Hi everybody,

Does anyone out there feel like swallowing while eating or drinking has become
a problem? Like you're going to choke or the swallowing mechanism isn't
working right? This has been a problem for me for over a year now and I've
been evaluated by doctors with all the tests done (scopes, x-rays, etc.) with
them being normal. But still this feeling persists. It does make me anxious
but I don't know if anxiety is causing it or I'm anxious as a result of this weird
dysfunction.

If you're bothered by this, please respond. Love to hear from you !

suzyq

You may want to get a thorough check of the thyroid...it may be thyoid swolen or thyroid nodules which can do do cause "peri" monopause like symptoms.....When i got my thryoid problem, I guess it was a bit swollen and one of the first things I noticed was I had trouble singing....(sing for fun....) all chocked up and stuff throat....might be a possibility...Joan

Salutations Suzy
I am not sure if this is what you are experiencing....but here goes nothing......

I have suffered from acute anxiety sense my early 20's. Being in Peri has only heightenned my anxiety (along with a vast amount of other symptoms). When I am going to start a bout of anxiety.....my first symptom is.....a tightenning in my throat. It feels as though I have a lump in my throat and I find it hard to swallow. I have a sneaking feeling that this is not what you mean.......The only thing that gets rid of this 'lump' and subsequent anxiety....is a valium.

I never associated this 'lump' in my throat with a subsequent anxiety attack....it wasn't until I read in another thread......that I made the correlation between the two.

Cheers
Dottie

suzyq,

Yes, yes, yes.....the anxiety I've had has made me feel like I was going to choke constantly. I had that many, many years ago, along with many other symptoms from it. This too shall pass.....I lost a lot of weight because of it too. I hope it goes away for you soon.

Hugs,
Karen

OMG....yes, yes, yes.....I have lost a total of 12 pounds since the beginning of February. I cannot lose anymore! I'm actually being tested for food allergies today. I have never had allergies of any kind, but they want to rule this out as evidently allergies can increase or startup during meno.

I'm hardly eating anything, because after eating I get this tight feeling in my throat and a lump too. Then sometimes my heart starts racing too. It just feels awful. And my brain is in overdrive now...and that makes me think terrible thoughts like....."Am I having an anaphalatic reaction"?

So at least after 2pm today....I will know if I have developed life threatening food allergies out of the blue.....or if I am going meno crazy! LOL

Hi SuzyQ,
Yes, I have this problem, along with chest tightness and pressure and trouble breathing and it is all anxiety related for me, and no doubt is a menopause thing, because I have never had this before in my life. My throat constricts sometimes to the point of it being sore, like someone has tried to strangle me. I am going tomorrow for a breathing test for asthma, but I don't think they will find anything because it is anxiety-related. I take .25 Xanax right before bed and sometimes a half one during the day if I feel symptoms coming on, and it helps, but I'd sure love to get off the Xanax. My doctor also prescribed Zoloft but I haven't taken it yet- scared to! I hope you feel better and hang in there-- you are not alone!!

Mary Jo