This started 2 months ago, when I was swallowing a multi-vitamin and another hard-coated pill. Seems like it went down wrong tube, no coughing as such, but landed on left side back of throat. Went to ER and they goobed gel in my nose and went down both pipes and it slipped down. Nothing to see by doctor. A few weeks later plastic coated capsules (unsure how many, took 4) went to same place and same left side. Tried everything, could eat, talk, drink fluids, but just bobbled from left to middle of throat. Went to have an endoscopic, and were gone afterwards, but nothing in esphogaus as per doctor. Started crushing pills and emptying capsules in pudding or yogurt. Nasty taste believe me. Yesterday forgot and took metformin hard-coated pill and a capsules. Both went to that place in back of my tongue/back of my throat. I tried garggling with head back for hours and then hard pill lodged in left side hole (believe to left side lung, unsure) and capsule still bobbling in middle. I can feel left side plugged all along left side of my throat. Started having chest discomfort on left lower to left upper middle chest. Went to ER. Blood Pressure was around 160 and they ran all sorts of blood work and tests. Told them my story and they said 'in your records, you have had a scope, endoscopic, and swallow test and nothing not normal' I said 'I can't explain why nothing shows on tests, but I know what has happend in back of my throat' Tried to google this happening to others, but nothing like this. Worried about capsule block middle/right side breathing hole or problems from left hole plugged. Like cause heart attack or stroke.
Is it certain sorts of food that cause you problems as well as pills?
Does it make a difference whether you are sitting / standing when you try and swallow them?
Does your throat feel dry (as if you might need to drink more liquids?)
I suppose one thing is to try and have medication in liquid form, but that does not really address the problem, unless you have some sort of nerve reaction against
the feeling of swallowing (and perhaps some sensitivity in your throat / oesophagus that may not have shown up?). Certain sorts of pills can cause a reaction / inflammation if they get stuck in the oesophagus and release the strong chemicals inside earlier than they were designed to do, because the lining of the oesophagus is different from that of the stomach.
I do not know, but perhaps this is either something that might get better on its own in time if you take care to avoid certain things, keep your throat moist and soothed; and make sure you are relaxed when it comes to swallowing; or something a bit more complicated that needs further investigation. Sometimes the body does want to put itself right, and there may be something of a delay (frustrating!) before you know what the real problem is.
Hi I had this problem which started about 4 years ago. I swallowed a plastic coated tablet and it stuck in the base of my throat. I tried drinking 2 full glasses of water but it would not move, so I bent over and the tablet came up whole. In time, food started to get stuck as well. I lost a lot of weight because I could only eat soft foods. I had an endoscopy which showed h- pylori, inflammation and mild hiatus hernia. A year later I had a barium swallow (6 weeks ago) which showed a dismotility problem but was told it was not too bad. It was left at that, so I am still eating soft food and trying to keep my weight up. I am now getting severe chest pain and don't know if it is the dismotility problem or something else. I can only swallow very small tablets or disolving ones now. Hope you find the cause of your problem soon.
You always have to have chest pain investigated properly, but one of the things it might be is the spasm that can be a feature of achalasia.
It feels like a heart attack, apparently, but it isn't, so everybody gets worried. There are some notes from a meeting for achalasia sufferers on the website of the oesophageal patients association, under The Oesophagus and Achalasia. The discussion included Buscopan, eating bananas, drinking Actimel, taking Manuka Honey, coconut milk, fizzy water, that may help, subject to individual circumstances.
Thank you for your reply. I have just been on the OPA website for the first time. I have had tests done on my heart which came back normal except for ectopic beats and going on medication for that soon.
If the dismotility problem is not too bad like the Dr said, would I still get chest pain which feels exactly like a heart attack? I get the pain with or without food. I have not had a manometry test and it was never mentioned that I should have one.
I think that getting the pain means that it is worse than 'not too bad', actually. The pain may be something to do with the nerve signals sending the muscles into spasm, and I am not sure at all as to what this stage occurs at, even if it is consistently the same for everyone, which I doubt.
The three tests that are needed for a thorough diagnosis are the endoscopy, barium swallow and manometry, and my guess is that they will not be able to get to the bottom of it until they do all three. It is quite a specialist thing in medical terms.
I don't really know where to go from here now. As far as my local Dr is concerned I don't think he will send me for a manometry. The pain comes on if I am sitting down, walking around and any movement. I have to be careful not to start the pain off. Never felt pain like it.
Thank you
All the doctors and nurses I've talked to say it's not possible...they say I would be coughing, setting sick, high fever, etc. But I'm the exception. I can feel the pill clogged in my left hole (think its back of the mouth/upper roof area) as I can feel it clogged down my left-side of neck. Tried garggling soda to dislodge it, but nothing so far. Worried as I don't know what to do.
That sounds like possibly needing a second opinion from an ear, nose and throat specialist? And a good idea to keep a detailed diary to show them exactly what you think is happening, and when.
I took a very large pill that got stuck in my throat cutting off the air to my lungs. No one was home but me and I was of losing time. Out of no where I thought of something that.has worked for me several times. An egg white. Just drink it. Do not use the yolk unless there is not enough time to separate the yolk. This has truly saved my life.
I have just had the exact problem. Went to A&E yesterday after calling 111 twice! After the tablet got stuck I couldn't sleep. Eventually the next day called 111 again. Both times a doctor told me they didn't think the tablet was still there, just the feeling it was there. I was getting more and more uncomfortable so went to A&E. They gave me medicine to relax the eosophogus. Again they didn't think the tablet was still there. Anyway I felt reassured that there was no danger. I took another tablet this morning (antibiotic) cut in two. Again it feels uncomfortable. Decided to look on internet. So glad to see this is a common problem and it seems easy to fix. I will ask my doctor to only give me tablets that can be crushed or liquid form.
Just wondered if food gets stuck as well. Mine started with tablets getting stuck then food. I have been diagnosed with a dismotility problem and waiting to see a gastro Dr.
Hi Merryl I see you have said you have a dismotility problem and thats what I have been told too although they originally said itvwas achalasia they have now decided a complex motility disorder which apparently is difficult to treat. I don't get chest pain like you describe but do have extreme difficulty swallowing and can now only manage liquids and have been prescribed fortisip compact. when i could swallow food i was in agony with burning and a full sensation like the food was piling up and not going anywhere its a horrible condition. Now my throat has a terrible job trying to swallow and often have to force a swallow . I just wondered if you experience a lump in the throat and feeling like something is stuck and will not go no matter how much water i drink or how much i try to swallow it will not go. I have lost so much weight and feel really unwell im lucky as i am getting a second opinion this week i hope they can offer some help i have been suffering four years and it seems to deteriorate does it sound familiar to you. also i have really bad burning in my throat up back of nose in roof of mouth and tongue don't know if you do ? it seems people are affected differently from this. I really hope you get to see a gastro dr soon i think you have to really push to get your point across i have been for years and havent got very far. Hannah
Hi Hannah, sorry to hear you are suffering from this problem. My Dr said it's not too bad but I get horrendous chest pain, if this is not too bad I dread to think what a bad attack feels like. The pain has been really bad today and every time I get the pain I feel as if I should call an ambulance because It feels like a heart attack. I used to get heartburn but since I have been on Lansoprazole for about 10 years I don't get heartburn anymore. It used to come up into my chest and throat and really burn. But the pain I am getting now is a heavy feeling and it is in the center of my chest and stays there for seconds but very painful. I also got an hiatus hernia which was diagnosed over 20 years ago, so I don't really know which of the 2 is playing up or maybe both are. I have lost over 3 stone in the past year and still losing more. I can swallow the food okay but it then gets stuck but not every time. I usually stick to the same foods but get fed up of it. I bought a blender to blend soups etc. I get dry heaving in the morning sometimes after eating and without eating. I get the feeling of a lump in the throat with the dry heaving. I used to have ensure drinks off my GP but he stopped them when the barium swallow came back as Not Too Bad. I have to wait at least another 2 months to see the Gastro Dr. What tests have you had to diagnose the dismotility problem. I feel quite unwell too, could be lack of food.
Let me know how you get on with the Dr and good luck.
oh no sounds terrible seems to effect everyone differently I don't think they understand the condition to say not too bad especially with the weight loss I think you should ask for the ensure drinks to be prescribed again . I think the lack of energy from such a limited food intake makes you feel unwell and weak especially when its day in day out never lets up. I find it brings on so much anxiety and really has got me down think it gets you like that. I have had 2 endoscopys a barium swallow and manometry and 24 hr pH study. Have you had these tests done? could you call the gastro secretary and see if you could get an appointment sooner or maybe ask your GP for a second opinion like I did. sounds like the pain you get is like a spasm maybe from the food being stuck? maybe you should go to the hospital if the pain is that bad they may take you more seriously and investigate it more.
I have had an endoscopy, and a barium swallow. Could you tell me what a 24 hr PH study is and is the manometry painful to have. I don't fancy having anything pushed down my throat with the pain I am getting. I had the endoscopy done private about 18 months ago and was heavily sedated so did'nt feel a thing. I have'nt seen a gastroenterologist yet so don't know what tests I might need. I have'nt got the phone number for the gastro secretary.
I had this problem. All the same tests as well. During the Barium swallow the pill just sat there and wouldn't go down. When I added some cracker and water to help it go down it just caused a horrible choking fit. Soon after that I went back to my GP very frustrated because for ten months eating had become just a painful experience and I had lost twenty pounds. I asked them to test my iron and it was found to be at 2. I took iron pills which bobbed around in my throat before going down. after 5 days of iron the problem was gone. Evidently the anemia created esophageal webs that weren't detected in any of the tests. I see you had blood work. Did they test your iron? You shouldn't take iron unless you need it and maybe my solution was kind of weird ( I have a hiatel herni with acid reflux, as well) but I thought I'd share just in case it is any help to anybody. I have been able to eat pain free since July! Hope you find an answer.
Hi, Ask your doctor to send you for a barium swallow test to rule out achalasia.
Hi Merry, I was actually scheduled to have the Bravo PH test, along with the upper endoscopy and high resolution Esophagela manometry done on 1/13. It took a year for me to scheduled it. I went to the hospital and just as we were about to start the procedure the capsule malfunctioned, so they cancelled and i am waiting to reschedule. i am curious also if anyone else has had this done and if it is painful. I prep to get there for me was very difficult as i had to come off my protonix pills for 14 days prior.
Hi Hannah30321, i had the POEM 14 months again and i am so grafeful to be able to eat and sleep and drink fluids. I still have days though when i am extremly tired and drained. I had blood work several times and the results are always normal. Do you get tired.I take multivitamins daily and eats lots of fruits and vegetables, but still tired.