Hi there - how is your drinking in general? I find drinking warm / room temperature water much easier than cold beverages. I also find that I need to be super relaxed when consuming foods/beverages, so that my esophageal sphincter can also relax. I also spoke with a naturopath and he's reminded me that certain foods do tighten the esophageal sphincter, which should just always be avoided: greasy foods, fast food, spicy food, hard meats, chewy foods.