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Muscle problems or anxiety

Posted , 6 users are following.

Andy1866
Andy1866

Hi everyone so start I am 16 and I need answers like now. So I started with anxiety during November and sometimes I would get panic attacks while eating with family so I would be unable to eat and then since feburary of 2018 I started to to fear eating. I don’t even know why but I started fearing as I thought I would choke everyone I swallow. But anyways may 31st I had barium swallow test where they made me swallow a barium liquid which went fine but then when I swallowed barium pill it got stuck in esophagus and I pankiced because I saw it there stuck. So then on they made me have an endoscopy like 2 weeks later and they looked in esophagus and stomach and showed everything was absolutely fine inside which surprised me and the doctor said the pill seemed to have gotten stuck because you were very nervous and your anxiety was off the roof which it was during the barium swallow test. But anyways yea so they said I could eat anything I want but I still have my anxiety off eating, I am still scared to eat and I fear it could muscle problems in esophagus or something like that. I only swallow food with water most times but I mostly don’t eat as much as I am too nervous too swallow but some other days I feel good like last Saturday I ate almost my whole plate because I was feeling very good so I ate most of chicken with Rice and beans. But anyways for most times I struggle to eat and feel if I swallow food it will get stuck because of esophagus muscles like alachalsia or something like that. Can someone please tell me what’s happening. Anxiety or what? sad

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • joseph98786
    joseph98786 Andy1866

    Posted

    I would suggest getting a second opinion as it sounds like your oesaphagus is swollen and won't allow the food pass down normally without feeling you're checking. I'm not sure if it should have shown up on the endescopy but I would certainly seek a second opinion. Good luck

  • AlanJM
    AlanJM Andy1866

    Posted

    For your digestive system to work well, it needs to be fairly relaxed.   Tension can make things worse.   So what I would suggest is that you try and get some form of relaxation therapy with the aim of relaxing more around food and swallowing.   I know this is easier said than done!   I think that the barium swallow test is a positive sign that your system can work well sometimes.   So you may be right about the fear you have in eating and swallowing.

    Even if you have some form of achalasia or similar motility issue, you would still need to look after this relaxation issue because any procedures to deal with achalasia would still need you to relax to get the full benefit.

    The food you swallow takes a minute or two to reach your stomach, and often the blockage might be around your diaphragm, where there is a sphincter valve which should stretch to allow food to pass down and then close to prevent stomach acid from rising.   So do take time to chew things well, allow time between mouthfuls, and concentrate on food that is easy to swallow.   You do need to maintain nutrition, so think of soups and soft food.   This may well end up in restoring your confidence.

    People of your age sometimes get accused unfairly of having eating disorders when this sort of thing happens, but it sounds to me as if you want to eat well, so that is a real positive.

     

    • Andy1866
      Andy1866 AlanJM

      Posted

      what cause muscle problems in esophagus doe?
    • AlanJM
      AlanJM Andy1866

      Posted

      It can sometimes by the nerve endings of the muscles that drive the contractions that propel the food down towards the stomach.
    • Andy1866
      Andy1866 AlanJM

      Posted

      oh. But like how would you even get it in he first place? Because I’ve always been healthy and never had any crazy disease or mothing
    • AlanJM
      AlanJM Andy1866

      Posted

      Nobody knows the cause for certain, but some people think it is some form of virus, or perhaps an auto-immune response of some kind.
  • erickim1985
    erickim1985 Andy1866

    Posted

    Sound like an anxiety problem 
    • erickim1985
      erickim1985 Andy1866

      Posted

      Anxiety and stress can control u completely. Do all the tests if you can but I would try something to relieve your anxiety. If your symptoms are not persistence there is a big possibility 
  • Guest
    Guest Andy1866

    Posted

    Make them send you for a HR manometry test then you will know. You will have to work on relaxing for the test though because it will make it easier for you.
  • neil32387
    neil32387 Andy1866

    Posted

    Hi Andy,

    Somebody said that stress and anxiety can control you. They are right, hands down! I can recall convincing myself I had MS when I was about your age, because of a few aches and pains. My anxiety went off the scale! I even started getting more symptoms that I later realised were all false. The mind is very powerful... But knowing this we can reciprocate with positive thoughts - yes really. You just need to give yourself permission to do so, and tell yourself its ok, you deserve it! As Alan suggested look for some chill therapy. When I feel the stress coming I look for positive distractions. Plan a trip with an old friend, go to a gig, go fishing whatver. Although this may seem like the last thing you want it can snap you out of the pattern... I find that Vitamin B and High Strength Magnesium really help to relax muscle and de stress me, these trigger long periods of calm for me! Keep going with medical advice, but feel confident that it is just in case, and not be all... 

    Above all know its ok, you deserve to be well... !smile 

    Good luck and healthy Karma,

    N

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