My LLMD put in the report that he sent to my PCP that I have bulbar dysfunction...mainly an absent gag reflex. My throat symptoms have included a really tight throat that at times feels swollen and some swallowing problems. Has anyone else experienced an absent gag reflex as part of their Neuro-Lyme disease? Is this a common symptom?
Posted by brf (Member # 8748) on :
I have a really tight throat and swallowing problems but I have the exact opposite reaction in that I gag spontaneously for no apparent reason.
Never had it diagnosed as anything - just one more symptom in the long extensive list.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I also have a tight throat, feels like I'm being choked. I think my gag reflex is normal.
I had this in the beginning of my illness and then it would just wax and wane. Now I have a tight throat due to yeast issues.
Posted by ugagal (Member # 18471) on :
Thanks brf and sutherngrl for the responses! I have heard other Lyme patients refer to the tightness in the throat...is this possibly related to inflammation? I was just curious if anyone else had ever been told that their gag reflex was diminshed or absent.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
I have the tight throat too with lots of clear thick mucous. At my LLD appt on Monday he thought that it might be yeast in the throat.
I am currently doing a course of diflucan to see if things improve.
Feelfit
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
The gag reflex thing is a symptom of ALS, and so it makes sense that it would also be related to LD. It is a neurological symptom and Lyme is neurological.
I don't think the tightness is neccessarily inflammation. I think it too is a neuro issue, as well as swallowing difficulties frequently reported by Lyme patients.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
ugal,
last time it was checked, my gag reflex was intact. I think it would be a nerve issue if it was absent.
Feelfit
Posted by ugagal (Member # 18471) on :
Wow..it is amazing to me how many Neurological symptoms are related to Lyme. It is even more difficult for me to believe how others can try to say that Lyme is easy to treat and that prescribing IV antibiotics is overkill. I guess they've never had an absent gag reflex or almost choked to death while trying to take meds!!!
Posted by kmj (Member # 18400) on :
Count me in. I have gag reflex problems - underactive. I also have one sided vocal cord weakness resulting in a painful hoarse voice at times and breathing difficulties that come and go. Apparently all caused by damage to the vagus nerve, I think cranial nerve 9/10. I have a host of other neuro problems as well - very typical of ALS but so far, after 2.5yrs of testing and 3yrs of symptoms, ALS specialist has said he doesn't think this is ALS. So I went to an LLMD and tested +ve for Babesia and borderline lyme and bartonella. I am treating the Babs first and hoping I still have a chance at making it through this. Too young to die and leave my babies without a mommy. Posted by Leelee (Member # 19112) on :
My throat feels tight all the time. Sometimes I think it just going to close up altogether.
It is sometimes difficult to swallow.
I have woken up at night feeling like I am being choked to death.
I don't know about my gag reflex, though. What should on normally feel? What does an abnormal one feel like? I suppose mine is normal since I'm not aware of it.
Posted by ugagal (Member # 18471) on :
kmj, How did your vagus nerve problems begin? Did you have any swallowing problems? My LLMD says that this all can be related to Lyme.
Posted by kmj (Member # 18400) on :
I had been seeing a neuro because of weird sensations in my left arm that were spreading to my right - felt like cold water being poured down the inside of my arm. Then it changed to a burning sensation with twitching in my hand and forearm. 6mths later, I noticed my tongue was hurting, kind of deep ache and burning in my throat and a sensation that my throat was closing/was tight. Almost like being choked from the inside - make sense? Didnt know what it was. Mentioned it to the neuro and he sent me to an ENT. The ENT did a scope of my throat and along with speech lang pathologist, tested my vocal cords as well as swallowing. It was discovered that I had vagus nerve damage. They said most likely viral and would clear up on its own within a year. Well it did not and today, 18tmhs later, is way worse than it was. I am scheduled to have a follow up in 2 weeks to see if the other vocal cord is also paralysed now. I have swallowing probs now too. Only dry food like bread but I have to swallow twice sometimes to get food down. And I have the intermittent air hunger thing too - sometimes I feel I cannot breathe at all and the next day I might feel fine. Who knows. I am so so happy to see I am not alone with this. I am still very afraid that this will indeed turn out to be ALS but I try to pray and stay positive. My suggestion would be that you see an ENT asap. Vocal cord or bulbar dysfunction of any kind can lead to aspiration and death. Not worth risking. So I would go along and find out the extent of the problem and deal with it from there. FYI. the LLMD tells me that if the nerve damage is due to lyme not neurodegenerative disease, then it will never recover. But it wll not get worse. The fact that it has continued to get worse is scary for me. Anyway, see an ENT. And good luck. ps Leelee - I did not know I had an abnormal reflex until the neuro stuck a wooden stick into my throat and I felt NOTHING. I also have no sensation inside my right nostril - but as he said "no-one ever died of a numb nose". All very strange stuff.
Posted by ugagal (Member # 18471) on :
kmj,
That was exactly how my absent gag reflex was discovered. My LLMD stuck a wooden tongue depressor into my throat and I had no reaction. I also had the weird sensations and tingling in my left arm and I still suffer from daily muscle twitches. Sometimes when I'm talking I run out of air before I can finish a sentence...it comes out in a whisper. Is that what you mean by air hunger?
Posted by kmj (Member # 18400) on :
Sometimes but i also struggle to get enough air, esp at night. It can be scary.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)