Results of Swallow Study: Pressure & Voice Issues

[XinaMae535]

Hi....I am also very sorry to see you in this spot. I wanted to quote what you wrote to me when I was freaking out....in hopes this may bring any comfort:"As for your question about slurring, dysphagia is 8 times less common than dysarthria at the onset of MND, also slurring is typically first in majority of cases. The chances hence would be extraordinarily small."I did not read anywhere that you are slurring...Please hang in there. Sending strength and hugs!

 

[Gracer]

Docen, so sorry about your family losses. Surely it does not improve your mood

 

[JuanitaPeralta]

Docen,Do you have cervical spine issues? They can be associated with dysphagia.Sorry about your circumstances.Juan

 

[LostLamb]

TD,So sorry for your loss. I lost my mum and dad when I was a teenager. I thought I would never see them again....began to forget how they looked, how they acted, how they spoke. ....every year I lost a bit more of them. When my children were born I was naturally sad they never got to meet them, but then something began to change. As the kids grew from babies into little people I began to see my parents again, in the kids looks, their mannerisms, their features. So many missing memories were all there in them.The dead have ways of coming back to us.This is a hard time for you TD, grief is such a high price to pay for love, but it is a deal we can't opt out of.Thoughts are with you and your wife.Hx

 

[GHayes420]

Sorry for your recent loses Docen. Thoughts are with you during this time.I know this may not give you much comfort but each sx you describe I described in detail at Mayo three weeks ago. They did every exam on clinical they could think of along with EMG of the tongue and trapezius which has recently shown to be even more accurate for bulbar prediction. Both clean and negative. So I am sure yours would be the same if you were there as well. Hang in there!

 

[GHayes420]

Docen, I also get a hoarse voice constantly, to the point my voice can't project and I have to clear my throat. Since I just went and had both a tongue and trapezius EMG show clean, it can't be due to weakness and therefore I am chalking my sx up to constant sinus drainage, occasional smoking and reflux. They certainly can mimic each other.PS- sorry for the recent losses.

 

[BFSDiner]

Hi Twitchy My current issue seems to be similar to yours. If I'm understanding right. I personally have very inflamed lungs that the doctor suspects is from acid etc splashing into the airways and causing irritation. Or back up from the esophagus doing the same. I constantly swallow "down the wrong pipe" if I'm not careful. And this cough that has developed has had me worried for at least 3 weeks. But ALS never even crossed my mind. GERD has as a common symptom, this sort of manifestation. Apparently even more common in ppl who DONT have typical GERD symptoms. For whatever reason. I guess my next step is an endoscopy. I really don't want to do it bc of the general anesthesia. But like everyone here, I'm assuming something extreme (something other than ALS) and if I don't check, then I become a possible statistic of non-proactivity I guess. An ENT did the scope up my nose and down my throat a month ago and said it "looked really bad down there" and put me on Proton Pump Inhibitors. They haven't helped. Want to know what I think? I think we all sit here and drive ourselves insane with anxiety, which creates absurdly high amounts of stomach acid, and we end up with all this crap in our stomach, throat, and sinuses. It only stands to reason that people like us are going to have the worst stomach acid problems imaginable. At least that's what I'm banking on.-B-

 

[BFSDiner]

You know what doesn't make sense to me? Why isn't the esophagus protected like the stomach? I mean talk about an evolutionary fail. Youve got the most acidic, destructive chemicals in the body right next to sensitive tissues that can't handle it. If anything there should be a gradual tapering of protection layers starting at the stomach, and moving away in both directions. Or at least - the entire intestinal system having such protection. But as it stands, our esophgus is this tender, easily damaged tissue.I would guess as a society our diet has gone to sh*t. And probably heavily promotes digestive abnormalities. I know you're sick of hearing this, but exactly how much acid do you think you're going to be dealing with if you do a diet of fresh vegetables, fresh meats, and some safe starches with water? (Modified paleo)As opposed to what the typical person eats on a daily basis. Fast food, burgers, pastrami sandwiches, coffee? Soda? Add in tons of stress… It's no mystery to me.