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Posted 11/6/2005 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
I have been living a nightmare for the last 60 days it started one day after work I was eating dinner with my family and began to choke. Ever since then it has been a physical and mental nightmare and is getting worse.

I am 37 and a very well adjusted person until recently, I have been to my primary doctor an ENT and a GI. I think they believe I am nuts among a few others. I have lost 10lbs and am mentally exhausted.

I had an ENT tell me it looks great nothings wrong but yet Im still choking and it got worse.

I had a Barrium xray which showed acid reflux but no stricter in my esphagus but I still kept choking and could not and did not want to eat anymore.

I had a choking attack one day because I had a headache and wanted to take an aleve but not on an empty stomach so I tried to eat a cracker and then I ended up in  ER and admited for dehydration and a GI scoped me and told me my esphagus has no damage but I may have a mobility issue she perscribed me previcde 2x a day and reglan at each meal and before bed, and sent me on my merry way. Well I am still choking and more confused then ever.

I am at a loss I intend to call my Primary who thinks Im nuts and have him refer me to a nerologist to see if this is more then GERD.

Can anyone relate to this nightmare, how long if this is all gerd before I am me again and can sit down and eat with my kids a dinner again.

or is there more to meets the eye and is another doctor needed.

Your advice is helpful thank you.

Posted 11/6/2005 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi There, Welcome to the Forum~I'm sorry you're having a tough time right now. I have never experienced your symptoms, but just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in your battel w/GERD. Maybe, if you stroll through some of the other posts, you could possible gain some info on your specific symptoms.

I hope you get some answers and start to feel better soon.

Vanessa
Posted 11/11/2005 6:15 PM (GMT 0)

I have had some swallowing problems due to GERD. I find I have most difficulty with meats and dry foods. I avoid eating meat and if I do eat meat I take a small serving size and chew thoroughly. I also will often take some water with each swallow to help a dry piece go down.

I have choked a few times but find if something feels like its going to get stuck on the way down I can help things by lifting my head up and chin down. Not certain why but it seems to help. I also find if I am having a problem with a swallow that I can help myself by taking an extra breath and then trying again. Not certain if any of this makes sense.

I was told by a physician that the muscles in the throat become paralyzed as a result of GERD. I'm not a physician but imagine that the process could start in some people before the point where there is damage to the cells in your esophagus. I have difficulty swallowing, often, and the cells in my esophagus are normal; just had an endoscopy and biopsy about a month ago. As my GERD symptoms subside the swallowing problem subsides somewhat over a few weeks. I am not positive, but I suspect regurgitation is the biggest cause of swallowing difficulty, but that's simply what I suspect from observing my own symptoms.

Hope this helps.

Chester

Posted 11/12/2005 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Its odd but what you said seems just about right the last two days I am having a better time with eating not my natural self but enough to get by.

I have been on prevacid for seven days now and the last two days I just started taking the reglan. So your right if the gerd is under control the swallowing is better.

My doctor gave me some zanax as well to calm me, my nevers are shot.

I also have to see a neurologist next they think I have a motility problem I think it may be this Gerd that doctors all seem to under estimate.

I have never felt such lose of control since this has all started every one on this post who has had gerd for a long time or recently should pat them selfs on the back because this is no easy living. I hope you all find some thing that works for you and makes this bearable. I try to remember god only gives you what you can handle.

Thanks

C-

 

Posted 11/12/2005 6:09 PM (GMT 0)

Perhaps something in my history may help you. Hope so. My GERD was pretty much silent for about 15 years. Silent means I had symptoms and was damaging my esophagus but wasn't feeling much of what I was getting exposed to. I mostly ignored the discomfort I felt or if it was really bad I took Pepcid for a few days until the discomfort went away. I wasn't under medical care for GERD and simply learned to sleep elevated and rarely took medicine.

I'm also a colitis patient and a few years ago asked my GI doc to do an endoscopy at the same time as he was scheduled to do a routine colonoscopy in early 2003. I didn't mind as long as he didn't reuse the scope (just joking!). He found the cells in my esophagus had started to change and found a lot of irritation. That started a long odyssey that resulted in Nissen Fundiplcation surgery in March of 2004. It was clear to me that I wasn't aware that I was being exposed to pathologic amounts of acid.

I had my first swallowing problems in the summer of 2002. I was in the habit of sleeping elevated for GERD but one week in the summer I was camping where I was forced to sleep flat on the ground. During that week I started having swallowing problems as described in my earlier post. I also had regurgitation from GERD, although at the time I had no clue what was happening.

By coincidence I had an appt for a routine physical with my regular doc (family practitioner) soon after I returned from my camping trip. I mentioned the swallowing problem but he seemed reluctant to do anything about it. He reluctantly agreed to refer me for a swallowing test but at the time the facility doing the test had some sort of problem with my insurance carrier. My appointment was delayed and by the time the fight with the carrier was resolved my symptoms were gone so I cancelled the appointment. This was about a month after I was home and sleeping elevated again. No more problems swallowing.

The camping trip is part of an annual event I attend and the same thing happened the next year. This 2nd trip was in the summer of 2003 and I had learned in the Spring of that year that my GERD was much more serious than I had been aware of. Through research I had learned about swallowing problems as a side effect to GERD and had learned that part of my problem was regurgitation. I had the same difficulty swallowing during that week of camping and it predictably subsided a few weeks after I started sleeping elevated again.

I gave myself one year from my endoscopy in early 2003 to try to control the GERD before having surgery. I researched everything I could on the Internet, saw Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physicians and did whatever I could to avoid the surgery. I also added Nexium to my regimen.

I didn't enjoy this but I was able to pretty much control my symptoms and eliminate my swallowing problems by sleeping in a chair instead of elevated on pillows in a bed. Except when travelling for business or during my annual camping trip I slept in a chair. My wife was kind enough to grant me visiting rights and I could enjoy short periods of lying flat but every night I was sleeping in a chair.

Turns out we have the perfect chair for this as not any chair will do. Ask me about the chair if you want to learn more. The problem with sleeping elevated in bed is that during the night you tend to slip off the elevated pillow and for me I was regularly experiencing symptoms at about 4:30AM. You could set your clock by my symptoms in the early AM. In the chair I had gravity on my side and I had no nighttime symptoms and no regurgitation. My swallowing problems went away.

I experienced some side effects from the Nexium (stomach pains) which I verified by stopping the meds (pains went away) and restarting the meds (pains came back). So I was in a place where I had to sleep in a chair, couldn't tell most of the time when I was being exposed to pathologic amounts of acid (and probably bile) and couldn't take Nexium. Sleeping in a chair pretty much put me in control but my quality of life was poor. I decided after 9 months to schedule myself for surgery in March of 2004.  I had a Nissen done in March 2004 and had fairly good results until very recently.

I do have some mild swallowing problems now but my GERD symptoms evidently aren't severe enough for the surgeon to agree to redo the Nissen. I'm in a bit of dilemma since the docs measure what they measure to make their decisions and don't necessarily look at all of me and my symptoms. I suppose their hands are tied by lawyers and insurance reimbursement policies that make it very difficult for someone to actually practice medicine; I've learned that most medicine is by the book. Vary from protocol and you risk not getting paid or getting sued.

In any event I'm trying to figure out if I can control my symptoms sufficiently without a redo of the surgery and without having to sleep in my chair (which I detest but works).

If this story rings a bell you might try sleeping in a chair to see if your swallowing problems ease up. If they do then you may be on the same path as me.  Reply to this post if you want some chair recommendations.

Good luck and hope this helps.

Chester
Posted 11/22/2005 3:48 AM (GMT 0)

about 45 days ago it suddenly became difficult to swallow solid food.  It felt like I was choking right up at the top of the throat.  My airway was never obstructed, but it felt like it could be at any moment and it really scared me terribly.  Even when I didn't eat, it felt strange. I am still amazed at how fast this symptom came on.

I went to my primary doctor who sent me to a barium swallow, where it was found I had strictures at the top of the esophagus and the bottom.  I was referred to a gastro interologist for an endoscopy, where he confirmed the strictures and the damage to the esophagus stating, "marked friability and oozing of blood."  He dilated the strictures and put me on Prevacid solutab.  I was grateful he prescribed solutabs because there was no way that I could possibly have swallowed a pill.

Now here is where it gets weird--I was told that I could resume eating solid food.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Whenever I swalling something with texture it almost sends me into a panic, as I feel the food "bunch" in the back of my throat.  I can still breathe okay, but it feels like that could change at any time. 

This feeling was so intense after the dilation that I broke into hyperventilation and went to the emergency room.  They gave me lorazepam (antianxiety) drug and sent me on my way.  I called my doctor and he told me that I must have an anxiety disorder because my "throat is totally open" and that food should pass without a problem.  When I met with the doctor a week ago he again told me to see a psychiatrist for this anxiety. 

I have not yet gone to the psychiatrist.  Why should I?  OF COURSE I HAVE ANXIETY if it feels like food is bunching in my throat.

My question to the forum regards my feeling "strange" in the back of my mouth/throat even when I'm not eating. My throat often feels dry.  When I am distressed, I can often get relief by scraping the back of my tongue with a tongue scraper.

Do people with GERD only feel uncomfortable when eating, or is there a strange feeling in the throat pretty much all the time? Can I ignore the choking feeling and have confidence that I won't choke to death?

I can drink liquids and slurries okay, but if it has texture then the sensation can make me panic.  Does this make any sense?  The doctor treats me like I must be crazy.

Has anybody out there made it through this and resumed a normal life?  Please post a reply if you have. I'm not getting the emotional support I need from my doctor.

Posted 11/22/2005 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
I've felt discomfort when swallowing and have had strictures in my esophagus. For many years the acid reflux was silent -- I found out about it when I choked on something and had to be dilated in 1999. Over the past summer I started feeling the acid reflux for whatever reason. In early September I had an endoscopy that discovered another stricture. It was dilated. Afterwards I had terrible acid reflux. For many weeks I had pain, discomfort like food was caught in my esophagus even when I hadn't eaten anything, and thought I might have trouble swallowing something although I never did. I was pretty miserable but I don't think it was as bad as what you describe. To answer your question, yes, I am now feeling better. It happened slowly over time and I can't point to a day when I felt better. Even now I'm hesitant to state I feel any better on the chance I will "jinx" it.

I suspect that the throat was still irritated and inflamed after the endoscopy and took awhile to heal. I also believe that the endoscopy loosened the LES and let more acid enter the esophagus for a few days afterwards. I actually felt the acid "squirt" up into my esophagus the day after the endoscopy. The doctor says it's unlikely, but I know what I felt.

I have changed my diet pretty dramatically in the last several months. I have dropped all soda (diet coke was a biggie for me and the carbonation apparenlty causes problems), caffeine, alcohol (I didn't drink much), chocolate (very hard for me), spicy foods, and a variety of high carb foods. No more bread, pasta, etc. It was hard but overtime I started to feel better. It's not completely better -- I still feel small sharp pains occassionally, but very livable. I don't feel much going down my throat except for a fish oil pill I take. It's pretty large and sometimes it feels like I will choke on it but never do. I also use a reflux pillow while I sleep, which I hate, and don't eat 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.

I also took two Nexium each day -- one in the morning and one in the evening. The doctor told me to also take a Zantac in the evening but I don't think it helped and stopped. When I didn't feel better about 3 weeks after the endoscopy, he gave me a prescription for a liquid called Carafate. It is for ulcers -- I had been diagnosed with a small ulcer in September. The Carafate made a load of difference. It coated my esophagus. I suspect it helped it heal. If the doctor won't prescribe it for you, perhaps a liquid antacid like Mylanta might help.I took the Carafate every morning and evening for perhaps 3 weeks. I now take it once every several days.

I never felt the anxiety that you felt, although I didn't eat much while I was feeling bad primarily to attempt to reduce the pain from the acid. I probably lost 15 pounds! I could see how you feel anxious. Just give it time, let your esophagus heal, and hopefully the discomfort and related anxiety will slowly go away.

Two other things: I had a little bleeding during my initial dilation in 1999. However, I had a very tight stricture and the doctor said it was from the dilation. Perhaps that was the cause of the blood? Also, are you going in for a second endoscopy? I will be going back in next week, about 2-1/2 months after the first, to see if the dilation was successful and how much the esophagus has healed. I gather my doctor doesn't think a stricture is always completely gone after one dilation.

Good luck.
Posted 11/22/2005 4:39 PM (GMT 0)

My experience is there is a huge difference in the experience and knowledge of physicians even within the same specialty. Perhaps you've heard the old joke: What do you call the medical student that graduates at the bottom of his/her class? The answer: Doctor.

If I was having swallowing problems of the order described in these posts I would start doctor shopping. Be organized by doing research first, write down your questions and interview various docs until you find one that makes sense. If you aren't qualified to do this on your own get help from a family member or see if you can find someone to advocate for you. My sister-in-law, the nurse, has been doing this for her elderly parents and she's done a marvelous job. Its a frustrating process and often you feel that the energy expended in the process is worse than the energy expended to deal with the disease, but if that's true then don't doctor shop.

I'm biased in that I try to see physicians who are at a major university medical center but I don't limit myself. In example: I recently learned that Osteopathic physicians have something called visceral therapy that is supposed to be helpful with GERD. I'm going for a consult with someone who does the therapy to see if it will help.

I also found you can find the name of a top specialist in a field by calling a company that sells equipment to that field and asking who is familiar with using their equipment/therapy. For GERD there are several firms marketing equipment to GERD specialists. In your case you could find the company that makes the equipment that does the dialations used on your strictures. Other possibilities: Medtronic sells the Bravo monitoring system, Curon Medical sells the Stretta and so on. The reps that work for these companies often know the players and who is good and who is not better than other physicians. Your local doc may only know the local specialists and if you want the best you may have to get outside whatever local box you are in. Typically, that means a research hospital affiliated with a medical center, but not always.

I would also be cautious of any doc who tells you anything that sounds to good to be true or so bad that you hope it isn't true. I try to believe and disbelieve everything I hear and eventually I decide what is truth and what is not. Often docs use the word "can't" when they really mean "don't know".

Good Luck.

Chester

Posted 11/22/2005 8:09 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Celia,

   I'm sorry about your problem.  Are you on any meds?  Are you on anything that could dry your mouth out?  Is your mouth usually dry?  I have GERD, but I went through a spell when I was on an antidepressant, when I would choke.  But......I'm thinking, for me, it had more to do with my hormones.  I was in my late 40's.  It started looking to me that it had to do with hormone drops and fluctuations.  I know people around your age who actually start going through perimenopause.  For me, it was like my esophogus just got weak.  I also started having trouble breathing at night.  All this finally passed after I was through menopause.

   One supplement that I've found works on "weak"  muscles is magnesium.  It helps me in various ways.  Since the esophagus is a muscle, perhaps it would help you too?   It can't hurt.  I take around 200 mg twice a day.  I've known a number of women who began having trouble swallowing around perimenopause.  Good luck to you.  This will pass, so don't get too discouraged.

Posted 11/27/2005 3:58 AM (GMT 0)

Well, I am still having difficulty swallowing sold food especially meat and breads, but I have improved alot I have been on prevacid 30mg 2x daily and ditched the reglan. My Doctor told me it wasn't to help me swallow just move things intestinally faster. I see no point in it then I told him so I quit it.

I also discovered I have a bone spur on my neck at the c3 and c4 vertebrae it is compressing my esophagus. I have to go for a swallowing test to see if they consistency of my food is a problem and if the spur is making it worse. Well I think its all from the GERD, but intend to fallow through with all these test. I think doctors should listen more to their patients symptoms then in a book most every one on her with reflux disease is having difficulty swallowing. Could this sensation be a muscle issue like a spasm of sort from the reflux?

 

Posted 11/27/2005 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
 

I find it helps to drink some water if I'm eating something that is dry. Ketchup also helps with dry meat. Seems to lubricate the works and things go down easier. I eat meat occasionally but I use the problem to motivate me to avoid meat (so I can avoid saturated animal fats which are carcinogens and bad for your heart).

Chester

Posted 6/18/2008 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys,

I stumbled on this forum while researching another matter so this is my first post. My wife had symptoms very similar to those described here. Our local Gp thought it was a mobility issue and prescribed some pills ( sorry can't remember what they were). They didn't help at all so he just kept increasing the dose! After about one year of no improvement we got a second opinion from another GP who referred my wife to a prominent Gastro Enterologist in Brisbane who very quickly diagnosed the problem as Achalasia. We chose the surgical repair option over the balloon method and she is now about 90% of her old self.

Hope this helps
Posted 9/26/2008 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
celiabr - if you are still on here - i have the same problem with my neck bones and esophagus!

an ear, nose and throat doctor saw it when he scoped inside my nose. he saw the bones / discs were bulging against my esophagus / throat. i knew i had some problems back there with degenerative disc disorder, but it's getting worse, and may be effecting my throat now.

so i'm getting an endoscopy again on Monday, and then an upper GI and swallowing study to see if there's even a ZENKER'S DIVERTICULUM that has formed in my esophagus. this is a pocket or web that sometimes forms and catches the food / pills / fluids on the side / back of the throat, or sometimes there's a mucous-web build up that catches ingested solids for a time.

check it out on the web, these may be rare things, but i hope this info helps someone in need.
Posted 10/4/2008 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
because i can't swallow solids at all right now, because of - whatever it is - i'm eating babay food to get sustenance - much better than just yogurt.
had a little trouble with the baby-chicken/broth food, but at least i can do the vegetables and cereal.
got filled up last night on a very small portion of each. doesn't have to be processed at all, just put it on plate, mix up in a cup just a little of the baby-rice cereal, and heat, and sit with your family, but don't talk while chewing to stay safe. have some yogurt or blended peaches there in case something's still too dry. plenty of lactose-free milk and water too.
between these things and the Myoplex protein drinks in the blender, and soy-protein mixes, and putting bananas and strawberries in them, i'm at least not as depressed as i was. juicing fresh carrots and celery too, and of course, tomato and creamed soups, strained so the little chunks of meat aren't in there.

talking to the pharmacy about what pills i can crush helps too, as i really need to keep the B-Complex and D and E going down someway, and my normal hormone and BP pills too.

just trying to handle it all.
blessings to you all.
love, maresha
Posted 12/9/2008 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Maresha,
I have been telling every doctor I see that my neck bones are pressing against my throat and they all tell me I am crazy!! I have just had a torn ligament in my neck which allowed it to become very unstable--I have been getting prolotherapy shots to stablize my neck--which is working--but the bones still press against my throat!!! Some days it almost isn't there, but right now, it feels the worst it has ever been--like they are going to poke right through into my throat from the back!!!! I do not know what to do!!! Let me know if you get any help.
Posted 12/9/2008 6:55 AM (GMT 0)

Freeport Beach,

Welcome to HealingWell and the GERD and Heartburn forum.

I am so sorry you are having the problems with swallowig.  Have you seen an ENT or asked you CP for a referral to a specialist in throat problems associated with injuries?

I am sure you will meet wonderful members here that will support you and hopefully someone will have some better advice.

Take care and again welcome.

Kitt

Posted 12/9/2008 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Kitt,

Here is a longer version of my problem, in case it helps anybody else. Although I tore my diaphragm while trying to hold up a very heavy shelf while my husband screwed it into the wall, and got a hiatal hernia two years ago, (and my old family doctor just gave me reflux medicine and sent me home) I researched on the net and found about drinking large glasses of warm water in the morning and jumping off the steps. Well, it worked for me the very first time, and I never had another bit of trouble...until...

I tore the ligament in my neck---which caused all kinds of "upperward" pull on my stomach. I was also on Skelaxin (muscle relaxers) for my neck injury, and was drinking peppermint tea for the spasms in my throat (ignorantly, it turns out, because although the peppermint immediately ended the spasms, it also relaxed the bottom sphincter of my esophagus, which started allowing the stomach up!!) I had so many terrible symptoms from my neck, that I wasn't even realizing all the pain in my throat was now coming from a sliding hiatal hernia, which was also allowing all the stomach acid up.

Once I realized what was happening, I got off the skelaxin (which are TERRIBLE--GO TO ASKAPATIENT.COM, AND SEE THE COMMENTS!) It took a long time to get it out of my system, and a terrible afteraffect is that once your muscles are no longer getting help relaxing, they spasm even tighter!! My diaphragm, (which is an involuntary muscle that you cannot control, except by deep breathing) started to literally choke me by being so tight!!! It took an acupuncturist to help relieve that problem. But at the same time, I was suffering from the hernia symptoms, which I went to my new family doctor for. Even though I told him I was pretty sure it was a hernia, and had one before, he sent me for a gall bladder test!! (It is called CYA--cover your ass--a gall bladder can burst, but a hernia is thought of as "no big deal" in traditional medicine. So when my test came back negative, and me in agony, he finally ordered the endoscopy. Well, in the meantime, I had been researching, and making contacts to track down someone who knew the technique to reduce hernias. It took many phone calls and emails, but I finally found someone right in my hometown (Columbus, ohio) and made an appointment. And here is where it gets stupid....I couldn't stand the symptoms (which included pain at the bottom of my sternum, terrible throat constriction, heart palpitations, but mostly, extreme "brain squish"--the upward pressure shut down my thyroid (at the top of your throat) and also put pressure on my already compromised brain stem--resulting in brain fog, inability to think, speak, type, ARGGH!! So I got adjusted by the great chiropractor I found, and the hernia slid back out......before the endoscopy, which showed that I DID NOT HAVE A HERNIA!!! SO now my doctor, who is smart enough to know that hernia's slide in and out, thinks I did not ever have a hernia!!

So, for right now, I continue to see my chiropractor, who has kept it down for a month, until Friday, when I did two stupid things. I ate ice cream (cold is a huge no-no) because it caused my lower esophagus to spasm, and then immediately bent over (another no-no, squatting from now on) and WHAM! my stomach slammed right up into my esophagus again, with such force it almost made me throwup!!! I have been doing everything I know to do about it
(there is tons of stuff on the internet about self help, but the best so far has been from a book by DR. Baroody that has all kinds of info about fixing hiatal hernias--I recommend it). But, unfortunately, this time, I have not been able to get it back down myself, so I am off to my chiro again today to hopefully get it fixed.

And after the whole ice cream, bend over incident, I am newly committed and aware of the time and effort it is going to take to get this sucker to heal up again. Because everything I read about the surgery makes it sound sketchy and not very long lasting!

I advocate for everyone to read up on everything they can find about the connection between GERD and hiatal hernia and if your family doctor won't listen to you, find a chiropractor and acupuncturist who will!!! I started my Chiro search on a site called JOYFUL LIVING, where they list a few docs who do it. I called and emailed the one nearest me, to see if he knew anyone in my area, which, thank goodness, he did, because I was willing to drive to whereever he was to get it done!!! Also, just Google hiatal hernia with chiropractor and stuff pops up that way too. The manipulation is so easy, that it makes no sense to go through tons of horribly invasive tests first, just let the chiro figure it out and treat it!!! And do it as soon as you have symptoms, so you can prevent damage to your stomach and esophagus!!! Traditional medicine just wants to put you on pills that ruin your body suppressing your stomach acid for the rest of your life...this ruins your digestion and starts insidious domino effects on all your organs.

Okay, I have gone on and on, but I hope it helps somebody who reads it. I have to go to my chiro appointment.
Best luck to anyone out there, I feel your pain!!!
Freeport Beach
Posted 7/21/2009 3:49 AM (GMT 0)
I have started having problems swallowing for about 2 years now. I have worked out it is all physocological because when I am eating by myself it is ok, but when i am in the company of others i have trouble swallowing.

It is all anxiety related and you just have to stop thinking about it and try and ignore the fact that others are around.

Its crazy i know but it is true.

WilsonG
Posted 7/21/2009 3:43 PM (GMT 0)

Good Morning Wilson

Welcome to HealingWell and for sharing your opinion with the members.  :-) I am sorry to hear you have swallowing problems due to anxiety.  However the issues members with GERD have swallowing are different and I am sure  if you read through the many threads your will see that. People with GERD may also have anixety. 

Here is a thread you may like to review.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&m=1483795

If anxiety is a problem for you please do join us in the A & P Forum.  We do have members over there that have problems with swallowing also.

Again thank you for your input.

Kitt

Posted 11/16/2009 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
I had been dealing with trouble swallowing for a couple months recently, but the past 2 weeks or so, it has gotten completely better. I wanted to post here because I remember reading this board and others looking for help. I fell into a depression because it would take me a swallow of water for every tiny bit of food I ate just to swallow. It would take me 45 minutes just to eat a grilled cheese. I felt embarrassed to eat around other people, and I lost weight. It generally made me very sad and frustrated.

It started last summer when I felt like I would choke on food from time to time. It got worse and worse so I eventually went to the doctor where we did a barium swallow (swallow xray. Didn't hurt and was not uncomfortable) -- of course they found nothing and I felt even more depressed. I had a lot of stress during these months, and realize now that my difficulty swallowing food was because of this stress. I worked on my stress on my own and became less uptight, and eventually the problem subsided. I now enjoy food again and can eat around other people with no trepidation or fear. I swallow completely normal now. I know I won't choke and I don't think about each swallow.

The purpose of this post is, I know how upsetting it can be when you can't swallow food. It took over my entire mental well-being for awhile. I just wanted to come here and say that it WILL get better and you will return to normal. It's a temporary problem, if it's anxiety like mine was.

I would suggest if you're having these problems, go see a ear/nose/throat specialist and tell them what you're going through. They will run a test or two to make sure nothing is physically wrong. If they find nothing what happened with me, then just take some time each day to relax. Try to be less uptight. Acknowledge your stress and take a deep breath. It's going to be OK, it really is. My stress was temporary and once I realized that the swallowing problem went away entirely.

I fully believe it was just a phase in my life and anything can be conquered. You control your own mind, don't let anxiety control you as hard as it can be sometimes. It's important not to just push everything off on anxiety though, I think going to the doctor first is very important just in case there is a physical reason for the Dysphagia you're suffering through.

Hang in there and try to relax. It will get better. Anyone who would like any of my advice, as limited as it is, don't hesitate to reply. I know what you're going through.

:-)
Posted 11/17/2009 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Larry,
Wilson was only here to post for this one time. I've haven't heard from him since July.

Joy
Posted 8/9/2010 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
I just want to mention that my dad has Parkinson's Disease and as part of that, and the aging process (he is 93) his swallowing problems have gotten the worst yet. First for I'd say a couple of years, he'd cough or sound like he was gagging only after he drank beverages or had some soup. I thought it was odd, but I did see a container of "thickening" stuff on the window ledge by the window we'd sit near at lunch time.

It turns out that he can't eat solids any longer but only "thickened" liquids and puddings. My relative is a speech therapist and somehow they are the ones that educate people such as yourselves on how to deal with this extremely difficult problem. I think it has to do with the muscles that are used for swallowing and how they don't work right when you gag! Somehow these muscles get weakened.

I am wondering if a neurologist might be the type of doctor to see, and also find out about speech therapists and how they can help too.

Good luck to all of you!
Posted 8/10/2010 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
Difficulty swallowing is one of the many symptoms of a magnesium deficiency. Taking some extra magnesium works for me every time. It's a mineral that many people are deficient in.
Posted 8/30/2011 3:59 AM (GMT 0)

JohnPataky said...
about 45 days ago it suddenly became difficult to swallow solid food. It felt like I was choking right up at the top of the throat. My airway was never obstructed, but it felt like it could be at any moment and it really scared me terribly. Even when I didn't eat, it felt strange. I am still amazed at how fast this symptom came on.

I went to my primary doctor who sent me to a barium swallow, where it was found I had strictures at the top of the esophagus and the bottom. I was referred to a gastro interologist for an endoscopy, where he confirmed the strictures and the damage to the esophagus stating, "marked friability and oozing of blood." He dilated the strictures and put me on Prevacid solutab. I was grateful he prescribed solutabs because there was no way that I could possibly have swallowed a pill.

Now here is where it gets weird--I was told that I could resume eating solid food. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Whenever I swalling something with texture it almost sends me into a panic, as I feel the food "bunch" in the back of my throat. I can still breathe okay, but it feels like that could change at any time.

This feeling was so intense after the dilation that I broke into hyperventilation and went to the emergency room. They gave me lorazepam (antianxiety) drug and sent me on my way. I called my doctor and he told me that I must have an anxiety disorder because my "throat is totally open" and that food should pass without a problem. When I met with the doctor a week ago he again told me to see a psychiatrist for this anxiety.

I have not yet gone to the psychiatrist. Why should I? OF COURSE I HAVE ANXIETY if it feels like food is bunching in my throat.

My question to the forum regards my feeling "strange" in the back of my mouth/throat even when I'm not eating. My throat often feels dry. When I am distressed, I can often get relief by scraping the back of my tongue with a tongue scraper.

Do people with GERD only feel uncomfortable when eating, or is there a strange feeling in the throat pretty much all the time? Can I ignore the choking feeling and have confidence that I won't choke to death?

I can drink liquids and slurries okay, but if it has texture then the sensation can make me panic. Does this make any sense? The doctor treats me like I must be crazy.

Has anybody out there made it through this and resumed a normal life? Please post a reply if you have. I'm not getting the emotional support I need from my doctor.


I know this is REALLY old, but I have the same exact thing going on with me right now, and I'm wondering if you ever found out what it was? were you ever able to eat normal again??
Posted 9/4/2011 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
I recommmend eating NATURAL HAZELNUTS FOR HURTBURN and stomach pain, for me are like a miracle. Eat as many as needed after meals and at night. I have stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome and for years I have benefited from this simple food that segregates my acidity and my quality of life is much improved. Good luck
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