Hi
I have sca and have difficulty with swallowing and digesting, i eat a healthy gluten free diet, but have a problem with acid reflux . Is this one of the problems associated wirth ataxia? Does anyone suffer from the same problem and if you do, could you suggest anything which may help.
Hi Jasonš Iām often plagued with acid reflux myself, and I know how horrendous
it can beš Choking is something else I do, often involuntary even with salivaš
At one point I had a camera down to check things out but nothing untoward was
found.
Problems with swallowing can often be helped by advice from a Speech Therapist.
I know that sounds odd but various techniques can be taught which can helpš
Thickeners can be added to liquids, and itās possible to get a straw with a valve.
On www.ataxia.org thereās a Fact Sheet relating to medications, it may be helpfulš¤
xB
I have the problem and when my throat closes it is terrifying for a couple of minutes. I was put on omeprizole and it helps some. I find I must eat very carefully because if a particle of food goes down the wrong way it starts the closing of the airway. I have been having my throat stretched every 6 months or so. I got a new GI doctor and a few days ago when I went in I donāt think he stretched at all, my throat was not irritated like before. I had a flourascope done yesterday for swallowing and I am waiting to see outcome.
The type of foods may have something to do with it. It might be something wrong with the opening to your stomach. You might want to follow up with your doctor to find out what is going on.
Hi Jason, I am on a prescription medication for acid reflux which helps - prevacid. But swallowing is really difficult, I have a coughing fit with nearly every meal. I eat very slowly and carefully. I saw a speech therapist and had an x-ray and they said my tongue had weak muscles and was likely a symptom of ataxia. So food does not go down as easily. What I took away from this is to make sure I have swallowed properly before taking another bite. They suggested a sip of water between bites. I hope this information is helpful. Good luck.
Perhaps what Iāve been doing will also help others. 1) take HCL with each meal: you might need to experiment on the quantity per meal. 2) drink some GTās Kombucha to introduce good bacteria into your stomach 3) wait at least three hours before lying down 4) sleep with a pillow wedge (itāll lift your head above stomach by seven inches) 4) avoid bending over to do tasks, like gardening for three hours after eating. Iāve been doing all of the things Iāve mentioned and Iām out of the distress.
I have severe acid reflux and know how scary it is. I use omeprizole daily, but sometimes I forget or it is not enough. I have found that drinking cider vinegar with Motherās in it (Motherās is important to read on the labelāhealth food stores or I have found it at Publix (regular super market) right with the other cider vinegars-- fixes it right away! Best to drink before eating. I mix just about a tablespoon with just about an ounce of GOOD tasting cider or pineapple juice so it doesnāt taste so bad. It is worth the bad taste, thoughāas it works!
Most acid reflux is due to either an over or under growth of beneficial bacteria. Another cause can be a sliding herniaā¦thatās what I found I have after a 2 a.m. Scare that felt like a heart attackā¦so, in addition to using HCI I now sleep on an inclined wedge pillow. Itās also helped stop snoring! The use of Ominprezole (sp) will cause more difficulties in the long termā¦thatās according to the ātheyā of newest research. JD
Jason , my husband was having acid reflux, it was pretty bad we tried everything . A friend told us to try melatonin , to our surprise it actually worked. He hasnāt had a problem since he started taking it. Hope this helps.