Backstory- we were on vacation this week. He woke up with a cough (tested for COVID right away, we are both negative, and just had it 6 weeks ago) so I said have a cough drop. I want him to cough up whatever he’s got So I said have some expectorants after breakfast. All during our flight he was slathering Vicks, and popping cough drops every 20 minutes. He was doing everything he can not to cough because he thought he would choke. (He had pneumonia 10 years ago and is petrified of getting it again) 

When we finally got home after 12 hours of travel, he was stifling every cough, and kept thinking he couldn’t breath. He said can we drive to urgent care and of course I said yes. By this time it was 7:45, and when we got there they said you need to go to the er. In the car on the way to the ER in tears he said let’s  just go home. I pulled over and said are you sure? I asked 4 times, he said yes, I’m just being crazy. 

Now he is in bed upset thinking he’s going to choke and die while he sleeps and I am at a loss with what to do. We talked for 20 minutes before bed and after we got home from our drive and I think I made him more upset trying to assure him he’s not going to die. 

Any advice on how to help with some one who’s anxious like this? I thought I was helping but i think I just made everything worse?