Swallowing problems

[Tprspouse]

And NO! Get your minds out of the gutter. LOL

Seriously, do any of you have swallowing/digestive problems? I've had them since I can remember. Ten years old, I believe.

A few months ago I got a piece of steak stuck in my esophagus and had to have it removed by an endoscope. I was told that I had a 'ring' and that my esophagus needed to be widened in one particular spot. For anyone with these kind of problems, it can put a HUGE dent in your dinner plans with friends. Sometimes it's just easier to stay home and never go out to eat again. Most of the time when I am at a friends house, I'll pass on just about everything that looks like it has a good chance of getting stuck.

Well....I never did have that procedure done because by the time I could get an appointment, I was to be on vacation and I haven't yet rescheduled it.

Last night I ran into the same problem, except this time it was chicken. The only bite of food I had to eat all day, was the last. Now I am on clear liquids for 24 hours. After 3 hours of trying to get it to go down, I gave up and off I went to the ER. This time, they put me under general anesthesia and intebated (sp) me. I was admitted for observation overnight. Boy am I glad to be home!!! I hate hospital beds.

Anyway, I was told by this doctor that I might have an abnormal esophagus, where the muscle constricts at both ends at the same time. In other words, it goes nuts and gets tied up in knots.

Please tell me I am not the only one with this problem!!!

Want to hear something ironic? Yesterday I went on a "crop walk" which is a walk for hunger. I walked 2 miles with my 6 year old son and then I had a bite of chicken and got to feel what it was like to be hungry. It wasn't fun!

[OfcMikey]

A buddy of mine at work had the same problem. He had a procedure to correct it, he got tired of using a blender to prepare all his food.
Good luck with this, it doesn't sound like fun at all.

[shooter1201]

My dad...occasionally, if he's in a hurry and eats too fast, he seems to get food stuck in his throat and ends up 'throwing up' to clear it. If he eats S L O W L Y he doesn't have any problem. HE says he's 'swallowing air'....

[OfcMikey]

I would like it noted, that I made a serious response. Thank you.

[Mitzi]

Wow, never heard of that. Best to get it taken care of ASAP tho. My H is a real procrastinator about his health. I told him for YEARS he was having gallbladder problems but he wouldn't listen to me. He called me on his way home one day and said, "You will have to take me to the emergency rom when I get hime." I convinced him to stop somewhere and I picked him up. They looked at him and and the dr took me aside and said, "I am going to have to do surgery NOW." My H was yellow from gallstones clogging his bile ducts.
It was NOT fun. He was in the hospital a week then came home with drainage tubes. Some stones had gotten clogged in his bile ducts and it was more surgery. Another week in the hospital, 2 at home.
Then, a year later, he gets a hernia from the surgery site. Another week in the hospital.
He was the same way about his feet. Put off surgery til he could barely walk. I don't think he will ever NOT have a limp now.
I told him from now on HE'S AT THE DR when problems start.

[OfcMikey]

Here is some info on Esophageal Strictures.

Esophageal Strictures

[jellybean40]

My mother had it for years. she solved it by eating tiny bites that she chewed and chewed. if she happened to forget and something got stuck, she could head into the bathroom and throw it up.

that must be really scary for you if you cant get it to go either way. i would have the procedure for sure.

[SB]

Weird, my wife has almost the opposite problem. She suffers from Esophageal Reflux, which is like chronic heart burn 24/7. The muscle at the top of her stomach doesn't tighten up properly, which casuses the esohageal lining to become inflamed and infected. Nasty. It's down to stress, so we are told, but she can't figure out what is causing it 'cos she says doesn't feel stressed. Freaky.

[Tprspouse]

It is a very scary situation when you cant get the food to go either way. I tried and tried to get it to go up, but to no avail. It was really stuck. I tried to build up the pressure behind it to push it down, but that didn't work either. I drank water until I couldn't drink anymore. The water pressure was so great, but not great enough to push it down. Instead, it all squirted out my nose. It's very frustrating.

I am so happy that I get to eat normal today! Chew chew chew! Or I'd be very embarrassed if I had to go back to the ER again!

[Joseph]

You got me here because my mind was in the gutter but since I'm here I'll add something. I have something but not a medical problem. Taking muscle relaxers after the sugery on my knee and can eat everything and anything but rice. It has to be very wet or it won't go down my throat. It happened once with meat also. After reading this even though the doctors say it's the medicine I might have it checked.

[shorty]

Trpr, I can definately feel for you. I have the same thing that Soho's wife has, Esophogus Reflux. For the first 18 years of my life I threw up everyday. I do mean everyday. From the time I got out of bed. It didn't matter if I ate or not, if my stomach was empty, I threw up stomach acid. Well, this caused erosion in my esophogus. I had a hard time with it, missed a lot of school. I would throw up so much at school that my mom would have to come get me.. she thought I was faking to get out of school. She finally heard about a gastrologist. He was a life saver. He did and endoscopy and found out that some little "flap" in your esophogus that is supposed to stay shut except when eating was stuck open because the esophogus was constricted. That's why I threw up all the time. So, he went in a stretched my esophogus so the flap would close. And I had to take 2 medicines 4 times a day to keep acid down (Propulsid and Priliosec). I am much better now, its been 8 years and although I have had the proceedure done a few times it always makes me feel so much better. It doesn't hurt like I thought it would, but then again, I would have went thru a major surgery to cure it. It is brought on by stress, according to my Dr. I suggest having the endoscopy and letting them stretch your esophogus. Its a same day surgery, and it will bring you tons of relief.
Hope you get better soon.

[Tprspouse]

Shorty,

Did you ever feel like you had the sensation of a "lump" always being in your throat? I also have reflux disease, which doesn't make the situation any better. Sometimes acid builds up and when it comes up, it burns my throat leaving a lump feeling there. No matter how much I tried to swallow, that lump just would stay there until a day or so later and plenty of antacid. Most of the time this would wake me up in the middle of the night and I'd be awake the rest of the night.

I also have a hiatial hernia and a very small ulcer. I am a train wreck!!! These problems basicaly consume my life and I will do whatever it takes (major surgery or not) to get well. Another problem is that I always think about food getting stuck, so by the time I go out to eat or start eating I am so wound up that my throat starts to spasm and it actually does happen to me.

People always say "CHEW YOUR FOOD!" But, that's really only part of it. Not chewing good enough is what will cause the end result, but what leads up to the condition of the esophagus is something completely different. That being acid reflux disease (GERD)or structural abnormalities and even stress.

Ho hum.....

[shorty]

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. The lump that never seems to go away. I also get a scratching feeling in my throat when the acid starts up. I am constantly clearing my throat to keep it down. I definately recommend that you go to a gastrologist. I went to regular doctors for years without any help. A gastrologist will be able to provide relief and solve all of the problems you mentioned. Like I said, mine was always same day surgery so it's nothing major. One time I went to the hospital when I couldn't stop throwing up and I told them I wanted MY doctor called. He came right up and saw me and said, we need to go back in and stretch your esophogus. I said "let's go!". An hour later I was in the recovery room with full relief.
I don't know what kind of pillows you sleep on, but I got a pillow wedge. It is made of foam and it is shaped like a triangle and it just slightly elevates your head. (I think we got it at a home health supply place.) Also, we cut some 2X4 's into blocks big enough to fit under the headboard of my bed. It raised my head the 2 inches and it was enough to keep the acid down.
One thing I learned quick is that all of the over the counter acid stuff doesn't work. It may work for people with minor heartburn or whatever, but I always had to have Prilosec and Propulsid. BTW, now they have found out that Propulsid can cause a lot of serious problems (heart disease, etc). I am not sure if they still prescribe it, but if your doc tries to give it to you, ask for something else. Prilosec (the purple pill) is the real life saver.
Hope you get better, call a doctor!!! I wish I had sooner. Now, I just rarely have a hard time with it. I don't even take the medicine regular anymore, just when I have a flare up. And I haven't had my esophogus stretched in about 4 years. So, it can get better!