@jimhd I agree! I don't see how that will help my mid esophagus issues at all

@hopeful33250 I did read that I seem to have trapped air when swallowing. I haven't ever tried holding my breath but will give it a try! That could be a simple fix hahah thank you.

Hello pattitoo.
I am new at being on these sessions. I read the daily news everyday and I saw that jimhd wondering why he was being sent to speech therapist or pathologist (one of the same) and what the connection was. Nobody seemed to telling him why.

But as far as voice changes I have no ideas on the causes for that problem.

As far as your swallowing issues and the use of the EGD/Dilatation procedures to stretch the esophagus is a good thing to do if you have a restrictor area somewhere along the esophagus. What type of dilators was your doctor using?

I understand your situation about having a good GI doctor and having to find a new one.
It is a hard task, especially when you have one that listens to you and understands you.
I'm back and forth between two states. I still have all my doctors from my home state.
But have a feeding tube and having the possibilities of having it come out for any reason has forced me to find a good GI doctor in the other state.
First of all, I am a proactive patient in my health care.. S I am hiring the doctor, he is not hiring me.
Need I say more.
I went through 4different interviews with GI doctors that were recommended to me from other doctors.
Yeah you probably guest it, they were all given the same information and my condition and what my needs were.
One didn't want to do anything until he did a colonoscopy. Like "Hello, your at the wrong end of my problems".
But I finally did find one on the fourth interview and he is just as good as the one from my home state.

I have a restrictor that is approximately 3/4 inch below the airway.
There are 3 types of dilators. My home state doctor prefers to use the metals dilators.
His reasons being are that the benefits last longer then say the balloon method.
When I was still able to swallow and eat certain foods up to 2014 these procedures did help me.
I have had 22 of the dilatation procedures since 2009.
But I have another problem that effects the size dilators that can be used during the procedure..
That problem is limited mouth opening due to the damage from the radiation from 1973, and now the radiation from 2012 is also contributing to the problem.
I can only open my mouth to about 12 to 13 mm. I do have a Dynasplint stretching instrument I have to use daily an exercise my mouth.
By the end of those session I can usually get my mouth opened to approximately 16 mm but it doesn't last long.

So this is getting long and probably more information then you needed.
But my problems get very complicated real fast.
A lot of this is all due to the radiation from 1973, which was so different from the radiation used in 2012.
But the 2012 radiation is contributing to new problems and what I am currently going through.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you for the greeting.
Also Thank you very much for correcting my mistake of putting my email address in my post.
I do have some questions but right now I do not have the time. I just spent a lot of time answering a post that was sent to me.

@squaredancer Tim, thank you so much for sharing your story. You really helped me make sense of why they sent me to a speech therapist. I'm having the MBS video esophagram next month when I go. What is FEES?

Hello brie87144.
FEES is a fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing .
I believe you can get the listing of the website that will give you more detail information by typing "EES tests" into google.
That would be more beneficail then me trying to explain it here.
If you still have questions please ask,

@squaredancer thank you! I found it on google with the full name. That's another thing what I'm having done when I go back. Didn't know what it was called though.

Hello brie87144.
I'm glad you found it, especially after my typing error in leaving the F off of the "FEES".
Ha! Ha!
I will have to get caught up and read your initial post, but you keep referring to go back.
Where are you going back to?

@brie87144 Yes, I've heard this discussed by people who have swallowing problems, it sounds odd but it really does help. Teresa

The feeding tube would be directly into my stomach and used for maintenance. I would be encouraged to use my esaphagus as much as I could. But , no , none of it sounds fun. I will be interested to see your updates. Hope they can find something helpful.