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  3. Oesophageal Achalasia and Spasm

I have what someone called esophageal spasms.

Posted , 4 users are following.

judith75147
judith75147

Food seems to get stuck half way down my esophagus.  I can’t get it up or down,  not even water.  Although I am not really choking, I frequently do that too.  Sometimes I almost vomit. What is this?   What causes it, and what can I do bout it, if anything.

I am also upset about what a messy eater I have recently become.  I’m always dropping bits of food down my front. It’s very embarrassing.   I am 82 years old and have GERD.

 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • GlamC
    GlamC judith75147

    Posted

    Hi,

    i hope you have gone to see your GP as a first off.

    I have had to adapt my diet and avoid meat generally although I can manage very soft braised meat. Mostly eating fish, eggs and cheese these days. I also avoid bread and rice which cause my problems. I take my time eating and much smaller mouthfuls. I also avoid other triggers such as very cold drinks, especially anything fizzy, so lager,

    champagne etc. Room temperature tap water and warm drinks are more helpful when things are bad. I also tend to reflux food at night and aspiration into the lungs can be a problem. I have had a couple of nasty episodes which required antibiotics last winter after waking choking on food.

    you need to see a doctor to discuss what is happening to you specifically though. 

  • DJ-RN
    DJ-RN judith75147

    Posted

    It sounds like you have narrowing of your esophagus. Talk to your Dr. and get him to order a barium swallow with speech and take it from there. It sounds like you could have Alchalasia but probably just an esophagus that needs stretching. An esophageal dilatation. Let us know how it goes. 

    DJ~RN

  • AlanJM
    AlanJM judith75147

    Posted

    Sometimes massaging your chest area, or even dropping on to your heels can make a difference with food going down.

    ​It might be that you are suffering from regurgitation, which is when the pressure of a blockage above your stomach causes you to regurgitate food that has not been digested in your stomach at all.

    ​It is possible that the GERD is connected with whatever is causing this blockage.

    ​The only way to find out is to be referred for a test.   This would normally involve an endoscopy, a miniature camera out down your throat.   If you have a sedative then it normally makes a great deal of difference in the comfort stakes.

    ​The doctor will probably think that one of the things that could cause this is a tumour, either benign or cancerous, so do not be surprised to be whisked in for an urgent check.   It is not something that you can really ignore because if it gets worse you will have problems taking in the nutrition that you need to keep healthy.

    ​Once you have a diagnosis, you can then decide what to have done about it.

     

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