Swallowing Difficulty Please Help.

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Hello Guys.

I am a 32 year old guy and have been experiencing with swallowing difficulty for past 3 months.. 3 Months ago, I had serious a stomach ache. I felt something was poking my stomach crazy. so i forced to throw everything out and was painful. Prior to this incident, I was always fatigue, tired, no energy in my belly/stomach and was eating big meals for breakfast and lunch and eat no dinner (Tense/Stressful condition @ work)

I slowly had swallowing problem but i thought it will go away. 2 weeks later i was eating rice cake in the morning and it felt like it got stuck bad on my throat.I had really stuff and heavy chest. I felt horrible for 4 hrs and drank diet coke to flush it down... but i had a real short breathe but i could still breath. I was scared to go to ER because my insurance was not kicking in for 2 weeks since i have a new job.. after that incident, my swallowing problem gradually got worse.. I was trying to eat soft food and drinks to keep myself alive. 2 weeks later again.. I had a moderate acid reflux symptom but never had serious heartburn or anything. I was taking the acid reflux pill and felt like it got stuck in my esophagus and started to have dry mouth really bad. If i think about it now it sounds like it was an anxiety attack from what I was experience for past months.. So i went to the ER and got simple a blood test and told me that I am well hydrated. They gave me an ativan and sent me back home. It relieved the excessive dry mouth and I flew to korea (my home country ) next day because I wanted to get myself tested.

I went to three different hospitals and got tested for 

1) Endoscopy

2) Swallow Test

3) CT

4) Blood Test

5) Micro CT

6) Memotrey (sticking hoses to my nose to stomach and measuring pressure while I am drinking salt water)

7) Chest PA

8) Abdomen Flat

9) CT chest

10) CT Abd + Pel

They did not find anything abnormal but swallow test they saw water was dripping narry in one area and doctor was suspecting it was a vein so he tested for mometry test and it came out to be fine. 

It all happened within 3 weeks and i was getting better. I was able to eat somethign that I can swallow easily. ex) egg soup, noodles, creamed breads, pumpkin soup, eels,and etc but was limited and did not wanted to try solid food because i did not wanted to make my problem worse..

I was also treated with acupuncture and herbal teas. I felt better and hopeful when i was in korea because many people including doctors said it could be just stress...

When I got back on the plane (back to USA) and on the plane i felt like my esophagus was squeezing(tight)

After i came back  I had a horrible jet lag and my swallowing issues was getting worse... I had jet lag for 4 days and had 4 days for ativan to help me sleep and was still taking my acid reflux pills. During the holidays (3 days ago) I tried pizza and fried shrimps and mushy chicken from panda express. I was able to eat it but not too comfortable but i tried to eat much as possible because i lose 10 lbs for past 10 days.

I got tired of eating suppliment drinks, eel, flour food and etc... for past three days when i wake up in the morning and drink water or try to swallow saliva it is really difficult. I feel like they are stuck in my chest for while or just being dripped from my esophagus to stomach. It was really bad 2 days ago.. but still until today when i drink water or etc it feels like it is going really slow. I have a pregnant wife and dont want to make her worry. and i have drier mouth then before. ( also i was constantly having hard to catch my breathe problem when i try to work out or going in to smokey house (bbq) or try something hard )

I saw a post someone is having iron deficiency and it fixed her problem.. I really want to know what is going on with me .. please help or advise because I am feeling energyless everyday because i can only take maybe up to 13-1400 calories ... 

please help.

thanks

 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Erik,

    Has anyone mentioned if you have a Hiatus Hernia? I'm not saying it is this, I'm only assuming by your symptoms - we all differ with various conditions.

    Forcing food back up could cause a Hiatus Hernia. Dry Mouth can be caused by problems with your saliva glands not working properly. This can be down to other problems or some medications can cause it.

    Vitamin D levels may need checking and Folic Acid tests.

    Regards,

    SteV3.

    • Posted

      Hello Steve,

      I was never told about a hiatus hernia. I just never had food being forced back up but i just feel uncomfortable pushing it down. I feel like it goes down slowly or sometimes it feels like its stuck on my chest.... Were you experiencing vitamin D & folic acid to relieve your swallowing difficulty ?

      thanks for spending your time for me.

      Eric

      thanks

  • Posted

    Hello 😊 I’m wondering you said it started out by having bad pains like some one was poking you. I’m wondering did you have some thing in your food that you could of swollowed . ? Also from throwing up I’ve felt this feeling before were it was stuck in my throat in ur solufiges?  But then an mri would show it .are you taking any thing besides these pills dr prescribed? I have medication that makes me have dry mouth I chew gum in this case it’s due to medication try that . But I’d ask dr to do cat scan and further testing because that’s strange. But do that and see . Please let us know thans

    • Posted

      Hello Caroline, Yes it did started out by having bad stomach ache. My stomach/or belly was very pokey that day.I was always eating during work and big meals and that day i was eating regular meal and drank diet coke and coffee. I've been drinking diet coke for yrs but i stopped. Yes when i ate my rice cake i felt like it was stuck in my throat/esophagus(chest area). I relieved out after 4 hrs. I am currently taking acid reflux pills and herbal teas that my acuppuncture doctor prescribed. I recently having drier mouth and before I think it was okay. I started to chew gum after i started to have difficulty swallowing. Do you mean by CT test? what is Cat scan? I already did CT scan and Micro scan in korea but they did not find anything. I currently feel my food and liquid are not going down properly and feels full stomach quickly after I eat. I've went to the GI doc yesterday and he prescribed me for Diltiazem 180 MG cap and EMEprazole 40 MG cap... I am feeling energyless everyday because i cant eat enough...

  • Posted

    Eric yes that’s what you should do .Also my niece just found out she got it 2 months ago . Funny she’s really tired all the time she’s so young also her eating habbit not good . Every one has different signs . Friday I went to get my hair done this lady and me had a talk she told me she had hard time swollowing but it was not Lynn disease was some thing else . Also I’m trying to find the post if they post again I could copy and past to you ok? I’m not on a lot but I’ll do my best try and get the post for you. I hope things go ok for you and be firm what you want done with doctors some tend to think you don’t need these test but you do. 

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