I have episodes where food gets stuck and causes severe pain. Mentioned it to my MS neuro and he said it was esophageal spasms and was unrelated to MS. He recommended that I check with my GI doc.
Of course, I had to research it and I found that calcium channel blockers were used as treatment. Fortunately for me, my BP meds had just been changed to a calcium channel blocker and the episodes have certainly decreased.
Just my two cents worth,
Ren
I've had problems like this for decades, but fortunately it's been pretty infrequent. I've usually attributed it to tension, taking too big of bites & not chewing enough before swallowing. Once or twice it was bad enough to scare me, nearly bringing on a panic attack, which only made it worse. I suppose it could be neurological in origin, but it seems to me if I keep adding many of these "maybe" things to the list, I'm afraid I'll convince the docs I'm a hypochondriac.
Yessss This has been happening to me. I am going for a barium swallow test next week. For me I seem to have real bad days and some that are much better. I am not
diagnosed yet.. I am going to a ms doctor on the 30th. I will let you know what the swallow test shows.. Hope you feel better!! Linda
Oh, one more thing - I'm not sure if I understand this right, but from all the tests I've had for gastroparesis, I'm pretty sure that your insides can work very differently with liquids and with solids. (Usually liquids are tolerated much better like you'd suspect, but I believe that sometimes - with gastroparesis anyway - that can get all backwards, and sometimes liquids can even be worse. I THINK so.) Anyway, so I'd guess that a barium swallow could potentially miss some of your problems, if it's say, only the tricky, scratchy, sticky things that get stuck? Maybe - I don't know. Might be something to ask the doctor and techs.
For gastroparesis they inject eggs or meat with radioactive stuff, and then feed it to you (ecchhhhh!). They use a different machine for that test, though... I don't know, maybe there's a solid food option with barium? Anyway, good luck - I hope they get this all sorted out!
Definitely! Like, right after it gets past the parts of my throat that I feel I can control. I have gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), so I kinda figured the swallowing trouble might be due to that, although I've had gastroparesis for six years, and the swallowing stuff is new, actually... huh! Thanks for bringing this up! This is something I haven't thought of before. I'm not dx'd with MS, btw, but it's something we're looking at.
I'm wishing you luck. And - I don't know if you've had a barium swallow before, but I actually think they're kind of awesome. You get to see your insides - like, in real time. Like, as you swallow or talk, the inside-out version of you on the monitor swallows or talks too... Haha, I think barium swallows are my favorite test :P I hope yours goes well!! Good luck!
I've had my garden variety of swallowing issues ranging from mechanical problems where I had to think my way through chewing (didn't happen naturally) to feeling like my throat was tight and swelled up and I had to keep a cold rag on it constant. But, I believe the tight and swelling feeling was due to an allergic reaction.
Very glad you are getting a test done. It's the best route. Just as a precaution, I have to ask, are you taking any new meds lately?
-shell
I have had a swallowing problem for quite awhile, when I swallow my food does not all go to my stomach, some will go to the lungs....it caused an infection once. Thats how my Dr found it.
I think it is called dysphagia. Its been awhile since i have suffered from it or they just have not checked for it. But when it happened I would choke and start coughing when the food would not go down correctly.
And as i remember it is caused by MS, I also have lost my mind or I could remember this better..lol
Someone will be more helpful I am sure. and I will see if I can find my records.
hugs, meg
I have had this problem since about 2001, when other 'minor' symptoms were happening, but before it all started coming together.
It felt like I had something from the size of a golf ball up to a cantaloupe stuck in me. I could feel hot or cold drinks slowly trickling down, or just not going down and coming back out all together. Then there were the days when I had had the most horrible pain. It felt like a heart attack with it going up the middle of my chest and both sides of my neck. On other occasions, I have food and/or juices from food go down on their own and into my lungs, if I don't choke on it first. At night, I have to sleep slightly propped up to keep from aspirating on saliva.
I had so much Gastro testing done, I didn't want to have another thing put in my mouth by a doctor. Finally, it was decided that I have corkscrew esophagus, esophageal spasms and disorganized esophageal muscles.
They put me on DiltiazemSR 120mg and it helps so much. It is a calcium channel blocker. I am not sure how or why it works, but I know if I have missed a day.
I have found out the absolute worst thing I can do is drink anything carbonated or extremely cold. Either one of those will make it lock up in an instant and it will trouble me for days. Also, if I get the hiccups, the spasms will start.
Hope this help someone.
Yes, I have. It comes and goes. Sometimes can't even swallow. Then, after resting, usually can.
Had recent endoscopy (tube stuck down esophagus) and was told I had some bands on esophagus. This can cause such symptoms. Still not sure why comes and goes. Sometimes it feels just awful- like food stuck lower down.
Weakandfalling
Hi Mandy,
I posted a while back about the same issue - feels like food or something is stuck in my throat, difficulty swallowing (it's like my body forgets how), feels like I am choking sometimes when I eat or drink. I can only take chewable vitamins since they feel stuck in my throat when I swallow large pills. I have not yet been diagnosed.
I have had the barium swallow test - came back fine. In fact all my tests come back fine and I am the picture of health! GP thinks its neurological since they seems to be no physiological basis for it (no swollen glands, thyroid...).
Let me know what your neuro says. I would love to have some light shed on this as I kinda get freaked out when it happens and can't eat. I also find the more I think about it the worse it gets. Fortunately mine only lasts a day or two and then goes away for a while. Hopefully yours will go away soon:) Anna
Hi Mandy
I have been having this problem too, for several months, I am not sure if it is my MS or not,
I am sure someone will jump in here with more knowledge,
I hope you feel better soon, and I am sorry i was not more helpful, just wanted you know you are not alone with this problem,
Tyler