Do you choke?

luckybug
luckybug Member Posts: 205
edited 6. Jan 2009, 08:28 in Living with Arthritis archive
In the last year or so I have noticed I choke a lot on the slightest thing, can be drinking a glass of milk and I just end up feeling like I'm choking and have to cough and splutter and sometimes seems to take ages before I feel ok, I am doubly worried about this as I cannot bend my arms or touch my mouth I usually dash to the downstairs bathroom and grab my electric toothbrush incase I need to stick something down my throat, it's very scary, I have rheumatoid arthritis and am wondering if when they have put tubes down my throat to operate they have done something, as I cannot put my head right back, jut wondering if anyone else has the same problem? :cry::cry:

Comments

  • mouseymousey
    mouseymousey Member Posts: 283
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Don't know if this is significant (somebody will I'm sure) I went into hospital recently and one of the 'tests' was how wide I could open my mouth. The nurse had a little check box with drawings of how far people could go, and mine was very low. I got the impression it was another of Arthur's gifts to us? So to answer your question - yes, although as ususal I'm sorry I don't have an answer.
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have had the choking problem regularly for the past 2 or 3 years. I also have RA and it has been suggested that it could be a combination of eating with not enough saliva and a change in the motility in the oesophagus, (where the food goes down to the stomach), with RA. My family are used to it and regularly have to intervene with thumping me on the back, etc.

    I am very careful now to try and eat slowly and with a drink, but it has changed my confidence for eating out, especially if the children are with me, as they hate it when I cough and gasp in public. I'm always afriad of it happening when I am on my own, but would stagger to a neighbour I think if I really couldn't deal with it myself. Touch wood, I have been able to so far.

    I have had to give up Doritos. They are the worst culprits of all.

    After lots of surgery in the past couple of years, I have also had to be checked to see how far I can open my mouth. The anaesthetists always need to check they will be able to intubate you ok once you are asleep. I don't think the swallowing problem is a consequence of the surgery, unfortunately it is another gift from arthur!

    Hope this helps.

    Kaz
  • luckybug
    luckybug Member Posts: 205
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    thanks kazpaz, my family are always having to bang my back too, must be to do with RA, thanks to all that answered happy new year. Im starting to diet tomorrow, with the hope that might help, as I have quite a bit of weightround my neck triple chins :cry: so if i lose some weight it might help, heres hoping. Happy New Year xxxxxxxxx
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Happy new year to you too.

    Good luck with the diet. I probably should too, but have enough other things on my plate right now, so dieting is not the priority.

    If I find a magical answer to the problem, or hear any suggestions, I will share them with you.

    Kaz
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,399
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I'm so glad you brought this up Luckybug - I thought it was just me and put it down to a sensitive reflex in my throat. I have never, ever connected it to my RA :roll:

    I choke quite often when drinking and this must have started a few years ago. My problem is compounded because sometimes I can't breathe through my noise due to allergies so I have great difficlty trying to get air into my lungs - I feel as though I'm going to suffocate. :( I also have to take my tablets with lots of water otherwise they can get stuck in my throat and when this happens I have to stand heaving over the loo until they release. :shock:

    Although knowing this won't stop me choking it makes me relax a little knowing that it's probably the RA and not some other mysterious cause.

    Happy 2009 from Legs XX
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • ladydi
    ladydi Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    well i have R/A and was getting worried about not being able to swallow food my culprit is bread , i go to see my consultant on the 20th will definatly ask about it.. tc
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,353
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Guys!
    I'm a choker too!!
    I think or thought I 'breathe in' food, drink or even spit!!!
    Then I can't get a grip and need (somehow) to btreath out so I can take a REALLY big breath in and start to get a grip :roll:
    It frightens people who don't know me :)
    Then for all the rest of the day I have little coughs while I get over it!!
    I also thought like some of you that I might have a floppy flapper thing at the back of your throat or not a good shut off valve in mythroat.
    No way am I having any tests!!! Don't like it!!!
    Happy choking guys! Nice to know I'm not as abnormal as I think!!
    Toni xx
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hiya

    I don't know if you know this but, people with swollowing problems can be prescribed a thickener to help stop choking when drinking. I used to work with disabled people and we used it a lot. You can put it in cold drinks even water or hot drinks and use a little which is hardly noticable but just makes the swollowing easier or as much as you like or need, right up to a jelly like consistancy. The easiest and best one I've used is called Thick-&-Easy. You can be assessed by a speech theripist and get it on prescription. I don't know if you can buy it, but I can't see why not. Another type I learnt and I've used it on myself, is if taking a tablet is difficult, put it in a spoonful of yogurt or something of that consistancy and it just slides down. Hope this is of some use. Sue xx

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