Covid, anxiety and my gag reflex
Discussion
I've always had issues with my gag reflex. Visits to the dentist end up being really stressful, a few years ago a simple x-ray required three seperate visits as I couldn't stand having the plate in my mouth for the 15-20 seconds required.
I'm pretty sure my gag reflex issues are related to anxiety, which is something I've always suffered from, and underwent a course of CBT for it last year, but I'm finding that measures introduced for coronavirus are making things worse.
When mask wearing was introduced, I found that this triggered the gagging feeling (I've always found having my face covered causes this reaction), making me dry heave continuously. I've really tried hard with this, and with breathing techniques and the most lightweight masks I can find, I've been able to increase the time I can tolerate a mask from a few seconds, to usually long enough to do a few minutes shopping, although I still find myself occasionally having these gagging attacks in shops from time to time.
I've also tried - and I feel this is legitimate - going to places without a mask, using a sunflower lanyward, at the suggestion of my mental health nurse, but this made me very self concious, and after being refused admission to a shop, I've reverted to trying to cope and being as quick as I can in shops instead.
Last week, I attempted a COVID test on a couple of occasions. I found the throat swab impossible. I know it's unpleasant for most people, but it wasn't the physical sensation that prevented the test, I couldn't even get swab past my lips before I began to gag/heave.
At the first test, I was told to just do an extra thorough nasal swab, but the second time, I was told that if I couldn't do the throat swab, I couldn't proceed with the test.
My big worry going forward is that masks and testing will become a requirement for many aspects of life, now things are re-opening. I love travel, and in normal times go on 5 or 6 foreign holidays a year. I'm fearful that my inability to have a throat swab will mean I can't travel again - a nightmare situation would be being trapped abroad, not being allowed to board a plane home until I complete a test, most likely having worked myself into a state about it, trying to explain my anxiety issues to an airport official that may not speak English.
It's possible sedatives may help. But what if they don't?
I'm pretty sure my gag reflex issues are related to anxiety, which is something I've always suffered from, and underwent a course of CBT for it last year, but I'm finding that measures introduced for coronavirus are making things worse.
When mask wearing was introduced, I found that this triggered the gagging feeling (I've always found having my face covered causes this reaction), making me dry heave continuously. I've really tried hard with this, and with breathing techniques and the most lightweight masks I can find, I've been able to increase the time I can tolerate a mask from a few seconds, to usually long enough to do a few minutes shopping, although I still find myself occasionally having these gagging attacks in shops from time to time.
I've also tried - and I feel this is legitimate - going to places without a mask, using a sunflower lanyward, at the suggestion of my mental health nurse, but this made me very self concious, and after being refused admission to a shop, I've reverted to trying to cope and being as quick as I can in shops instead.
Last week, I attempted a COVID test on a couple of occasions. I found the throat swab impossible. I know it's unpleasant for most people, but it wasn't the physical sensation that prevented the test, I couldn't even get swab past my lips before I began to gag/heave.
At the first test, I was told to just do an extra thorough nasal swab, but the second time, I was told that if I couldn't do the throat swab, I couldn't proceed with the test.
My big worry going forward is that masks and testing will become a requirement for many aspects of life, now things are re-opening. I love travel, and in normal times go on 5 or 6 foreign holidays a year. I'm fearful that my inability to have a throat swab will mean I can't travel again - a nightmare situation would be being trapped abroad, not being allowed to board a plane home until I complete a test, most likely having worked myself into a state about it, trying to explain my anxiety issues to an airport official that may not speak English.
It's possible sedatives may help. But what if they don't?
I can’t help with the gag reflex issue itself, and I certainly don’t like the throat swaps. We moved abroad in September and I’ve had many tests since - 3 in the last week!! Not once have I had to do a throat one since we left the UK. The nasal one seems to be the default, and in many cases we are given the option of choosing nose or throat. Obviously experiences will vary, but just wanted to highlight that we certainly haven’t encountered a time where not being able to have a throat swab would mean we couldn’t have a test.
Gareth1974 said:
My big worry going forward is that masks and testing will become a requirement for many aspects of life, now things are re-opening. I love travel, and in normal times go on 5 or 6 foreign holidays a year. I'm fearful that my inability to have a throat swab will mean I can't travel again - a nightmare situation would be being trapped abroad, not being allowed to board a plane home until I complete a test, most likely having worked myself into a state about it, trying to explain my anxiety issues to an airport official that may not speak English.
It's possible sedatives may help. But what if they don't?
Take this the right way please, but you're doing a typical anxiety-based thing which is catastrophising a problem.It's possible sedatives may help. But what if they don't?
i.e I can't wear a mask > masks will be come mandatory > I may get stuck abroad > they may not speak English > I can't travel again.
My honest advice (from a place of knowing how you feel) is to stop, sit back and worry about how to deal with travel once travel becomes normalised again.
There's absolutely nothing you can do now other than guess what's going to happen which may make you feel worse.
IF we end up in a situation where you will be unable to ever travel again without a mask on (highly, highly unlikely) then worry about how to deal with your physical problem then. But, being as it's so unlikely, deal with it only then.
Well done on trying some CBT, it can be quite scary to open up to someone. I have just started myself and it's challenging but I am finding it very useful. May I suggest it's not the Covid test that's the problem, it's the anxiety. Continue to work on reducing that.
Less time on social media/online
Learn your anxiety triggers and make plans to work around them.
More time exercising and being outside in nature.
Lots of time for yourself to think about your issues and how you are processing things.
Make a list of five positive things that you are grateful for in your life each day.
Listen to music that makes you happy/work at crafts or DIY or hobbies.
Make time to do something nice for someone else every day.
If your anxiety is based around something, make a plan for reducing that problem, e.g. if you are in debt, make a plan to manage it and accept that you are doing all you can to solve the issue. Set waypoints in your debt and reward yourself. E.g. when i only have 10,000 debt i will buy myself that watch i want.
Apply this to whatever it is that triggers your anxiety.
Keep going my friend, we are all in this together. We are rooting for you!
Less time on social media/online
Learn your anxiety triggers and make plans to work around them.
More time exercising and being outside in nature.
Lots of time for yourself to think about your issues and how you are processing things.
Make a list of five positive things that you are grateful for in your life each day.
Listen to music that makes you happy/work at crafts or DIY or hobbies.
Make time to do something nice for someone else every day.
If your anxiety is based around something, make a plan for reducing that problem, e.g. if you are in debt, make a plan to manage it and accept that you are doing all you can to solve the issue. Set waypoints in your debt and reward yourself. E.g. when i only have 10,000 debt i will buy myself that watch i want.
Apply this to whatever it is that triggers your anxiety.
Keep going my friend, we are all in this together. We are rooting for you!
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