Has anyone tried Vitalstim for dysphagia?

[Christine47]

I recently read a Patricia Richardson interview where she mentioned Vitalstim instead of a PEG tube. Has anyone tried it?

Christine

vitalstim.com/

[Billyboy12]

I've never even heard of vitalstim. Are you in the US. I'm in the uk. But I'm interested in the development of my disease so take a great deal of interest in all matters to do with it

[dkt48]

Hi Christine47. Yes in the U.S. It is called Vitalstim. My husband, who nearly choked to death before we could get him to the hospital, had a wonderful speech therapist who used exercises and the Vitalstim on him. They are small electrodes, the size of dimes, that are placed on the neck and under the chin. They did help to restore him to a soft diet for about a year. And then it stopped working. We were told that at some point it becomes ineffective and actually will weaken the muscles in the throat area. But at least it bought him a year of almost normalcy. So in that regard, I would recommend it. Hope this helps. God bless you!