food and water staying in throat

debbiejeanne
debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

sometimes when i eat, the food and drink stays in the back of my throat instead of going down the esphogus.  it has lingered there as long as 10 minutes after swallowing.  i can't talk when this happens or the food/drink will spew all over the place.  After reading a post from JF, i'm wondering if it could be the sphincter muscle?  what are the symptoms of that muscle not working?  can that be my problem?  my last rad tx was 10/22/09 and my last surgery for recurrence was 2/28/12.  i still have problems swallowing food and pills (always) but the bothersome problem is the one i mentioned above.  if anyone has any ideas about why this occurs and/or what i can do to solve the problem, I'd appreciate your sharing.  I asked the doctor about this but he honestly DIDN'T say a word.  Thank  you in advance for your replies.

God bless you,

dj

Comments

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #2
    DJ

    Mine never stays caught I always hack it back up and swallow it the second time. I never had it actually stuck there for a long period of time. Doesn't liquid help slide it down?

          Jeff

  • catfish_58
    catfish_58 Member Posts: 138 Member
    #3
    Throat

    My dieticianist had told me while i was still using the tube that if for some reason i was having trouble swallowing my food that they could go in and do some kinda of balloon in my throat and inflat it and it would streach my throat out to allow me to swallow easier.I don't remember the treatment name cause I was ok on my swallowing,Might ask your doctor about that.

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #4
    Duggie88 said:

    DJ

    Mine never stays caught I always hack it back up and swallow it the second time. I never had it actually stuck there for a long period of time. Doesn't liquid help slide it down?

          Jeff

    jeff, even the water sits at

    jeff, even the water sits at the back of my throat!  not every drink but very often.  my husband says i can't talk to him if i've been drinking b/c he doesn't want to wear it....lol.

    catfish, that procedure is called a throat dilation.  i get them every couple of months.  it's not that there's no room for the water to not go down, it just won't go down.  sometimes i spend several minutes swallowing over and over to get it to go down.  its not just food that sits at the back of my throat it is also liquids.  i'm sure that's just one more gift from rads that i'm gonna have to live with.  i guess i was just hoping that someone here had a magic trick to fix the problem....Undecided 

    God bless,

    dj

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #5
    drink and eat carefully

    dj,

    I can appreciate sharing with you also, but try as I might I have no magic trick to help you.

    I am more from the Jeff school of cough it up and re-swallow (if you please). I do know it never happens a third time.

    So do you have a tell before prior to your husband wearing it?

    Matt

  • jackflash22
    jackflash22 Member Posts: 524 Member
    #6
    CivilMatt said:

    drink and eat carefully

    dj,

    I can appreciate sharing with you also, but try as I might I have no magic trick to help you.

    I am more from the Jeff school of cough it up and re-swallow (if you please). I do know it never happens a third time.

    So do you have a tell before prior to your husband wearing it?

    Matt

    Swallow prob'

    It was explained to me that the sphincter muscle closes behind the swallow and like a tube of toothpaste being squeezed it worked its way down closing behind the good/liquid so it doesn't go back up. 

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #7
    CivilMatt said:

    drink and eat carefully

    dj,

    I can appreciate sharing with you also, but try as I might I have no magic trick to help you.

    I am more from the Jeff school of cough it up and re-swallow (if you please). I do know it never happens a third time.

    So do you have a tell before prior to your husband wearing it?

    Matt

    matt, unfortunately, he has

    matt, unfortunately, he has worn my drink a few tiimes, that's why he makes me "stand back".

    dj

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #8
    Hmmmm...

    Debbie, I do think I would go to the doctor with this symptom.  I know it has to be worrisome and I'm all for finding out what the real issue (at least you know then) and taking the recommended measures to correct it.

    My concern is that you could choke or aspirate.

     

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #9
    Noellesmom said:

    Hmmmm...

    Debbie, I do think I would go to the doctor with this symptom.  I know it has to be worrisome and I'm all for finding out what the real issue (at least you know then) and taking the recommended measures to correct it.

    My concern is that you could choke or aspirate.

     

    thank you, i will check it

    thank you, i will check it ouy.

    God bless you,

    dj

  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #10
    debbiejeanne said:

    thank you, i will check it

    thank you, i will check it ouy.

    God bless you,

    dj

    What a Surprise!

    I do have similar problems and did not realize anyone else had it.  It appears that my food/water are stucked just before entering my stomach.  I know exactly how you feel.  It first starts with the food appearing to be blocked.  When drinking water, I think it has gone down, but not.  When I have that feeling, I have to be extra careful or it will be spewing out all over.  This happens when food is stuck in my throat and I want to cough it out.

    I've been dilated twice, but not successful.  Jackflash mentioned the Sphincter problem.  After researching, I think this is possibly my problem.  I will bring this to the attention of my doctor on my next visit.

    My problem is complicated with other ailments.  I have aspiration problems, food is constantly stuck in my throat and my extremely dry mouth condition.

    I have to chew food well with lot of liquid/gravy.  I eat mostly soft foods. 

    Aloha

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #11
    HAWVET said:

    What a Surprise!

    I do have similar problems and did not realize anyone else had it.  It appears that my food/water are stucked just before entering my stomach.  I know exactly how you feel.  It first starts with the food appearing to be blocked.  When drinking water, I think it has gone down, but not.  When I have that feeling, I have to be extra careful or it will be spewing out all over.  This happens when food is stuck in my throat and I want to cough it out.

    I've been dilated twice, but not successful.  Jackflash mentioned the Sphincter problem.  After researching, I think this is possibly my problem.  I will bring this to the attention of my doctor on my next visit.

    My problem is complicated with other ailments.  I have aspiration problems, food is constantly stuck in my throat and my extremely dry mouth condition.

    I have to chew food well with lot of liquid/gravy.  I eat mostly soft foods. 

    Aloha

    HAWVET, thank you for your

    HAWVET, thank you for your reply.  i thot i was the only one.  please let me know what your doc says about this problem.  i have also been dilated many but it is only good for about a month the everything starts sticking again.  i'm sorry you have aspiration problems as i know that can get quite serious.  i don't have dry mouth anymore and i'm sorry for those who do as i know that is a huge problem.  i also have to chew food FOREVER so i can swallow it and it still gets stuck sometime.  yuk!  i'll be looking forward to hearing what your doc says.  hang in there.

    God bless you,

    dj

  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    #12
    debbiejeanne said:

    HAWVET, thank you for your

    HAWVET, thank you for your reply.  i thot i was the only one.  please let me know what your doc says about this problem.  i have also been dilated many but it is only good for about a month the everything starts sticking again.  i'm sorry you have aspiration problems as i know that can get quite serious.  i don't have dry mouth anymore and i'm sorry for those who do as i know that is a huge problem.  i also have to chew food FOREVER so i can swallow it and it still gets stuck sometime.  yuk!  i'll be looking forward to hearing what your doc says.  hang in there.

    God bless you,

    dj

    hope you find

    the cause and it gets corrected...are you the DJ on facebook that super glued her tube? If so, you might want to get that repaired also :)

     

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #13
    Grandmax4 said:

    hope you find

    the cause and it gets corrected...are you the DJ on facebook that super glued her tube? If so, you might want to get that repaired also :)

     

    on rare occasion

    On rare occasion I get something stuck but seems like I have either taken too big of a bite or taken a 2nd bite before the first has gone down.

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #14
    Grandmax4 said:

    hope you find

    the cause and it gets corrected...are you the DJ on facebook that super glued her tube? If so, you might want to get that repaired also :)

     

    yes, grandmax4, that's me.  i

    yes, grandmax4, that's me.  i have a new one now.  it just took 2 days to get here so i had to use that one.  but the part  i glued wasn't the part that actually goes inside my stoma.....lmbo.

    dj

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