Crohn's and choking

Hi.
I have Crohn's (and some other problems) but lately the Crohn's is frightening me. I've been choking on even the smallest bites of food. The tiniest, well chewed bites of food get stuck and hurt very badly in my abdomen or throat. I usually can get it down eventually by drinking some coke. Other times I'm having to throw up. I took a throat x-ray where I drank some contrast to see if there were any throat problems, but it didn't show much narrowing. I am also cramping after everything I eat the last few weeks, but the choking has been going on for at least 6 months. I'm seeing the doctor Monday and was supposed to get some blood work done Christmas Eve but the lab closed early. I take Humira shots every other week, but the doctor said we can still have symptoms even on the best meds, unfortunately. He said we might try flagyll. I know that I am very sensitive to anti-biotics and they have caused flares before, although I know flagyl has helped my arthritis in the past. What to do? Does it sound like I will need surgery? I had a blockage about 13 years ago that passed on it's own in the hospital. I wasn't diagnosed with Crohn's until 10 years later. Sorry for writing so much. I am scared, exhausted, HUNGRY, and feeling like giving up. I do see a counselor but it's hard not being depressed when you have this disease.

Have you had your Thyroid checked lately? I had similar symptoms to yours, choking easily on food, flu like symptoms, heart beat thumping etc and turned out I was Hyperthyroid. It was easily fixed with medication, but did take awhile to get 100%. Just a thought, hope it helps.

Hi.
Thank you for the responses. I did have an EGD, but no significant narrowing was shown. I had my thyroid checked in October so that's not it. I'm not normally a soda drinker but my grandma has had Crohn's for most of her life (at least we think it's Crohn's - she was never diagnosed, but has had many stomach surgeries and almost bled to death from ulcers) and has had the same problems I have so always had to have a coke available for when food wouldn't go down and she advised me to do that so I started it and it really has saved me at times. Water doesn't help the food get through wherever it's getting stuck. My BM's are sporadic. Either the big D or constipated slightly, almost like it's stuck and then all hell breaks loose!

Thank you for the info. I guess I'll just have to hang in here and hope for the best. Take care.

Post Edited (imstillalive) : 12/28/2008 3:21:25 PM (GMT-7)