1. Community
  2. Gut, bowel and stomach
  3. Abdominal Disorders

Difficulty Swallowing

Posted , 3 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Background: 18 yo, Male, 5'7", 132 lbs, Black

Medical History: allergy to dairy and milk proteins, deviated septum, anxiety

Medications: 80mg nexium daily for 4 weeks (40 mg for 2 weeks beforehand, 20 mg of omeprazole for two weeks before that), gabapentin 100mg daily for 2 weeks, fluticasone 2 puffs twice a day for 2 weeks

I've had difficulty swallowing both foods and liquids for about two months. I feel like i have to put force into swallowing food. Also, once it goes down, it feels like the food gets stuck in my throat and chest. The more i eat, the tighter my throat feels. I have also had pain in my stomach and nausea. I have had a barium swallow done that has shown nothing out of the ordinary, a motility test that was normal, and a 24 hr ph test while on nexium (@ 40 mg) which showed normal acid levels. When I had an endoscopy done, the doctor did not see any scar tissue, but when they dilated, there was a lot of blood, which they said should not happen if my esophagus was wide enough. After this I no longer got the feeling of being unable to swallow my own saliva. Also, they tested for EoE, but only found enough for the diagnoses in the lower esophagus, not the upper part. The gabapentin has helped with my pain, so they suspect some kind of nerve hypersensitivity, at least in my stomach. However, I am still struggling with swallowing foods and sometimes liquids, which with the liquids in particular they said should not be an issue with my esophagus stretched. Any clue what is going on? They suggested it might be in my head, but at the same time, there is this bleeding with the dilation that they say they cannot explain.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 Guest

    Posted

    You can have swallowing difficultiies from a hiatus hernia.  I very much doubt you symptoms are in your head. Doctors say this when they don’t know the answer. I would see somone else since you have had bleeding from the diliation.  These symptoms are physical and not imagined. It doesn’t sound like the procedure worked if you are still having problems. I would be very uncomfortable if my doctor told me my symptoms were in my head when I knew they were real.  I would make a complaint about that.
    • Guest
      Guest pippa58442

      Posted

      Thanks for the response Pippa. I'm glad you also believe this isn't in my head, because I know there's no way this can all just be in my head. In my endoscopy, they did find a 2cm hiatal hernia, is that severe enough that it can be causing the swallowing issues I am having now?

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Guest

      Posted

      What did your doctor tell you when the hiatus hernia was found?  He should have been able to tell you if it was big enough to cause the symptoms you are having.  I have heard of people getting problems with hiatus hernias of 3cms.  I would ask your specialist about this to get an expert opnion on what is going on.  I am not a doctor and I can only comment based on people I knew who had hiatus hernias and had swallowing difficulties.
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.