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  • problems swallowing

    I had my original fusion over 30 years ago. Now I am dealing with discs degenerating above my fusion and arthritis. I have lost height in my throasic area because of the discs degenerating. Now I have problems swallowing food. At times, it feels like it is stuck partway down. I take small bites and chew well and drink water while eating. My questions are: has this happened to anyone else and if so did you go to a doctor for treatment? What type of doctor and what did they reccomend?
    T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
    2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
    3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
    Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

  • #2
    Hi Rainbow2010,
    I have that problem from time to time. It feels like food gets stuck halfway down. I asked my primary care doctor about it and he said that the esophagus goes into spasm and won't let the food pass. He said that unless it happens very frequently, he didn't think it was serious enough to pursue it. He also recommended what you are already doing including eating more slowly. He said that tissues in the esophagus slowly lose their elasticity and become fibrotic. I have also been awakened at night with my esophagus in spasm, which is very painful, but happens only very occasionally. I often wonder if it is scoliosis related, but my husband's sister in law has the same problem and as far as I know, she doesn't have scoliosis. It's probably related to the aging process.
    Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
    Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
    Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
    Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
    New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
    Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

    "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

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    • #3
      Mine all started around when my discs above my fusion started to degenerate. That feeling is horrible! I wonder if some of it was caused when I was having surgery 16 years ago and the doctor stabbed my throat while putting in the breathing tube. It hurt so much that I opened my eyes and they had to put me under further. I had a hard time swallowing for a few weeks after that surgery. I probably have scar tissue from it.
      T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
      2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
      3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
      Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

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      • #4
        Interesting, but I never had anything like that happen to me.
        Sally
        Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
        Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
        Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
        Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
        New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
        Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

        "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

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        • #5
          I would see a scoliosis surgeon about this issue with some urgency. It could be that your thoracic curve is pushing against your stomach or esophagus. Or it could be nerve related.

          Don't wait, see an adult scoliosis surgeon!
          45L/40T
          Surgery 25/1/2010
          Australia

          Knowthyself

          Scoliosis Corrected 25/1/2010 by Dr Angus Gray, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney. Fused T3-L4.

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          • #6
            I don't have a thorasic curve. I have degenerating discs in my thorasic area. I see a pain management doctor for ablations in the area. He uses a floroscope so he can see there is no curve there. Plus my ortho (who does specialize in adult scoliosis and the aging spine) said they wouldn't operate on that area to replace discs and they are already starting to fuse on their own.
            T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
            2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
            3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
            Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

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            • #7
              swallowing problems

              a gastroenterologist is the best person to evaluate this.

              When I had severe curves my stomach was on its side and acid caused scarring of my esophagus and narrowing. Food getting cought was a symptom. I had my esophagus dilated with a balloon and that helped. After my revision my stomach is in a more normal position.
              Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
              Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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              • #8
                Yes. For the layman, a GI guy.

                I had the same issues with food getting stuck before my surgeries. My Doc suggested seeing a "GI" guy, but I never went as this was right before my scoli surgeries.

                Anyway, the problems ceased after my scoli ops. Maybe something repositioned. I also had heartburn issues and after my urologist stressed the importance of "dilution" with water, those issues ceased also. Im deathly afraid of stones.

                No more soda. Only water. I learned the hard way.

                My scoli surgeon told me that this was not due to my scoliosis.

                The most logical thing would be to "have a look" with a scope.
                Ed
                49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                My x-rays
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

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