Does anyone.......

[rlh1974]

So, this may sound like a truly stupid question. But, Hey it's me! Does anyone else forget to swallow when drinking? I will take a drink of water, pop etc. Then realize a few minutes later I have not swallowed it. Happens to me all the time. Obviously a new thing. I think. Curious if this happens to anyone else.

[Royjr]

That’s the first I heard that but I know ms effect everyone different so I wouldn’t be shocked

[ssdw1958]

No that doesn’t happen to me but what happens to me is when I am drinking anything I have to be sitting straight up and if I don’t I start chocking and then the Asthma

Chocking starts very scary I just have to remember to sit up straight

[rlh1974 in reply to ssdw1958]

Yikes! ssdw1958 ! That sounds scary. Please be careful!

[ssdw1958 in reply to rlh1974]

Thanks, I have to be careful when I eat.

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

Nope, yup! Someone did mention it at one time rlh1974 😕 I just can't remember who it was. Or what the post was exactly about. I have MS remember?🙈😆😭😆

Eat and drink slowly and call your Neuro!

J 🌠

[rlh1974 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Jesmcd2 You have the same symptom as the rest of us CRS! Also, My Dr knows. She just shakes her head when I tell her new stuff. She said, be careful, and make sure you don't drool in public! LOL!

Thanks!

[Fancy1959 in reply to rlh1974]

Seriously! I believe it might be time to look for a second opinion and perhaps a new neurologist. I don't agree with her shaking her head at you when you talk about new symptoms. They're important to you therefore as your doctor they should be important to her. Perhaps she is ill equipped to handle all the side effects Ms is throwing your way. Fancy1959 😬😲

[rlh1974 in reply to Fancy1959]

I am seeing an MS specialist tomorrow. Also, as you know I have gone to Mayo. And now I have a dr that specializes in ms and not me being their only patient with MS.

[ssdw1958]

I am not sure if that was me ssdw1958 I have had issues with drinking and sometimes eating if I do not sit up straight while doing both I will start to chock and I also since I have lost some of my feeling in my left hand I have to ask my husband to cut my meat up. I found out one time we went out as a group and my husband sat across the room from me, you know what fish is very easy to cut with a fork. Also I need to be careful while eating and talking it can be a chocking hazard.

[rlh1974 in reply to ssdw1958]

@ssdw1958 just like the rest of us. You can dress us up, but can't take us anywhere! LOL. I sometimes need my wife to cut food for me. With both my shoulders being injured so many times coupled with the MS weakness, Sometimes my arms say screw you Rob. I don't want to work today.

Thanks.

[Doubled51]

No problem remembering just problems swallowing things. I just finished swallow therapy. Never knew there was such a thing as swallowing exercises but there is and they def helped.

Donnie

[rlh1974 in reply to Doubled51]

Donnie, You just blew my mind! Swallow therapy is a new one for me! I am happy to know its out there in case this turns into a problem. I am glad you found it and it helped!. I truly hate this monster.

Not to get too personal for everyone. The other thing that is happening since I feel in the shower many months ago and put my knee through the side of it. Is I am scared to shower. So I go far to long without. Now my wife is a rockstar and has NO issues helping at all. She had to do it after many many surgeries for me. It's just embarrassing for me to have to ask for seemingly no reason. I HATE HAVING TO RELY ON OTHERS FOR THINGS I FEEL I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO! Like cut my food, shower. even put my coat on. This disease sucks when you are supposedly in the prime of your life, kids are leaving the house. But instead of enjoying naked time. It's embarrassing!

Ok, sob story over.

Donnie, you add so much to so many conversations! Thanks!

Rob

[Doubled51 in reply to rlh1974]

rlh1974 . I had no idea there was something like this available til my neurologist ordered a swallowing test with barium. Scared me I thought they were gonna give my throat an enema.😜🤪. But it was a piece of cake. Swallowing and speech therapist actually give different swallowing exercises to build muscles that control swallowing. I graduated physical and swallowing therapy the same day.😇😇😇.

So if you ever need it it’s out there.

With all my balance problems I keep a shower chair close so if I’m a bit unsteady I can sit down and shower. But I still probably don’t use it enough. But when you can’t do a lot you don’t always have to shower a lot.😂😂.

And you are so right. This monster sucks big time.!!!!!!!! People think I’m nuts when I say I was blessed to have been 65 before I finally got knocked to my knees. But at any age it still sucks.

Thanks for your kind words. I try to help any way I can. Sometimes I get carried away with things but to much time doing nothing affects more nerves in our brain than usual.😎😎.

Have a blessed day Rob. And tell your wife she truly is a rockstar. 🤩🤩

Donnie

[ssdw1958 in reply to Doubled51]

I have to let you know I also had the barium but I had it after I had pneumonia because they were not sure when I was swallowing anything was going into my lungs which it wasn’t thank goodness it wasn’t. But I did learn I need to have my food in small bits like a little kid. What I hate about this only 59 years old do I really have to act like a old person. There I said it I’m done.

[Doubled51 in reply to ssdw1958]

ssdw1958 . I’ve def had to change my eating habits. This getting old is not for the faint of heart.

Donnie

[Babslover in reply to Doubled51]

Hello: I asked my husband for this iPad to connect with others with this ridiculous disease. I like to think this helps me out but also it allows me to play games do puzzles and these things keep my head away from the disease. Not that I’m going to forget it but we all need a little more good times. ☺️

[Doubled51 in reply to Babslover]

We take good times any time we can.😁🤣

Donnie

[ssdw1958 in reply to rlh1974]

Hi Rob this monster is a piece of work which we all wish it was GONE I just took a shower I have a shower chair it has a back and you need to remember you can unscrew the legs so you can make it higher. I have metal grab bar, I also have one of those suction cups but be careful of those because they can come detached from the wall I found that out the hard way I didn’t fall yeah. I also have my night gown near me just in case I can’t get up. That happened the other day but luckily for me my 20 year old son was home and he could help me up I put my night gown on and called him. But I do have one of those buttons “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” haven’t used it yet. I also have a lock box with the fire department. Haven’t used that either. Better to be safe than sorry.

I also think this time of life I should be doing so much more fun things, I was suppose to have some work done in the house but the guy doing it has been sick I told my husband I don’t want him here because I don’t need to get sick. I have enough problems.

[Babslover in reply to rlh1974]

I have a walk in shower with a bench attached to the wall and grab bars. I get wet and have my suff on the bench and use the grab bar to stand and rinse. Make sure someone is home with you. Better safe than sorry.

[rlh1974 in reply to Babslover]

I shower way less now. I also wait until someone is home. Problem is. They all get home at dinner or later. By that time, I just don't want to shower. I had a shower built that meets ADA requirements and moved my/our bedroom to the first floor.

Rob

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

I was looking for something else and found this rlh1974 I hope this helps some.😊

mymsaa.org/ms-information/s...

MSAA has it listed as a common MS symptom.😐 😒 That's as far as I read!😀

J 🌠

[rlh1974 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Jesmcd2 Great Article! I appreciate you finding that. Funny thing is I have no lesions or plaque in my brainstem. But with progressing MS you don't need it. It's fun to see what isn't gonna work today or tomorrow said no one!

Rob

[Fancy1959]

Rih1974, it's Fancy1959. I do not forget to swallow but I have swallowing issues due to my MS. My MS has attacked my esophagus and I go into esophageal spasms and literally all but choke to death. I take medicine now to tranq my esophagus and it has helped tremendously. Iwould suggest you talk to your neurologist about this again and get them to set you up a swallow study to see what is up with your swallowing. We are not doctors we can only give you advice but your study really needs to be done especially if you see your symptoms happening more and more. If you take liquid and aspirate it into your lungs it can cause major issues so don't put it off. hope this helps and find out what other people suggest in between us all perhaps we can guide you in a direction that will help you. Take care until we speak again and remember together we are stronger!

[kdali]

Yep, it's weird, but it doesn't happen to me that often. I'm easily distracted.

[rlh1974 in reply to kdali]

Squirrel!

[kdali in reply to rlh1974]

Shiny things!

[rlh1974 in reply to kdali]

look at the spining shiny thing. It's so pretty!

[kris1973]

Yes - including when I tried to brush my teeth this morning (with Diet Coke in my mouth)...cleaned the mirror again.😂 -Kris

[Bygonelines]

I don't have the issue of forgetting to swallow, but I do seem to have the issue of forgetting HOW to swallow. It's like my brain says swallow and my body says "how"? Very frustrating.

[Midgey_Midge06 in reply to Bygonelines]

Thats what happens to me too! Its like how do u forget how to swallow? Its bizarre wen it happens

[rlh1974 in reply to Bygonelines]

This is more of what I am talking about. I will take a drink, and it just sits in my mouth, with me going now what?

[Babslover]

I sometimes forget to swallow when I’m reclining my saliva gets caught in my throat and I need to sit up straight. Kind of a little scary

[ssdw1958 in reply to Babslover]

That happens to me. If I don't swallow in the right position, sitting up, I will also start to cough, choke and I have asthma so I need to have my inhalers.

I have to make sure I am in the upright position. I also have to make sure my food is cut up into small pieces so I don't choke.

When I was in the hospital for pneumonia they did a test on me to make sure when I swollen it was going down the right the tube and not going in to my lungs it was going down the right way.

Here something I found out when you take a pill do not tilt your head back just keep your head straight forward it will go down better.

Just be careful.

[IFwczs]

There is actually a swallowing X-Ray test you may want to consider. They also advise to put the glass down after you take a sip.