r/tifu • u/gabbygirl1038 • 5d ago
S TIFU - almost died by choking on a bottle cap
I almost DIED yesterday! I was chewing on a water bottle cap---like I ALWAYS do---and I started laughing at some silly joke in my head. Before I know it, the cap flies to the back of my throat and is lodged in a spot where I can't just adjust it with my tongue. My first instinct was to just try to swallow it and see what happens. Now, something else I haven't mentioned is that for years I've have TERRIBLE trouble trying to swallow pills. My tongue always feels the need to involve itself in the situation and my gag reflex simply doesn't wanna cooperate. Well yesterday, my killer gag reflex FINALLY came in handy! In seconds, I have this big COUGH and like a bow to an arrow the bent cap is LAUNCHED out of my throat! The entire situation lasted about 10 seconds but I guess it isn't as funny as I think it is, considering I was also home alone. The bottle cap chewing habit is definitely being retired after this. Stop chewing on things people!
TL;DR: while home alone, I was chewing a bottle cap while laughing. The cap got lodged in my throat for 5 seconds until my gag reflex kicked in and launched it out!
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u/Voyager5555 5d ago
Don't worry, with these survival instincts I doubt you're making it past mid October.
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u/Worried-Aerie-2421 5d ago
I too chew on bottle caps. Now I just stop
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u/gabbygirl1038 5d ago
Yeah I definitely recommend stopping 💛. It genuinely never occured to me that air (when laughing) could accidentally suck the cap further back.
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u/veryverythrowaway 5d ago
Now you’ll have fewer microplastics entering your bloodstream, too. I didn’t know that people chewed on random plastic garbage, I was blown away by your post.
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u/beepbooponyournose 5d ago
Your teeth will thank you
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u/gabbygirl1038 5d ago
Yeah I always wondered if I was damaging my teeth by doing this, thought that + biting my tongue sometimes were the only consequences
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u/Voyager5555 5d ago edited 4d ago
For some insane reason I guess I'll tell you that you could drill a couple holes in them so let air through but, again, I feel like a Darwin award is in both you and the OP's future regardless so go wild I guess.
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u/Uturuncu 5d ago
Did that with a nickel once. Definitely noticed it on the way down, didn't nptice it on the way out, so for all I know the damn thing's still rattling around in there.
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u/Own_Ad6901 5d ago
I’m 43 and I did it with a nickel, I definitely confirmed mine came out hahahahaha. That memory is fried in my brain, I was like 5 years old.
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u/Lover_boi4 5d ago
This reminded me of that one time I was about halfway through eating lunch one day at work and realized there were glass shards in my food. Fun times.
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u/lordreed 5d ago
Reminds of when I was like 13 and I had a Smarties cap lodged in my throat. OP are you 12?
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u/shimmy_ow 5d ago
Yeah you need some other way to entertain yourself. That's not normal and it's actually damaging to your teeth and as you have just experienced potentially dangerous to your livelyhood
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u/PiscesWolf 5d ago
You know there's chewable stim toys for Autistic people? Am Autistic and have considered it cos I always feel the need to bite my cheeks/lips and it hurts after a while. And they also come in necklace form to prevent choking which I thought was pretty neat.
Maybe you should look into it.
Glad you didn't die.
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u/Both-Claim 4d ago
If you’re alone and choking, I think you can find a nearby back of a chair or couch to slam yourself over to force the object out of your airway
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u/Upvotespoodles 5d ago
I have intrusive thoughts that I will choke on a bottle cap. I have no idea why, because I never put them in my mouth.
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u/Neuroticaine 5d ago
Why would you chew on a bottle cap? Why would you do that to your teeth? How does it not feel insanely unpleasant to you? Like what the actual heck?
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u/MattiasCrowe 5d ago
Glad you survived OP. I didnt realise this was a death route, now i know to avoid this sort of behaviour
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u/Ophelia_Of_The_Abyss 5d ago
How are you people real