I have started to choke spontaneously on my own saliva. Anyone else?

Posted by chinasvegas @chinasvegas, Apr 19, 2022

I’m a 75 year old female take no medication and have had no diagnosis. Lately I’m chocking on my own saliva occasionally. The kind of chocking that used to happen only when liquid goes down the wrong way. Now it seems that I spontaneously choke on my own saliva. Anyone have this experience?

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Yes, I do have GERD and take omeprozole for it and it does help.
Thank you.

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@maddiemae

I started waking up choking and having little mini throw-ups.

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I had some back up reflux which i dealt with using Zofran and Prilosec

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Yes,
Had two sinus surgeries that opened up my sinus drainage. I sometimes get so much mucous or phelm going down throat I cough and cough.

I have tried to watch diet and what I drink and seems to have helped. Miss a lot of my spices I used to use but has helped.

My problem is coughing it up causes throat irritation and thus more phelm and throat irritation that finally moves down to bronchial tubes.

I like you though have had a real shock to have so much mucous or phelm come down my throat to actually choke on it.

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Yes. Sometimes out of nowhere and sometimes while eating and it doesn’t seem to be from the food itself but has concerned me that it could cause a real choking issue.

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@bonniethompson1234

Yes. Sometimes out of nowhere and sometimes while eating and it doesn’t seem to be from the food itself but has concerned me that it could cause a real choking issue.

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I have no problems eating or drinking. But in the middle of the night I have waked up spontaneously choking on "something" and gasping for breath.
It's scary for 20 seconds. It has happened a dozen times or more. I have never mentioned it to doctor.

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@joybo99

I have no problems eating or drinking. But in the middle of the night I have waked up spontaneously choking on "something" and gasping for breath.
It's scary for 20 seconds. It has happened a dozen times or more. I have never mentioned it to doctor.

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That sounds like sleep apnea to me. You can get a sleep monitor that you use for 3 nights to see what is happening with snoring and breathing and oxygen levels.

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I think it’s fairly common that we all do it at sone time but when it’s often then maybe you need omeprozone for indigestion or look at your diet for allergic reactions to maybe dairy or gluten

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@sueinmn

Choking is a scary experience, especially when it seems to happen for little or no reason. Sometimes things change in our body as we get older, and it happens so gradually we don't realize it. After my Mom had a small stroke, a specific swallowing study was done by a therapist and they found a slight paralysis in one vocal chord. After some therapy, things evened out for her.
Choking can be a sign of changes in the throat or the brain, and should be checked out. Have you talked to your doctor about it?
Sue

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I also occasionally choke out of no where but it only happens when the pollen count is up.

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@maddiemae

Yes, I do have GERD and take omeprozole for it and it does help.
Thank you.

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I have GERD and take Omeprazole, but it doesn't help this condition of constant drainage, occasional coughing fits, congestion (for decades) and, lately, this out-of-the-blue choking and/or increased super-sensitivity to things going down my throat, possibly even going down - or just FEELING like they're going down - the wrong way.

I tried to treat allergies to dust, old, mildew, pollen decades ago when I moved from the east coast to Texas, but the allergy doctor's prescription for shots didn't make a difference, and I quit those after a year.

HOWEVER, I did just come across this mention on the Washington Post website, and if you can't link to it via this without a subscription, I think you can still sign up to check/search topics without a subscription. But there must be other articles on it - maybe even here on the Mayo Clinic website:
________________________________
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/11/07/lpr-hoarseness-throat-clearing-reflux/
[aka "laryngopharyngeal reflux"]

"Frequently overlooked, ‘silent reflux’ is treatable once diagnosed
By Janice Neumann
November 7, 2023 at 5:30 a.m. EST
___________________________________

I hope this might help at least some. I'm going to bring it up with my new doctor I'm meeting for the 1st time this Tuesday - after my PCP of many years 'up and retired' with nothing but a "10-day notice" from his office.

Best to everyone.

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@chinasvegas

Thanks for your sharing. Most recently after testing and diagnosis it appears that in older people the flap that covers the tube that sometimes opens and causes spit and liquids to go down the wrong way is simply ‘weakened’ over time. I did 6 weeks of swallow therapy and it helped a bit. Insurance did cover testing and therapy 100%. I have Medicare and TriCare.

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Yes, the epiglottis. I remember my Dad having problems with it too. I find myself having trouble swallowing allergy related phlegm at night when I am lying down. I have to get up and drink water. A worn out epiglottis may be the cause.

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