Food getting stuck, is this the start?

[-missymoo]

Hi all

I’ve limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis, I have severe secondary Raynauds, Telangiectasia, acid reflux, slight tightening of the skin mostly my hands, but no internal involvement yet thank goodness! Whenever I’ve been asked about swallowing difficulties, I’ve always just thought they meant problem with the actual throat. For a while now, only when I eat certain foods, when I swallow it takes time to pass part way down my chest and gets a little stuck. Is this what they mean by swallowing problems?

Sorry if it sounds silly 🙄😊

Thanks in advance x

[Dawzelle]

Hi missymoo

Swallowing problems was the first symptom I had about 5 maybe 6 years ago. Apparently I have slight thickening at the base of my oesophagus but not enough to warrant any medication. When I eat certain foods it seems to get stuck in my throat and it won’t shift, the more I try to eat the worse it gets. The only way I can relieve it is to basically bring it back up. I wouldn’t say the food gets stuck in the chest area though.

Sorry, that’s probably not very helpful to you

[-missymoo in reply to Dawzelle]

Thank you Dawzelle, I always appreciate any replies I get, it’s all a giant learning curve 😃. It’s another question to add to my list when I next see my Rheumatologist.

Thanks again and best wishes x

[LucyJean]

Hi there, you certainly don't sounds silly. You sound like you have the same issue as me. Certain foods (the more stodgy ones usually) feel like they get lodged, or are slow to go down. Sometimes you feel them going all the way down into your chest where it feels like it sits like a lump...before finally reaching the stomach. I feel full easily and it just feels like bigger meals are sitting in the oesophagus for ages before slowly making their way down to my stomach. Fluid, fluid and more fluid is required, and I find standing up and moving around is helpful. Sometimes it feels like stuff has barely got passed the back of my throat and could go either way.

I also find that swallowing tablets creates masses of air, and there is a lot of burping involved. Nice!!!

Lxxx

[-missymoo in reply to LucyJean]

Thank you Lucyjean, you’ve just described me exactly! Also, after it’s been lodged or slow to move and finally does pass through, anything that goes down after, as it enters my tummy, my tummy makes gurgling noises.

Can I ask, have you had any investigations into it, barium swallow etc? If so, could they see anything different?

Thanks again L

H x

[LucyJean]

To be honest I have resisted further investigations like the plague I know what is causing it, and at the minute I don't need someone shoving a camera down my throat to tell me anything I already know. If that makes sense...? I am on Esomeprazole daily anyway. I try and be sensible about what and how I eat. I have an agreement with my consultant that if it progresses and gets worse then I will have further investigations, but I am not really aware that there is much they can do and so I don't really want to be messed around for the sake of it. But, don't follow my example, we health professionals make terrible patients! If I was to opt for investigations I think I would try and go for the barium swallow rather than camera. With the known difficulties with swallowing I can't see that being a pleasant thing. Although I hope that someone else comes on here and replies to both of us and tells us something different :)) Lxxx

[-missymoo in reply to LucyJean]

Thank you L, I totally get that! think I’ll definitely mention it to my Rheumatologist, but whether I go for further investigations is undecided, as you say it’s obvious what’s going on, but will monitor it going forward. I’ve been given omeprezole to take, but have been reluctant to do so, but thinking that I maybe should as the reflux is also getting worse.

Oh the joys. Do take care and thanks again.

H xx

[LucyJean]

Yes, definitely take it. You need to protect your oesophagus from any acid coming up. Lxx

[GGhere]

Hi Missymoo

I have the same symptoms as you swallowing certain foods and feel as though stuff is stuck there. I sometimes resort to fizzy soda water to try to clear my oesophagus - maybe it's just psychological but it does make me feel better. When the consultant asked me if I had swallowing problems I told him about the fizzy soda water and he said "that's fine". I also use a reflux pillow in bed. Do a Google search for reflux pillow. Find a good quality one made from firm memory foam - it's quite long so that you don't get a crick in your back. I put an ordinary pillow on top of it. The top of the body is raised and this does help with acid reflux at night. Before I knew there was anything wrong I was having to sleep in a sitting up position as the reflux was so bad. The pillow takes a bit of getting used to but it's worth the effort. I was also told not to eat anything after 7 pm. Though very inconvenient socially this really does work. A small meal no later than 7 pm has helped me enormously plus the use of the big wedge of a pillow. I call it my my Mount Never-rest,

[Lupiknits]

Extreme reflux was the start of my problems, and now I have the exact same sticking problems others describe. Gross, but at it's worst all I can do is take sips of fizzy mineral water to help me.regurgitate. When it's stuck it doesn't reach my stomach at all. Meds taste worst of all on their return trip of course.

Please try to get over your tube down the throat fear! I've know people sleep through the procedure. I didn't because they needed to take snips for biopsy. At least that rules out some of the worst outcomes.

I'm significantly underweight and must seek an urgent rheumy appt if I lose more