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Swallowing Difficulty - Desperate

Posted , 31 users are following.

Pipsqueak
Pipsqueak

God this is really getting me down, to point I have been wondering if I am ever going to eat again and I am frightening myself with the thoughts I am having.

I just cannot swallow solid foods, it started 4 weeks ago. i was happily eating some chicken and all of a sudden my throat 'closed' and I choked. I managed to cough it back up and carried on eating after.

Next day, for love nor money could I swallow, each time I tried i choked.

4 weeks later and I still keep trying the odd bit of food here and there and it just won't go down.

I have had an endoscope - that was a highly unpleasant experience but it found nothing. I was told to go home and eat and to stop being so stressed.

I have been to seen a sports therapist and she has found that I have very very tight neck and jaw muscles. But it still feels like food won't go down, although I did feel better once I had seen her.

Trying to get another appointment with the doctor is like golddust.

I am normally a fit and healthy 37yr old woman, mum of three. I love my food and I want to eat. Thing is, this has gone on so long now I have gone past being hungy. I think this is probably a bit physcologial now as well but the tightening really does happen.

The back of my neck, round to the front and up under the jaw is so tight.

Please someone tell me I am not going nuts and that I will be able to eat again.

5 likes, 96 replies

96 Replies

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  • janine_52180
    janine_52180 Pipsqueak

    Posted

    Hi, I have been suffering with this now for 18 months and it is really so hard to deal with. I see you have had no response for a year, are you still the same 
  • Aduppie
    Aduppie Pipsqueak

    Posted

    Hi  I was diagnosed with Achalasia in 2011 after 12 months of total agony. My heart goes out to you.  I went to the emergency room on numerous occasions and being told to relax and just bite a burger and swallow.  One of the doctors even told me that it is all in my mind!!! 

    It was only after I did my own research on the Internet that I got help.  I found out about a thing called a barium swallow and insist on getting one done. It showed very clearly that I had Achalasia.

    I had a Heller Myotomy with fundoplication done which gave me about 80% relief with solids (still have a hard time with meat and breads) and 95% relief with fluids (only battling with cappuccino  and milk shakes)  I have to drink loads of water with meals and the above fluids but other than that I live a relative normal life.

    Stress, tension and having flu have an influence on the quality though as my oesophagus goes into spasm every now and then and then "locks" for anything from 1 hour to 10 days which can be devastating at times. It unlocks itself however during that time I stay on clear fluids and do not try to force any solids down.

    My advice is to first of all go for an endoschopy, then a barium swallow to establish that you have Achalasia before considering surgery. Believe me you are not crazy - if you can't swallow, you just can't. Good luck and remember you are not allone.

    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Aduppie

      Posted

      I have not got achalasis but oesophageal dysmotility disorder and wondered if anyone else has this problem? I am unable to eat solids and eat mostly liquidised foods. My condition is very difficult to treat.
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      Hi, I think I have got the same as you. I had an endoscopy last year because of swallowing problems and it showed inflammation, h-pylori and a mild hiatus hernia, (which I knew about). Then 6 weeks ago I had a barium swallow and was told I had a dismotility problem which is not too bad but it did not show up on the endoscopy. I get severe chest pain whether I eat or not. I also stick to soft foods and running out of idea's of what to eat. Liquids are okay. 

      Do you suffer with chest pain? 

    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      Hi, I used to suffer eith bad chest pains but it is not so bad as I eat mostly soft foods now. If I eat anything a bit more solid I do sometimes get chest pain. Have you had a manometry?
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      Hi, I have not had a manometry and have'nt been told that I need one. The chest pains are really bad similar to heart attack. I spent 10 days in hospital about 10 weeks ago with chest pain and palpitations but after tests / scans my heart was alright except for ectopic beats and now on medication. I don't know what's causing the pain because I only eat soft food and have done for quite a while. Have you had a manometry, I read it is very uncomfortable.   
    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      I have had a manometry and that was how they diagnosed me properly. It is uncomfortable but I knew it had to be done for a diagnosis and in essence it is not painful! I used to get bad chest pains and have been rushed to A&E on a few occasions. Are you getting oesophageal spasms which are causing the chest pain? 
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      Hi, I don't know what is causing the pain. I also get contractions in my chest but they are not painful just uncomfortable as if something is squeezing inside my upper chest. I don't know if these are spasms or not. If mine was bad I would have thought the Dr would have said I need a manometry. It has gone worse over the last month, but my swallowing has stayed the same.

      Have you been offered an operation for it and is yours mild. 

    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      For my condition it is not operable ! I just have to live with it. It is oesophageal dysmotility disorder. I think it is rare. I have had weird feelings in my chest too but def related to what I eat and think it is my oesophagus trying to push food down .
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      I was told by my Dr that mine is a dismotility disorder too. So it seems mine coud be the same as yours. I asked the Dr if it can get worse and he said he did'nt think so because I have had it for a while. I just hope he is right.
    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      How interesting to find someone with my disorder!  I do have good days and bad days and it is def exacerbated by stress. I have been given loads of meds to try but none helped me. I am now doing hypnotherapy as my prof believes in it as it helps with IBS so therefore aids in gut problems. Are you able to eat anything slightly solid like very soft rice or angel hair pasta with a sauce ?
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      I have'nt tried eating rice or pasta, I am afraid it will get stuck. I also have a mild hiatus hernia (which I have had for a long time) that does'nt help the dismotility. When I had the endoscopy last year they found h-pylori too and I  went on a course of antibiotics but they don't always clear it up so having another test for that next week. So I may have got 3 things going on in my oesophagus. It feels a right mess in there.

      I eat weetabix for breakfast with plenty of milk and let it go really soft. lunch time soup, dinner time mash potato // gravy. I can eat fish cakes, baked beans, tin tomatoes and mushy peas. All these go down alright but would like to try something different.  

      Good luck with the hypnotherapy and hope it works for you.     

    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      Sounds like what I eat! I also eat mince meat which once cooked I blend agsin and eat with mash. Spaghetti hoops in tomato sauce also goes down well. 
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      I think I will try mince meat, I have a hand blender so should be okay. I had mince meat when I was in hospital and it was lovely and soft and had no trouble swallowing it. I was told it was for patients with swallowing difficulties. I also had cheese / potato pie which was okay as well.
    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      Also try cauliflower cooked soft with cheese sauce and try to eat basmati rice cooked really soft with a sauce 
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      Okay I will try those, It will be a change. Do you blend the cauliflower.
    • janine_52180
      janine_52180 Merryl

      Posted

      No not necessary to blend, just boil it till it is soft, add cheese sauce and bake in oven
    • Merryl
      Merryl janine_52180

      Posted

      Sounds nice. It is good to have other people's opinions.

      Thank you 

    • mary42962
      mary42962 Aduppie

      Posted

      God, thank you for your words. I hope you are doing well still. I have been dealing with this for awhile. I'm afraid to get the barium swallow get because it's thick and I cannot drink anything think. So scared. I am scared when I wake up till I go to bed. I'm in a nightmare. Thank you again for your honesty and your words.

      Mary

    • Cowgirluc
      Cowgirluc Aduppie

      Posted

      I hear you on the docs I had to figure mine out but also had to get them to do more testing . well I went to OHSU in Portland Oregon they did that thing up nose and called me told me what I had that I needed surgery. But its been 3 wks now have not heard sh*t ! I call they tell me the docs a reviewing my case . Well I'm not feeling to good about this. Will it help ? This pain is driving me insane

    • emusedone
      emusedone Cowgirluc

      Posted

      I hear you. I've been suffering with achalasia and waiting on a surgery which is supposed to help. Instead, the doctor in the same Oregon Clinic that diagnosed this ordered another endoscopy (I've had 3 in a 6 month time ) I agreed, had it, have to wait a MONTH before he will discuss with me. I'm worse than I was before, I'm at my wits end. The run around as I suffer. The feeling is horrible when you must wait for them to contact you. You just wait and wait. Unacceptable.

    • sheila_96975
      sheila_96975 emusedone

      Posted

      I hope they can help you soon..my procedure is scheduled for 8/31...I'm nervous as all get out..but I want to try it

    • Cowgirluc
      Cowgirluc emusedone

      Posted

      Where at in Oregon did you see doc at. I seen Dr .Diamond 1st , Then got referred to surgeon About 5days after mamonetry test done done. So I seen Dr Dolan and his team. They did a great job that part works great now. I still have esphogus soazm due to stage 3 so will learn to live with that. At least it don't hurt to eat now. Well only I seem to have Colan issues could be my pain meds that I'm going off from 14 yrs due to shattered vertbres to see if my colon issue is from pills or IBS,or the achalsia has spread thru my whole intestines.

      I have no or had any acid reflux . The real bad thing is I can not throw up ! I have been real sick due to acute colitis and all I could do is dry heave🤔 So there is pros and con's and everyone is different on how well hell or react to a surgery. Good luck!

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