Problems swallowing and 'choking' at night

[Lesley998]

Hi
I am a 45 year old woman who has suffered from severe
epigastric (mid sternum) pain for years, along with chronic belching. Upper endoscopy and other tests revealed mild gastritis and nothing sinister.

I was prescribed Losec (lanzaprole) which made absolutely no difference so I am no longer taking it. I now take over the counter indigestion tablets and drink water to control the symptoms.

Recently I have been having problems every single night when I lay down to go to sleep. I seem to have problems swallowing, my throat fees very constricted. I feel as though I have an air bubble trapped in my gullet, which continually trying to rise up into my mouth. When I sit up I usually belch repeatedly. Then when I lie down again I feel this 'bubble' rising which is sometimes acid.

Then just as I am on the verge of sleep I wake suddenly with a panicky feeling like I am choking on my saliva.

This is keeping me awake every night and is beginning to afect my quality of life. The doctors tell me it is simply anxiety, but I do not agree. I know my body and I am sure there is some physiological reason.

I have raised the bed head by a couple of inches and am careful not to lie flat.

Has any one any experience of this?

[jj1226]

I am experiencing the same symtoms. I fall asleep and wake up choking and everytime I try to fall back asleep I wake up with what seems to be major anxiety. However, I have anxiety for years and have never experienced this. I feel as if there is something else going on and my doctor has dismissed this as anxiety as well..

[jj1226]

I am experiencing the same symtoms. I fall asleep and wake up choking and everytime I try to fall back asleep I wake up with what seems to be major anxiety. However, I have anxiety for years and have never experienced this. I feel as if there is something else going on and my doctor has dismissed this as anxiety as well..

[krishantha]

elevate your bed head end and sleep in left lateral position. put your head on two pillows.take dinner before two hours of sleep. avoid plain tea, oilly foods, take omeprasole20mg BD and Domperidone 10mg TDS for two weeks if helps then continue for 3 moths.this is called GORD

[sandra51]

Hi I know your listing was in 2007 but I have just been diagnosed with gastritis. When reading your symptoms they are word for word my symptoms. I have been prescribed omeprazole and told to watch my diet.
Could you let me know how you are doing some two years on and if possible let me know if you have any recommendations. My main worry is the choking at night. I can manage the discomfort in the day although severe but the panic of not being able to breathe during the night (three or four times a night) is becoming unmanageable.
Hope to hear from you,
regards sandra51

[Banned1]

That must be such a horrible feeling.  You probably already know this and I honestly don't know if this will help but there is a fantastic webpage, complete with diagrams about "Globus Sensation", "Globus Pharyngeus" or "Globus Hystericus" at:

http://homepage.mac.com/changcy/globus.htm.  

Another term I've seen is "Cervical Dysphagia" NOT DYSPLASIA!!!  There is a site at: http://www.nature.com/gimo/contents/pt1/full/gimo19.html.  

From what I read, these conditions can be related to the upper digestive tract, GERD and neurological issues or even a combination of two or three of these things and you may have to search more than one area before you finally get some answers.  Elevating the bed sounds like a wonderful common sense place to start.  PPIs might help, too, but you'd have to see a Doc.  No matter waht, I hope you get some answers soon so you're able to FINALLY get some rest!

I wish all of you all the best,

Sam