Hi all,
While searching for a diagnosis over the past few years, a few doctors suspected Multiple Sclerosis because I've been having some difficulty swallowing at times. I'm at the point where I have to ask my OB/GYN to switch my Prometrium pill because the round, rubbery pill, though not very large, has been getting harder and harder for me to swallow and has gotten stuck in my throat a couple of times. Strangely, I still can swallow those big calcium horse pills because they have an elongated shape. The MRI for MS was negative Swollen glands behind my ears and throat were one of my first
symptoms...for ages I kept mentioning it to doctors who seemed to think
I was crazy.
Feel behind your ears and you throat and see if you think the glands are up.
I had much trouble swallowing at one stage because of this especially
round tablets, elongated horse pills were easier to get down but I was
even having trouble swallowing food at the time.
This was definitely RA connected and still is as occasionally it still happens.
Deep breath. Don't panic.
Hi Jesse, my girlfriend who also suffers from RA has the very problem and the Rheumy told her it was the RA affecting the ligaments around the oesophagus! He changed her meds from MTX to Enbrel, seems to be working. Best of luck, Janie.
I have trouble swallowing also. It was especially bad after I was in an induced coma for 10 days. the intubation tube has caused scarring . I was also told that from having hypothyroiditis I would have an enlarged thyroid gland causing the swallowing problem.Have you had your thyroid checked?I get that when flaring. I always was told it has to do with the Crohn's I also have. Inflammation of the bile ducts which causes spasms when trying to swallow. I think that can happen with RA as well? I've notice that I've become somewhat of a clumsy eater in the past several years. In particular I have problems with drinking (no, not THAT kind of drinking!). It really has a tendency to go down the wrong pipe. It's quite annoying.
I was also going to suggest having your thyroid checked.
I've had the swallowing problem since I was a kid. It was murder to get those huge pills down then, but I still have problems every so often. One nurse told me to put the pill in my mouth, drink some water, and then bend my head forward with my chin going toward my chest. It works for some.
Oh my gosh, this is so enlightening and helpful. So it may be related after all! No doctor has ever said this to me and I'm going to make a point of asking the RD about it next time. He's not going to be happy that I'm changing my hormones because he wants everything else to stay consistent while he tinkers with my meds, but I feel I have no choice any more. What many of you have written rings so true, swallowing down the wrong pipe, "clumsy" eating (so well put) and I've had a tendency to choke easily on food as well. My throat does feel swollen at times and if I'm stressed I really "choke up." That could just be the stress at work but with the other medical problems I'm now thinking there is indeed a link. I'll also ask about a thyroid test and try the swallowing tip posted. I can't believe how relieved I feel to have what seems to be an answer to this worry of mine. Thank you all so much for helping me with this. It's beginning to look like all these nagging problems are autoimmune related and hopefully the right med mix will fix them. If anyone else has a similar swallowing issue, I'd appreciate hearing from you as well. I keep learning new things that help me along the way. Thanks. I have had this same issue come up and have done a bit of reading about it
It is really unpleasant and scary to have trouble swallowing. For me it is an RA thing usually (has been tonsils on occasion too).
I quit taking pills with carbonated drinks in the evening. Water works best for me. I also am careful in the morning that my coffee has cooled off to the point I can drink it right down. Hot drinks really interfere with me for getting enough liquid to wash the pill all the way down.
Hi Jesse, I know how scarey that can be. It looks like many of us have similar problems. The "wrong pipe" sounds quite familiar, as does clumsiness while eating, and actually choking on something. I have always taken small bites anyway, but even that doesn't help much.
It occurred to me that my Sjogren's might have something to do with it. I asked my rheumy and she said that was quite possible. Of course, anytime I've asked a doctor, the check my glands and throat. Those always seem okay, but everyone comments on the fact that my mouth is so dry.
I think that the Sjogren's is most likely in my case, but these other causes also seem to make a lot of sense. I agree that having something to drink just before and just after a bite, really helps. I never thought of something warm to drink, but I'll certainly try it. It sounds quite soothing.
I carry a bottle of water around with me all day, because at times I can't even talk, because of the dry mouth. It really can make you panic when your throat closes up.
Good luck, Jesse. You got lots of ideas, and I'm sure something will work for you.
Hugs, Nini
Trouble swallowing can be a symptom of thrush (from RA meds maybe?), sjogrens, or scleroderma... Might want to look into those things.
Take care, K
PLEASE ask to have your esophogus checked! My mother had a problem swollowing and they told her it was acid reflux..then they said it was due to new meds she was on for her diabetes. She insisted something was wrong because she was having a hard time getting liquids down without choking. After several MONTHS of insisting She pulled her "patient bill of rights" and insisted they do a test. They put a scope down her throat only to find out she had esophogus CANCER. It had taken over the whole bottom part of her esophogus and into her stomach and lymph nodes. They started chemo immediatly and had surgery a few months later.. She will never recover from it...she has been in the hospital since April when she had her surgery. Please if you are concerned something isn't right...push push push to have it examined.. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT! I was having problems swallowing my pills, always had a dry throat, choking, etc. It turned out to be a combonation of acid reflux and my sjogren's. I was put on aciphex 2x/day and it went away. Now I take it once a day and drink water to moisten my throat before I take my meds. No problem since...Some good information here. The cancer part is scary, but it makes no sense to stick my head in the sand. I guess I need to put that on my list of questions/requests. It was so enlightening to find out that RA type diseases can also cause this symptom and right now I'm betting that's the problem, but we'll see what the RD says.