These are descriptions of how individuals experienced various symptoms during withdrawal. While everyone's withdrawal is unique and symptoms will be different for everyone, it may be useful to know what others went through.
All withdrawal symptoms can be caused by things in addition to withdrawal. If a symptom is persistent or you are worried by it, it is always a good idea to get it checked out by your doctor to ensure nothing else is going on.
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Definition: (n) The anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of the mouth, consisting anatomically of the pharynx and larynx and
(n) the organ in the floor of the mouth functioning in eating, in tasting and speaking.
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What I've Felt:
"You feel like your throat is raw and agitated. You feel the presence of a lump -- a globus hystericus, or a globus, in which the walls of the throat spasm, creating the illusion of a blockage. You feel like your throat muscles are tight, or in spasm, making it difficult to talk. You feel like your throat is closing up, or is badly scratched; you feel like it's raspy and dry, or jammed full of wool." - Matt
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What I've Felt:
“I have noticed a persistent low grade sore throat throughout this. It is usually worse after a cut.” - Anthea
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What I've Felt:
"I still occasionally get sore areas on one side or the other of my tongue. I believe it is a tight muscle because there is no visible sore." - Cookie
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What I've Felt:
"I have had a sensation of throat tightness / lump in throat through my entire ordeal, even before I started to taper and get withdrawal symptoms. My doctor sent me for a barium swallow test because they suspected acid reflux. The test helped me see that I have nothing obstructing my throat and that I can swallow fine. My throat was irritated as well. They medicated me for it and I took myself off and learned to eat alkaline foods instead of acidic foods, which really helps. Now when I get the sensation, I take a series of deep breaths in through my nose and exhale deeply through my mouth. That really seems to help. The anxiety about the situation seemed to make it much worse, so I have had to learn to remind myself that everything is OK." - Blair
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What I've Felt:
"I have a burning mouth and tongue all the time. It feels like my blood and all the mucus membranes are burning too."
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What I've Felt:
"I have weird tastes."
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My Coping Strategies
 | Acceptance |
| Chew gum |
| Drink a tablespoon of olive oil |
| Drink some warm tea |
| Progressive muscle relaxation |
| Take a sip of water and feel it going down; if your throat were truly blocked, the water wouldn't go down and you wouldn't be able to breathe |
| Use a cough drop to keep your mouth wet and to soothe your throat |
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