something odd with my throat and nose

[Inaflap]

Hello,
I'm new here but have been finding great comfort in the results of my searches on the site in recent weeks.  It is so much more comforting to hear of others experiencing similar symptoms and feel more reassured that it is bound to be anxiety related.
I'll start by saying I know I am very anxious at the moment.  Always been a worrier, but the health anxiety only started in Summer 2012.  Having had a very non-eventful and happy family life, 2012 brought a horrid year.  My dad, in his 60s, was diagnosed with MS in May and after severely deteriorating, this changed to a diagnosis of mnd (als) in the Autumn.  Before this devestating diagnosis I had my first epsiode of google-caused health anxiety in the summer when I thought I had developed ovarian cancer - 4th stage, no-less.  The power of the mind to create symptoms after reading about them shocked me and I thought 'I'll learn not to do that again' but since that incident, and dad's diagnosis, I have become a fully fledged member of the health anxiety club.  In October, after an optician suggested I may have an automimmune disease of the eyes, I developed the worst dry eye I have ever experienced - I lost the ability to produce tears and could not sit in an air-conditioned room or car without being in agony. Blood test showed I had no such thing and the eyes went back to normal.  Then, of course, I develop (what I think are) all the symptoms of mnd, which, I now realise (and with the help of this forum too) are very similar to anxiety symptoms.  Of course I can never escape the fact my dad has it and it may (may) be in the family (but no evidence of that so far).  At a time when I want to be there for him and my mum, why am I so selfishly obsessing about my own health?  I am trying to keep it under wraps from their point of view, but I am now taking 10mg amitryptiline and due to start seeing a counsellor for some CBT soon.  Oh, I forgot to add, keeping a sense of balance was further challenged in the autumn when my husband and I were in a head on collision with a van, whose driver had blacked out and hit us head on.  Since then, and after hospital stays, we have been trying to get back a sense of normality, but the strange symptoms keep appearing.
The amitryptiline seems to have dealt with the worst of the tingling and numbness in hands, feet and face, and the general aches in the hands.  But for the past month I have been experiencing a constant feeling of pressure when swallowing.  It feels as if my throat does not properly open at the top for the swallow.  Does that sound odd?  or as if it presses/squeezes down when I swallow.  Sometimes, like now, that is the only problem (but it is constant, even if I wake in the night) but at other times during the day, it is as if I have a pressure behind my nose and on my throat, which also makes it quite hard to speak and certainly to speak loudly, without discomfort.  It is like an allergy I guess but I took a hayfever tablet but that made it worse!  I have no pain with any of this, just a strange pressure sensation and the tight/squeezed swallowing thing.  What is odd is that it is constant, and it does not feel like a lump.  I do sometimes feel I have phlegm there too but nothing comes up when I cough and I have had no colds recently.  Oh, and the swallowing thing started before I started the amitryptiline. 
I know, from seeing dad, and what I've read, that swallowing problems with mnd come after severe speech slurring.  Although I defintely don't have severe slurring, I do struggle more now with 'sl' and it is defintely not how it used to be....
Could all this be anxiety related?  Does anyone else have a squeezing sensation (from the top) when they swallow and/or a strange feeling behind the nose and in the throat, almost like sinus pressure but deep inside and with no pain?
Thank you

[oregoncoastlady]

I cannot say that i specifically have what you are experiencing, but have you considered post nasal drip? Also, given the ability that your mind has to manifest symptoms, have you considered that? You wondered why you are selfishly obsessing about your health at a time when your  parents need you. I am in a similar situation. My dad has pancreatic cancer and i am right in the middle of it, taking him to his treatments and helping my mom care for him. I live next door to them. I had been doing fairly well with my HA and about a week ago, after my dad's first chemo treatment, my HA just exploded, and now I have ten things wrong with me. I think there are a few reasons why this could be happening to us. First, the illness of our parent has triggered our health fears. Second, the anxiety from the stress of our parent's illness has made us more suceptible to our HA. And, third, focusing on our own symptoms distracts us from the the real illness that our parent has. It makes perfect sense when i say it. I just wish my mind would believe it. I'm taking my dad to another chemo treatment today. I'm sure I'll have ten more things wrong with me by the time I get home!

[Echo Hotel]

The lump in the throat/ tightness in the throat is a common anxiety symptom. I have it, too. When I am having anxiety, my throat and mouth get dry (and so do my eyes) and it contributes to this lump/ tightness feeling. It could be that you are experiencing something similar, especially since you write that you have already had the dry eyes thing. This also explains why when you took an allergy pill it got worse...allergy pills dry out your sinuses and this will definitely give you a sensation of pressure.

Hope this helps :)

[Inaflap]

Thanks both of you for your helpful replies.

Oregoncoastlady - sorry to hear you also have serious illness in the family.  I think your analysis is spot on and I too have thought that by focusing on my own health, I am diverting my attention from the real issue of my dad - and thus preventing myself getting upset.  In fact, I am finding it hard to get upset about my dad at the moment and I think its cause I'm subconsciously putting my energies elsewhere in an attempt to protect myself.  This could be a big part of it.

Echohotel - yes, it could well be dry sinuses.  Never had sinus problems before, that I'm aware of, and no pain.  But when I lean forward sometimes my face does feel heavy, like there's blood rushing to the front.  So I guess that could be sinuses?  Exacerbated by anxiety.

I do feel better today, in my mind, and am just trying to get on with it all and tell myself it is anxiety and it will fade....when the symptoms don't fade with the fading worry, then I start to worry again!  But I should have learned by now that the body can do unbelievable things in response to stress.  And there's been a lot of that around.

Thank you again