PAMELA CRUISE
THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE THE WAY I STARTED OUT. I HAVE BEEN DIAPGNOSED WITH NUT-CRACKER ESOPHOGUS. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD, I NOTICED THAT WHENEVER I ATE MEAT, I'D CHOKE AND COULDN'T BREATHE. I TRIED SMALLER BITES, MORE CHEWING, ETC. THEN THE CHOKING HAPPENED WITH BREAD AND HAS PROGRESSED OVER THE YEARS TO INCLUDE SALIVA AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. I'VE HAD THIS CONDITION FOR YEARS AND AM NOW 40 YEARS OLD. MY GASTROENTRONOLIGIST TOLD ME THAT THE CONDITION WAS VERY RARE. I HAVE TRIED MUSCLE RELAXERS GALORE AND NONE SEEMED TO HELP. I DON'T ALWAYS THROW UP, HOWEVER. SOMETIMES THE FOOD WILL FINALLY GO DOWN. WHEN I FEEL THE CHOKING STARTING I IMMEDIATELY TAKE SOME WATER AND ATTEMPT TO SWALLOW IT. THIS WORKS MOST OF THE TIME. I FOUND OUT MANY YEARS AGO TO STAY AWAY FROM CARBONATED DRINKS OF ANY KIND, SINCE THIS SEEMED TO MAKE ME CHOKE INSTANTLY. I HAVE DRANK CARBONATED DRINKS FOR YEARS NOW. I KNOW THIS IS FRUSTRATING FOR YOU, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES WITH THIS CONDITION ON A MEAL TO MEAL, SWALLOW TO SWALLOW BASIS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT CAN BE VERY PAINFUL FOR THE CHOKING PERSON AS WELL. SOMETIMES MY THROAT BECOMES SO SORE AFTER A CHOKING EPISODE THAT I CAN'T FINISH A MEAL. IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOUR CHILD, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT THAT SHE/HE DOES NOT WANT TO EAT BUT THAT SHE/HE CAN'T EAT ANYMORE DUE TO THE THROAT BEING SO IRRITATED.