Difficulty swallowing

[Maggie69]

Hi folks don’t no what happened but I sent a wee post this morning and seems to have got lost Just wondering does anyone have a problem with feeling like they have a lump (obstruction) in their throat I have no problem with eating or drinking but sometimes I just continuing swallowing

[SheffieldJane]

I do share some of these symptoms and have done for a couple of years maybe ( I was diagnosed with PMR in February 2016 and GCA in recent months). It is as if my throat has narrowed and If I’m not careful I can choke. I have a post nasal drip and am always swallowing. I occasionally have oesophageal spasms. This is like having a sizeable pebble caught in my throat and can be alarming and painful. The symptoms become less prominent when I am on low dose Pred. I was hardly aware of them at 3 mgs Pred. I had to increase my dose to 40 mgs upon my GCA/LVV diagnosis and saw a return of these symptoms. I was about to be sent for an Endoscopy when the Pandemic struck. I haven’t chased this up because I feel sure this is Pred related with me. I would however, urge you and anyone else to seek medical advice. It wasn’t immediately recognised by my doctors as PMR or Pred related. My symptoms are helped by sips of cool water and over the counter indigestion remedies such as Gaviscon.

[Maggie69 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thank you x

[Kendrew in reply to Maggie69]

Hi Maggie69. I noticed on higher doses of pred, symptoms similar to yours, but not as pronounced as yours. The sensation of it taking just a little more effort than usual to swallow would come on in phases from time to time, but wasn't constant. Eating and drinking was fine, but sometimes it felt like I constantly needed to keep swallowing and as though my throat was tightening up. I wondered initially if it was a side effect of the Alendronic acid I'm taking, as I'd read this could be the case, but lower doses of pred seem to have resolved the issue.

[Maggie69 in reply to Kendrew]

Thank you xxzxx

[Canarylady in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi there,I too have these problems!

I was about to pop a message on here over the weekend,to see if anyone else has been experiencing these conditions.

I m still on 17mg of preds,I m finding it very hard tapering down from 20 mg!

Had to change my job,due to the place closing down,so a lot of stress,only had a week to find another job and place to live.

But I did!

This new job is 40hrs a week!

And so I m in a lot of discomfort early morning and during the day until I start to warm up!

And on top of that my spine is very painful due to being fussed together,but I must carry on.

I hope you are keeping safe and well.

Best wishes

Ruth

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

Are you sure that this issue isn't due to the Alendronic Acid ?? A friend of mine, she doesn't have PMR or GCA, but does have osteoporosis and has taken AA for a few years until she couldn't swallow properly and felt like something was stuck in her throat. That drug for some is vicious.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Hidden]

No I’m not on AA. I was fortunate enough to have two good Dexa scans over a 4 year period, so managed to skirt it.I suppose it could be related to muscle weakening.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

So glad your bones are nice and healthy...hope I find the same with mine when eventually I get my result. While I'm waiting I'm not taking anything except Adcal Calcium, D3 K2 and Magnesium

[Hidden]

Do you take Alendronic Acid Maggie ? could be this that's causing your throat issue as it did for a friend of mine

[Maggie69 in reply to Hidden]

Hi there no I don’t xx

[Hidden in reply to Maggie69]

Not that then. Must be Pred

[Flosy]

Hi.yes view had this to, but have no problems swallowing and eating ok.

[MaritimeMags]

I have been on Pred prescribed for PMR for three years in U.K.; now down to 3mg/day. However since January I have had a lump in my throat every morning, with difficulty swallowing and dry mouth. My GPs have inspected twice during past year and diagnosed Globus, the feeling of an imaginary lump in the throat. It never occurred to me that it may because of Pred. I do not think it occurred to the Doctors either.