Medical question

13 years ago

Someone I am close to has a problem. I'm trying very hard to get him to agree to see a doctor, and I almost have him convinced... but then we have another barrier (can't find his health card and doesn't have ID with him). Anyway, any time he eats anything, even a candy, he chokes and chokes. The choking doesn't start until long after he is finished eating, and lasts a good while, and then goes away until the next time he eats. I can't figure out what this could be. Does anybody have an idea of what could cause this?

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Comments (10)

sheilajoyce_gw
13 years ago
DH has a problem and it is the 2nd sphincter muscle in the throat that is causing it. He especially has trouble with meat and fish. The doctor told him to take an over the counter digestive tablet before eating. That helps. He also avoids chunks of meat. Ground meat seems to be ok.
Tigerlil
13 years ago
Possibly acid reflux or GERD.Look it up and see if the symptoms fit.I would say he should have it checked out as soon as possible.My husband has it and he sometimes coughs and chokes for a few minutes.It can be controlled with an over the counter medication for excess acid.
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I feel for you and for your son. Both my kids had bad asthma, my son had severe respiratory allergies and my daughter had life-threatening reactions to walnuts and pecans(even if the allergens were aerosolized by someone eating them near her). They are 26 and 24 now, and those problems are markedly reduced. It sounds like he is reacting to histamine in certain foods. Histamine is a key chemical in our body's allergic reactions but is also found in various foods. His reactions are typical for an 'allergic person's' response to those foods. Typically a true allergic reaction to a food, not just exposure to dietary histamines, is much more severe-but these reactions like your son gets are often labeled as an 'allergic reaction'. Typically milder symptoms like his will respond to one of the anti-histamines, and the degree of the reaction is dependent on how much of the food is consumed, what else is consumed with some histamine in it, and how much other allergic and asthmatic reactions are already going on. Best thing is really avoidance for now, antihistamines as needed, and possibly consider allergy desensitization shots with a real Allergist for his respiratory allergies which often helps asthma significantly in a highly allergic person. My understanding is that shots are not really helpful for 'food allergies', just for the respiratory allergies like pollen, mold, etc. I linked a nice explanation below that I found on line-not sure about all of the writer's conclusions at the end or the book promoted. From reading your posts I have noted that you really research things well for your orchard and I am sure you are even more concerned for you son. If you have any questions for me I can answer them here or by email. Good luck with those allergic symptoms. Here is a link that might be useful: histamine in foods
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susan_on
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, ladies. I will get him to try this while I work on getting him to a doctor.
sleeperblues
13 years ago
Sounds like an esophageal stricture. Can do an EGD and use different size weighted tubes called bougie tubes (pronounced boo-jee) to stretch it out. I'm not sure how successful that would be. I would also be concerned about some other kind of obstruction. Best to see someone asap. I would be very concerned if your friend smokes, chews or drinks alcohol in more than moderation.
vannie
13 years ago
I've worked in the GI Lab at the hospital and know that an esophaeal stricture is fairly common, and the procedure that stretches it is fairly common, too. It's not a major procedure and relieves that problem.
country_sunshine
13 years ago
I suffer from GERD and have had a similar problem... and it turned out to be esophageal stricture. It was a simple procedure and it really made a big difference for me.

See a doctor soon...

Carolyn
amyfiddler
13 years ago
Yep. Husband has the same thing. He's had his throat stretched every year since. Without treatment, he is in danger of esophageal cancer due to the GERD. It's very treatable and makes eating much less of a dramatic event when it's treated correctly.
kayjones
13 years ago
Sleeper is right - see a doctor asap! This is exactly how my late husband's esophogeal cancer started.
susan_on
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, I took him in today- they were able to phone OHIP and get his OHIP number, so that wasn't a problem. He's 84 years old, and smoked for over 70 years until he quit last week. They gave him a thorough check up. His chest x-ray and blood work all came back fine, miraculously. But the doctor said he needs a swallowing assessment urgently. I'm not sure about what a swallowing assessment is, and I can't seem to google a satisfactory site that explains it. At any rate, with a little luck, he will have it next week.
Jasdip
13 years ago
My brother has troubles when he eats beef and pepper.
The doctor said that pepper aggravates him. DB will have to stop eating, it feels like the food is stuck in his throat and he gets the hiccups. I'm not sure if the food is actually stuck or if it just feels like it is.

On Christmas Day, I found out that it happens with other foods besides just beef. I hope he goes to the doctor again.

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sheilajoyce_gw

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