Difficulty Swallowing - GERD, Hiatal Hernia and Nodule on Thyroid

By Daun Thursday, January 15, 2009

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I have been suffering for over 4 months, first 3 months could only drink ensure. Now I can eat soft solids and baby food. I take Zegerid twice a day and Reglan 4 times a day. My esophagus was stretched over a month ago and now they checking for Akalasia. I've had a barrium swallow, MRI's of the soft tissue and bones of the neck, ultrasound of the thyroid and Xrays. I was in the emergency room twice with dehydration and am on my 3rd set of ENT's and Gastrologists with no real answer as to why I can't swallow properly. I have an MRI of the brain and new barrium swallow with a speech pathologist and different consistancies of liquid 2/3. I'm also see a Cognative Behavioral Specialist and Medical Hypnotherapist because I have developed an alleged anxiety toward food. I even tried to check into an eating disorder clinic but was told they couldn't help me because I don't have an eating disorder. Anyone else living this nightmare?????

Comments (8) | Add comment

carolyn

2/ 5/09 8:02pm

upon seeing a gastroenterologist and audiologist i was diagnosed with LPR . it is similar to gerd except the problems are in the throat more than stomach. i could not swallowand it also has affected my vocal cords. my spelling is not correct on this but it is close. laryngpharngeal reflux disease.hope this helps you.

Suzuki33

2/18/09 2:49pm

your story is the same as mine. my doctors are stumped.. I also subsisted off of ensure for 3 months and graduated to baby foods... of course I have anxiety to food.

im scared of scleroderma... for my skin is dry..and nail beds turned whitish (white stripes in nail bed) coldfingertips.

this is the worst nightmare ive ever gone thorugh.

How are you now?? I can tell you the history leading up to the swallowing problems and see if we have any similarities...then maybe we can get better after pinpointing a possible connection. This ruined my life. I had to quit my job. and emotionally its traumatizing. not the same person I was before,carefree.

~Susan

Daun

2/26/09 3:20pm

I have to talk with my ENT this tuesday - he wants to inject botox into the throat now since they couldn't find anything wrong with the esophagus - he says the muscle at the very tip of it is tight - if the botox works he wants to cut the muscle to keep it open. I have been eating well for two weeks or so so I'm not sure I want to jeopardize that because there's a slight chance the botox will get on other muscles and make swallowing worse. I am off baby food and am eating baked potatoes, some veggies like string beans and carrots, chicken, fries, some pasta - still can't eat rice, broccoli, raw fruits or veg, salad, etc yet, but working with cognative behavioral specialist works. Please email me if you would like to compare notes at cranebrdgvll@aol.com

I know exactly what your going through - its a nightmare. I'm not the same person either. Please hang in there. It will get better.

Daun

Anonymous

5/ 8/09 2:48am

i have been suffering with the same type of condition. except mine started about 9 years ago and progressively gets worse. it could be achalasia. im considering other never disorders as well because i have fatigue. but that may be because i dont eat enough. but i really doubt it. i experience severe fatigue. ive had a barium swallow study, an upper endoscopy and now im going to do the mamometry to see whether it is achalasia. hope you feel better.

Anonymous

10/18/09 5:32pm

i am suffering the same problems and wondered if they ever figured out what was going on with you.

Anonymous

10/31/09 12:00am

Have you had your Thyroid check...find a specialist...in the field of thyroid VERY IMPORTANT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ULTRASOUND DONE ON YOUR THYROID...CAN NOT ALWAYS FIND IT WITH a regular TSH BLOOD TEST...the thyroid can effect all kinds of things...swallowing is one of them..its worth a try...best of luck to all of you..

Meri

3/20/10 4:20am

You need to look up Reglan and lawsuits. Taking Reglan for more than a month causes swallowing problems along with other BRAIN DAMAGE...My husband was on it but not even the dosage you are on. Search it you will find alot of info

Tired

7/24/10 8:43pm

I've suffered from swallowing difficulties for the past 2+ years.Firsr, I was told to chew my food better. That didn't work, so they prescribed Rinitidine twice a day. After 6 months of no progress, they now have me taking Omepresol.

You'd think , with all the medications on the market today, there would be one that would work. Meanwhile, we just have to put up with the discomfort.

Difficulty Swallowing - GERD, Hiatal Hernia and Nodule on Thyroid

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