dysphagia/post-nasal drip connection?

[retrogirl]

I had laproscopic surgery--esophageal myotomy, anterior fundoplication to relieve achalsia 3 weeks ago.  Symptoms were completely relieved--I could feel the food going all the way down! I had a follow-up barium swallow yesterday and the MD was making comments such as "It's just not going down," etc. Which freaked me out.
I had post-nasal drip yesterday (continuing today), and I'm wondering if that could affect the esophogus motility, OR if I have been too adventurous in my food selections (ate watermelon and dried mango this week) and is it possible I clogged myself up. Not sure if either of these things would be a problem, but I was feeling terriffic and now I'm worried.
Haven't had any regurgitation like I used to, but do feel a little like stuff is in my esophogus--not like I felt the first 2 weeks after surgery.
Guess my question is, could it simply be post-nasal drip affecting the esophagus, or is it possible I clogged myself up? thanks

[Kevin Pho, MD]

It may be possible that chronic sinusitis leading to post-nasal drip can cause the symptoms you are describing.  

A sinus CT scan to evaluate for this can be considered, and if positive, treated with antibiotics or a steroid nasal spray.

If negative, I would then focus on a GI etiology with focus on the esophageal motility.  

You can discuss this option with your personal physician or in conjunction with an ENT evaluation.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[gindom]

hi, my dad had acalaysia for 40 years.  they didnt know what it was years ago, they are only starting to find out about it now  i have esophigitis and gerd, but they dont think acalysia because i never actually throw up.  my dad would, he would just get up from eating and go in the bathroom.  i dont honestly know how he suffered with it all these years, anyway, i wish you luck.

[Inanga]

i had a fundiplication for GERD too. For a while after I had a bit of trouble with some foods going down - they seemed to stick about the sphincter. I imagine that's exactly what was happening. Typically bad examples were raw carrot - pretty hard to make sure it doesn't go down in "large" pieces. I learned to chew very rigorously. Thing eventually settled down and I harly think about it now. I'm trying to remeber how ling it took but learning to chew properly and avoid preoblematic foods avoided the problem. Eventually the sphincter relaxed enought to allow gas to pass upwards - quite a relief! I calssify myself as having a normally functioning sphincter now. I don't have much trouble.

The other part of the story is chronic post nasal drip which I discoved was caused by a food allergy to soy wheat and gluten. I'm sure it used to upset my digestion a lot too. I deel so much better with breathing and digestion that I wonder if the fundiplication was necessary - I was always classed as having strange symptoms...