Yes, swallowing problems now. Seeking support

[Xina535]

Hi everyone. The ENT scheduled a colonoscopy and a endoscopy for Dec 8. He said that reflux issues would MAINLY explain all of these things.

This is where the freak out part comes in:

My primary care doctor told me to show him the positive ANA blood test result. The ENT said this most likely does not have anything to do with my issue, BUT it does say on the report that things like sclerdoma? or other diseases related to the ANA could cause "MOTOR" issues, which would cause the muscles to not get food down like normal, then he said, "for instance, you said that food sticks in one spot in your throat then flushes down eventually..."

I asked him to clarify if he thinks that is what it could be because that scares me, and he said "it's a far fetch, but these things can happen, and if we think after the procedures that you also need a pressure test, we can have one done. But if your issue was due to motor problems, I believe you would also complain that the food is getting stuck also further down."

I'm shaking in my boots again. This stupid word: "motor" ....I hate it!!

So, if there are motor/pressure issues, and if it's related to positive ANA, then that still points away from MND, right?

I have a separate question about reflux disease. ENT explained it that the esophagus does not close back up properly and let's the acid come up. Well, why does the esophagus not close properly?

[Yuliasir]

Esophagus is not closed properly becasue you have dysfunction of autonomous system caused most probably (practically 100 %) by long term anxiety. Esophagal peristaltic and operation of two valves you have inside are coordinated mostly by action of vagal nerve, part of autonomous nerve system. When it is out of balance and hyperexcited, you have not only bad closure of those valves, but even bakward preistaltic causing regurgitation etc.

Your doctor is right saying you must be having more issues in case of any dysphagia caused by motor neuron diorders. Feeling of the food stuck in the throat for long time is also very common in GERD (becasue your esophagal mucosa is swollen and hypersensitive too -well just imagine you poured strong hydrochloric acid (and acidity factor of your stomach juice is 2 to 4, which is qute strong acid) to your eye for example (God spare you of course from such experience) - definitely each smallest piece of stuff getting onto burnt and swolled mucosa would leave the feeling of foreign object stuck to it...

[Xina535]

Esophagus is not closed properly becasue you have dysfunction of autonomous system caused most probably (practically 100 %) by long term anxiety. Esophagal peristaltic and operation of two valves you have inside are coordinated mostly by action of vagal nerve, part of autonomous nerve system. When it is out of balance and hyperexcited, you have not only bad closure of those valves, but even bakward preistaltic causing regurgitation etc.

Is this the only cause of it, or the main cause? And, you mentioned the autonomous nerve system, does that have anything to do with MND?

Your doctor is right saying you must be having more issues in case of any dysphagia caused by motor neuron diorders.

I don't think I understood this clearly. Do you mean, if you have dysphagia (and it is diagnosed), it is always because of a MND?

[Yuliasir]

nope autonomous system is not related to MND, it is separeate one, not motor.
Autonomous nervous system is operating our non-voluntary muscles movements such as persitaltics of our boweks, heartbeat etc. , it is also involved in regulation of internal excretion system (saliva, juices, etc.)

GERD is caused by stress, diet (too much of sunstances causing extra acid formation), obesity, ptosis of the stomach, hiatal hernia, endocrine diseases, hypercalciemia (increases production of acid and could happen in case of parathyroid disfunction), and never is associated specifically with MND.

Scleroderma mentioned by ENT is a very specific disease which, if having SEVERE EXTERNAL MANIFESTATION (skin is harderned on various locations on the body, especially on arms and fingers), may also affect internal organs causing decreased motility of esophagus, therefore GERD due to lack of tonus in the lower esophagal valve. If you do not have manifestations like calcinated nodules on the skin, solid hardened whitish spots on the arms, face and upper body, etc. - then probably you do not have scleroderma which is not MND anyway but systemic disease related to gene mutation.

Do you mean, if you have dysphagia (and it is diagnosed), it is always because of a MND?

No. Dysphagia could ve caused by MND, encephalitis or stroke - if brain stem is involved and therefore reflective act of swallowing is damaged. That is why people in rabies can not swallow by the way, and that is why it is called 'hydrophobia'. But those cases are very specific and usually... you know... could be easily recognized.

Dyspagia could be casued by neoplasmas (for example, in thyroid), but usually they must be HUGE and othervise the process would be noticed far before dysphagia. My frined's father has last stage of thyroid cancer and he got dysphagia only in the last few weeks where the process already become really terminal.

So most cases of painful or hard swallowing have nothing with MND.

If you will undergo pressure test, you will know that you have low tonus of your esophagus valve causing persistent GERD, but really not MND.

[Xina535]

ok thank you for clarifying. I wish they could just do the pressure test at the same time or before I get the sleepy shot for the colonoscopy.

For this:

Scleroderma mentioned by ENT is a very specific disease which, if having SEVERE EXTERNAL MANIFESTATION (skin is harderned on various locations on the body, especially on arms and fingers), may also affect internal organs causing decreased motility of esophagus, therefore GERD due to lack of tonus in the lower esophagal valve. If you do not have manifestations like calcinated nodules on the skin, solid hardened whitish spots on the arms, face and upper body, etc. - then probably you do not have scleroderma which is not MND anyway but systemic disease related to gene mutation.[/quote]


I did not mean that this is what could possibly be it. I meant it, that on the report for positive ANA HEp2 of 1:160 homogenous, it says this result is related to collagen problems like SLE, system sklerosis and scleroderma, but it is also a results that many healthy people have as well. So that is what the ENT spoke to: that these sorts of diseases could cause motor issues. I do not have any skin problems (spots, nodules, at least nothing that seems out of the ordinary).

so I go under the knife on 2-Dec for the ganglion cyst removal then under again on 8-Dec for the colonoscopy/endoscopy. I can't wait for the ENT results nor can I wait for my hand to be repaired.

[Yuliasir]

he did not mean motor neuron issues, believe me he must mean motoric issues, as generally esophagus becomes less motile and has less tonus due to changes in the tissue, not in ennervation (as far as I understand the nature of the disease).
Wish you good luck with all those not very pleasant investigations and hope you could be properly treated then for your GERD

[Xina535]

He did say "motoric"....exactly that word, but I thought that was "motor" in English.

And thank you! I hope it all goes by fast...

[LKP1231]

None of this says anything about mnd. I think you can stop worrying about that. Everything going on with you is treatable, just might take some time. You should be glad.

[Xina535]

Ok guys check this out:

I was sooo nauseous yesterday and around 3pm I started throwing up at work, same time had severe diarrea.

I went home to rest but it got way worse, could not stop, was freezing and shaking but no fever. My circulatory system crashed and I was rushed to the hospital. Also terrible stomach pains and lower back pain (kidneys). They helped me with meds for throwing up and pain. They are keeping me in isolation until they can rule out a contagious stomach virus, but they know my history of gastro type issues and that I just visited the ENT. They may do the scopes on me here in the hospital. They said it could be a gastroenteritis (spelling?) or a chronic gastro issue.

One question that I wanted to get your opinions on:

Lately, past few weeks, I've been getting this tingly feeling on my forehead where my hair meets my forehead. It feels like my hair is moving but it's not. Not a twitch, more of a vibration, crawling feeling. It is not constant but has been there for a few weeks. Same spot. Until this vomiting spell last night, I didn't think much of it, but now I'm wondering if this is connected somehow?Should I be worried about that or should I tell the doctors that?

[Yuliasir]

Xina,
I do not think you shall worry about mildest issue of paresthesia (this crawling feeling at the edge of hair line) compared to what you suffer right now.

[LKP1231]

I don't think the feeling in your forehead is worrisome. I hope you are feeling better.

[physerv24]

Xina,

Certainly sounds like you are having a bout of gastroenteritis. Dehydration is quite common with this and since you are in the hospital, I'm sure they will control this but before you went to the hospital, with all of your throwing up, you likely became dehydrated rather quickly and I'm sure your electrolytes were out of balance as well. This would likely exacerbate your BFS symptoms as would any type of virus. I am a firm believer that BFS is indeed an autoimmune disorder. Therefore when our immune system is under attack, due to a virus or infection, our symptoms will likely multiply and/or increase.

Focus on one thing at a time. Get the gastroenteritis under control then you can worry about the BFS. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Vince

[Xina535]

Thank you all!

Does anyone think that these symptoms I've written about here (throat tightening, excess saliva, strong hiccups, etc) , which have been going on for some time are a part of what's happening to me now?

If this was due to a random 24-hour stomach flu then what a coincidence that would be! Just something coming in randomly to mess me up when I've got these other things happening. Oh my hand OP to remove that ganglion cyst on Tuesday is now cancelled. I feel like I'll never get rid of this thing!

[Yuliasir]

I do not think that there is "to much coincidence". Usually chronic gastritis may be accompanied with diarrhoea, may have nausea as an ongoing symptome, but violence of your symptomes (simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea rather points to infection (and the only strange thing is that you did not had fever). Kidney pain also indicates intoxication. So maybe you really eat something wrong but not bacteria...

[mwagner]

If it helps at all, I get the buzzing on my forehead, almost in the same spot, fairly frequently. Sometimes, it will last a week. It's really strange, but I chalk it up to BFS weirdness. I've had it for a long time. I don't think your doctor will care -- it's just a strange symptom of a strange syndrome.