Last night I had something happen to me that really put the fear in me. It doesn't sound serious but it can make you wonder "Is this it?"
Due to my heart disease and COPD, I take a lot of pills. This has never been a problem. I was having a bit of sinus drainage so I thought I would also take a Quercetin,which is an antihistamine. I popped it in and took a swallow of water and all Hell broke loose and I started violently coughing.
First thought was it went down the wrong hole and was somehow in my lungs. I could breathe but I feared it could cause damage in my already compromised lungs.
Years ago my father died in the hospital by aspirating into his lungs and developing pneumonia. So while I was coughing painfully, I started Googling. I was just getting ready to give myself the Heimlich Maneuver just in case. Since I live alone, I knew something about it. Trust me folks, if you have a partner you both should be able to do this and if you live alone, you should know how to do it on yourself.
I was breathing all right so I was convinced it was in my lung and not blocking my windpipe when a really violent coughing spell took over. As I leaned on my knees and bent over, out popped the pill. It had gone down sideways as that is how it came out.
I was hugely relieved it was out but boy was my throat burning and sore. I took sips of water and some honey but it still hurt. Also the violence of the coughing has messed up my shoulder and right arm. They really hurt too but was too scared to take a Tylenol for the ache.
I was also little scared to lie down but I was really tired so I tried and nothing alarming happened. I got about 5 hours sleep and feel much better this morning.
I do feel the need to share this however just in case it should happen to you. If you have trouble breathing after swallowing something, do the Heimlich maneuver on your partner or on yourself. If you feel it did end up in your lungs, seek professional help immediately.
That is my public service announcement for the month. Pray you never need it.
Have a wonderful day--I plan to.
Patti I'm very glad you're okay for the most part now, but when I got up at 6:00 this morning and didn't see a blog post from you, I knew something wasn't right. I'm sorry you had to endure this, just glad it had a happy ending. But you make a very good point about people that live alone, as I am one of them and I guess I should learn how to do that Heimlech maneuver on myself. I sure hope the rest of your day is a calm and peaceful one my friend. ♥️🙂
ReplyDeleteDoug,
DeleteThat not having a post ready made this one necessary. Don't want sweet people like you worrying.
Good thing to know Doug and relatively easy to do. If you really need it, you won't have time to look it up.
Take care big guy.
I am so glad to hear you are okay. That was very scary indeed! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteThank you and yes I am much better.
A true cautionary tale. I am so glad you are okay!
ReplyDeleteOlga,
DeleteThanks so much. Me too.
Wow, what a scary experience and I'm glad you were able to bring that pill back up again. I'm going to check out how to do that Heimlich on myself because I often worry about some of the big pills I take. My husband also died from aspirating food into his lungs and developing pneumonia. Thanks for the reminder!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnon,
DeletePlease do check. It is simple to do and a real lifesaver. So sorry you had to deal with the loss of your husband that way.
Wow! That is such a scary experience. I'm so glad you are okay and you got that pill out. Really good idea to learn about Heimlich. I've read about it, but never thought about really trying to understand how to do it. Take care there, Patti.
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteThank you so much. It was really scary but thankfully turned out OK. You and Roger can practice on each other but good to know how to do the lone one also just in case he isn't around.
Oh my!!! I am glad you are okay. I will research the Heimlich. I have no idea how to do it.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
DeleteSure hope you do. It is really simple and there are lots of videos to show you how.
'All's well that ends well'! Thanks for sharing the scary experience and for mentioning Heimlich maneuver.
ReplyDeleteDuta,
DeleteThanks for stopping by and yes, all has ended well. If your aren't familiar with that maneuver, it can be a life saver.
So you just leaned over your knees and the pill popped out? Wow! Thanks for the advice! I have aspirated food at times and gasped for air. Just bits of food, not chunks. I drink water and that helps. But it is scary.
ReplyDeletegigi,
DeleteActually it took really hefty coughing along with that position change to shake loose the pill. Sure was glad to see it though.
As Gigi mentioned, I too have aspirated a few times and also gasped for air. And I also have a terrible time with swallowing pills... so much so that I won't take anything larger than a Tylenol caplet. So I can imagine just how scary that experience must have been. I'm not familiar with the Heimlich maneuver on oneself... but will check it out. So glad all turned out well.
ReplyDeleteRian,
DeleteSince you have a problem pill taking, perhaps learning that maneuver would be good to know.
This was my first experience getting a pill stuck--really don't want it to happen again.
Lordy!! What a scary situation indeed. Glad you are a bit better. The aggravation of it all will take time to go away, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteAnni,
DeleteThanks so much. I am better though it really messed up my voice with all that coughing. Two people have called here today and they thought they had just woken me up.
I can relate. How terrifying that was for you. I too live alone and swallow pills very carefully and I buy mini pills when I can find them. Thanks for the info on the Heimlich maneuver which we can do on ourselves. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteTerra,
ReplyDeleteThank you. I never had any problems till last night but I will definitely be more aware when I take a pill now. I am now comfortable with the procedure for when you are gasping for air, you don't have time to look it up.
Have a good and safe day.
What a horrid experience! I take Quercitin daily in the morning to minimize sinus problems, more than being an "instant" antihistimine. Mine is in a capsule, so the exterior would have dissolved, leaving powdery gunk in my throat to cough on. One thing I advise all my patients, especially with bedside nursing in a hospital: Drink a swig of water FIRST, before taking any pills. It really helps. So many people sleep with their mouth open, and trying to take pills without wetting their mouth first is asking for problems. For big pills, I have them "slobber on it" around in their mouth first, getting the pill's exterior wet before trying to swallow it.
ReplyDeleteA speech therapist told me that to swallow pills, you should put your chin towards your chest, not up in the air. The physical structure in all of those throat / swallow / flaps wants you to swallow with your chin lower.
Thanks for the Heimlich reminder. Hope I don't need it. Linda in Kansas
Linda,
DeleteYou nailed it. With my COPD I do a lot of mouth breathing when I move around a lot and I am sure I was dry when I took the Quercetin. BTW, isn't that great stuff. It is really effective for sinus and allergies.
I read that about the chin towards chest and will have to try that.
Hope you never need the Heimlich also but it is good to have it filed away just in case.
Glad you're okay. I pray I'll never need it.
ReplyDeleteTom,
DeleteThank you and I hope you never need it also.
Bless you for sharing this. I looked it up but hope I never need it. Glad to hear you're okay.
ReplyDeleteBobi,
DeleteThank you so much and while we all hope we never need it, good to know it is there if we do.
oh my goodness Patti, I am glad you are fine and it all worked out (and came out) Heimlich at home alone is over a chair right? That is so very scary. I am so happy you are well now!
ReplyDeletePeg,
DeleteThank you so much and me too on it being a memory now. You are right. I use my kitchen table chair which is just the right height.
What a terrifying experience, Patti! Living alone is OK unless faced with this kind of event. I used to like to eat tuna out of the can and it once got stuck in my throat. I couldn't breathe--but my husband was still alive and could help me out. I didn't know what to do!
ReplyDeleteMargaret,
DeleteYou bet. It is great till something like this comes up when you can't even use the phone for you are too busy coughing. That is when the Heimlich when alone is good to know.
You were so lucky that your husband knew what to do. That must have been terrifying.
So glad you're okay now, Patti and thanks for that heads up for us. Had myself a Heimlich practice just now. I've been living dangerously by taking a horse-dose-sized calcium tablet each day. I really would prefer my obit to read "died peacefully in her sleep". Yikes!!!
ReplyDeleteFlorence,
DeleteThank you. Glad you practiced--I have also. I agree, choking on a pill is not a glamorous way to go. I like that peaceful part. I have heard those calcium pills are huge. Make sure your mouth is wet. I think that is what got me.
Thanks for sharing this cautionary tale. I was not aware og being able to do the Heimlich maneuver on oneself.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteWe all hope we never need it but it is a bit comforting to know there is a method should it happen when no one is around.
Very glad you are okay!
ReplyDeleteLinda Myers,
DeleteThank you so much. Me too.
Dang, that is scary. I've had some food/pills get stuck before and it is even more scary when you are alone. I laughed at you Googling it while chocking to death.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteIt sounds silly now but I was trying to find out if it might have gone in my lung as I was breathing OK.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I did not know you could do Heimlich on yourself. My father choked easily. So I recognize the fear and panic. Obviously, you did not panic and took care of the situation. I'm so glad you are OK.
ReplyDeleteAnn,
DeleteThank you so much and so sorry your Dad had a swallowing problem. It is scary, especially if you are alone. Doing fine today.
Wow, so sorry you had to go through all that. I hope you are feeling better now.❤️
ReplyDeleteSusan,
DeleteWell it was an experience all right but I am fine now if a little hoarse from all the coughing. Thank you so much.
That would have been scary and is important people know what to do when we live alone. Glad you were able to repel the pill.
ReplyDeleteThere is a recommended Heimlich procedure to administer to oneself for people living alone if you Google it. Involves using a chair or table edge ideally. The point is to apply pressure in the same area of your body as you do with your fist when you use the Heimlich maneuver on someone else.
Long before I learned the Heimlich or had trained in Speech Pathology and swallowing therapy our family was at a restaurant. We had just ordered and I looked up to see my young son with a stricken look on his face, mouth slightly open. No universal sign with his hands at throat but I instinctively knew he couldn't breathe. I told him to stand up and knowing enough about the respiratory system I made a fist, pressed it into his diaphragm forcing the air upward. He expelled the candy which had gone down the wrong way -- a lifesaver of all things! We sat back down and nobody even seemed to realize I probably had just saved his life. I've since kidded him that I gave him life twice.
Later when I learned the Heimlich, it instructs to stand behind the person since they may pass out and you can support easing them to the floor so they don't hurt themselves falling.
Joared,
DeleteYes I was aware of the method to use when alone and have actually practiced it. The link I provided to the Mayo Clinic shows how to do it. . The fact that I was breathing OK kept me from trying it. Probably wouldn't have hurt to have given it a shot.
That was neat that you could so easily save your son.
I should learn to Heimlich myself since I don't have anyone here but Lola and she's a cat.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteGood idea to learn. It is not that hard and would give you some peace of mind. Know what you mean about Lola. I can't even get my pets to dial 911:)
I'm happy to hear you were able to cough the pill out. Definitely a scary moment. I hadn't realized one can do the Hiemlich maneuver on oneself. Sounds like something I need to learn.
ReplyDeleteEileen,
DeleteThank you--doing good. It is a handy tool to keep in your pocket. Even if you live with someone, they may not be available when you need them.
So glad you are okay. That does sound frightening. Hope all is well now.
ReplyDeleteYou always share things that will help us. Thanks and I'm very glad that you had a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteHi Patti-I have two email addresses for you and am not sure I'm sending my blog responses to the right one. Or do you have two different emails? I hope you've been getting my responses to your wonderful comments on my blog. I always answer by email so if you're not getting communication from me, I'm doing something wrong! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI ended up in the hospital this last time because I inhaled a piece of corn. Yes, pneumonia.
ReplyDeleteI missed reading your posts, so today I "caught up"! This choking sounds scary. Glad the pill came out and you are OK. Bob recently aspirated some mouth wash while he was gargling. Talk about coughing from the irritation! I was beginning to think we needed to go to the ER. Sounds like you had a VERY hot summer. It was wonderful here in the mountains and wetter than usual. Now we're into fall colors and have already had snow which lingers on the high peaks. Take Care, Patti.
ReplyDelete