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

[will3477]

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

[Liminator]

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.  

[Rubberduck07]

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

[Worldsmostmiserableboy]

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.

[MissLynn2013]

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.  

[fmsk]

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.

[mattthemacman]

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.