I'm wondering if anyone is having problems swallowing food due to the RSD spreading internally? I also have another sort of stupid question ( please forgive me). If a person receives spinal epidurals isn't that a risk of the RSD spreading to that area? As far as the swallowing issue, I have a very tough time swallowing food that is dry. Such as chicken or any other meat. It seems to get stuck right at the bottom of my throat and it doen't want to go any further, down or back up. Thank you

Hi Krank,

It sounds like you should get that checked. Sometimes it could be a hiatial Hernia, could be GURDS, do you have heartburn? That is something that you can have checked. They can do an upper GI series. No need for any scopes. Sometimes your esophogus can close up and may need to be stretched. It could be dangerous if you get something stuck in your throat...so take small bites and maybe you should stick with mushy foods until you get this checked. Don't wait, get it checked.

Hugs,

Sandy

Krank,
Was this immediately after getting the epidural, like within the first few days? I have had that happen before and I remember how much it freaked me out at the time but I also remember that it did dissapear after a few days.

Other then epidurals, I have noticed increasing problems swallowing food and drinks in the past few months. I was kind of hoping that was just something that would settle down after the ketamine treatments. Now I'm wondering if it's a sign that it's progressed further is some respects. :9

Hopefully it will go away on it's own but please keep us posted,
Dawn

Thanks for the replys. They seem to be isolated from one another. The throat problem started during a flare in july and my last epidural was in January of 2009. The food will get stuck half way down and just stays there. Then my whole body starts to sweat terribly. I sweat so bad that my clothes are drenched. All this happens within a couple of minutes. Sometimes I sweat right after eating. I was wondering if it was part of a spread too. I asked my PM guy and he just dismissed it along with the RSD spreading to the epidural sight. I am wondering if I need to dismiss him. So this has lasted six months for me anyway. I hope this goes away for you.

Dear Krank and All,
I had to reply to your quote when you said "I asked my PM guy and he just dismissed it along with the RSD spreading to the epidural sight. I am wondering if I need to dismiss him. So this has lasted six months for me anyway. " Gosh, I get soooo mad at the insensitivity of some people...and esp doctors!!! Yes, I think if you can you need to find a better doctor that is more understanding of rsd.

I have had the throat swallowing problem for over a year now. Dr. S said it was a part of the RSD. I do have full body and it is internal too. Fun stuff huh? haha. I never had it in the beginning (almost 6 years ago) but have noticed it alot more over the last year or two. Also, I had the ketamine this past Sept and have noticed a decrease in it or maybe I am just so bad with everything else I don't notice it as much HA???!!! When it happens I try to calm myself down and grab some liquid to help it down. Now, I don't ever eat anything with at least some water nearby in case it happens. I think it is a terrifying thing not to be able to breath or catch your breath and I think maybe it is a natural reaction your body goes through with sweating and anxiety when you can't swallow or breath. Scary. Best of luck to all. Hope this helps.
kathy d

Thank you everyone who has responded. I'm sorry that I haven't been on here sooner but I have been in the hospital with my elderly mother for the past week. She went in thinking that she had a bladder infection and ended up having respiratory and cardiac arrest. They defibbed her twice and now she is back with us. She has kidney cancer in her right one and cycsts on her left. The right one is shriveled to nothing with the tumor cutting off the blood flow and spreading into the adrenal glands. She is 79 and refuses a blood transfusion and has a DNR order. It just frustrates me to no end. Maybe I'm being selfish but my stepdad has loved her for 60 years and they finally get married and now this happens. As for me I guess I'm on the back burner again while I try to convince my mother that life if worth living. She has 2 beautiful great grandkids and one on the way. We even went as low as parading the little ones in front of her. But that did nothing to help the situation. We were fortunate that the other hospital didn't have a copy of the living will on hand otherwise she wouldn't be here right now. We even reminded her about that fact and it still didn't affect her. Dad is beside himself right now. Hes scared as hell. I really feel sorry for the poor guy. He's such a wonderful caring person who has gone through hell and back. He lost his first wife to cancer.

As for my esophugus problem....I want to thank everyone who has responded so far. If there are anymore suggestions I would love to read them. I do try to keep water very close by when I am eating.The worst or should I say the most embarassing problem I have is when I eat in public. I try to eat very small pieces and the people I'm in company with wonder why it takes me so long to eat or why I don't finish my food. The worst problem is when the food gets stuck for a long time and I have to leave or they see me sweating to the point that I'm all wet like someone threw me in a pool. It's to the point now that I really don't go out much. My wife is so gracious though and just helps me out to our car and we call it a night.

Hi krank,

I have had a problem swallowing properly since I was Diagnosed. I never thought of it being from an epidural. My RSD is upper extremety and have had may stellate blocks and I do have some back problems and have had epidurals. My problem is the same but instead of having that feeling of nothing going down I just eat very slow. Eating slow in a way is a help, it helps you eat less for some reason. When you eat slow you fill up quicker.
I try and look on the positive side.

I wonder if I started having this problem because of the stellate blocks because they started as soon as I was diagnosed and then the swallowing started, hm....

Gabbycakes

Sweating with eating can be diabetes related. It is called gustatory sweating.

With undiagnosed diabetes, or even when you have pre-diabetic times (called impaired glucose tolerance), you can develop gastroparesis...which is a nerve degeneration affecting swallowing and the stomach.

This article is very complete with discussion of all the causes of gustatory sweating:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431617_3

Medscape has a strict copyright, so I cannot quote it.
If you are not a member there, you can join for free easily.
They have some very good medical articles there on everything!

Dear mrsD,

Not to change the subject of the thread.

I am so sorry about your kitty.

Gabbycakes