Choking, Mucus

I have had this problem for over 10 yrs and actually it is a few different problems that may be related.I am a 41 yr old female about 30 lbs overweight.I have had this tremendous amount of mucus in my throat and literally have to pull it out with q-tips.It is very thick and an abundance in the morning upon waking and it takes 15 min or so to get it out. Recently I have started choking while eating.Not everytime but often enough that I stop breathing and have to purge to breath and it is scaring me. I thought it was only with chicken/steak but the other day it was a very small piece of soft cauliflower and when it came up there was alot of mucus with it.I am convinced that this is not stomach acid but drainage from my head/sinus.If I cough sometimes I can feel it shoot from my nose into my mouth.Sometimes it feels like there is no break point between my nose and mouth.
When the choking starts it feels like my throat is closing.
I have had an upper GI which shows nothing. I had gone to an ENT and had a sinus xray which shows nothing out of the ordinary and about 8 yrs ago had a test where they put a long tube up your nose and that showed nothing.

I have tried acid reflux medicines and medicines to dry up sinus's but nothing seems to work.

I know that this is not normal but it is driving me crazy that noone can diagnose it.

I was wondering if it was a hiatel hernia or any ideas??
Thank you so much.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I would agree with your approach and that GERD or chronic sinusitis would be the most likely causes.

A 24-hr pH study would be a more definitive evaluation for GERD.  If negative, then it is very unlikely that GERD is present.  The upper GI series would have evaluate whether a hiatal hernia was present.  If GERD is present and anti-reflux medications aren't helping, then surgery can be considered.

A sinus CT scan would be a more definitive evaluation for sinusitis.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician or specialists.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b