ljturner
08-15-2005, 08:33 PM
Hi all,
I am writing with a question about my partner. For the last couple of weeks she has been having a sensation that there is food stuck in her throat, closer to her collarbone than further down by her stomach. It seems to happen all the time and is really uncomfortable for her. She has also said she's had some heartburn and a feeling of a "sour" stomach, but the food in her throat feeling is the most bothersome thing right now. She has tried antacids but they don't seem to help very much. Could there be something other than heartburn or GERD going on? I have told her to get to the DR. but she hasn't yet.
In the meantime, I am still having a lot of indigestion one month after my gb removal. I will see the doc this Thursday. FUN!
I am writing with a question about my partner. For the last couple of weeks she has been having a sensation that there is food stuck in her throat, closer to her collarbone than further down by her stomach. It seems to happen all the time and is really uncomfortable for her. She has also said she's had some heartburn and a feeling of a "sour" stomach, but the food in her throat feeling is the most bothersome thing right now. She has tried antacids but they don't seem to help very much. Could there be something other than heartburn or GERD going on? I have told her to get to the DR. but she hasn't yet.
In the meantime, I am still having a lot of indigestion one month after my gb removal. I will see the doc this Thursday. FUN!
Sponsor
silver515
08-15-2005, 09:33 PM
HI! I have had the same symptons and antacids just stopped helping. I went to a gastro dr and he said I had an inflammed esophagus. I had to go for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. He put me on protonix which really helps. I hardly ever get heartburn anymore and the food stuck in the throat thing only happens once in awhile. She really should have this checked since it can be helped.
ljturner
08-15-2005, 10:27 PM
I will definitely be persistent in trying to get her to the doctor, especially since it seems to be getting worse and is constant. If it came and went I might think it could be heartburn. It doesn't ever seem to be any better though and that is what concerns me about it.
Barrygood
08-16-2005, 02:05 PM
Hello I.J.Turner: The symptoms you describe of having 'food stuck in the esophagus', is symptomatic of esophageal problems. It may be an 'inflamed esophagus', or it can be more serious such as Achalasia, which deals with motility issues (bringing the food down to the gut) and muscular issues (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) that controls the passing of food into the stomach. If your friend cares about her body and has common sense, she should see a Gastroenterologist who will be able to diagnose her problem and provide necessary solutions be they medication or/and surgery.
ljturner
08-16-2005, 02:08 PM
She is seeing her primary care doc tomorrow to get a referral. She also was born with a cleft lip and palate and underwent many surgeries as a child and teenager (she's 43). Now she sometimes feels like she has food go into her sinuses. So I don't know if the throat problem might be related to that issue as well.
ljturner
08-17-2005, 04:22 PM
She saw her primary today and is going to see my gastroenterologist in September. Her primary gave her an 8 week supply of nexium to see if that helps, but also recommended further tests, a barium swallow and possibly an endoscopy. Turns out her grandmother (paternal) had esophageal cancer so naturally I am totally freaked out.
I go to the gastro tomorrow to find out why I am still having so much trouble since my gb surgery. The two of us are quite a pair. :eek:
I go to the gastro tomorrow to find out why I am still having so much trouble since my gb surgery. The two of us are quite a pair. :eek:
Barrygood
08-17-2005, 11:06 PM
Hello lJTurner....I am glad to hear that your partner has seen her physician. As far as tests are concerned, the Endoscopy should reveal what "is going on" with her. It is a very good diagnostic test to have done. I hope that both your partner and you will "get better" as time progresses. Keep me informed. I would like to know.
ljturner
08-18-2005, 10:08 AM
Thanks for the reply. She said she felt somewhat better after taking the nexium yesterday but then felt nausea this morning. My concern with that is that she generally is not a pill taker and I don't want her to abandon the treatment before she gives her body a chance to adjust to it. Her call though, nothing I can really do to make her take it!
EosLady
08-21-2005, 11:15 PM
I hope they will do the scope, and lots of biopsies.. Anyone with esophageal problems should have biopsies taken the full length of the esophagus because even if it looks normal there is a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis that can be lurking in normal looking tissue..
Symptoms of it can vary.. Food getting stuck is a biggy, as well as reflux.. Some people have severe chest pain, and heartburn.. It varies.. A simple diet change to eliminate the problem foods that are causing a type of allergic reaction, or steroids will work wonders..
This disease can only be diagnosed with biopsies of the affected tissue, and as I said it may be normal looking.. The inflammation can actually be in the deeper layers where it is not visible...
So please ask for biopsies when any scope is done.
Eos Lady :wave:
Symptoms of it can vary.. Food getting stuck is a biggy, as well as reflux.. Some people have severe chest pain, and heartburn.. It varies.. A simple diet change to eliminate the problem foods that are causing a type of allergic reaction, or steroids will work wonders..
This disease can only be diagnosed with biopsies of the affected tissue, and as I said it may be normal looking.. The inflammation can actually be in the deeper layers where it is not visible...
So please ask for biopsies when any scope is done.
Eos Lady :wave:
ljturner
08-22-2005, 12:51 PM
Yes I am hoping they do one as well. She has been taking nexium which has helped with the food stuck in the throat feeling, but now she wakes up every morning with really bad nausea. Ugh!
tryingtolive
09-12-2005, 05:31 PM
Hello. I just cam across this post and noticed the problem of "food being stuck"... well I have a condition called achalasia which is a severe esophagus problem (in which it tightens to the point that food is hard to pass through). In addition to this, I have GERD too... that sounds like how my situation started to be honest with you...