has anyone had trouble swallowing ?
I've noticed over the last few months that I choke every now and then when drinking tea. Today I noticed that swallowing my pills - that they don't seem to be going down - like they're stuck in my throat (and I drank more than enough with them).
Anyone else notice this???
Hi Becca, same here and sometimes it cones backbup, I have been refered now to the specialist, will let you know when I have more info.
Hi there,
Yes, I am constantly choking, and having to clear my throat. I even choke on nothing at times, just seem to have a lump. My husband wanted me to go to the Dr but I felt daft going and saying I'm constantly choking. It does seem that I'm not the only one though and could perhaps be to do with the PBC? Mmmm I wonder?
Keep well and let me know how you get on! 😊
I'm constantly clearing my throat too ... I go in today I guess I'll ask about it .. now that I know others go through the same thing
I sometimes have trouble swallowing food and need water at the table now, but I have the dry mouth that comes with the sjogrens.
Sometimes it feels like the iam unable to make the swallowing reflex or it goes into a spasam, my GP was very dismissive of it, as if it was no big deal.
Its on the list of questions for my annual consultant appointment in February.
Hi Ladies, I can identify with all you have said, I too have pbc and Sjogrens. Last week I had a endoscopy and I particularly asked him to look at my throat and voice box. Everything was fine, Im glad to say. I think it is the Sjogrens rather than the pbc though. Have a good day, Kandypat
I've had problems with swallowing the last year. Had tests and nothing came out, Dr said it could be 'between the ears', but it makes me very uncertain in eating things.
Drinking doesn't cause problems. I mostly have problems with eating dry things like bread, meat and fish.
It's a strange feeling, just like candy12 says it feels like I've forgotten how to swallow, reflex isn't working anymore. Very scaring and then I can really get in a panic. The food is hanging in my throat and I don't know how to get it down.
There have been weeks that I simply didn't dare to eat anymore, only things with a lot of sauce like spaghetti or drink with every bite I took. Some days only dietshakes because it stressed me out so much.
Hi flowergirl69
You described it perfectly, I have to have water To move the food down.
Not sure what your gp comment ' between the ears ' means? is that the same as its ' all in the head' that's my GP's favourite saying when he dosent know the answer to something.
Yes, that's his answer. 'Between the ears' is a Dutch expression I guess, I'm from Belgium not native English speaking 
Problem is that in our country not much is known concerning PBC, so I try to figure out things on sites like this. Sometimes difficult to understand because of the foreign language, but it still helps me more than the lack of information I get here.
Yeah am same a seam to inhale ma food too xx
I choked badly the other day, on a piece of bread. Nearly suffocated but luckily brought up. My daughter was all ready to give me the 'Hymlic' manoeuvre. My Dr., not long ago, told me that as we get older, our throats narrow, thus the difficulty with swallowing pills. I try to make sure that I have a mouth full of water and swirl the pill around, before swallowing.
Hiya, 3yrs ago i was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, i have been living with raynauds for about 6yrs.lung fibrosis, and kidney involvement. I have been having probs with my food sticking in my oesphagus. Sometimes vohmiting my meals up. Had camera tests and scans done showing up a mucosal flap and some narrowing of my food pipe. Apparently this comes with scleroderma. I was to have an oesphagal dilation done in hosp 4 wks ago, unfortunately hosp cancelled this op due to being under pressure. I will eventually get it done when they get around to sending me another letter. I am led to believe this procedure is quite common with this illness and can help a great deal, although it may have to b done a few times. In the meantime i have to keep on being careful what i eat. Meals with plenty of sauce or gravy. No steaks (which i miss the most), or dry foods. I try not to eat at all after 6pm otherwise i would b up all nite with lumpy feeling and choking in my throat.Best wishes. Hope u get sorted v soon, not nice feeling.
Hi Becca. I've had coeliac disease and reynards for around 8 years and was diagnosed with PBC last year. Around 5 years ago I had a couple of episodes when I choked whilst eating. I got a big fright and saw a specialist who said he couldn't see any problem.
It still felt as though things were sticking in my throat - things like steak, bread, and pills. I went back to the specialist last year and he sent me for a test where you eat various textured foods/liquids that contain a radio-opaque substance and they take x-ray type photos while you swallow. It showed that the swallowing muscles are weak and not working effectively. They had no idea why, and one commented that it's the sort of thing they usually see in someone with MS (I don't have any other symptoms of this). They gave me a couple of exercises to do which haven't made any difference.
So, another one of those things to 'just live with'. I rarely eat steak and make sure I chew things very thoroughly, and drink water with meals too. Pills are a pain to swallow and, if I'm prescribed something new, I try to make sure it's a small pill where possible. I'd never thought this might be auto-immune related and no doctor has ever mentioned any possible connection. Another one of those mysterious symptoms! Good luck to you all and thanks for sharing - it's interesting to know how wide-spread this is.
I have something similar but I think it is PBC related as I have read it as a symptom. I think I choke because of being too dry. I have learned if it doesn't go down correctly. I cough it back up so I do not choke. I am sure it's PBC.
Do you have a dry mouth, if so I would recommend you get checked for sjorgren syndrome, swallowing problems is on of the symptoms?
I recognize this to, didn't think it was PBC related. But IT makes sense, I also feel a bit sick to my stomach and nauseas all the time.
J
exhaused and irritable
PBC new diagnosis 
Shakes
