Has anyone had difficulties swallowing and it was NOT cancer?

[LtMarvel]

I am sorry to post in aibu but please desperately needing some hope.

I have been having swallowing problems 'food foes go down but some (mainly breads, pastas and similar stodgy stuff like chips) are more difficult to pass. I feel them moving down my food pipe and it's uncomfortable. I also keep feeling like there's something stuck there afterwards and there's pressure right behind my breastbone

I am 38 and with a small son, and everything I saw online.... well swallowing difficulties are a massive red flag for esophagus cancer...

So just hoping to hear maybe someone else had these symptoms and it wasnt cancer?

I have gastrostomy booked for end of May and I just need to keep it together.

I will give myself a shake but hearing hopeful stories will help massively.

Thank you!

Yes. I had this and then an endoscopy and a few other tests. I had a hiatus hernia which is causing acid to come too far up and make swallowing feel odd. It can be anxiety too xx

I can think of two off the top of my head.

Sjorgen's syndrome - it's to do with mucus production.

Anxiety - it is amazing what genuine physical symptoms the body will produce in response to mental stress.

Good luck. Please update.

Hi OP, this must be such a worrying time for you, I’m sorry. My brother is a doctor and says it’s mainly in over 55s that difficulty swallowing is a higher indication of oesophageal cancer. My mum has just had this and she’s in her 60s so had a camera test and she’s fine, no signs of cancer, they think it may be a small hernia. So please try not to worry as impossible as that sounds.

sending you a speedy recovery and good thoughts.

Ah @Cupofteaandbiscuits thats what it was for my mum, a hiatus hernia!

A goiter from overactive thyroid (graves’ disease)?

I had a quincy which made it hard for me to swallow anything - even water when it got really bad. But that started with a sore throat that got progressively worse so not sure it is similar to your symptoms.

I’ve just had an endoscopy for similar symptoms, my issue turned out to be a hiatus hernia and I’m taking lanzoprazole for it - life is so much more comfortable now 🙂

Hernia, anxiety or reflux are far more likely than cancer. I know it's scary, and you're absolutely right to get checked out, but it's unlikely to be cancer, especially at your age.

Yes, I had GERD. 5 years later im still fine. Very worrying at the time though!

I honestly felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest!

Lots of things, some auto-immune including Sjogren's mentioned above.

Yes, as the PP said, I’ve experience of this issue with Sjögrens and anxiety.

My friend had this - for well over a year - it was intense anxiety.

As a previous poster said, it could be thyroid related but not only overactive - it’s common also with an underactive thyroid to find it difficult to swallow and have the sensation of something being stuck there.

Make an appointment with your GP and ensure they take all relevant blood tests - whatever the reason for the sensation you are feeling you need to get it checked asap so something can be done about it. Good luck!

yes me - permanent feeling of something stuck. Barium swallow, MRI and biopsy later I have non-descript swelling and inflammation that is annoying but not dangerous.

Yep - anxiety! I didn’t even feel consciously anxious and had never had any kind of anxiety/mh issues before. It just manifested in not being able to swallow. Had all the tests but nothing physically wrong. Had some therapy, the issue is still on and off now. Having read up on it, this is actually quite common. Hope everything works out ok for you.

Anxiety is the most common cause. As a young woman it’s really unlikely to be cancer. Are you a heavy drinker/smoker?

I've had that and it turned out to be a stone in my bile duct, I had it removed a few days before my gallbladder surgery.

Gosh, thanks everyone for your replies. I also grateful to hear them. My feeling of "stuck/pressure" is definitely below my throat and halfway through maybe to the stomach, maybe slightly higher so definitely not thyroid.

I had a gastrostopy 2 years ago and it was all clear bar stomach inflammation. My consultant said that you get sort of "protection" for 3 years but I have often been an outlier and feel like 2 years is a long time..

My bloodwork (had extensive one done due to long lasting fatigue) is fine, so are my (pardon me) stools.

Ugh. Will just need to distract myself for the next month. And not go bankrupt as i find online shopping very distracting lol

GERD here too. Had every investigation under the sun (ultrasound, x rays, tube down the nose and throat, bloods) as I also had a hacking cough and some unexplained weight loss - I used to choke on food all the time, no matter how well I chewed it - particularly meat. Now on a double dose of esomeprazole and enjoying life again. I was the same as you, convinced it was cancer but the excellent investigation by the NHS got to the bottom of it. Have had to change diet a little bit (fewer spicy meals, no fruit juice, only one cup of tea a day, no coffee, fewer tomatoes) but worth it. Fingers crossed it’s the same for you. Mine was exacerbated by periods of extreme stress, too - so managing that also helped.

Look up Achalasia. This could fit your symptoms as well. While not curable, there are treatments that can be effective. Achalasia is diagnosed via a barium swallow so you may want to suggest the hospital arrange one to rule it out.

I get this sometimes and it’s lead to me choking a couple of times. Really scary. In my case it’s scar tissue from extreme heartburn while pregnant with DD. I have to be really careful not to rush my food and chew it properly and as long as I do it’s all okay.

Sounds like reflux,that's how it used to feel when I had it .

When my anxieties really bad I struggle with swallowing many different foods, even ones I really love. I also have sensor issues around food as do my DC. When Im exhausted my sensory issues are worse and make me unable to swallow certain foods.

Have a look at silent reflux and lpr.

DH has hiatus Hernia; it is treated by 2 lansoprazole per day before meals, it can be managed.