says her throat feels really tight! Anyone know what this is please?? Thanks
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Avatar universal
Same here. I know this is an old thread but it's been killing me for the past few days. It's almost like a little object or pill is stuck in my throat or esophagus. Very terrible. Oddly enough it all started after I took some aspirin. I'm not nauseous or anything but it's a constant gag feeling. Does seem to get worse as I decline or lay down. Things I find odd about this are I've never had vid reflex problems and heart burn all my life has been very rare . Drinking water is the only temp fix on this.
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Avatar universal
Hi, My name is Amanda Lynn!
I too have the same problem, some things different tho, like cold air can't be inhaled through my mouth, automatic gag to the near point of throwing up. Which is weird because the one and only thing that helps sooth it or make it go away for a min or so is ice cold water, weird I know..also, and this will be even weirder, but burping relieves it too. I have to be careful after eating too because if that gag kicks in there goes the food, there is no stopping it from happening. I am sure it is not acid reflux, because when i get acid reflux i know that fizzy feeling in my throat/chest and i can feel the splash of the acid moving around, and this gag thing comes with no symptoms other then the gagging and sometimes throwing up. I am a 27 year old woman, i'm a am bigger in size and have no other health complications that would lead to the gagging problem. I have not seen a doctor yet because I am very worried it's something wrong with my throat, or something growing in my throat the might need surgery. I have had these symptoms for the past 3 years. I read on one of these sites from someone answering that it could be Diabetes as well, but it said u typically throw up your first meal of the day only, when the gag hits me sometime it will be with me for hours (like today from 7:30am till 2:00 PM) Although Diabetes does run in my family and wither or not i test positive for diabetes and i have a strong feeling that is not what it is.. I will post back after I see a doctor (who will most likely say it's GERD or acid reflux) and get test done i will update you on what my "Diagnoses" is. Take care Will and everyone else living this gagging hell.  
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Avatar universal
I've been experiencing the exact same symptoms for 7 years.  I used to be able to eat full meals, exercise, or do some sort of physical activity without any problems.  Now, every day is like a war to me.  I battle through the day with the feeling of globus, dysphagia, random and sometimes constant gag reflexes, trapped gas (inability to burp), nausea, and constant stomach discomfort.  I've had medical examinations done and everything turned out normal.  Physicians all say it's "stress/anxiety" or "GERD".  I take medications for it but they don't always work.  I still get dark, gloomy days.  And when I get them, I tend to harp over it which makes the situation worse.  For those of you out there who experience the above symptoms, always remember to stay positive no matter what.
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Avatar universal
When I found this forum I was so relieved to know that I am not the only one who has this. My symptoms are incredibly close to what you have. I am a sophomore in high school and this "feeling" of sorts is like yours; it seems to control my life. But if there has been one thing that I have "learned" from this ongoing and continuous situation is that you just need to keep pushing through. You cannot let this control you. There are some bad days, but there will be good days too. You cannot let this come to define who you are. I know this sounds cliché, I really do, but you cannot stand by. It will be hard, and it might not go away, but you need to push through. There will be a time when liberation is possible, if only for a moment.
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