(was) Weird Symptom? (now) Dysphagia

[Guest guest]

Yes I also have this problem. It's called Dysphagia. I'll put some info at the end of this email for you. My neuro told me to always keep water with me. ALWAYS. When you feel that tight feeling in your throat begin take a sip of water. The water in your mouth triggers the swallowing reflex and gets you going again. I carry a water bottle in my purse. Around the house I have a big glass of water that I carry with me everywhere.

Get a different neuro and start a symptom diary to show him/her, if you haven't already. And get a notebook and start a journal of how you feel each day, what has happened, when you had to take a nap or lay down and for how long. That may help you when your get your SSDI appeal.

Good luck and hang in there!

Sharon

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sourcebook-Dysphagia.asp

Dysphagia (Swallowing Problems)

From The MS Information Sourcebook, produced by the National MS Society.

Dysphagia, or difficulty in swallowing, can occur among people with MS. While more frequent in advanced disease, it can occur at any stage. The person may cough after drinking liquids, or choke while eating certain foods, particularly those with crumbly textures.

When this kind of coughing or choking occurs, the food or liquids are inhaled into the trachea (windpipe) instead of going down the esophagus (gullet) and into the stomach. Once in the lungs, the inhaled food or liquids can cause pneumonia or abscesses. Because the food or drink is not reaching the stomach, a person may also be at risk for malnutrition or dehydration.

A person can also inhale small amounts of food or liquids without being aware of it. This is called silent aspiration.

Diagnosing and Treating DysphagiaDysphagia is initially diagnosed by a careful history and neurologic examination of the tongue and swallowing muscles. A special imaging procedure called a modified barium swallow (videofluoroscopy) is used to evaluate a person's ability to chew and swallow solids and liquids. In this test, the person drinks a small quantity of barium, which makes the structures of the mouth, throat, and esophagus visible on x-ray. The movement of these structures is recorded on videotape by a videofluoroscope as the person eats or drinks foods of varying consistencies-thin liquid, thick liquid, and solid. The precise location and manner of a swallowing defect can then be identified, and treatment prescribed.

A speech/language pathologist is the professional who diagnoses and treats dysphagia. Treatment typically consists of dietary changes, exercises, or stimulation designed to improve swallowing. In very severe cases that do not respond to these measures, feeding tubes may be inserted directly into the stomach to provide the necessary fluids and nutrition.Many people who have difficulty swallowing also have speech disorders. Speech/language pathologists also evaluate, diagnose, and treat these problems. A chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society can provide referrals to qualified speech/language pathologists.

Sharon (MSersLife creator/owner)

Keep true to the dreams of thy youth. (Albert Einstein)

Weird Symptom?

I know that MS does LOTS of WEIRD stuff to our bodies, and causes all sorts of quirks and jerks, but I have one specific problem that I THINK I read somewhere could be MS related. I have a problem getting "choked" or "strangled". Especially when I eat or drink, but sometimes I even get strangled on my own spit!! I've noticed the problem over the last few years, but have noticed it increasing in frequency. I am so nervous when I eat in public for fear of getting choked. I've noticed that it gets worse when I'm nervous. Like when we went to the bank to sign the papers on our Mortgage loan (how stressful is THAT?!) I got strangled on my own spit and took a coughing fit in the middle of signing MOUNTAINS of paper work. There wasn't a water fountain on the floor of the bank that we were on, so I had to excuse myself from the loan officer (By hand signals, I couldn't talk for coughing, he told me where a water fountain was)

and walk through the lobby and take an elevator upstairs, the whole time coughing so hard my eyes began to water uncontrollably. This is the most embarassing thing. It happenend while I was in line at the grocery store (I hate shopping, so another stressful moment). Anyway, I was just wondering if this could be MS related or just something else? Has/Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, what do you do to stop/help it??~