Myasthenia Gravis Support Group

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Although myasthenia gravis may affect any voluntary muscle, muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and...

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Food getting caught in throat

TaraU
TaraU
Does anyone ever experience food getting stuck in their throat due to the severe tightness? The past 2-3 weeks anytime I've eaten crackers, chips, tortilla chips anything hard or dry I seem to get a feeling that it's stuck. Yesterday at work someone brought in tortilla chips, after eating them last night I felt like a piece was caught way down in my throat. Today it was painful to swallow so I asked my doctor that I work for the scope me just in case. He didn't see anything but said there was a scratch there and to use maalox for a few days. Is this normal??
catnap2
catnap2
The same for me to most of the above. Sometimes I swallow and it's like my drain is slow, everything starts to back up and will overflow if I don't stop. If the slow item is solid food and if I try to drink to help it down I am in danger of having the liquid go up my nose. I learned to NEVER try to clear my throat if the back up is liquid, that's a sure fire way to have liquid go up the nose. Rice, dry crackers, small pills (1/2 mestinon is the worst), corn, bits of chips...these foods are nothing but trouble. I have found that gravy is like a miracle for dry chicken and meats. Applesauce and yogurt help pills go down. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday mainly because I love to prepare the meal. What a disappointment that sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, rolls are all the foods that take a rest break on the way down. I plan to make a HUGE bowl of gravy this year to pour over the whole meal so it goes down better. :-D
snowbeltfolkie
snowbeltfolkie
Yes - to most of the the symptoms, everyone has described.
Early on, before I was correctly diagnosed? I was scoped as well: same thing - food scratch. I'm very careful, these days. Small bites, chewed well, gently washed down along with water.
It's not unusual, for me to have 2 or more large glasses of water, even for a small meal.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I'm the same as everyone else. I just want to add, aside from watching what you eat and chewing the heck out of everything: I only eat when I'm vertical. Oh that recliner calls to me - TV and a bag of chips, heaven. But when your esophagus isn't doing its job squeezing stuff down into your stomach, GRAVITY is your best friend when eating.

All those years my mom told me to sit up straight at the table, she was right.

- Marty
deleted_user
deleted_user
I choke at almost every meal. It's gross, but my wife and kids have become relativelly immune to it. I have learned to relax and am able to feel that I will either swallow or get rid of it. I am concerned about the 17 people that will be at Thanksgiving dinner, but hopefully the noise will cover my choking sounds. I've had swallowing studies and I trust that I can contol the situation. I accept that it's part of MG and I just have to deal with it until I get better.