Monday 3 November 2014

Struggling

It's been a longer stretch than i wanted it to be, between my last post and this one. I just wasn't feeling it, you know?

If you have seen most of my previous posts, you may remember me mentioning something like - i am going through a hard time and can't see my way up from it?

Well it seems my worse has worsened, symptom wise.
I'm going to add in a little list here but before i do that, i just want to mention that i keep a food/symptom/mental health daily log. It sounds like a lot of work, right? Well i won't lie, I sometimes get annoyed at doing it or it's too much reality slapping me in the face but it comes handy. like now for instance.
Here we go with a bit of a list..

Symptoms listed occur between Oct 26 (around time of my last post) to Nov 4 (today)
* Note food/drink sticking in mouth/throat is the main problem.
- Post nasal drip
- Dry/burning/sore mouth/throat
- Belching
- Pain in throat
- Spasm feeling in throat/chest
- Tight feeling in throat
- Pressure feeling in throat
- Stomach pains
- Constipation
- Coughing
- Feels hard/awkward to initiate a swallow
- Inflamed feeling in throat
- Discomfort around right tonsil area
- Uncomfortable breathing/short of breathe
- Pressure/pain in head
- Dizziness

As you may be able to relate to or can imagine. a lot of these symptoms, especially the ones occurring up high, only make swallowing even harder.

I'm still trying to keep up with my planned intake, as lame as it is even to me, if it's all i can get down. it's what i'll do.
However today is proving to be a particularly hard day, involving a few of the symptoms above. Basically it's one of those days where forcing myself to eat/drink is probably going to make it worse. It's 3;28pm right now and i've only had pumpkin soup and 1 fortisip supplement. It's hard to swallow and my throat hurts so much (a really bad localized ache). It just feels impossible today.

Sometimes we just have to do what we can. We know within ourselves what we can and can't do on a given day, or even at a given moment. Other people may not understand but don't let them bother you.
Do everything you can to try and help yourself. I don't just mean eating/drinking wise either. It may be other things like:
- Chatting to someone who also struggles with swallowing problems
- Talking to your doctor or therapist
- Engaging in an activity you would usually enjoy - listening to music/watching makeup/hair tutorials/spending time with pets, are a few of mine

I want to add in that, i have been really good recently with drinking lots of water each day. Does anyone else find it doesn't make a difference in their symptoms though? Dry mouth for instance?

Anyway, i think that is all for today. I guess this kind of explains why i haven't been up to writing in itself but when i think of other people who struggle with the same thing. it helps motivate me to write.

I'll just finish off with an update - My swallowing specialist has spoken with an ear/nose/throat (ENT) Specialist she works with and he'll be seeing me on the 21st of this month.
I have never been to an ENT specialist in my 2yrs with this struggle, so i am interested in seeing what that's all about.

I hope this post makes you realize you are not alone in your darker days.

If you would like any more tips on how to get through tough days, feel free to contact me.

Take care,
Bye for now,
-Karly x

3 comments:

  1. i get this a lot when my thyroid swallows I have nodules, and also te bad reflux, it's hard

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  2. I was just telling a family member last night that i haven't been checked for nodules. Is that done via an ultrasound? I get acid reflux daily. It can definitely make it all harder.

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  3. yes ultrasound, talk with multiple Docs. don't worry, get well soon!

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