# Brand New, my story and questions



## zanny40 (Apr 2, 2013)

Hello,

I'm a 44 year old male, and although never formally diagnosed, am pretty confident I suffer from IBS. I'm happy to find this forum and my question for everyone is this, are swallowing problems a symptom of IBS? If so, what can I do about it? Here is my story:

About 10 years my troubles started. I had been suffering from some pretty bad constipation for a few years. I had no idea what was causing it. Then one day, I was eating peanut butter in the kitched and I felt the bite of food kind of slow down in my esophagus. It got stuck and then very very slowly went down. It was kind of freaky. From then on, the swallowing problem only happened intermittently, and only with certain foods like peanut butter. Long story short, I went to the doctor and got scoped. I think they diagnosed me with GERD at the time. They put me on prevacid. I took that for months and months but it never really helped with the swalling problem. Since I got scoped and there was nothing seriously wrong with me, I just dealt with it.

Then I started having this strange alternating constipation and diarreha. When I would go #2, I would be on the toilet for like 30 minutes. It just kept coming out and coming out. It was like someone had given me medication to emply my bowels. But they hadn't. Then a few days later I'd be constipated. Then I'd have the intermittent swallowing problems. This went on for years.

About 4 years ago, a co-worker told me about taking probiotics after being sick (not related to IBS). So I started drinking a Danactive probiotic a day. That really helped with my constipation. I know that if I went a week without it my constipation would come back immediately. But the probiotic really helped me stay regular.

But these swallowing problems really plague me. I've been to the doctor a few times about it. They never seem concerned. I have not gone to the doctor for about 5 yeas about it, but it is the exact same as before. It doesn't happen with every bite or meal but it seems more frequent lately. I have a bite of food and it gets stuck in my esophogas below my chest. Sometimes it's a bit painful. I can then feel it slowly, very slowly working it's way down. It usually takes a few minutes.

I had stopped drinking my daily probiotic a few months ago. One morning I was eating brunch with a friend and a few bites of corned beef hash got stuck. It really caused discomfort. I couldn't get it down. Not even after 10 minutes. I was freaking out and my friend started driving my to the hospital. Finally the food cleared and went to my stomach. Next day I got back on my daily probiotic and things have been better but the swallowing problem is still there, not just as bad.

Has anyone every heard of this related to IBS? And is there anything I can do to fix it? The doctors I went to in the past were very unhelpful. Any insight would be great. Thank you.

PS. I also have a major problem with flatulence. I'm always gassy.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

There can be functional problems of the esophagus, but technically those aren't IBS.

Have they done an upper scope to make sure you don't have any structural issues? Long term acid reflux can sometimes effect swallowing and they can do a balloon thing to help with that.

If the probiotic isn't reducing fart frequency at all you may need to try a different one or try the low FODMAP diet which reduces the amount of fermentable stuff you put in your colon.


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## jonfaber (Apr 14, 2013)

get an endoscopy to rule out hiatal hernia ???


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## clogged (Apr 23, 2013)

get a endoscopy they may need to stretch your esophugus.


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## Dr. Dani (Jan 18, 2013)

I'd agree with the last posts, lots of other issues affecting esophageal motility and anatomical issues can cause swallowing problems, so you need to have a gastroenterologist chech things out with a camera procedure


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