What can make you wake up choking?

[barefootisbetter]

My fiance frequently wakes up choking violently. It lasts sometimes a minute or two, but it feels like forever. It is very scary, he has never seen a doctor, and says it has happened since he was a kid. Sometimes it starts to choke him, and then stops, but usually once it starts, he is struggling for a while just to take a breath. He's left feeling exhausted with a soar throat. What on earth could cause this and what needs to be done about it? He says he thinks it happens when he sleeps on his back, and when he sleeps deeply.

[DeepGruv]

I have been living with high sputum production since I was a toddler... So much so I would eat certain things and gag, repelling whatever I'd eaten...
As I got older, I learned how to expell it by clearing my throat and spitting....
I still need to do this, and recently (the past 7 years), it feels as though there's  something lodged in my esophagus that seems to trap mucus, causing sudden fits of violent coughing preceded by a burning itch...
The itch is more like some sort of reflexive thing that brings on the coughing, spitting, etc...
I've gone to a number of doctors including my personal physician, and they all seem to concur that it's "some sort of acid reflux disorder..."
I don't agree, since it's my body, and I know my body better than most...
I do agree that "reflux" is perhaps an end result of whatever this is, however meds like Nexium DO NOT WORK for this!!!
Is there anyone out there that knows what this is, and how to stop it???

[becki210790]

my 4 year old has had a cough for 3 weeks now since new years day. she wakes up at night finding it hard to breathe and swallowing alot of saliva.. we have taken her to 3 doctors and the hospital but because they havent seen her doing this because it only happens when she sleeps they cant diagnose her and because her nose throat and chest look fine they say there is nothing wrong with her and it will go away on its own but what this little girl is going is not normal and i want answers!!!

[AngryGamer]

well its only happened twice ever so I'm not too worried but at the time it was very scary

[tsr58]

If it's disturbing your sleep on a regular basis, I'd question why and what can help improve the condition - which would require a medical assessment.

[AngryGamer]

what if you drool so much that you are choking in your own saliva when you wake up is that normal?

[KatEyes]

I agree with tsr58's list of possibilities. Because very serious health effects could result, please encourage him to be evaluated without delay.

[tsr58]

Possibilities: sleep apnea, GERD, COPD, asthma, gastritis, sinusitis, post-nasal drip, anxiety, night terrors, the list goes on.

Df should get a thorough physical exam, possibly a sleep study.