I choke on my food, saliva, and drinks almost every day and lately it's been happening multiple times per day. It happens most often with water (that's really the only thing I drink).
It's happened so many times today I'm almost afraid to try to drink anything now. I feel the water start to go down the wrong tube, I struggle to breathe, then eventually cough some of it up but it always feels like a little slips down into my lungs. My chest hurts for a long time afterwards.
I feel so dumb asking about this but really it's scary not being able to breathe.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
When I told my neurologist this, he promptly tested me for Myasthenia Gravis and I was positive. It is one of the most indicative signs of the disease. You need to get tested.
Posted by Life+Lyme (Member # 33568) on :
I have had the same problems! I first started having swallowing issues when I was on Doxy but am still having problems after quitting it. I did all these Barium swallows and scans, but the technicians were too occupied by the fact that I am young. How do they test for Myasthenia Gravis? I also have "autoimmune tendencies."
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
This went away completely for me with Babesia treatment.
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
I used to have terrible coughing fits just from drinking water as well. This never happens anymore since I have been treated for lyme/coinfections.
tickbattler
Posted by Linnada (Member # 24302) on :
I am a speech therapist (with Lyme) who treats swallowing disorders.
If you are worried about liquids going down the wrong way, buy some liquid thickener at the drug store and mix it to "nectar" or "honey" consistency.
"Thick & Easy" is one you can find at any store. The thicker the drink, the less likely it will go down the wrong way and into your lungs.
Hope this helps!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
When I had lyme, saliva would go down the wrong pipe and then I would have to cough very hard for about 20 minutes. It would scare my husband, coworkers, whoever was around.
Good lyme treatment got rid of this problem.
So, I hope you are getting good treatment.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Tracy, I mentioned the choking to my neurologist but maybe I didn't convey to him how often and how bad this symptom is. It's scary.
I wonder if I need to see a new neurologist?
I do also have Babesia so maybe this is the cause for me. It's one stubborn infection.
Linnada, thank you for reminding me about liquid thickener. I may have to get some to have on hand for bad days like today.
Posted by jennie08 (Member # 17351) on :
I have the choking problem too. I'm not sure if it's from lyme or babesia. I feel like I only swallow half-way, the food kind of hangs there in the back and then I'm coughing for 20 minutes.
I seem to get better when I'm on antibiotics and it's one of the first symptoms to return whenever I try to wean myself off prescription drugs. I often choke so bad I make myself sick, and it takes me quite a while to get my composure afterwards. It's one of my most hated symptoms.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
this is common-couldnt read all you wrote
some have found relief but lowering inflammation at cervical nerve that affects throat---near bells palsy and trigem neuralgia nerve...not sure what number
of course the right tx willhelp too cuz you are getting rid of bugs causing inflam
Posted by back2game (Member # 23927) on :
i find that liquids have harder time going down than food. i have to stand alot to make it easier. had endoscopy as i was convinced something is not functioning correctly ... the gastro. quack said go back to rheum., "it's your fibro.!"
needless to say, last time i saw him. what a joke.
gonna find new neurol. for the MG Tracy mentioned.
tx all.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
Oh, sammy, this is scary! I worry though about the MG diagnosis. I am afraid that the drs then put you in the MG box, when they don't understand Lyme & co that is causing it all.
I hope that you get some improvement soon on this.
Tracy, how is your tx coming along?
Sammy, how is your IVIG tx so far? (Hope I'm not distracting the thread too much).
Posted by twicebitten (Member # 5412) on :
I've had this for several years. On and off really. The most consistent is like this. I'll sit down for a meal and the first few bites I have real trouble getting them down. I have learned to be extra careful those first bites of any meal. If I try and hurry, I choke. Doesn't matter the size of the bite or what food it is either.
I've only choked on liquids a few times, but one was extremely scary. I could not get my breath and actually started thinking I was dying, knew it was coming. The most scared I'd been in many years. All over choking over trying to take a drink..
I've never been told by any doc or llmd what may cause this.
Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
Suggest you look into lungworm, one of the very common parasites starting in the gut and moving all the way up throat and further causing a variety of symptoms. Varystrongylus klapowi - the protocol is a 5 different pharmaceutical antiparasitics short term. Main residence for Bartonella and Babesia is lung and often involves Varystrongylus.
I posted about it on several occasions.
Take care.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
It's good to hear that this choking symptom is kinda common and many of you have gotten better with proper treatment. I hope that it will get better for me too.
I've got so many other coinfections and an immune deficiency, I wouldn't be surprised at all if I had some strange parasite infections too.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Yes, my theory is that this choking is caused by lyme attacking the nerve to the "flapper" (epiglottis) that covers over the windpipe when you want to swallow and the throat when you want to breathe.
If that flapper doesn't close all the way, then your saliva will trickle down the windpipe, or some food or drink will go down the windpipe, etc . It would often happen to me when breathing in while flossing, head slightly tilted back. Then, the coughing fit would start.
Whatever nerve lyme attacks, the organ/muscles controlled by that nerve won't work properly. So, if it is a facial muscle nerve, you will have bells palsy (facial muscles are pulled down or paralyzed). If it is a nerve to the jaw, you can have burning tooth and jaw pain. If it is the trigeminal nerve that gets inflamed, you will have trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial pain on one side). If it is the nerve to the neck, you get a stiff and sore neck.
So, I think my choking was caused because lyme attacked the nerve to the "flapper" in the throat and it wasn't working just right all the time.
Try keeping your head tilted a little forward when drinking. Hope that helps you.