[trebambinibelli]

Posting here for traffic....

I have a variety of health issues, one being that I have hypotonia (low muscle tone). Over the last decade or so, I have had increasing problems with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). This sometimes leads to choking. Majority of the time I can quickly cough or swallow but sometimes, like tonight, I try to clear the throat and the food just stays there. I have to quickly get myself over a desk or table and bang myself on the back while trying to cough. This time it only lasted about 10 sec. A few weeks ago, it lasted at least 30 seconds or maybe more, the most terrifying 30 seconds of my life.

I'm so scared of this happening again but possibly losing consciousness if I can't dislodge the food in time. I've seen a speech path who said I had really weak swallowing muscles, so she gave me some exercises on a trial. The exercises only tired out the muscles more and the choking increased so she said that is all I can do.

I've googled but most info relates to babies choking but not adults. I'm a single Mum so have no adult present if can't recover from the choking. I'm at the very beginning of my dietetic studies so I'm still yet to learn about diet modifications relating to this but maybe I should ask one of my lecturers for their advice? But in the meantime, is there anyone out there that experiences the same problem - or even has older children with it? If so, what or who helped you or your child?

Thanks for reading

[Mumma3]

A friends husband has something similar, which last year resulted in a trip to the ED.
I can't remember the name of what he has, but he ended up seeing a dietician after also having an endoscopy (is that the one they do through the throat?) which showed scarring to his food pipe. He had had symptoms since a child, but it has got worse the last few years.
He had to go through an elimination diet, and has managed to control it by avoiding gluten and nuts. It seems to be a variation of an anaphylaxis for him, but had the potential to continue getting worse if he doesn't avoid those triggers.
HTH

[TillyTake2]

Could you see a gastroenterologist?

[TillyTake2]

A friends husband has something similar, which last year resulted in a trip to the ED.
I can't remember the name of what he has, but he ended up seeing a dietician after also having an endoscopy (is that the one they do through the throat?) which showed scarring to his food pipe. He had had symptoms since a child, but it has got worse the last few years.
He had to go through an elimination diet, and has managed to control it by avoiding gluten and nuts. It seems to be a variation of an anaphylaxis for him, but had the potential to continue getting worse if he doesn't avoid those triggers.
HTH

This sounds like eosinophilic esophagitis. A gastroenterologist would be my point of call, this is what came to mind for me too. There are sometimes also surgical options if it is a muscle tone issue.

[trebambinibelli]

Ironically I do have eosinophilic oesophagitis which was diagnosed a year ago but that causes food to become impacted in the oesophagus whereas I choke at the point where it could go either way. The Speech path said that my throat closes over in order to prevent food going down the trachea but that doesn't help if it won't go down my oesophagus either. The choking was thought initially to be related to EO but now the Drs, speech path etc think my choking stems from low muscle tone.

Thanks for your replies thus far

[Sinister Bonnet]

You need to see a gastro ASAP.

[jmaz86]

I agree go and see a gastro, did the speechy say anything about pureed foods and thickened fluids?

[Fossy]

No advice on the choking, but it might be worth investing in something like a medic alert button. You push it in a medical emergency and an ambulance is dispatched. If you're the only adult present it may truly be a life saver.

[trebambinibelli]

Thanks for replying.

No advice on the choking, but it might be worth investing in something like a medic alert button. You push it in a medical emergency and an ambulance is dispatched. If you're the only adult present it may truly be a life saver.

Actually that has been mentioned for another condition I have (I said I had multiple issues lol!). I'm starting to think that maybe I need to investigate this further. The GP dissuaded me at the time saying that it is way too expensive.

Tilly take2, Balzac, jmaz86 - I am under a gastro because of my EO. I am on a (very long!) waiting list for a repeat endoscopy. He knows about my chronic choking but said it's not to do with EO as someone with EO only does not choke, just feels food trapped in their throat. At the time I was diagnosed with EO I had an extremely elevated eosino count but no strictures. And the speech path did not recommend texture modification for me. She said to avoid some foods which seem to trigger the choking but it is getting to the point where I choke on something pretty much every day.

[Kafkaesque]

On adult patients at work with dysphasia they would be on a soft diet. Has this been suggested to you?