Help with Ineffective Esophageal Motility

Posted by bla1958 @bla1958, 3 days ago

I’m a healthy 67 year old female up until October 2024. I first was diagnosed then with acid reflux from pain in my chest, difficulty swallowing (globus sensation). I was put on PPI not feeling much relief. In January 2025 I had an endoscopy which came back normal. Was told by Gastro doctor to eat small meals, chew slower, etc. In February I had a manometry test showing I have ineffective esophageal motility. Told there is no cure or medication and just eat a prescribed diet. No more PPI and I am still in constant pain, especially in the chest no matter what I eat. I have lost 33 lbs since October down to 117 lbs. Doctors have not been helpful. I a as m terribly discouraged.

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gigipatula | @gigipatula | 2 days ago

Mine is called dysphagia, for me it's a little bit of everything, I have seasonal allergies, I am a mouth breather and I am missing a couple of big chewing teeth. The combination of all of that causes me to choke and even aspirate at times. My GERD like symptoms almost disappeared after I gave up mammalian meat I have had Alpha Gal off and on for over 35 years. This time though the Alpha Gal was mimicking GERD and now thankfully other than the dysphagia things are much better. I also now take a peppermint oil capsule at meal time and it seems to help the throat relax. Not sure if you can relate to any of that but its' awful to have and I feel your pain!

bla1958 | @bla1958 | 2 days ago

Thank you. I’m working so hard to find food that doesn’t cause the feeling of something stuck in my throat and pain in chest. Frustrated that the doctors say I just have to live with it.

kirbylogan | @kirbylogan | 2 days ago

Considering contacting a GI doctor who is dual qualified in Naturopathic Medicine. Maybe helpful for folks with a myriad of GI issues.
Still Looking for Help.

plume | @plume | 2 days ago

I get esophageal spasms which hyoscyamine helps. It's a tiny pill that dissolves under your tongue. Did the doctor discuss if having your esophagus stretched would help? It's similar to having an endoscopy with a larger tube

bla1958 | @bla1958 | 2 days ago

Thank you for the info. Apparently my esophagus doesn’t need to be stretched. No structure. Muscle contractions in the esophagus are too weak or poorly coordinated to move food efficiently from the throat to the stomach.

8positive | @8positive | 1 day ago

In reply to @bla1958 "Thank you for the info. Apparently my esophagus doesn’t need to be stretched. No structure. Muscle..." + (show)

You could try lemon ice at the end of a meal that helped my mother in law

Janell | @jlharsh | 1 day ago

Hi @bla1958
I am trying to navigate systemic problems that include some of what you are bringing up, so I am not sure I know much. I am trying to understand what possibilities are as far as what can be wrong and what could help. Something beyond what we know, right?

I did find something recent that sorta walks through how non cardiac chest pain is addressed. I notice the authors are from Mayo Clinic. It looks like PPIs are the first go-to but maybe not the only one. Have your doctors recommended anything else to try?
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11523089/
@kirbylogan maybe this could help you on your quest as well. 😀

bla1958 | @bla1958 | 1 day ago

In reply to @jlharsh "Hi @bla1958 I am trying to navigate systemic problems that include some of what you are..." + (show)

Thank you. Will read the article.

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