Swallowing issues...please advise..

[LA_boy]

Hi,

Over the last month I have periodically noticed swallowing difficulties. It's not a matter of food "not going down" it's more to do with uncontrollable swallowing reflexes...the best way to explain it is like this....normally I put no thought into swallowing...you just do it. But now when I go to eat drink, even swallow saliva it's like I'm holding it in for a few seconds before swallowing and sometimes it just swallows on it's own and it makes me jump cause I wasn't expecting it.... I noticed it at times when I was just watching a movie eating the food would just abruptly swallow and go down without me expecting it and it makes me jump....

What's weird is that this was very periodic at first. I would notice it one day, then go another day eating and drinking and not notice it at all.

Well the last two days it's gone completely terrible. Now it's no longer just happening here and there...I'm constantly having trouble swallowing even saliva...my throat feels like it's tighter or like it's closed up a bit or like my throat isn't working the same anymore....

I feel like it's also something where like, when food or drink is in my mouth I'm so focused on it because I'm scared of it happening that it happens...also like I'm not breathing and swallowing at the same time so it makes it happen...

I don't know, but all I know is now it's like full time swallowing difficulty the last two days and all I can think about is ALS because my doctor once told me a story about a patient he once had...he said the patient came in one day with severe swallowing issues, went to the hospital and it just was a downhill spiral with the illness from there.

I keep thinking about him saying that and questioning whether all this stuff with my throat and swallowing is ALS related.

I'm 25 and a male if that makes any difference. Does this sound like Bulbar ALS?

I should also mention I don't notice any other symptoms other then what I've mentioned.

 

[Atsugi]

Thanks for the details. That doesn't sound like the kind of swallowing problem that ALS patients have. Certainly you should ask your doctor about getting a swallowing study and find out what the problem is. Could be many things. Doesn't really sound like ALS.

Your age is a negative. ALS doesn't usually strike someone so young.

 

[cheerleader]

LA Boy,hope you saw an ear,nose,throat specialist for the swallowing first . Mike is correct- a swallowing study needs to be done. Many things can cause swallowing problems and these need to be checked before you leap to an ALS concern .
Good luck in your search. At your age,the chance of ALS is is almost unheard of.