[BARBARA356]

Has anybody had a barium swallow test and speech test? My doctor ordered one for me today. I have had trouble losing my voice and having a feeling like something is stuck in my throat. I read on the internet that people who have trouble talking and swallowing are the ones that have trouble breathing. Is this a true statement you think? I get hoarse if I talk more than a few minutes? Have any of you experience this then started having trouble swallowing as a symptom after having hoarseness of their voice?

[tysondouglass]

Hey Barbara- I had this when I was hospitalized for a crisis-

I wasnt allowed to eat until I came off the vent, and they then ordered it.

When i get very tired I do get a hoarse voice and feel like i have something stuck in my throat and I also feel like food gets stuck where it feels like a lump of some kind...

The test is quite easy..yet doesnt taste so good..

They make you drink some different types of drinks...i think they give you a choice not that any of them taste that good but preference wise. They have you lay on a table and have a continous X ray going on behind a glass door...

They do a few xrays at different angles (the table moves up and down vertically)

Other than that theres not much to it they have you eat some different things and see how fast it goes down..

I do remember them giving me somewhat a marshmellow s'more with some VERY nasty white paste on top..dont be surprised if you get that

If you have other questions lemme kno.

[BARBARA356]

Originally Posted by tysondouglass

Hey Barbara- I had this when I was hospitalized for a crisis-

I wasnt allowed to eat until I came off the vent, and they then ordered it.

When i get very tired I do get a hoarse voice and feel like i have something stuck in my throat and I also feel like food gets stuck where it feels like a lump of some kind...

The test is quite easy..yet doesnt taste so good..

They make you drink some different types of drinks...i think they give you a choice not that any of them taste that good but preference wise. They have you lay on a table and have a continous X ray going on behind a glass door...

They do a few xrays at different angles (the table moves up and down vertically)

Other than that theres not much to it they have you eat some different things and see how fast it goes down..

I do remember them giving me somewhat a marshmellow s'more with some VERY nasty white paste on top..dont be surprised if you get that

If you have other questions lemme kno.

Thanks, Sounds like some pretty nasty stuff. Can you explain to me what it felt like to have a crisis. Also how did you feel prior? What about the hospital stay did they do a trach?

[tysondouglass]

Haha it does taste quite nasty but the test doesn't last long. When i went into a crisis It was thanksgiving day and I just got up and immediately went back to bed..I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes without getting lightheaded due to low oxygen levels and I couldn't eat any food due to throat muscles. I felt ok the day before but you can't really tell that it was going to happen- scary. I slept all day and finally said it was time to go in once I choked on a piece of turkey.

They didn't have to do a trach just put a tube down my mouth and it only stayed a short time until the plasmapheresis they gave me kicked in.


Hope this helps?

[BARBARA356]

Originally Posted by tysondouglass

Haha it does taste quite nasty but the test doesn't last long. When i went into a crisis It was thanksgiving day and I just got up and immediately went back to bed..I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes without getting lightheaded due to low oxygen levels and I couldn't eat any food due to throat muscles. I felt ok the day before but you can't really tell that it was going to happen- scary. I slept all day and finally said it was time to go in once I choked on a piece of turkey.

They didn't have to do a trach just put a tube down my mouth and it only stayed a short time until the plasmapheresis they gave me kicked in.


Hope this helps?

Was the turkey dry? Sorry bad sense of humor. I haven't choked yet but my throat is feeling tight. It may be the only way to quit eating so much. I gained 5 lbs in one month. Thanks for the info.

[Suddenly]

Hi Barbara,
Before I was diagnosed with MG, actually before it was even a consideration, my GI doc sent me for a barium swallow. (The first symptoms I noticed were difficulty swallowing and twitchy eye movements). Mine was done standing. I was given barium to drink and it wasn't delightful but not bad either. Unfortunately, as we all know, MG doesn't perform on cue so mine was absolutely normal. Later the GI doc realized we should have done a modified barium swallow which includes barium laced food and pudding, etc, to test all consistencies. By that time I was ready to move on rather than be repeatedly tested for a swallow problem and have everyone stand around scratching their heads. The first time I saw the neuro she was writing out scripts for different swallow studies until she did the physical/neurological exam and found proximal weakness. She tore up the swallow referrals and told me we were heading in a different direction.
I am interested in hearing how your swallow study goes. Hopefully they will catch you while you are having symtoms so they will see what is going on.

For me I have swallow problems daily/most all the time. My speech is more variable, sometimes I have hoarseness with speaking for more than a few minutes. Other times I have slurring associated with the jaw weakness. I haven't had a crisis (thank God) but have had some weakness of the diaphragm leading to difficulty taking a deep breath and shortness of breath. So, to answer your question, I haven't really noticed that one leads to the other. The swallow is just an everpresent problem.

Tysondouglass, did they see anything on your swallow study?

[Suddenly]

Oh, lol, I totally get the "dry turkey" comment. One of the worst things to try to eat is dry meat.

[busybusy]

Originally Posted by BARBARA356

Has anybody had a barium swallow test and speech test? My doctor ordered one for me today. I have had trouble losing my voice and having a feeling like something is stuck in my throat. I read on the internet that people who have trouble talking and swallowing are the ones that have trouble breathing. Is this a true statement you think? I get hoarse if I talk more than a few minutes? Have any of you experience this then started having trouble swallowing as a symptom after having hoarseness of their voice?

Hey Barbara, I started out having my esophagus stretched because it felt like the last bite of food would stick. It would take hours it seemed for it to go down. I got so used to it, I got were I could go on and ignore it. I started getting hoarse last October was a year ago. I went to the ENT and had some kind of pipe run down my throat. I was diagnosed as stomach acid and allergies. Another ENT said no allergies, but needed speech. Went to 2nd opinion and they ran the pipe again and said I had dysphagia. Finally, diagnosed with MG and voice was coming from that. If I use my voice a lot, it goes really hoarse. Some days it is better. I get tired of explaining why I don't have something contagious. People will cover their mouths thinking I have something. I still try to sing in the choir but I usually only sing whispering. I know how you feel and I hope you get better. I refused to do the barium swallow because I have had it before and it showed nothing. Sometimes I use my voice as a means to let me know if it is time to rest. If it is really hoarse, I know I need to slow it down more and rest. that may sound crazy, but it works for me. Good luck in your tests. busy

[tysondouglass]

Originally Posted by Suddenly

Hi Barbara,
Before I was diagnosed with MG, actually before it was even a consideration, my GI doc sent me for a barium swallow. (The first symptoms I noticed were difficulty swallowing and twitchy eye movements). Mine was done standing. I was given barium to drink and it wasn't delightful but not bad either. Unfortunately, as we all know, MG doesn't perform on cue so mine was absolutely normal. Later the GI doc realized we should have done a modified barium swallow which includes barium laced food and pudding, etc, to test all consistencies. By that time I was ready to move on rather than be repeatedly tested for a swallow problem and have everyone stand around scratching their heads. The first time I saw the neuro she was writing out scripts for different swallow studies until she did the physical/neurological exam and found proximal weakness. She tore up the swallow referrals and told me we were heading in a different direction.
I am interested in hearing how your swallow study goes. Hopefully they will catch you while you are having symtoms so they will see what is going on.

For me I have swallow problems daily/most all the time. My speech is more variable, sometimes I have hoarseness with speaking for more than a few minutes. Other times I have slurring associated with the jaw weakness. I haven't had a crisis (thank God) but have had some weakness of the diaphragm leading to difficulty taking a deep breath and shortness of breath. So, to answer your question, I haven't really noticed that one leads to the other. The swallow is just an everpresent problem.

Tysondouglass, did they see anything on your swallow study?

Hey- all they found was that my esphogus muscles were/are weak which they already knew. They told me there was nothing I could do- just eat more slowly when having these problems.

[Stellatum]

Originally Posted by busybusy

Sometimes I use my voice as a means to let me know if it is time to rest. If it is really hoarse, I know I need to slow it down more and rest. that may sound crazy, but it works for me.

Not crazy--very smart! I think most of us have our own personal warning signs. For me, it's when my coffee goes down the wrong pipe: not a big deal in itself, but it means I have hit a degree of weakness that means I'd better really pay attention.

Abby