Trouble swallowing

[Mandy1587]

For the past few months I have a lot of trouble swallowing meat. It seems to get stuck halfway down my esophagus and most of the time it obstructs my breathing. I can't breathe in, talk, take a drink or swallow. Almost always I have to rush to a bathroom and gag myself to regurgitate the food for relief. When I do that, what comes up is a tiny bit of food and a huge amount of mucus. What could be causing this problem?

[Mandy1587]

Chicken and seafood cause the issue, also. Not just red meat.

[cnoevl21]

If its only meat causing the problem why not just stop eating meat? Honestly, you shouldn't eat red meat more than once a week anyway

[Mandy1587]

The thing is, it's only meat that gives me problems usually. Anything else typically goes down with no issues. It's weird. It's not like I inhale the food without chewing properly. Sometimes if I feel it coming on I can start to drink something to force it down but other times there is nothing I can do but force it back up.

[miche31263]

Hi Mandy,  I have this problem too.  My Dr. ordered a barium swallow Upper GI yesterday.  It shows I have esophageal spasms, which is not letting the food down.  There are a few different things that can cause it, one is GERD, reduce the acid, one is anxiety/stress, one is the nervous system is haywire, I'm sure there are others...I'm going in tomorrow to figure out what to do for it.  It is a scary feeling that's for sure.
BUT, you should go to your Dr. and ask him to do a barium swallow to see what is going on with you.  I was told it could have been a hernia, strictures, ulcers, many other things besides the esophageal spasms.  Good luck.