From day one my most annoying symptom has been the feeling that I have trouble swallowing. It feels like the muscles/ veins in the right side of my neck are swollen or something and like they may be pushing down on my esophogus, making my swallowing sensation feel abnormal and like nothing goes down the right side - but it does, bc I can eat/ drink anything. The right side of my neck also feels chunky and thick. I also had HUGE lymph nodes, but those are so much better with treatment, but not the swallowing issue.
I have been treating since November and even though I have a ways to go, have seen definite improvement in other areas. From what I have read, it sounds like this symptom may be from Babs. ...In any event, has anyone had this symptom and had it resolve?
Also, can you please describe your swallowing issues?
Right now, I am on Bicillin inj, rifampin, mino, and a bunch of supps.
Thanks!
Posted by philly78 (Member # 31069) on :
I have that too! And I hate it!!! I also feel like I have a huge lump in my throat at times or like I have to "double swallow". Sometimes, I instinctively put my hand at the bottom of my throat and pull down. Not sure why but I feel like that helps me to swallow.
Mine does seem to have improved in that it doesn't happen all the time anymore. It was pretty much continuous for me and was what convinced me something other than anxiety was at play.
I'd be curious to see what others say too.
Posted by undiagnosed22 (Member # 28152) on :
How long did you have this for before you saw any improvement philly?Do you know what meds helped? I am beside myself with this.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
When I'm on doxycycline I am always clearing my throat because it feels like it is full of mucus. It's very annoying and gives me a headache sometimes. This isn't the same as what you're describing but I shared it because it has to do with the throat.
Posted by philly78 (Member # 31069) on :
Oh I get that too James. Except there is no mucous there! I do more than just clear my throat though. I try to spit the nothingness out! Drives my hubby insane!
I started to see improvement 3-4 weeks into starting abx but I still get it fairly often. It really was continuous before and I thought that may have been why I lost weight. I wasn't really eating much. But I eat now...ALL day long and still can't gain weight.
But I digress. I've been taking Bactrim and Ceftin and a bunch of supps. Instead of it being continuous, I get it intermittently, but still everyday. I did notice though that I tend to dwell on it when it does happen and that only makes it worse.
I only just realized that on Thursday while I was at work. It happened but I was so busy I couldn't pay attention to it and it didn't bother me as much as it normally does.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
philly - I don't get any mucous either! I'm glad you said that, because I didn't think it was common. Sometimes I thought it was GERD, but I just don't have anything coming up from my stomach.
This only happens to me when I'm on doxy, though. When I switch to different abx it stops immediately, and when I'm back on doxy it starts again. That's why for me I'm associating it with the doxy.
To the OP "undiagnosed": I apologize for hijacking your thread! Hopefully somebody will have a more similar symptom as yours. Have you checked for thyroid issues? Do you have thyroid nodules? Have you checked your thyroid hormone levels?
Posted by undiagnosed22 (Member # 28152) on :
Yes, I am hypothyroid. I am being treated for it. I hope someone else with similar symptoms responds too... Posted by Spindleshanks (Member # 32556) on :
I am newly dx and have had major gastro problems. As I got sicker and new sympts developed that was one of them. It is exactly as you described. Mine is intermit and I never know when it's going to happen. It has been so bad at times I feel like i need to use a bottle brush or something and clean out my esophagus. Totally wouldn't do that of course! I do have a hiatal hernia and really bad gastritis which my lyme md says is from bartonella. It does seem to be better if I stay on my protonix which is a proton pump inhibitor. Also I tried Carafate which coats your stomach and it seemed to help a little also but it is very restrictive on when and how you have to take it so I opted to just stick with the protonix. I know the feeling isn't in the stomach but sometimes what we fell can be referred to different areas. Sorry I hope this makes sense.
Posted by philly78 (Member # 31069) on :
Anyone else?
Posted by Mindy159 (Member # 31149) on :
I've had something strange with the swallowing (not exactly like yours). Initially it happened when I was eating. It felt like a lump in my throat, or like my throat wasn't going to let food go down it (kind of closing).
I also felt like I was panic swallowing whenever I took a vitamin(double swallow, then stopped and tried again). I used to worry my pill was going to go down the wrong pipe.
I thought my issue was allergy related (didn't know I had lyme when I first got this symptom).
Acupuncture has helped (in the jaw). My acupuncture treatments build up my immune system and also calm me down (treats my whole body).
It doesn't happen all the time anymore (once in a while). I've gotten better at swallowing pills, and can eat without this happening anymore.
Posted by mom2kids (Member # 31972) on :
I have to tilt my head down in order to swallow, like I am looking down at the floor. My tongue is also usually swollen, but mor so at night. I can't evn put my teeth together because it is in the way. I also feel like my mouth/throat have been "slimed", it's the worst in the morning. I have not been "officially" DX'd and not on any ABX or TX for Lyme. And my lymph nodes in neck are swollen 24/7 for last couple of years, left side more than right.
Posted by SouthernGirl (Member # 32702) on :
I have had difficulty swallowing...but mine was a symptom of reflux (which my llmd thinks is caused by the lyme!) I'm on Nexium and it has been amazing So sorry you are struggling with this!
Posted by Beth22 (Member # 30232) on :
i have had this off and on for years, sometimes lasting months and sometimes a day. they said that mine was caused by gerd and stress. but it's real--even though called globus hystericus--and can be from inflammation too.
Posted by anonymiss (Member # 32018) on :
I have had a weird lump feeling in my throat for over a month now, probably longer. It went away for awhile on antibiotics but it is back now. It's pretty much exactly like you describe, I feel like I will not be able to swallow and sometimes I have to swallow twice. I have also developed a habit of clearing my throat repeatedly to try and dislodge whatever is stuck in there (but there's not anything stuck in there).
At first, before I suspected Lyme as the cause of my "arthritis" and myriad of other symptoms, I thought it was my adenoids because it felt almost the same as when those were all swollen up a few years back, but it's more down in my throat rather than up behind my nose where the adenoids are.
It's pretty annoying and I have no idea what causes it. I read something about partial paralysis of the esophagus related to Lyme but I am not sure if that is what this is or not. It's almost like part of my esophagus is numb and that's why it feels like a lump.
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So sorry you are struggling with this!