So I was wondering if there are any magic tricks to help when you're drowning on your on fluids?

It's one of those really scary symptoms..

you know... when you go to swallow and your brain quickly closes that pipe off and opens the airway.

When it happens I have the people around me beat my back while i bend forward to try and force it out of my lungs.. It happpens semi-frequently, but 2 different times I have inhaled far too much and have turned blue/purple from not being able to get oxygen.

One of those times was when I was working. Had 4 full grown men in shock and my manager was about to call an ambulance when I bent forward and it finally spewed out of my nose and mouth.

This happened the other day with coffee. My boyfriend said he had never seen so much fluid come out of someone's nose before. Poor thing started to cry.

Since this has happened so much I stay as calm as I possibly can when it happens and try to get the fluid out of my lungs as quickly as possible so I can breathe.

So I was just wondering what I should have my close ones prepared to do when they see this happen to me... I'm kind of thinking there is no trick and that I have been SUPER LUCKY to have come out of them. I did cough up some blood the next day.. thinking that was from the stress my lungs went through the previous day (and there was creamer in my coffee, so both coffee and milk were in my lungs)

I'm gonna be one sad ghost if I end up drowning on a beverage...

This is potentially extremely dangerous. You urgently need to have a barium swallow test done to find out exactly what is going on inside your throat. What to do about it will be based on those results.

If you are unable to manage even your saliva, it is an emergency, and you need to go to ER. The risk of aspirating is extremely high.

If you do not address this issue, you are at risk of not only choking/becoming hypoxic/possibly dying in a emergency situation, but also of getting aspiration pneumonia, which can be serious and require hospitalization.

As for what to do right now...stop drinking thin liquids! Stick to drinks with thicker consistencies, like smoothies or other thickened drinks. You can purchase thickeners that can be stirred into drinks to thicken them. Be sure and get enough fluids each day, which can be difficult. Try eating thick soups and such to help.

I can't stress how important being seen about this is! Please get help.

Have you spoken to your Neuro about this?

I sometimes have difficulty swallowing but have never aspirated fluids into my lungs. I believe that can cause pneumonia.

Sometimes my swallowing mechanism seems to freeze. I've learned to just be calm and wait a moment and usually I can swallow. As a result, I've started eating much slower and taking much smaller bites. Also careful with drinking water and coffee. Anything too hot or too cold seems to shock my throat and swallowing is harder.

I hope you'll speak to your doctor about this. He might have a suggestion as to what you can do but at the very least it needs to be documented in your medical records.

Lean your head down when you swallow, it opens your esophigeus
more, to let it go down. Never swallow with your head way back or
turned to the side.

I don't have a doctor to talk to them about this issue. I just was approved ssdi and medicaid the other day. So I am waiting to be accepted to a doctor.

I fear it has progressed to a dangerous point as recently, I have been choking on my saliva in my sleep which has been scary to wake up to.. choking coughing and can barely breathe.

I have a lesion in my brainstem which is what I am assuming is causing this issue.

It's somewhat heartbreaking... The brainstem is the place I have feared most to get a lesion in... and of course, I got it. It's relatively big too

I am also thinking the brainstem lesion is what causes those horrible episodes in my sleep.. I think that I stop breathing or my heart stops functioning, i dunno something really bad is happening in my system when I have those episodes.. they even cause my pupils to get all goofy (one really big and one really small)

I'm a mess. and I feel so bad because I scare the poop out of my boyfriend all the time.. choking, falling, severly impaired speech and walk. Geesh, why is that guy even still in the picture? CUZ IM ONE SUPER LUCKY GAL! lol

I'm usually pretty good about taking a drink, holding it in my mouth until IU know that it will go where it needs to (just because its happened so many times now) I just had no control where the coffee was being directed..

Another reason to hate MS-- I am my biggest threat to myself.

I was always "my own worse enemy", even before MS.

Hope you get the Medicare Doc soon, But maybe go to the ER.
They have to treat you.

So sorry this is happening to you. I choke on my own saliva at times. I've given DH2B many scares.

Immediate things you can do is to drink thicker things and/or hot or cold things. The trick is that these things will turn on more neve endings (hot or cold receptors) so your brain interprets that you are, in fact, about to swallowing.

There are thickeners and I forget what they are called.

Take care,
ANN

Hello AynaDee,

I have had the choking on liquid and saliva a few times too. It is scary and frustrating for me. I have not talked to my neuro about it or gone to the ER for it but those are good suggestions. I'd love to hear what you decided to do and what they recommend. I wish u well. Thanks for posting.

you've gotten some great advice. it might be time to go to the ER about this.
maybe they can get you referred to a neuro in a speedier time. or, try calling the insurance you've been approved for. tell them what's happening and ask how you can get seen as quickly as possible.

i have learned to swallow with my head tilted more forward. i also had a consult by my neuro to a speech therapist who evaluated me for choking and gave me some tips for eating/drinking. but you need a neuro for that.

DON'T have anyone slap your back when you're choking. it can actually have things go deeper down. please keep us posted.

Thickened liquids and drinking through a straw as well as not tipping the head back helps prevent choking in my case. Temperature of the liquid or food seems to be a trigger. Anything near body temperature is toughest, so cool or warm/hot goes down best.

Waking up choking on your own saliva is something that you absolutely need to get checked out ASAP. Asperating fluids into the lungs to any degree, but especially to the degree and frequency that you describe is a huge concern.

Please get checked out, even if you have to go to the ER.

In my thoughts and prayers that an effective solution is found quickly.

With love, Erika