Swollen throat - waking up not breathing - feeling like I'm going to gag!

[jhasi]

Hi,
This all started with me waking up once every few days not breathing - it would happen the INSTANT I fell asleep and never during the night after that.. After 3 weeks or so I also started feeling like my throat was so swollen during the day I would feel like I was going to gag, and occasionally like I would just stop breathing all the sudden.  It actually did happen one time during the day, as I was driving, as I ate a fig newton. It was almost as if it was too thick and made the already small throat opening that much smaller?  My tongue also feels kind of swollen, like that feeling after eating a bowl of ice cream like it's kind of numb or something because I am tripping over words some when I talk...
The interesting thing about this waking up not breathing is that it only happens if I take a nap during the day or when I go to bed. It's not during the night after I nurse my baby or early in the morning if I wake and decide to sleep in longer.  This has been going on for almost 4 months.  When it happens it feels as if the back of my throat has closed off and my whole body rushes with a tingling sensation and my head starts spinning.  This is the same sort of spinning sensation that you would feel if you were bent over for a long time and stood up quickly.  Which is another symptom I'm having: Every time I bend over and stand up I get that awful dizzy/disoriented feeling!!  Every time!!  It's almost as if my body doesn't quite have enough oxygen and is easily set off -also my whole body feels sort of numb on and off and all my limbs fall asleep very easily. If I cross my legs or rest my arm on a shelf or something, in only a couple minutes it starts falling asleep. Even my cheek if I lean against my fist for a couple minutes!
One other thing is that I get SO tired all the sudden when I'm eating.  I haven't actually fallen asleep but I do everything in my power to stay awake. It's a miserable feeling!!
I also have this little pain just under my rib cage, kind of where the two sides come together in the middle. I'll get it in the right and left side at different times. It just gets kind of sore. Sometimes it happens if I breathe deep (and my whole chest can be sore then) or if I bend over.  I wondered if I had acid reflux but I don't have a sour taste in my mouth when I wake up not breathing and also it only happens the SECOND I'm dozing off and it seems like acid reflux would cause it to occur at any time when you're lying down or sleeping and even throughout the night. ?
For some reason, sitting at the computer always makes me feel like I'm going to choke too.  Must be holding my head in a certain position?
I'm also soooo tired all the time, I just can't seem to feel refreshed even after a good long night of sleep.

I also have an allergy problem that causes mild post-nasal drip and the feeling of needing to yawn a hundred times a day. This has just started about a month ago and I'm sure is contributing to the problem but isn't causing it.  Zyrtec worked last year so that's what I'm taking (in addition to Nasonex & just started Singulair & Zantac too).

I saw an allergist who did not think allergies were to blame for my throat condition and also verified no swollen glands or thyroid.

Can anyone please help me? I am just having the hardest time even making it through the day always feeling like I'm going to choke.
Thank you.

[phoenix180]

Heaven's to betsy I finally found someone who is experiencing what I am going through!  For me it started a month ago...so far no one can tell me what's causing all of this to happen.  I'm going to see if I can see a pulmonologist to put my mind at ease because it really is miserable not being to catch a good night of sleep or function through the day.  I often feel like I'm not breathing properly ALL the time.  Like you, even sitting up poses a problem.  I am not comfortable in any position..even laying down.  I was diagnosed with having acid reflux and having possible anxiety.  I say possible because it was a "let's wait and see" diagnosis. If I'm "anxious" about anything, it's certainly that.  I don't know if its because I'm trying to stop taking Lorazepam(without success thus far), but I have terrible pain at night as well-joint pain.  Well hang in there and let the board know what you find out so far..because it's driving me up the wall as well.

[omgmyheadhurts]

Well, last sunday i pulled a muscle in my chest and now, 3-5 days later, im experienceing the same problems that you guys are. i am also experiencing wicked head aches and at some points feeling like im going to faint and die at the same time. and now my throat is swollen and really sore. if any of you have any ideas on whats causing any of this please inform me!

[jayei]

Im having the same problem I feel like  Im not breathing sometimes and get scared, I think its anxiety and fear and worrisome. I dont know wat to do

[badass]

wow! finally found ppl that are experiencing the same or almost the same problems im haven. i have been haveing pain in my chest like im not breathing rite and i have acid reflux and anxiety.i have pain in my joints and well my whole body it hurts so bad im in tears.

[fredc]

you may have LPR.  (Larynogpharyngeal Reflux Disease)  While it's absolutely silly to diagnose you over the internet (not to mention i'm not a doctor), i've gone through almost a year of Hell before it was finally diagnosed in me...and diagnosed BY ME.  the doctors could never figure it out for some reason.  anyway, common symptoms are: tightness in the throat, hoarseness, frequent throat clearing and coughing, Asthma-like symptoms, a feeling of swelling in the throat, and post nasal drip.  It's a type of reflux but it goes up to the back of your throat.  People don't experience heartburn with this.  The treatment includes things like Prilosec and/or Protonix, coupled with Zantac or the equivalent and a change in diet.  The process involved higher doses of meds than regular reflux (GERD) and there is a surgical option if you aren't getting much better in a year or so.  here's an article from Columbia University: www.entcolumbia.org/lprd.htm   - Bottom line, i'm not sure this is what you have but think about the symptoms and, if they fit, let your doctors know this possibility right away so you don't spend months bouncing around from doctor to doctor like I had to...good luck.

[Lilly007]

Every few days or so after I have been sleeping an hour or two I sit strait up out of a dead sleep (I sleep like a rock!) with my heart racing and It feels I haven't been breathing. I am usually so tired I just breath it out and go back to sleep. It can't be sleep apnea becasue I'm 28, 115 pounds, 5 6, excersize adn eat great.

I have had panic attacks in the past but refuse to take medicine and just try to breath them out and drink water. I have eliminated a lot of stressors in hopes of redusing this including demotiing myself, cutting down sweets and caffeine.

I also have asthma and as a child had severe attaks but as an adult just fine with one flovent inhaler. I get winded when excersizing but never wheeze. It's almost like someone is choking me and my heart speeds up and my throat "feels" as though it closes.

I went to the emergency room last night becasue it was so bad and my oxygen levels read fine but I still felt as though I couldn't breath.

I don't think it's anxietey or asthma, I feel all the doctors are missing something. Any thoughts???

[BeeAlice]

When I wake up and also when I begin to get sleepy, I feel like there are huge concrete bricks on my chest.... add joint pain, particularly in my legs. i'm 32 and my hip clicks like i'm somebody's granny.  For several weeks I have been all but unable to move about at all without feeling like I was being tossed about in a plastic ball in the ocean or something.  Not exactly nauseous/dizzy, but bad and I have all but stopped going to work or anything else. I have a frightening number of the other symptoms many of you experience, esp. related to coughing/breathing and my heart racing, and am trying to figure out how to talk to a doctor without them thinking I'm nuts.   Any advice?