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560272 tn?1311350293

Throat Anxiety?

I'm having mild allergies. I can't take meds for it because I'm terrified of meds. I'm also not on meds for my severe anxiety. The only thing I take is your normal vitamins. Could my severe anxiety be making my throat feel worse than what it really does? Like I have this fear of it closing or me choking, ESPECIALLY when it's irritated by allergies or post nasal drip. It's like I have this mild sore throat, feels a little swollen, drainage in my throat, with sneezing, and burning eyes.......but then my anxiety takes over and makes me feel like I'm going to choke or my throat is going to swell shut. I'm scared to eat certain foods now, scared to get hot (as it seems to get worse when I get hot), scared to leave my home in fear it will happen away from home, etc.... this is making my life even harder than normal. :(
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560272 tn?1311350293
Just want to update , maybe it will help someone. Allergies are aggrivating my anxiety and making me panic over how they make my throat feel (post nasal drip). The more I don't focus on it, the better it is.
Helpful - 0
758077 tn?1282595561
Hey Katie
Hope you're ok and feeling better now. I just wanted to reply as I'm going through the same thing-I have anxiety at the moment, I have had a hangover all day and that spured it on. I have had the same feeling with the tight throat and also, I have had and still having tightness in my chest also. It can be really scary and frightening, i've called an ambulence b4 thinking I was having a heart attack. Right now, im shattered, but scared to sleep until I feel better.
it's not a nice feeling at all-throat anxiety, and also chest tightness. I haven't found a solution to it, other then taking your mind off it, a hot drink, a glass of wine, and a bath, could help-or a brandy-warm, then a warm glass of milk-could help ease off the anxiety, but of course, not all the time, only when it's really quite bad, it can help relax you, and relax your throat a bit to. If it's really bad, then perhaps try some herbal medicine to relax you-5HTP is quite good for that, you can get it in your local health shop-in holland and barret sells it.
One thing to remember, if you are talking normally,fast or slow lol, your throat isn't closing up :) nothing bad will happen, and you will be fine=)
Helpful - 0
560272 tn?1311350293
I can't believe nobody else has responded. :o(
If I just knew that other people have experienced this as anxiety before, it would help calm me. Now I'm not having allergy symptoms, but still have "tight throat" most of the day. :( I'm beggining to think this is all anxiety. I had lightheaded/dizzy feelings for 10 yrs, every single day (even on Prozac). Now those are gone, but my "throat anxiety" is here, everyday, every hour. :(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think you should try a therapist, though they haven't helped me yet, either.  Prozac isn't the best for anxiety.  For the acid reflux, chew more slowly, don't lie flat too close to eating, and drink aloe very juice regularly and, when necessary, take peppermint oil caps.  Eczema is a liver problem; the skin is the liver's elimination organ.  Try topically Egyptian Magic, and internally try Herbal Skin by Solaray or AKN by Nature's Way.  Expect it to take some time.  Also, a good probiotic would be helpful.  

You might try a chiropractor for the allergies.  There are some who claim success, but who knows?  I still think a holistic nutritionist would be good for you, but it will be expensive.  And I know how that is.  
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560272 tn?1311350293
It almost makes me mad that we moved here, I hate allergies. Although I will have to say they didn't come until this spring and we've lived here since last summer. I'm in no treatment for the anxiety. In the past I have been through (and completed CBT) which didn't help much, and was on Prozac for the longest time. I got more side effects than help from the Prozac. (so much weight gain) And I've never had insurance, so help has always been extremely hard to get.
Do you have any experience with acid reflux? I was diagnosed with that, also, 10 yrs ago, along with a hiatal hernia. I also have Eczema on my ears and scalp I'm feeling like a big ol' mess. :( And it's like I can't get control of any of it!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
don't rule out something inside the house -- clogged heating ducts, mold, some building material.  Also, different geographic areas make a difference.  I'm in Virginia, which is notorious for allergies.  When I first moved to DC from Cal., I got allergies I never had in my life.  Life's weird.  As to whether Heel works, well, depends on the person and how bad the allergy is.  Only way to tell is to try it.  Hope you're in some kind of treatment for the anxiety.  I've had mine a long time, too, and after Paxil withdrawal, well, let's just say it pretty much destroyed me.  Life is stranger than life.
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560272 tn?1311350293
Well what's strange is I've never had allergies before, until we moved to this house a year ago. (I'm 30) The only thing I can think of that might be causing it is: a. pecan trees surround the yard, b. the house is so shaded, might be causing mold to grow , or c. i'm just "lucky" and started getting allergies as i get older.
I have been taking 1000mg vitamin C to help the immune system for the past week, and a calcium/magnesium chew. I'll have to say they have helped my panic attacks and anxiety. I want to add a b-complex too.
You never told me if Allergy by Heel, worked well?
And yes, I have a huge issue with anxiety, have for 10 yrs now....the last few years have gotton worse. I've never been homebound like this. :(
Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, I greatly appreciate it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Probably not, but it's hard to say.  Natural healing takes a lot of time.  The proper way to do it, and I've never had the discipline, is to do what's called an elimination diet with a nutritionist, where you cut down to a few basic foods and then gradually add foods back in to see what's actually bothering you.  But as I said, allergies are very tough to deal with in our severely polluted world -- there are so many things we're exposed to that our bodies haven't had time to adapt to, our immune systems are under constant stress (over-active immune systems cause allergies, fighting things that aren't actually harmful), and we've drastically limited our exposure to the plants and animals we used to live with and around outdoors most of the time.  And then there's the lack of breast feeding , which gives us our initial immune system.  Just very complicated, so it depends on how much time you want to devote to it.  I'm just trying to get you to separate the anxiety from the allergies,  but you really do have a physiological problem that's hard to deal with.
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560272 tn?1311350293
Also forgot to say I did cut out ALL dairy and wheat for 2 weeks, didn't help. Was 2 weeks long enough?
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560272 tn?1311350293
I've read alot about what you have mentioned and have been scared to try Herbs without supervision from a natropath. I don't mind homeopathy I guess because it's natural, side effect free, etc....I wish I had the $ to go to one. :( I have actually been on a journey for the past 2 years of totally changing my lifestyle-removing stressors...that type of thing. I love the new life, even though it's not the "norm". ;)
I'm definitely having allergies and have seen Allergy by Heel on evitamins.com, does it work well? I almost ordered it yesterday!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh, also forgot to mention GABA, the amino acid that regulates anxiety.  That's what benzos work on.  And try to eliminate dairy and wheat from your diet and see if that helps with the allergies and the throat thing.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Allergies are hard to treat.  I use Allergy by A. Vogel (or Bioforce) and Allergy by Heel.  I also use Tree Pollen by NatraBio, because that's the worst time for me.  But I also use herbs.  It's still tough, at least here in Virginia.

I looked up you anxiety product, it has the usual suspects, although in low doses.  The two biggies are ignatia amara and gelsemium.   But to really treat this homeopathically, you'd need a homeopathic physician, because it's trial and error, and because you'd need constitutional remedies, not just the symptomatic remedies we buy in health food stores.  Try it -- homeopathy can't hurt you, there are no active ingredients, the worst it can do is not work.  But herbs and amino acids are probably better for anxiety, or in combination with homeopathics.  5htp, for example, is an amino acid that makes serotonin in the body.  Glycine works on glutamate receptors.  Taurine helps make tryptophane, which makes 5htp.  And then there are herbs like kava, passionflower, hops, valerian, etc. for symptomatic relief.  But none are as strong as medication.  If you're severely debilitated, the question is how patient you are.  Changing your diet to remove all stressors, eliminating all possible physiological causes, and finding the nutrients that work for you take time.  Therapy takes time.  Drugs are quicker, when they work, and sometimes necessary to get the courage to do the other stuff.  There are many ways to seek the goal, but it is a very difficult goal.
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560272 tn?1311350293
Also, I've tried Hyland's Allergy and Sinus.....but got very little relief. It actually felt like it was making me worse.....or maybe that was in my head.
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560272 tn?1311350293
Thanks, I will look into that book. And by the way, I'm basically not functioning, staying at home 95% of the time (which is hard with 5 kids & a husband). Unfortuantely my county/city only has one natropath and she is 30 minutes away from me.....which isn't gonna happen until I can do something with this anxiety. I prefer homeopathy over herbs.
Anyone, including Paxiled, ever tried "Anxiety Relief" by Natural Care?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If you prefer natural remedies, see a naturopath and go that route.  There a lot of natural remedies for allergies that might help.  A good start would be freeze dried nettles by Eclectic Institute and Bromelain Sinus Ease by Natures Life.  There are also many homeopathic remedies at you local health food store.  As for the anxiety, a book by Hyla Cass called Natural Highs might get you informed on what's available.  But you should be in therapy regardless to work on that anxiety!  Drugs aren't a necessity unless you become so crippled by your problems you can't function.
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