Food item stuck in my oesophagus since last night. GP or A&E?

[Roowly]

I seem to have a seed stuck in my oesophagus since dinner last night, so about 11 hours. I did all the things advised online, drank some coke,Cate something soft, ate some butter, drank some bicarb of soda but it's not shifted.

Although it is hard to tell if there is something there or perhaps I'm feeling damage causes by a sharp seed.

What should I do? Can my GP do anything? Or do I need to go to A&E?

If food and drink is getting down it’s likely not stuck tbh, but a GP won’t be able to do anything.

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by this. Not stuck as in there's not really anything there but a scratch?

It will be a scratch, I get this when rushing taking my meds in the morning. Always thought the same as you though until a random conversation on a first aid course.

I once thought Id got a fish bone stuck so got an urgent GP appointment. She sent me up to hospital after she examined me - onto the ENT ward - where a doctor examined me. Turns out it was a tonsil stone! He removed it and told me they were very commonly mistaken for stuck food as they catch on the top of the throat.

It doesn't sound like an emergency.

This. I'd give it a few days if you can still eat and drink it's unlikely to be something stuck.

No - I wouldn't go to A&E unless directed. I wondered if I could see my GP or a practice nurse who might be able to look down my throat and say if there is something there or If it's a scratch.

I've just eaten a banana and it hurts to swallow.

It was definitely something I ate last night and I had bread with pumpkin seeds on it. Seems the most likely culprit.

Salt water gargles. It will settle. If it doesn’t, that’s when to see GP.

A colleague had this and ended up needing minor surgery as there was something stuck and then the inflammation started swelling which was dangerous. She needed minor surgery. Her GP was first stop who referred to hospital so I would start there or 111 if you can't get GP appointment.

It wont be anything stuck, it will be the feeling of something stuck, either because its a scratch or because of the sensation making you do all sorts of things when you swallow, which has now made it sensitive. Ive had this before, and the more you try to get this imaginary thing to come up or go down, the worse the sensation is.

Ah thank you. I didn't think of gargling.ill give it a go.

Nothing will be stuck otherwise you'd be choking or being sick after trying to eat. The gp and a&e won't be able to do anything.
Try a hot drink to soothe it.

It says if you’re in pain or cannot swallow seeks medical attention as there can be further damage.
( there was another thread on here not long ago)

It feels scratchy when I swallow. It's at the side. Its not in my wind pipe so I am obviously not choking. But I'm reading it's possible to have something stuck in your food pipe and still be able to eat and drink.

That’s not actually correct. It’s very possible to have something stuck that wont go down, you wouldn’t necessarily be choking or being sick. The GP / A+E would be able to check down your throat with an endoscope. Its very important to get it checked out because having a foreign object stuck in your oesophagus can cause a serious infection.

I’m sorry you’re uncomfortable but A&E?! This is neither an accident nor an emergency, it’s no wonder our services are so stretched if people consider going to A&E for minor things like this.

Give it a few days then contact your GP if it gets no better.

Its possible but not likely, so no, you cant count it out

If OP goes to A+E now, then they'll probably just give advice to see how it goes, they certainly wont be poking cameras down right now OP is just in discomfort, not pain, not infected etc

Of course that might come, hopefully not, but they'll give a 'wait and see' approach.

Thanks. I wouldn't have friend up at A&E, I'd have rung 111 first. I'd much rather go to my GP. I'm going to call at 8 and see what they advise. Thank you for helpful advice. No faux rage needed about A&E suggestion. That's the last place I want to put myself. That's why I asked the question. Online advice does say to go to emergency room within 24 hours but obviously this is the UK and advice might be different.

It's a bit dangerous listening to random people on Mumsnet, who are insisting that nothing will be stuck, without any context. Phone 111 and ask for advice, perhaps a nurse or pharmacist will take a look for you, but if something feels unusual you have to check it out.

I would also think it's more than likely a scratch. As you can eat and drink, I'd just take an anti inflammatory and give it a couple of days for it to settle down. If it's not improved by Friday, I'd make a doctors appointment so it was seen before the weekend. I imagine that if you go to a GP today they will either just tell you what I've said above, or they'll send you to A&E, because I'm not sure what else a GP could do in this situation.

TBH, I've had this situation a few times, and it's always self resolved with anti inflammatories within 24-48 hours. Have you tried taking ibuprofen? If that eases things, it would be a good indicator that it's a scratch/mild inflammation rather than something physically stuck there.

A&E to check. It is possible to have something stuck and still eat and drink. It can be dangerous, due to inflammation/swelling/infection.

Put it this way, if someone has actually choked on something, even for a few seconds, and it's dislodged, if they come into A&E we always check them over. A dr will examine their throat and have an xray.

The risk it there can be something stuck, even small. It could dislodge itself and go into your windpipe when you least expect (eg sleeping). Most cases, it's just so.e damage to the lining, but you never know.

Your GP is money going to send you to A&e.
Next time please ask 111 rather than online.

Quite frankly, you situation may seem minor to yourself and others but it is the opposite.

I went to A&E for this once and they looked down my throat with a special camera.

Turned out I had just scratched it. The shame. But I know how it feels like there's definitely something stuck there. It's awful.

If a fish bone gets stuck, the advice is to eat some bread - it kind of gathers up the bone and moves it on. Might be worth trying if it's a seed.

A friend of mine had similar, but it was eating chicken (boneless).

She left it overnight and ended up in the local hospital, then transferred to a major hospital for emergency surgery. She had to stay in for a week, in the end, and could only eat pureed food for ages afterwards. She wasn't happy because it was a couple of days before Christmas a year ago.

Somehow, the chicken had lodged into her throat lining.

Anyway, worth getting it looked at. Maybe GP nurse or maybe a pharmacy?

Of course you can eat and drink if you've got something stuck in your oesophagus.
Something stuck doesn't = completely obstructed.
I'm afraid you need to go to A&E and get checked.
Take cushion snacks drinks etc.