Start coughing and have draining in my throat every time I eat

Posted by mrshubka @mrshubka, Aug 1, 2023

Every time I eat especially when I chew something I start coughing and have draining in the back of my throat. This last a very long time and I'm constantly trying to cough it up and clear my throat. This makes me not even want to eat any food. Doesn't seem to be triggered by any certain food either. I hope someone might know the answer to this.

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@mrshubka I know you said it happens with all foods but seriously, I was suddenly diagnosed at age 68 (!) with four main major food group allergies!! Wheat. Soy. Milk. And eggs!! It really sounds like an allergic reaction to "something ". Try cutting back one food group for a few days. See what happens. Not just for a day or two. You will notice one of a few things:
Nothing changes. There is a slight change (if so I would continue withholding what you stopped for a few more days.). There will be a major impact. But still continue through the food groups. I'm so bad (since tick borne disease Ehrlichia, being on leukemia meds which destroyed my immune system while I got the tick bite, and going on, then stopping completely, the lupus meds I was on which also affect the organs. I can't even eat something manufactured in a facility they also may process one of my allergens!!!
Or, it might be dust (inside or out) tree and/or grass pollen.
Curious question - does it happen when you're someplace else? A restaurant away from your house? A friends house? Work? Different seasons-even winter? Every single time you eat?
Maybe try an air cleaner. Or of course you can see an allergist and have "scratch tests" done to see if anything shows up there. I left that for last because my allergies were diagnosed through the blood that also diagnosed my lupus with lupus doctor. Allergy doctor refused to scratch test me saying my horrific hives were just a coincidence and that I had no allergies. When I told her the hives stopped immediately upon stopping those foods she told me it was a coincidence. I don't think so lol. I was angry she didn't take any tests. I hope I gave you enough to start with. I'm sure it's what others have told you but to test yourself, the Elimination diet seems to me to be the best. And I am currently finding some good options i.e. plant based foods to replace what I am allergic to. Good luck and let me know how you fare!!

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Hello @mrshubka, I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with @jerrysgirl3. I thought I would also share the following article that may provide some additional suggestions that might be helpful.

" Coughing after eating could be the result of food going down "the wrong pipe" (aspiration) or a medical condition, such as a food allergy, acid reflux, an upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, or dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). Depending on the cause, the coughing may be occasional or frequent."
--- What's Causing Me to Cough After I Eat?: https://www.verywellhealth.com/coughing-after-eating-5221032.

Have you discussed your symptoms with a doctor?

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Thank you for responding. I willed this and I do need to meet with an ENT soon.

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@jerrysgirl3

@mrshubka I know you said it happens with all foods but seriously, I was suddenly diagnosed at age 68 (!) with four main major food group allergies!! Wheat. Soy. Milk. And eggs!! It really sounds like an allergic reaction to "something ". Try cutting back one food group for a few days. See what happens. Not just for a day or two. You will notice one of a few things:
Nothing changes. There is a slight change (if so I would continue withholding what you stopped for a few more days.). There will be a major impact. But still continue through the food groups. I'm so bad (since tick borne disease Ehrlichia, being on leukemia meds which destroyed my immune system while I got the tick bite, and going on, then stopping completely, the lupus meds I was on which also affect the organs. I can't even eat something manufactured in a facility they also may process one of my allergens!!!
Or, it might be dust (inside or out) tree and/or grass pollen.
Curious question - does it happen when you're someplace else? A restaurant away from your house? A friends house? Work? Different seasons-even winter? Every single time you eat?
Maybe try an air cleaner. Or of course you can see an allergist and have "scratch tests" done to see if anything shows up there. I left that for last because my allergies were diagnosed through the blood that also diagnosed my lupus with lupus doctor. Allergy doctor refused to scratch test me saying my horrific hives were just a coincidence and that I had no allergies. When I told her the hives stopped immediately upon stopping those foods she told me it was a coincidence. I don't think so lol. I was angry she didn't take any tests. I hope I gave you enough to start with. I'm sure it's what others have told you but to test yourself, the Elimination diet seems to me to be the best. And I am currently finding some good options i.e. plant based foods to replace what I am allergic to. Good luck and let me know how you fare!!

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Thank you for responding. I am going to take your suggestion and try doing the elimination test for a few more days than I have. My mom also thinks I might be allergic to some of the same things you are. I have a brother who is highly allergic to milk. It's so hard to find things to eat that don't have some kind of wheat, soy, milk or eggs I can't imagine what you even eat. That is terrible. So sorry!
I have had the scratch test and am allergic to two pages of things like dust, trees, shrubs and such but that has been for the last 20 years and this problem has only been for a couple of years. I'm going to give this a try. I will keep you posted. Thanks for the encouragement to do this.

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@mrshubka

Thank you for responding. I am going to take your suggestion and try doing the elimination test for a few more days than I have. My mom also thinks I might be allergic to some of the same things you are. I have a brother who is highly allergic to milk. It's so hard to find things to eat that don't have some kind of wheat, soy, milk or eggs I can't imagine what you even eat. That is terrible. So sorry!
I have had the scratch test and am allergic to two pages of things like dust, trees, shrubs and such but that has been for the last 20 years and this problem has only been for a couple of years. I'm going to give this a try. I will keep you posted. Thanks for the encouragement to do this.

Jump to this post

@mrshubka actually there is quite a bit I can eat! For breakfast I have old fashioned oatmeal with cinnamon, raw honey, blueberries, strawberries and bananas!! Yum!! I can actually have Rice Chex with Oat milk (which is quite good!) for a quickie or a snack. For lunch I have canned fresh caught tuna (READ LABELS!! Bumblebee has soy in it 😳) mixed with avocado (my go-to Mayo substitute) or Justin's peanut butter (again read labels - some Skippy has soy in it!) and raspberry jam on tapioca bread 😂😂. Dinner is basically the same - meat chicken or fish, veggies, and potatoes (sweet or white) with a plant based butter (Kite Hill) which is actually ok. I think they also have a cream cheese with onions and chives thst was delicious !! Simple Mills makes many crackers and mixes that are good. Be careful about vegetable oil - I believe that's ALL soy!! And I have apples either by themselves or with the above mentioned peanut butter. Other than oat or almond milk and OJ I drink mostly water. I always have a bottle of water with me. It takes time to get used to reading labels and figuring how to mix foods together but after awhile it just becomes commonplace. I just found out that aged cheddar and aged Swiss are fine (and I have had no reaction to them!) as the aging process makes them more lactose free. Feel free to question me further. 😁

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We’ll if you have had radiation as I have coughing happens a lot. I have found that after finishing radiation my throat is very sensitive to just about everything. I can’t chew gum because the intensity of the flavor causes my throat to close a starts coughing. I found that trying to eat normal food no matter how much you chew thing get caught in the inflamed throat and I’ve had the experience of starting to cough after eating and at some point expelling a tiny bit of the food coming out. I am 2 1/2 weeks out of radiation and I am living on smoothies. I attempted to eat well cooked noodles yesterday and ten minutes later I was coughing. I’m not sure what the answer is and I doubt anyone else does except to wait for the swelling to go down and having the ENT check to make sure your larynx closes when you swallow. Hang in there because I do believe it will get better.

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