Trouble swallowing

My coworker has been diagnosed with GERD but also has a very strange problem she thinks is associated with it.  Anytime she eats something spicy, citrusy,  vinegar etc her throat closes up. She used to eat everything just fine and it isn't any particular spice/seasoning. She actually had an episode where she started choking and had to get the heimlich to dislodge the food and now she is paranoid anytime her throat seems to be irritated and stops eating. It has gotten to the point where she hardly eats anymore. She does take Diazapam (Valium) to help relax her since it is likely some of her issues come from anxiety of choking but that doesn't help with the actual throat closing up thing.  She has always assumed it is because of her GERD (she has meds for that) but no one else I know that has GERD has anything similar.  Any clue what this could be? She doesn't have any know allergies and that doesn't even seem to be the issue since it is such a broad spectrum of things. Thanks :)

[kcferret]

bump

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Valium is not a good long term solution, it won't work after a while...

See a gastroenterologist, i'd worry about a stricture in the esophagus.  An EGD is necessary to look down there.