Sensation Like Tickling Throat

[saltandpepper]

Soo, I need to be talked down from the ledge...again. And I was doing soooo well since my neuro! I hate myself but I can't seem to shake this fear of bulbar...it's like now I'm WAITING for any sign of it to just completely freak out. It happened yesterday....drank my coffee but felt a tickle in my throat after each sip. This continued with liquids all day yesterday and I would have a sensation like I should clear my throat/cough for minutes after drinking. I know it's crazy. I can full on chug a glass of water in seconds but I have this lingering feeling after and it's only relieved by a cough or two a few minutes later. So, if this were really the bad stuff, I would not be able to swallow right without full on choking? It seems that this is the consenses on the board but you just see "difficulty swallowing" which is vague. I think that's my problem with bulbar in general....at least with limb onset, there are strength tests you can do and obvious things that would be wrong with you (atrophy, tripping, etc...). My neuro tested for all that stuff which reassured me but regarding bulbar she really only looked at my tongue so I dont' feel like she gave much consideration to it at all. Is it obvious with Bulbar too, I'm just looking for subtle signs to obsess over?It does help to remind myself that this crap started with a thumb twitch then all over twitching....which would prob not be how bulbar would present....but I can just as easily tell myself the two are not related....b/c I looooove to torture myself!

 

[twinTwosome]

Welcome to Crazytown. Population you! Sorry to make light of your fears. We all either lived there, live there, or are occasional visitors. It goes with the BFS territory. I think you would be hard pressed to find a recovery story without a bulbar scare. What you are describing is a common anxiety reaction. We create what we fear. (god help me that is a total dr. Phil-ism!)If you have anxiety meds, start taking as prescribed. If not, read the board, get support, know we have all been there.Becky

 

[NervousnessNoMore]

Ok so here's the thing. Those are not bulbar signs. You are right that what you read is vague, but since I like many have spent time on the "other" board. I can tell you that is not a bulbar sign. Bulbar starts with slurred speech. Swallowing is not the first to go. So now to address what causes the coughing or throat clearing. It's simple:1) GERD, reflux in your throat will cause this (and I think you said you have reflux).2) Post Nasal drip. It's alergy season, plus colds and such. It could be underlying, or you could have been sick recently.3) Stress and Anxiety. You throat gets tight, and it feels contricted so you cough to try to loosen it up.Now here is the good news I have also been experiencing the EXACT same thing for several weeks now. I had bronchitis, and it has been slow to clear. Every day it is a little better, but the post nasal drip still causes coughing after eating. I also have been having reflux. Good news there is NO WAY it is bulbar for you!!!!!!!!

 

[mommyLDN]

I agree 100% with everything that Twin2 and Anxietysucks said. I had the flu back in January and a head cold 2 weeks ago and the symptoms you describe are identical to what I have been experiencing for a while now. I also have reflux or Gerd, and a healthy dose of anxiety from time to time....so there you go.Trust me, trying to fit square symptoms into a round hole will only cause you more misery.Take careRobynn )

 

[JohnnyRocket]

I agree with the previous posters, and would like to add something as well. In general, the next time you feel scary symptoms, try to view them from a different point of view. If your new symptoms seem to be based around "feelings", then it is more than likely anxiety. Your swallowing FEELS strange, but your swallowing remains equally fuctional. You FEEL like you are slurring, but nobody around you seems to notice. Your hand FEELS weak, yet you have no real loss of strength. If you stop and take a close look at new symptoms from this point of view you might be able to help ward off the fears more effectively.Also, you hit the nail on the head with regard to how your symptoms started (thumb twitching then widespread). Always remind yourself of this. Any real fear you experience with regard to new symptoms can only occur if you fail to accept what your twitching history means. If you have read up on the difference between benign twitching versus ALS twitching, then you know that there is no way your twitching can represent ALS. Always keep this in the back of your mind when new, weird symptoms appear....and they WILL.

 

[saltandpepper]

Ahhh, I know you guys are all so right.....and yes, I am TOTALLY fitting square symptoms into a round hole. Case in point, I'm now worried about a cough "feeling" when I am able to swallow without choking and speak fine. No one knows better than me how crazy I've been these past 5 weeks....pregnancy hormones combined w/ anxiety = craaaaaaazy. As one very wise person on this board told me - "you don't have to look for ALS weakness....it finds you." Now if I could just let that sink in....Johnny, I hear you about what is perceived vs. what is actually present and noticeable. This cough thing threw me as it was really only happening with cold water and the only thing that made me feel better was eventually coughing/clearing my throat (even though I tried to stave it off!) which is a fairly real reaction but I realize anxiety can even play a part there! Oddly enough Robynn and AnxietySucks, I too had bronchitis 2 weeks ago! But I thought I had kicked it and the cough seemed to worsen again yesterday after drinking the liquids....

 

[NervousnessNoMore]

If you like googling look up bronchitis. It can take up to 1 month to get rid of the cough after having it. Also reflux irritates the throat causing an increase in mucus which will make you cough. It's definetly not anything sinister.Don

 

[DoctorNeuro]

I am in the same boat with you. I didn't have any trouble swallowing or feeling as if I had to cough after meals until 10 days ago when I started thinking about every single thing that I ate/drank. Then I started to push on my throat when I swallowed. This subsequently caused me to aspirate a black bean and a piece of lettuce. I started hacking like crazy. Ever since, I'm now convinced that I have left vocal fold weakness, because almost every time I drink liquid I feel like I have to clear my throat afterwards. I too can chug a whole glass of water without incident, but then I feel like i have to clear my throat. It's worse after a big meal. I think I must have damaged myself hacking so badly after the black bean incident.I also feel like my voice is cracklier than it was in the past. It's certainly not slurred or nasal in quality, though.Long story short, I have the same symptoms that you are feeling. I also have had a completely normal EMG in the setting of all over twitches. It's driving me crazy. Time will help, though.Hang in there, your symptoms are benign.

 

[NervousnessNoMore]

Neurodoc, are you a neurologist? I can't even imagine why would make yourself aspirate food. Also I would think you would know that your symptoms are most likely all anxiety. The other thing I am confused about is clear back in 2005 there was some one with the name "neurodoc." I thought you could not reuse names. Are you the same person? I am just confused as to why you would be scared after a clean EMG if you are in fact a neurologist. You have nothing to worry about. Also why would you come to a bunch of non doctors for advise, when you could clearly get advise from doctors. Just seems odd to me......