Carolsmiles,Hello and welcome to HealingWell. First I am going to ask you a couple of questions for clarification if you do not mind - have you been dx with GERD ?
Was your surgery a carotid endarterectomy ? If if was then please remember we are not DRs. and cannot give you medical advice. The best person to talk to is your Dr. It is possible that you have elements of GERD but also anxiety can cause you to have many symptoms.
Symptoms of an anxiety disorder can come on suddenly, or
they can build gradually and linger until a you
begin to realize that something is wrong. Sometimes anxiety creates a
sense of doom and foreboding that seems to come out of nowhere. It's common for
people with an anxiety disorder to not know what's causing the emotions,
worries, and sensations they have.
To try to make this more tidy - you could have GERD, problems associated with your surgery or anxiety causing the "choking sensation".
Breathing exercises are a wonderful way to learn how
to control anxiety, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Studies have shown
that anxiety sufferers tend to breathe shallowly and from their chest. Learning
to breathe deeply and from the belly can bring great relief and control to
anxious individuals.
Please let us know how you are doing and remember you are not alone - please feel comfortable posting in the Anxiety Forum. We would love to have you join us there also.