Hard to swallow

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joni51

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My husband is bulbar, the last month or so he says he can't eat anything spicy because it Burns his throat. Even spaggetti sauce, barbeque sauce stuff he has always ate. Do any of you have this problem? Or is there something maybe they could give him for it?
 
No, but my husband isn't bulbar. He has trouble manipulating food in his mouth, not swallowing.
 
I'd get his throat looked at. That doesn't sound like a usual symptom.

AL.
 
My husband can not really tolerate the "hot" stuff anymore! He has always loved it and we have always enjoyed spicy food! He can barely eat by mouth now, but within the past year the hot stuff became a problem for him and he would in the beginning just say it was too hot. Then it got to the point of spasms, choking, etc...whenever he ate anything remotely spicy.

He cannot really eat much of anything now by mouth. Guess it would not be the same to pour Texas Pete down the tube!
 
My pals was never a huge fan of hot stuff but did like a mild curry. At a certain point she couldn't tolerate it any more no matter how pureed or liquidised. Don't really know why, just took it off the menu.
 
It just makes it hard to find something to fix, he gets choked so bad every meal, When we see the dr again, I will definately ask though. As for now no spicy anything.
 
I can completely relate to that Joni. When we first started out mums speech therapist took me aside and said you are going to have to get real creative in the kitchen. She wasn't kidding! Also as things change so too the cooking which means I could never get too settled. The things that helped me were initially to discover foods which don't form a bolus easily & so break up as they go down the throat and also which ones are more likely to catch (there are lists out there but it's also common sense & observation of your pals reaction) then a little later to know what consistency she could safely swallow with the minimum of choking, eg liquid, custard or set. For us soft and smooth were the key with consistencies getting thicker & thicker as swallow deteriorated. There are thickeners out there but they don't taste the bees knees. I've found mashed potato, cornflour or even soft cheese can do the job. Hang in there.
 
Joni, I never had a problem with spicy food when I could eat. Like Al said, it's probably a good idea to talk to your doctor about it.

Missy, having trouble moving food around in the mouth is one of the first signs (along with slurred speech) of bulbar progression. As the tongue becomes affected it makes it hard to chew food and usually the throat muscles involved in swallowing come next. Better keep a close watch on his eating.
 
Joni, I have throat issues, and nearly no bulbar... but pepper caused me to choke some time ago, and has been off my diet. Food consistencies are not a problem, nor is chewing. I wonder if Bruce is having some throat (neck) muscle wasting. Oh--cannot eat vinegary foods either--it trips up those neck muscles.
 
My husband, who loves spicy food, just said that he should stop eating it as it triggers coughing and choking and sometimes laryngeal spasms....
 
HI

Acid reflux can cause burning in the throat and erosion that can even be painful. I was put on nexium--then downgraded to prilosec when they figured the nexium had healed the irritates areas.

Worse case scenario--they may want to scope and take a look--but I'd guess they'd try a med like prilosec (there are several and they work differently)
 
Thanks all for the suggestions. Don't know what I would do without each and everyone of you!
 
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