Hi everyone…
Just wanted to ask if anyone here with lupus has experienced difficulty in swallowing with a feeling that it’s stuck in your mid chest? I have been experiencing this for a week now and thought that it was some form of indigestion particularly when im having solid food. Is this a usual experience if you have lupus and taking prednisone long term? Any tips to avoid this feeling?
Thank you so much for your insights in advance!!!
Love
Gehlay
Hello Gehlay,
Sorry to hear your having these symptoms which can happen with sjogrens syndrome and also IBS besides many more plus Lupus causes it also and it's to do with the Gastrointestinal, you'll find this link below very helpful.
http://www.lupusinternational.com/Related-Conditions/Gastrointestin...
Hugs Terri xxx
Oh, sweetie,
Just one of the wonderful things that "pop-up" when we least expect it. It is common with Sjogren's along with difficulty swallowing, so always make sure you have a glass of water or tea handy. It is especially difficult with meds as they can start to burn (Yuk!). My doc suggested moisturizing mouth wash as well as always making certain I have sugar-free mints and gum to stimulate saliva production. This will also help rinse food off of your teeth and help you to avoid dental issues.
I hope some of these suggestions help, however if it gets to be a choking hazard you need to see your doc asap.
XOXO,
DeAnne
Hello Gehlay,
I'd ask about seeing if you do have sjogrens plus Ann is right where Ulcers can occur, as like i mentioned earlier there's so many issues which can cause this plus DeAnne as also given some great advice on how to help it.
I would definitely ask though about sjogrens :) xxx
As the others have stated, I'd have a look into Sjogren's. I get the feeling when I eat pancakes, but only pancakes. It' weird. I just make sure I take small bites and chew longer. I would let your doctor know and make sure they look into it since it can become a choking hazard.
I get that but mine feels more stuck in my throat. It scares me. I know it’s the Sjogren’s that most of us have anyway. I was told to drink slowly a glass of water before I eat and to be sure to have a glass of something to drink ANY TIME I eat anything to be sure I can get it down. Some times when I feel really dry I drink something carbonated to give the food that extra push down my throat.
If it continues though you should have it evaluated by your doctor just to be sure it’s not something else causing it.
Good luck!
Hugs-
Tina
Can a hiatal hernia cause this? I have that and I thought it was my hiatal hernia. I know that if you also get hiccups after that feeling of something stuck, it means that item is irritating your diaphragm, and that IS a sign of hiatal hernia. But without the hiccups, maybe it's not that, but just lupus stuff. I sure need a lot of water when I eat or take pills to prevent that feeling.
Hi Gehlay
I get the feeling you describe after I eat. I have to remember to slow down, and chew slowly. Its worse when I'm eating processed foods and bread. Makes me feel really full, and it can be painful and sometimes I feel bloated. I have trouble taking pills too, and I hate that feeling trying to drink more before it starts disolving and burning yuck!
I have this problem. For me, it is caused by acid build up from GERD & Barrett's Esophagus...which narrows the esophageal tube. I have to have my esophagus dilated every so often as this occurs. It is done through an upper endoscopy. It is due to Lupus/Sjogren's. I suspect you may be dealing with the same issue if you have been diagnosed with either or both. Talk to your gastro doc about this. The dilation does wonders!
Check it out right away. I had 2 instance of aspirating food and pills from this symptom--stupified the doctors who gave me all kinds of tests. I had two bronchoscopies to remove the pills and a piece of "In & Out Burger." Turned out to be Sjorgren's. We lupeys can get secondary autoimmune diseases. See Tez's link, she always finds great ones.
Watch out for yeast infections in your mouth. Yeast is opportunistic and loves dry mouths. Also, teeth rot from dry mouth too.
Once diagnosed with Sjogren's, I took a medication called Salagen (Pilocarpine). I take it 5-6 times a day to help stimulate the saliva I have left. Have to suck lemon drops or chew sugarless gum during the day. At meal time it works very well, but still have liquids handy . Pretty expensive med.
Be careful. Food and liquids and pills can end up in your lungs like it did for me.
Bless you!
I had a similar problem around the time I was diagnosed. I have an overlapping disease called Polymyositis. I lost muscle and strength. I noticed when I was eating starchy foods. I now take two Zantec a day, which helps a lot.
Just to add the USAGrls comment, do not eat up to 3 hours priorto sleep. Lying flat can worsen the acid reflux. Asprating into your lungs while you lay flow or sleep can lead to pneumnis. It's a small change that can make a big change.
XOXO
DeAnne
USAGURL said:
Check it out right away. I had 2 instance of aspirating food and pills from this symptom--stupified the doctors who gave me all kinds of tests. I had two bronchoscopies to remove the pills and a piece of "In & Out Burger." Turned out to be Sjorgren's. We lupeys can get secondary autoimmune diseases. See Tez's link, she always finds great ones.
Watch out for yeast infections in your mouth. Yeast is opportunistic and loves dry mouths. Also, teeth rot from dry mouth too.
Once diagnosed with Sjogren's, I took a medication called Salagen (Pilocarpine). I take it 5-6 times a day to help stimulate the saliva I have left. Have to suck lemon drops or chew sugarless gum during the day. At meal time it works very well, but still have liquids handy . Pretty expensive med.
Be careful. Food and liquids and pills can end up in your lungs like it did for me.
Bless you!
Hello Tina,
I have sjogrens bad it runs riot with my system and i get all these lodging symtoms besides the choking on foods but i've started treated it the same as my IBS, anything which lodges or hurts you knock it on the head, it's not worth the pain we get.
Hugs Terry xxx
tinapet said:
I get that but mine feels more stuck in my throat. It scares me. I know it's the Sjogren's that most of us have anyway. I was told to drink slowly a glass of water before I eat and to be sure to have a glass of something to drink ANY TIME I eat anything to be sure I can get it down. Some times when I feel really dry I drink something carbonated to give the food that extra push down my throat.
If it continues though you should have it evaluated by your doctor just to be sure it's not something else causing it.
Good luck!
Hugs-
Tina
Hello USAGURL,
Myself and Allergic(Ally) call sjogrens the high maintenance job
... what with all the different stuff we have to use...takes me longer in the bathroom now than it's ever done, another bathroom needed here mate.lol :) xxx
USAGURL said:
Check it out right away. I had 2 instance of aspirating food and pills from this symptom--stupified the doctors who gave me all kinds of tests. I had two bronchoscopies to remove the pills and a piece of "In & Out Burger." Turned out to be Sjorgren's. We lupeys can get secondary autoimmune diseases. See Tez's link, she always finds great ones.
Watch out for yeast infections in your mouth. Yeast is opportunistic and loves dry mouths. Also, teeth rot from dry mouth too.
Once diagnosed with Sjogren's, I took a medication called Salagen (Pilocarpine). I take it 5-6 times a day to help stimulate the saliva I have left. Have to suck lemon drops or chew sugarless gum during the day. At meal time it works very well, but still have liquids handy . Pretty expensive med.
Be careful. Food and liquids and pills can end up in your lungs like it did for me.
Bless you!
Have you ever vomited it up? My brother and now my nephew( not related) both have, had esphogus that did not work correctly so food could not be pushed down by it. They both would or do go in and get it stretched out larger about every 6 months.
They have to drink a lot while eating and take smaller bites but not really small...or is true for my nephew...he eats normally. My brother got sick while eating a lot more so his case was much worse i think.
I have extremely dry mouth...and yes food can get caught in top part but not in chest area...i do have liquids always near since even a soda cracker can cause me to choke if i do not eat it in small bites or soften it.
So most likely your doctor needs to take look at your symptoms and hopefully i given you some ways to notice.
My mom always has issues with rice getting stuck but more like mine near top of esophagus drinking solves it with her as well.
It could be indigestion like you think too....take notes and bring to your doctor or make appt now to solve it.
It has nothing to do with lupus though both my brother and nephew have auto immune diseases but theirs were different and i have lupus and do not have same problem...but there is one auto immune disease that does describe it as one of it's symptoms.
Hello All,
It is very true that yeast infections can occur anywhere in your body an I was told after aspirating the food into my lungs (caused severe pneumonia) that yeast was present. I still hav instances of yeast in my mouth and other places. I have mentioned Nysatatin rinse before and found it VERY helpful in removing the white painful areas in my mouth.
Just a suggestion,
XOXO,
DeAnne
USAGURL said:
Check it out right away. I had 2 instance of aspirating food and pills from this symptom--stupified the doctors who gave me all kinds of tests. I had two bronchoscopies to remove the pills and a piece of "In & Out Burger." Turned out to be Sjorgren's. We lupeys can get secondary autoimmune diseases. See Tez's link, she always finds great ones.
Watch out for yeast infections in your mouth. Yeast is opportunistic and loves dry mouths. Also, teeth rot from dry mouth too.
Once diagnosed with Sjogren's, I took a medication called Salagen (Pilocarpine). I take it 5-6 times a day to help stimulate the saliva I have left. Have to suck lemon drops or chew sugarless gum during the day. At meal time it works very well, but still have liquids handy . Pretty expensive med.
Be careful. Food and liquids and pills can end up in your lungs like it did for me.
Bless you!
Cheers
Gehlay
Tez_20 said:
Hello Gehlay,
Sorry to hear your having these symptoms which can happen with sjogrens syndrome and also IBS besides many more plus Lupus causes it also and it’s to do with the Gastrointestinal, you’ll find this link below very helpful.
http://www.lupusinternational.com/Related-Conditions/Gastrointestin…
Hugs Terri xxx
Hi Ann! Thank you for your tips! I am guilty of late night dinners! I now try to avoid dry solid food (meat and bread give me the worst discomfort I could almost throw up after eating one.
Love and hugs
Gehlay
Ann A. said:
Dear Gehlay,
Oh yeah - the feeling of food stuck in the middle of my chest is one of that I dread. It can even happen with pills. And I have the ulcers to prove it (LOL). I have to eat slowly. I have to take small bites or small spoon or fork fulls and chew thoroughly I don’t have Sjogrens, so I usually have enough saliva but sometimes I have a dry mouth, just because - nobody knows.
I do best with foods that are moist (which is one of the reasons that bread lost its appeal for me). I use my nutribullent to make smoothies and I use it to turn veggies into soup.
I cannot eat in bed. I must be in an upright position when I eat and I have to stay upright for at least an hour after I eat. I also have to make sure that my stomach has plenty of acid to digest the food that goes into it. So I can’t get heartburn and then take antacids to solve the problem.
That feeling of food stuck in the middle of my chest is a feeling that I really do not like. And you have my best wishes to find out what works for you in reducing or eliminating it.
hello DeAnne!
Thank you for your tips! Very much appreciated 
Ill try the mints and gums
Hugs
Gehlay
Oh, sweetie,
Just one of the wonderful things that "pop-up" when we least expect it. It is common with Sjogren's along with difficulty swallowing, so always make sure you have a glass of water or tea handy. It is especially difficult with meds as they can start to burn (Yuk!). My doc suggested moisturizing mouth wash as well as always making certain I have sugar-free mints and gum to stimulate saliva production. This will also help rinse food off of your teeth and help you to avoid dental issues.
I hope some of these suggestions help, however if it gets to be a choking hazard you need to see your doc asap.
XOXO,
DeAnne
Hello Terri - To be honest, I try to not tell my doctors of how I truly feel sometimes… I know I could be a bad patient at times… My last check up I told them I was ok and symptoms free so they could eliminate my pred meds… I was able to request removal of plaquenil but the pred is still in my company. My esr is still out of the normal range so my doctor maintained my pred prescription. How I long to get rid of pred from my daily life but I guess it will take a while. And now I cant afford to hae one more illness (sjogrens - this sucks as i read about it :(.
Love
Gehlay
Tez_20 said:
Hello Gehlay,
I’d ask about seeing if you do have sjogrens plus Ann is right where Ulcers can occur, as like i mentioned earlier there’s so many issues which can cause this plus DeAnne as also given some great advice on how to help it.
I would definitely ask though about sjogrens