Thankyou
New member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2015
- Messages
- 6
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- AU
- State
- SOUTH AUST
- City
- Adelaide
Hello folks
If I may, can I ask that you indulge me for a few moments.
First of all, the information I have gleaned from this forum has been valuable, worrying at times, reassuring at others, but overall very helpful so thank you all for your various contributions.
I have also read the very informative sticky. Having done all of this I just have a few lingering things on my mind, accompanied needless to say, by some anxiety.
I won't go on and on past this post, as I know time is precious and hard to come by these days. Just to be clear I have no intention of constantly poking people for answers. The doctors can give me those, but what I am after is advice based on experience.
So without further adieu - my history and symptoms (perceived or otherwise) and other information
- For a good couple of years I have had throat clearing issues, which I have largely never given a second thought and in fact put down to the bad habit of cigarettes. Albeit I only partake in 2-3 a day.
- More recently, over the past 9 months or so, I have developed swallowing issues. I have no problem with liquids, soups, pasta, rice, cereals, most fruit or veg. Red meat and dry bread however are my nemesis. I do still try to eat these things, but it takes me an aweful long time. Sometimes I am literally unable to engage my swallow reflex ie. Nothing happens, unless it's a pulp... And to be honest, unless we're all eating A grade wagyu beef, a pulp is hard to achieve, so I steer clear of meat where I can.
- Someone on here once referred to food snooker ie. Eating one food at the same time as another to get the more difficult food down. Great analogy and exactly what I need to do with meat.
- I have for a long time had a fear of choking, and I wonder whether this has become more paycological than than physical. It does feel physical but I'm no expert.
- I have noticed twitching on my tongue, or little fasciculations as I believe they are called. I don't see them when my tongue is at rest in my mouth, but they are quite clear when tongue is extended just outside of my lips. I understand that the gold standard of examining the tongue is at rest and in the mouth, so I'm not super concerned by that, but it's still a contributing factor.
- I can move my tongue freely side to side, up, down, around and make all the weird tongue shapes that I've always been able to make. My tongue does get quite tired though while eating.
- I do get muscle spasm/ticks and flutters in various random parts of my body, they are infrequent, and are also not a huge concern to me, but again add to the overall equation.
- I have no notable muscle weakness per Se, but do from time to time perceive weakness or heavyness. I have largely put this down to stress and general fatigue however, but any thoughts welcome.
- speaking of fatigue, I feel as though my muscles fatigue easily doing simple chores. Folding the washing, doing my hair in the morning (male vanity I suppose), holding my phone to my ear for more than a few mins, walking up a flight of stairs etc. could be a fitness issue?
- I have some shortness of breath, again which I have put down to average physical fitness and lack of excercise plus the smoking.
- I also grind my teeth at night (bruxism I think they call it) which would clearly put some pressure on my jaw and salivary glands - not to mention my poor worn down teeth. Ive read that this can be a TMJ? issue, which in turn can impact swallowing. I do get loud clicking I that TMJ area if I open my jaw wide and move side to side.
- Last but not least, is indeed this damned saliva issue. I feel like someone forgot to turn the tap of up there somewhere. It's only on my right side, and it's persistent. Sometime I feel like it just sits in the corner of my mouth, and I have to swallow to eliminate it. Again, from what I read this is not necessarily symptomatic. I just started giving magnesium a try, apparently magnesium deficiency can have an impact on saliva. Who knows if I'm deficient, just giving it a try.
So there you have it, the range of things that are bothering me, some of which have invariably led me to this forum and your community.
You will be pleased to know that I am booked to visit the ENT in 2 weeks. Perhaps some answers will come from this.
I hope some of you might take the time to respond, but of course absolutely no pressure.
Clearly there are people here with bigger fish to fry than myself, and I find it really amazing and quite special the degree of support many of you are prepared to offer to interested (and anxious) people like myself - so on that note THANK YOU.
Take care everyone, and may you have all the strength to get through your adversities, whether you are diagnosed, or anxious or otherwise.
Thanks again and all the very best.
If I may, can I ask that you indulge me for a few moments.
First of all, the information I have gleaned from this forum has been valuable, worrying at times, reassuring at others, but overall very helpful so thank you all for your various contributions.
I have also read the very informative sticky. Having done all of this I just have a few lingering things on my mind, accompanied needless to say, by some anxiety.
I won't go on and on past this post, as I know time is precious and hard to come by these days. Just to be clear I have no intention of constantly poking people for answers. The doctors can give me those, but what I am after is advice based on experience.
So without further adieu - my history and symptoms (perceived or otherwise) and other information
- For a good couple of years I have had throat clearing issues, which I have largely never given a second thought and in fact put down to the bad habit of cigarettes. Albeit I only partake in 2-3 a day.
- More recently, over the past 9 months or so, I have developed swallowing issues. I have no problem with liquids, soups, pasta, rice, cereals, most fruit or veg. Red meat and dry bread however are my nemesis. I do still try to eat these things, but it takes me an aweful long time. Sometimes I am literally unable to engage my swallow reflex ie. Nothing happens, unless it's a pulp... And to be honest, unless we're all eating A grade wagyu beef, a pulp is hard to achieve, so I steer clear of meat where I can.
- Someone on here once referred to food snooker ie. Eating one food at the same time as another to get the more difficult food down. Great analogy and exactly what I need to do with meat.
- I have for a long time had a fear of choking, and I wonder whether this has become more paycological than than physical. It does feel physical but I'm no expert.
- I have noticed twitching on my tongue, or little fasciculations as I believe they are called. I don't see them when my tongue is at rest in my mouth, but they are quite clear when tongue is extended just outside of my lips. I understand that the gold standard of examining the tongue is at rest and in the mouth, so I'm not super concerned by that, but it's still a contributing factor.
- I can move my tongue freely side to side, up, down, around and make all the weird tongue shapes that I've always been able to make. My tongue does get quite tired though while eating.
- I do get muscle spasm/ticks and flutters in various random parts of my body, they are infrequent, and are also not a huge concern to me, but again add to the overall equation.
- I have no notable muscle weakness per Se, but do from time to time perceive weakness or heavyness. I have largely put this down to stress and general fatigue however, but any thoughts welcome.
- speaking of fatigue, I feel as though my muscles fatigue easily doing simple chores. Folding the washing, doing my hair in the morning (male vanity I suppose), holding my phone to my ear for more than a few mins, walking up a flight of stairs etc. could be a fitness issue?
- I have some shortness of breath, again which I have put down to average physical fitness and lack of excercise plus the smoking.
- I also grind my teeth at night (bruxism I think they call it) which would clearly put some pressure on my jaw and salivary glands - not to mention my poor worn down teeth. Ive read that this can be a TMJ? issue, which in turn can impact swallowing. I do get loud clicking I that TMJ area if I open my jaw wide and move side to side.
- Last but not least, is indeed this damned saliva issue. I feel like someone forgot to turn the tap of up there somewhere. It's only on my right side, and it's persistent. Sometime I feel like it just sits in the corner of my mouth, and I have to swallow to eliminate it. Again, from what I read this is not necessarily symptomatic. I just started giving magnesium a try, apparently magnesium deficiency can have an impact on saliva. Who knows if I'm deficient, just giving it a try.
So there you have it, the range of things that are bothering me, some of which have invariably led me to this forum and your community.
You will be pleased to know that I am booked to visit the ENT in 2 weeks. Perhaps some answers will come from this.
I hope some of you might take the time to respond, but of course absolutely no pressure.
Clearly there are people here with bigger fish to fry than myself, and I find it really amazing and quite special the degree of support many of you are prepared to offer to interested (and anxious) people like myself - so on that note THANK YOU.
Take care everyone, and may you have all the strength to get through your adversities, whether you are diagnosed, or anxious or otherwise.
Thanks again and all the very best.