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Problems swallowing, GP believes it is anxiety but...

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melissa77
melissa77

For the last year I have had severe problems swallowing, anything more than soup, porridge or tinned mince and powdered potatoes causes me terrible problems, I have lost 6 stone in this whole year. I have been for endoscopy -clear, barium swallow-clear- and a stomach scan which is also clear. problem is that for example, I tried to eat a mushy and very mild vegetable curry and that was it, I was off, burping, forced burping because I feel like something is trapped in my throat, this is severe as I start to spasm and feel like I am choking to death. This also occurs after eating my usual shepherds pie with the above ingredients.

If it is anxiety it is only brought on by not being able to eat- I used to eat a lot, all kinds of food, now it is just the above. My Gp said she believes it to be anxiety, but like last night, 20 minutes after eating and burping, the food literally comes back up by itself, I cannot stop this, I wish to eat! I choke and splutter, become very light headed and disorientated along with a strange feeling as if I am walking on air.. or air filled balloons.

I also tend to have a metallic taste in my mouth which is horrid, constant lump in the throat, I ate porridge this morning and have been gaseous ever since, along with other odd symptoms as my eyesight has become worse over the last year, I am insanely itchy all the time, especially under my right shoulder blade.. this is really intense.

I was however on Simvistatin for a while and had the nasty side effects like carpal tunnel, this also supposedly may cause problems with swallowing, I stopped them four weeks ago and the carpal tunnel has gone and the majority of all the other symptoms, except with I just cannot eat anything solid, I have chickens and used to have a couple of eggs every day, now I loathe the strange taste of the egg white.. I am 50 years of age and honestly feel that I shall not be around much longer.

Any advice would be welcome, I have an appointment on the 31st March with a consultant whom I believe is going to go through all the tests with me.. I am afraid if they say it is anxiety as I feel like my problem is not in the mind but is physical.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

1 like, 94 replies

94 Replies

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  • tanya65267
    tanya65267 melissa77

    Posted

    Hi I have been suffering with swallowing difficulties for almost a year now, i have had endoscopy, camera in the nose to look at my throat, barrium swallow, modified barrium swallow, but i have still no answers as to what is wrong, i have been told that i can be physcological, but i disagree with this as i am earger to eat it's just that my muscles in my thorat are not functioning to let me do this.. do any of you have any other surgesstions as to where to go from here..

    • janski
      janski tanya65267

      Posted

      There is an interesting article in the Mail today in the Good Health section. 

      I am afraid it IS anxiety. A family member has it really badly at times... Stress related.   Apart from having Achalasia myself I have had a few severe bouts of Depression and in one of the books I read it had a chapter on this problem called the Throat Monster! 

    • AlanJM
      AlanJM tanya65267

      Posted

      If you look at the website of the Oesophageal Patients Association under The Oesophagus and then Achalasia you will find a link to download a leaflet about achalasia towards the bottom of the page, also the booklet 'A Patient's Guide to Achalasia'.   To a large extent achalsia is caused by nerve endings not driving muscles, to some extent, nerves being affected by tension and stress can contribute to the condition and it is not wrong to say that some of this could be 'psychological'.   Which does not affect the issue that you WANT to eat, whereas if you had an actual eating disorder, say something like bulimia, you would have an issue with eating / not eating.   When you say your throat is affected, I am assuming that you mean anywhere from your mouth to your stomach (just below your front rib cage).  With achalasia it is normally food getting stuck in your chest area, where your oesophagus is.  Did the endoscopy report (the camera down your throat / nose) mention any remains of food being left behind that had not passed through into your stomach?

      ?Everyone is entitled to a second opinion under the NHS, so I suggest you discuss the problem with your GP, with a view to being referred to a specialist gastroenterology /Upper GI (gastro-intestinal tract) surgical centre for a second opinion.   If the problem really is higher up, in your throat area, it might be an ear Nose and Throat specialist.

    • ellebi
      ellebi janski

      Posted

      Would you know the name of this book about the Throat Monster chapter
    • janski
      janski ellebi

      Posted

      Yes the book is Shoot the Damm Dog.... By Sally Brampton.   Very very sadly she took her own life recently, in the grip of depression. It was one of the books that I could associate with when I was anxious and depressed in the past.  Hope it's of interest...... Think the medical term for it is Globus Hystericus.... Literally lump in the throat! 

    • Maryclare1
      Maryclare1 janski

      Posted

      hi janski,

                  I have had swallowing problems for 2 years now, my problem began when i took depression and anxiety. My doctor said it was globus hystericus. must read Sallys book.

  • PharmTech
    PharmTech melissa77

    Posted

    It sounds to me like you have a hiatal hernia. I have one as well and what you're describing happens to me all the time. It's very frustrating, especially at night sometimes it'll cause me to vomit while I'm asleep. That can be scary. Ask your family doctor about it. Good luck.

    • AlanJM
      AlanJM PharmTech

      Posted

      Vomiting in your sleep is medically quite dangerous as well as feeling scary, and I am sure that you would qualify for medical attention.
  • Squireszach1
    Squireszach1 melissa77

    Posted

    Hi I am having close to the exact same symptoms you are having. It's been happening for a few weeks and I can't eat anything other than soft food. My GI Doctor still doesn't know what it is. What was the diagnosis for you? Any help or advice would be great. Thanks a lot

  • betty69811
    betty69811 melissa77

    Posted

    Hi there, I know this thread is quite old now but I just had to let you know that you should be asking your Dr about giant cell artritis (gca)

    The eyesight part of your post is very alarming to the point that I actually made an account to type this!!

    You sound exact like me and I couldn't rest if I didn't suggest you look into it.

    Also check into polymyalgia as they do often run together but gca is serious, I got my first but of double vision 2 weeks ago but as I've just started steroids it is considered to be in hand, good luck too you 😊

  • david_90255
    david_90255 melissa77

    Posted

    Melissa how are you feeling now? I was diagnosed with Anxiety disorder, my marriage with my wife failed, i was forced into moving into a toxic environment, my anxiety went from bad to crippling, depression followed then i started displaying the same symptoms, food stuck at my lower adams apple, feeling like im choking and cannot swallow, oddly enough if i consume alchohol i can swallow with less difficulty which leads me to believe that the alchohol allows me to relax short term and allows me to swallow food, but for obvious reasons i cannot become an alchoholic just so i can consume food. Has anyone else experienced this same thing??!!
    • AlanJM
      AlanJM david_90255

      Posted

      I think it quite common for anxiety and tension to create swallowing issues, and what you describe sounds logical to me.   There is probably an element of your problems that are created by the tension; and a second element that is caused by the nerve endings driving the muscles that operate the swallowing mechanism and the relaxation of the sphincter between your oesophagus and your stomach.

      ​So I would try and concentrate on food that can slip down easily (avoiding food like rice and bread that congeals, or has a stringy texture, or things like tomato skins).   You need to try and keep up your nutrition / hydration levels by whatever means you can.

      ​I would try and find some method of relaxation / mindfulness / whatever works for you so that your system can be as relaxed as possible, especially around meal times.  It is quite easy to slip into anxiety about the process of eating, and I am sometimes tempted to suggest something like hypnotherapy.   Posture can also be important, so sit with your back upright to enable gravity to help things go down.  

      ​I think your experience with alcohol gives cause for optimism!  If something can relax you enough to help in this way, then that does point to a way forward, but you are quite right not to overdo things!

      I think you probably need to try and reduce the tension as much as you can, notwithstanding that you have had plenty of reason for being tense lately, but as and when you fele better enough, you may need to go to a good gastroenterologist to try and separate out the more physical aspects of what might be an underlying form of motility disorder / achalasia.   But it will be difficult for them to disregard the main cause of tension, and indeed it probbaly is a contributory factor.

    • david_90255
      david_90255 AlanJM

      Posted

      Thank you for your response smile

      I actually went to a gastroentrologist they did a scope, ruled out anything physically wrong, also did an esophageal dilation, still problems persist, i think it is tension based and bad environment, im going to start taking zoloft to take the edge off

    • jamie62411
      jamie62411 david_90255

      Posted

      Listen David,

      There are only three test that confirm Achalasia and you need to demand the testing. This disease doesn't have a cure and lead to cancer. Get the test

    • david_90255
      david_90255 jamie62411

      Posted

      Hi Jamie,

      I have a gastro surgeon, have had an esdoscopy and a dilation

      The scope revealed nothing wrong in the esophagus, and stomach all 100% fine

      Believed to be stress and anxiety

    • ellebi
      ellebi david_90255

      Posted

      Yes me too, I find alcohol relaxes my difficulty swallowing.. its great!!
    • david_90255
      david_90255 ellebi

      Posted

      Are you serious? I am its messed up ,, its like all the tension relaxes after a few beers idk
    • AlanJM
      AlanJM david_90255

      Posted

      If your system is able to relax enough to swallow in some circumstances, with or without alcohol, then that is a good sign. I suppose the real goal should be to try and relax as a normal thing without overdoing the alcohol!
    • ellebi
      ellebi david_90255

      Posted

      Same when I am very anxious or panicky, alcohol can take the edge off
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