Anyone overcome sudden swallowing problems?

[Lin71]

Hi everyone

I've read quite a lot about people with symptoms similar to mine, which are an intense fear of swallowing following a choking incident, but not much about if/when it was overcome.
I gradually got a bit better and am able to struggle my way through a meal if on my own or with my partner. I've adapted the way I eat (lots of chewing, avoiding meat and other difficult foods) and just about get by.
I chew my food so much that it turns to liquid, which then starts slipping down my throat before I'm ready, adding to the problem.

I still have a really hard time eating & drinking in front of others, at work and when out. I went out for a meal last week for the first time since this started (2 months ago) and it was awful I hardly ate anything as just too hard when people expect you to eat and talk at the same time.

I think I've improved since the start, but over the last few weeks feel I've reached a plateau and am never going to get back to normal. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up one day and just eat & drink without thinking about it like I used to. I don't know how to eat & swallow normally.

Does anyone have any success stories to keep me going?
thanks
Lin

[hardtime-heather]

hey lin , am the same i think its about time i realised i aint gonna get better..im really like you i wish i could wake up one day and i can go out for meals with my family and not struggle with any food, what foods do you think go down better? need abit of help as im stuck to soup and mash potato's

hope all goes well
heather x

[Lin71]

Hi Heather
Apologies for late reply, I hadn't checked here for a while.

I feel like I'm slightly better, either that or I'm just getting used to it. I find now that food that's soft but not too runny is easiest. If it's too runny it starts choking me before I'm ready to swallow. So pasta, cooked veg, bananas all not too bad. Still takes me 10 times longer than normal to eat though. Annoyingly things like cake and chocolate are easy-ish too, I love those foods but do try and be healthy too so don't want to be eating them all the time.
I've found soup is a big no-no now- maybe smooth soup would be easier but I find my brain gets confused if I'm eating something that's both solid and liquid (i.e soup with chunks of veg)- the liquid wants to go straight down but my brain wants me to chew the lumps, I've nearly choked a couple of times on this so now avoiding. Also avoiding fruit like grapes and pineapple because when you eat them they turn to liquid but you're left with stringy bits that I find hard to swallow.
Still finding it hard, hate it at work when I just want to eat a quick something before a meeting and i can't because I need at least 10 mins just to eat a banana :(
How are you getting on?
Lin xx

[cthechick84]

Hello
i had terrible swallowing problems a while back i actually fought that i had somethink blocking my espoegus id chew and chew untill tiny pieces but id try and swallow it and it would not go dwn,it used to feel like it got stuck and that jus scared me .this went on for months and months and i had tests done and everythink was normal apart from reflux.but i do now no that the anxiety played apart because i got that frightened and actuaaly stopped solid foods in fear of choking that i fought i would never swallow again.in the end i forcesed myself and retrained myself to swallow and im doing good now .im glad ur still eating solids because thats what made me even worse i got weak and lost alot of weight stupid me.anxiety effects everythink and will tighten all the muscles up in ur neck and throat and make it seem hard to swallow.sorry to hear ur struggling but ur doing the right thing try thicker foods eachday ad ur get there jus a mattr with dealing with the anxiety and try to relax when ur eating .eat in ur bedroom if u can because i found it was easier wen it wasnt so stressful i no easier said than done.but it will get better.anxiety is a coward .best wishes
luv c.xxx