r/dysphagia

Yesterday, I was diagnosed with FND. I originally thought my swallowing issues stem from oral thrush and acid reflux, but no, just FND.

So I had been having issues with swallowing for 3 months, which all started when I suddenly became aware of the feeling of food stuck in my throat. This was followed by a period of lots of stomach acids travelling up my throat (I assume) and a heightened awareness of food near my epiglottis, sometimes on just one side. And this feeling would NOT go away even as I swallowed saliva or drank water. This would in turn send me into a spiral. What helped me was that I was checked out by a ENT doctor with a nasal endoscopy. When I ate a cookie during that appointment, I told them that I could feel like some pieces of it were stuck, doctor said it was entirely clear. So, basically I have been hyperfocusing on my throat, with some parts of this feeling being attributed to anxiety and perhaps some to stomach acid which makes food feel like it's still there, like a phantom feeling. Having a CBT psychologist who challenged me helped a lot as well.

So, these past few days I have had my first pizza, burger, hot dog, candy for the first time since spring. I still feel pieces stuck sometimes but I just remind myself it's not real, and breathe deep which actually helps. Asking my friends if they also had that feeling was also great for my journey. All my friends said the same thing, that "I can feel it if I think about it and focus on my swallowing but it just generally doesn't cross my mind".

The next step now is to get to a point where swallowing doesn't become the focus point of me eating, which seems to be pretty soon seeing as these great changes just happened the last couple of days.

I wish you all luck on your way forward. Dysphagia SUCKKKKSSS but I figured it might be nice to hear that there is recovery.

Since December I haven’t been able to swallow solid foods. My throat will literally not initiate a swallow. I’ve been to multiple doctors, had tests done, and now I’m in therapy for it, as well as working with a speech pathologist for my swallowing. I’m making zero progress. I put food in my mouth, and I chew and chew and chew, and can’t swallow. I sit there and keep attempting to initiate a swallow to the point of me having to spit food out. I’m extremely desperate for help. I’m not in a good place mentally, and it’s ruining my life. Any help is much appreciated, but I feel like I’m exhausting all of my resources.

Good morning or aftwenoon well where do i start i been going to hell and back the past 7 months going on 8 trying to figuerw out whats wrong well all started with one day out of tge blue i had really bad dry throat in my right side that make difficulty swallowing evwn my saliva feel like it was so dry went to dr i had few test done swallowing, ct scan, ent did a nasal endoscopy, and eveeything cameback normal the only thing i found by a test i did my aelf i had hpylori wich i treated for 14 days, thank GOD thays gone but the gi dr put me on 40mg og esomeprazone i been on it for the past 30 days ifeel lil difference on my throat but not as much still feels dry and do to that i have difficulty swallowing solids or tgick stuff for the past 7 months did any one went to similiar symptoms or have any recomandations thank you

F25, for eight years, I’ve had constant tension/tightness in the upper part of my throat, in the oropharyngeal area, ever since I smoked cannabis in 2018.
Since then, this sensation has NEVER gone away for even a second, and I’ve learned to live with it.

I’ve had several ENT evaluations with normal laryngoscopies, neck ultrasounds, my thyroid is fine, everything is normal.
No organic cause has been identified.

However, over the past year, the sensation has gradually worsened to the point where it has started to interfere with my swallowing and eating.
It had never done this before.
Now I have dysphagia with everything, both solids and liquids, every single day, and it has been going on for many many weeks.

The problem is initiating the swallow.
I have difficulty getting it started;
it is no longer spontaneous and has become mechanical because of this intense, unbearable constriction/tension/tightness in the upper part of my throat that is with me 24/7.
It feels as though the upper throat muscles are paralyzed.
Once I swallow, I don’t have any problems; the food goes down normally.
The problem is actually initiating the swallow because of this blockage.
I don’t have any other symptoms.

Recently, I was admitted to a mental health facility because the tension in my throat was driving me insane.
They gave me high doses of intravenous benzodiazepines to calm me down, and during those days, swallowing food seemed to be easier, but then I got worse again.

I’m now taking amitriptyline, which I started a few weeks ago, and a benzodiazepine as needed because these horrible throat sensations are driving me fucking insane and I can’t focus on anything other than my throat, 24/7, without a single minute of relief.

What the fuck is happening to me?
Why the fuck did I get dramatically worse after years of stability during which I was functional?

This has ruined my life.
I can’t even study anymore to take my university exams.

Do I have to accept that this is going to be my new normal?

so i am 13M and yesterday i had salmon for dinner. Halfway through the meal, I felt like i was just physically in able to swallow solid foods, blamed it on the fact that i was full and moved on. Today's breakfast i had this same feeling and after about 5 bites of painful chewing, i started to worry. I stopped and told my family about this, but they just blamed it on the fact that i was full, its psychological, or my growth spurt ended. I had lunch, same problem, couldnt swallow anything. Same with dinner. At this point I am seriously starving, and I know im not full, quite the opposite actually. I cant swallow food anymore, but drinks go down just fine. I also noticed that I have much less saliva in my mouth, and I have dry lips. I am scared I am going to end up losing weight soon even though im already skinny and die from no food or smth. Pls help im scared for my well being. also keep in mind that this has never happened to me before. it genuinely feels like the moment i look at food, my brain forgets how to swallow, and i immediately gag. Thanks.

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Hello, I have been dealing with a swallowing issue for a month now and it's getting WORSE by the day. 2 months ago I could eat solid foods with a little difficulty but now I struggle drinking liquids. I am on a all liquid diet and have been for a month but its even difficult to drink liquids. Im a little dehydrated because I got a blood test done recently and it showed that my protein in my blood was high. I also have really low iron and have lost 14 pounds from lack of eating due to swallowing issue. I went to the hospital recently and they did a CT scan of my brain and it came back normal. They also looked at my throat and said my tonsils are bigger than normal but not touching so you should get a tonsillectomy. I asked my ENT about possibly getting a tonsillectomy and he thinks my tonsils are not the issue and he doesn't recommend me removing my tonsils. So now I'm stuck waiting for my GI appointment in October whilst dealing with trouble swallowing every. single. day. This is making me depressed, sad, and I've been crying daily. The lack of eating has made me very tired, weak, dizzy, hard to remember somethings/hard to think , very hungry, hard to sleep, layrnx penetration, emotional deregulation, depressed, headaches, muscle spasms, body aches, acid reflux, heartburn, heart palpitations, low energy, and a little dehydrated. Even with all of those symptoms hospitals refuse to admit me and expect me to wait for my GI and neorgology appointments. Everyday is dreadful and I hate my life right now. What do y'all suggest me to do? I can't keep on living like this for months, it's draining🫠

Ciao a tutti, questo è il mio primo post in assoluto.

Ho 25 anni e sono un imprenditore che vive all’ estero, da ormai 1 anno ho problemi a ingoiare i solidi.

Non importa che cosa sia, io sarò sempre “scoordinato” nell’ ingoiare. Per farvi capire la mia sensazione, provate adesso a ingoiare il più veloce possibile la vostra saliva 3 volte di fila, se alla terza avete faticato ecco, io questo lo provo ogni volta che provo a ingoiare qualcosa.

Ho fatto una gastroscopia a marzo e mi hanno diagnosticato l’ Esofagite eosinofila, il fatto è che il mio problema non è all’ esofago, ma ben più alto… nella sezione orofaringea. A conferma di ciò, il mio problema esiste già dal primissimo boccone, quindi quando il cibo non è ancora nell’ esofago. Ho fatto veramente tante visite, ho provato i gastroprotettori e un cortisonico (Jorveza) per mesi, ma nulla sta funzionando.

Io sono sempre più convinto che il problema è all’ inizio della gola, addirittura quando ingoio sento costantemente uno spillo, soprattutto appena sveglio.

Non so più dove girarmi, ho la paura che non ne uscirò mai da questa situazione.

Bonjour, je cherche des personnes qui auraient vécu une situation similaire.
Il y a environ 2 mois, j’ai mal avalé un morceau de pâte pendant un repas. J’ai eu la sensation que ça restait bloqué pendant un moment, puis j’ai fait une grosse crise d’angoisse.
Depuis ce jour, j’ai développé une peur de manger et de m’étouffer. J’ai l’impression que certains aliments restent parfois coincés dans ma gorge alors qu’ils finissent par descendre. À force, j’ai arrêté les aliments solides et je mange surtout des aliments mous/liquides (soupe, lait, biscuits trempés…).
Je ressens aussi parfois une gêne dans la gorge, comme une sensation de blocage ou de difficulté à avaler ma salive quand j’y pense. Avant cet épisode, je mangeais normalement.
J’ai consulté un médecin qui m’a examinée et qui m’a conseillé d’aller voir un psy car elle pense que l’angoisse peut provoquer ou amplifier ces sensations.
Est-ce que certaines personnes ont déjà vécu ça après une peur de s’étouffer ou une grosse angoisse ? Est-ce que ça a fini par passer ?

Hi everyone, I’ve been dealing with a swallowing issue for the past 4 years that is ruining my social life, and I really need some advice.
It all started after an appendectomy 4 years ago (general anesthesia and intubation). Right after surgery, my body started producing excessive saliva, and I couldn't swallow it, so I had to spit into tissues for months. Over time, my ability to swallow solid food improved; I can now eat large bites without any issues. However, the problem persists with liquids.
Whenever I take a large gulp of water, soda, or alcohol, I feel a mechanical lock in my throat. It feels as if a valve or hatch slams shut, and I cannot push the liquid down. I have to hold the liquid in my mouth for a while until it slowly goes down.
Strangely, this is much milder when I am home alone, but it peaks when I am out with friends or in crowded social settings. Sometimes when eating out, I can't even swallow the last bite of my food and have to spit it into a napkin. My heart doesn't race and my hands don't sweat—it doesn't feel like a classic panic attack or anxiety. It feels entirely like a mechanical failure.
Could this be cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD) or a nerve/muscle coordination issue caused by intubation trauma? Has anyone experienced something similar after surgery and found relief through Botox or other treatments? I am planning to see an ENT doctor soon, but I would love to hear your experiences. Thanks!

I randomly started focussing on my swallowing since it felt like i choked and now i don't want to experience that feeling again.

I am a slow eater. And preferred taking liquids while eating since childhood. I just noticed it. And it was not normal. Having to drink a fluid so i can eat food.

How do I get it diagnosed and fixed. I don't want to live like this. Help me 😭I am from india

For the past few months I’ve had dysphagia to the point where I can only eat puree and maybe some chips and pasta. I haven’t had a good meal in so long. I got a colonoscopy and endoscopy and they found nothing. I also received an esophageal manometry also nothing. However, I had a modified barium swallow done. They found that my esophagus is taking more time than usual for all the food to go into my stomach. Like over 20 seconds. I was prescribed some medication that coated my esophagus and it helped! Before I unfortunately got overworked and stopped eating and only had breath mints to eat which caused it to start up again. I just wanted some advice with some people who have maybe experienced the same thing. What was it for you? What medications mainly helped you?

I (25F) have been experiencing issues swallowing for a few months now. I have to eat tiny bites otherwise I feel like the food is too big to fit in my throat/oesophagus and goes down really slowly. Sometimes feels like it gets stuck. This happens will bigger pills too. Sometimes I feel like I’m out of breath and after meals I feel like there’s a lot of mucus in my throat and my voice gets hoarse.

I had an endoscopy done through work insurance July last year for IBS related issues/constant burping and all they found was slightly weak lower oesophageal sphincter. That’s it. The official diagnosis was “IBS”

I saw a GP recently who put me on lansoprazole for a month to see if it helps but so far I’ve not noticed a difference, although it’s only been 2 weeks.

I’ve stopped going out for meals because it feels like such a stressful experience. Can’t help but feel like I’m about to choke and it takes forever to finish a meal.

Has anyone dealt with similar symptoms and found the cause?

Not sure if it’s worth mentioning but I don’t get heartburn.

I had tonsil stones when I was young and had no idea what it was back then. Usually what happens is I would cough it out and you see those white patches come out and they smell horrible. I notice that I would usually get these if I eat certain foods and don't crunch the food well. Back then I notice if I take a flashlight and open my mouth, I would see those white patches which are the tonsil stones. I don't think I ever have taken a cotton swab to take any of it out though.

Now if coughing it out doesn't work, I would intentionally try to throw up and gag to get it out. Usually I would be able to force it out by doing that. However, I have had no luck doing this at all. A few times I did this, I felt the tonsil stone in my throat but could not cough it out. Before this, I was able to cough out a very tiny bit of it but I know there is still a few big pieces left. I feel the tonsil stones when I swallow.

Besides intentionally trying to throw up, what are other ways I can cough it out? I read about salt water. So boil some water with salt and wait a bit. Pour it into a cup and then gargle it for 30 seconds without drinking anything? Then spit it out and keep doing that? Now if you do this and it works, does the tonsil stones usually find it's way to get loosen where you can cough it out... or it just goes down your throat and you swallow it? I read that swallowing tonsil stones is no issue.

Now if I still can't get the tonsil stones out, go to an ENT doctor? Will an ENT always be able to get those few tonsil stones out? The issue is when I use a flashlight with my phone to check, it isn't visible. But do they use a waterpik and that would work? Now when they do this, do they pull it out of your mouth or do you normally swallow it? I obviously prefer to have the tonsil stones pulled out of my mouth.

Has anyone here had tonsil stones stuck for months even? I think I might be approaching it now as it's still stuck in my throat.

For a long time I’ve had some degree of difficulty with swallowing my food, esp larger amounts, and needing to double swallow which I’ve always attributed to having massive tonsils.

Now for a month-ish or so, I’ve noticed food residue sitting in my throat especially after eating muffins, anything dry/crumbly like chips or granola bars, etc. and it does not happen (noticeably) with other consistencies. I never choke on food or anything for that matter—I swallow all other solids, liquids, and pills fine.

The location of the feeling seems to vary but I’d say most of the time it’s high, like epiglottis level or so. If it happens and I contract my neck muscles I can bring the food residue nearly to the actual back of my throat but not completely.

Went to ENT they did a scope and saw nothing concerning but are testing me for myasthenia gravis which would be terrible but I get why they need to rule it out. ENT commented on my tonsil size and said it could contribute which I understand but they’ve also been huge my whole life and never caused problems. Waiting on MBS to be scheduled which should help tell the tale, may go down the path of GI as well.

Has anyone else had this feeling/what did it turn out to be for you? Also, i wouldn’t describe this as a globus feeling as I’ve experienced it before and this just isn’t what that feels like, there’s no lump-like feeling it’s all just small residue.

Edit: drinking water doesn’t seem to help the residue move down and swallowing in different positions doesn’t seem to help. Eventually the food residue moves on its own and clears itself I’d say within 10 minutes of eating.

I’m grateful to have found this sub. 29 year old healthy male, located in NY and out of nowhere in May I suddenly feel like I’m going to choke on whatever I’m eating to the point where I’m spitting some food out, or chewing it to an absolute paste for it to go down. I have an endoscopy on Monday & I’ve completely wrung my brain dry of potential causes.

My hunch based on research is that this is GERD however no matter how much I speculate this feels like I’m in a living hell.

I know that a lot of the discourse on this sub are things being mental health related and I am aware that there is some mental health attributed to this but I am fearful for my life.

I’m diagnosed with OCD, and panic disorder but since this has all started it’s gotten exponentially worse.

Prior to dysphagia I was on setraline and Wellbutrin that I’ve since stopped due to my pcp telling me they could be related.

My fears: cancer, never being able to swallow again, or never finding a solution to this.

I feel like I’m at wits end here. I genuinely don’t want to die and I feel like this is going to kill me.

I have noticed my burps are rancid and my stomach?? Will make noises similar to a lava lamp after eating sometimes that’s what makes me think it’s gerd and maybe that acid is swelling my esophagus or something? I genuinely don’t know.

I’ve never had anxiety somatic like this. Even sitting in a chair thinking about my throat makes me feel like it’s getting inflamed. I’ve noticed advil can help temporarily but I was just eating a brownie and had to stop half way because I felt like I couldn’t put it down. I don’t know where the hell this is coming from or what’s causing it I’m seeing people on here go to SLPs and neurologists and I’m practically slipping on my own shit just thinking about it.

Anyone else vomiting and have nausea after a barium swallow ?
I called the clinic and they had no information for me but to see my GP. They said it can’t be a reaction.

I had the test at 10am and suddenly by 12:30 I was so sick. I had been driving and had to stop in the middle of the road, and I’m just projectile out of my car. The clinic said my test was “normal”. My issue is this after sensation normal.

I can’t get into my GP but I’m not febrile or having any sharp pains. I’m also coeliac so not sure maybe my gut just hated this.

Hi I've been having symptoms of what seems like LPR for 6 years. Since 8 months ago I havent been able to eat solids. I've been surviving on Ensure+ but it started getting harder to tolerate that too. So I had to be an in-patient in the hospital.

I've had an EndoFlip, Endoscopy, Ph test, SIBO breath test, H. Pylori, bloodwork [all of these came back normal], 3 barium swallows (1 modified). I had a manometry and they said I had possible EGJOO, and the barium swallows showed that liquids do get stuck and I have regurgitation.

I've been put on many medications but nothing helps. No doctor knows how to help or what it is. I can barely drink now, and I tried a feeding tube and it was horrible, I am now severely underweight. I'm not sure what else I can do?