A new experience I never want to repeat

[Barry52]

I was enjoying dinner last night until I chocked on a piece of meat. I was trying to cough it up and it ended in my nasal cavity which was very unpleasant and painful. After a breathless and anxious 20 minutes the piece of meat dislodged and I managed to cough it out. I have experienced this before with liquids but never solids. I am wondering if this is MND related or something else.

Barry

[Ellie]

Choking on a lump of meat can happen with or without an MND - always a scary experience and I'm sorry you went through it, and for your wife too, if she was there. I'm glad your cough is strong enough to expel the offending obstruction, traumatic though it was

I guess it's best to be aware of the size and textures of food you put into your mouth, and your ability to chew the food, move it around your mouth, and swallow it safely.

Hopefully it was a one-off occurence.

Love Ellie.

[matthew55]

I cannot eat solid food anymore but I had a similar experience when I was in the early stage. Oh and I won't tell you what has come out of my nose! 😃

[denise]

Oh Barry I hope you've recovered. A horrible shock. For some reason I do it more than Stephen. He just ignores me. He forgets without me he's history! I'm starting to think I should blitz everything.
nice picture I have in my head Matthew and I've definitely done that before. I'm gonna worry when it comes out of my ears 😄

[GaryM]

That sounds very scary, Barry52 . Hope you're feeling better today. A related question I've wondered about recently is whether it is safe to perform a Heimlich manoeuvre on someone who has a feeding tube as the force is applied right under the rib cage very close (in my case at least) to where the stoma is? For anyone not familiar with the Heimlich manoeuvre, have a look here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dn13zneEjo

[matthew55]

Well it breaks ribs so I don't think it matters much 😃

[Lynne K]

Oh Barry, what a scare. I’m glad that you sorted it out eventually. About the painful episode of meat in your nasal cavity, I’ve done similar. It was a rather long time ago so I can’t remember if it was before MND or at my early stage. That was certainly horrid feeling. Lynne

[Barry52]

Thanks for your concerns guys. I am feeling better today but my nose is streaming. Tonight I may have creme brûlée that I abandoned. It has cherries soaked in grand marnier in the base.

Barry

[denise]

Gary makes a good point about the Heimlich manoeuvre.

[Deb]

That sounds a very scary experience, Barry.

So glad you're feeling better today although you must feel sore. I hope you enjoy your creme brulee. It sounds delicious.

This keeps spell checking brulee to bruised, which is appropriate.

Take care,
Love Debbie x

[GaryM]

Well it breaks ribs so I don't think it matters much 😃

😂😂😂

[Nettie]

I was enjoying dinner last night until I chocked on a piece of meat. I was trying to cough it up and it ended in my nasal cavity which was very unpleasant and painful. After a breathless and anxious 20 minutes the piece of meat dislodged and I managed to cough it out. I have experienced this before with liquids but never solids. I am wondering if this is MND related or something else.

Barry

Oh Barry , I feel for you I did exactly the same last week I sneezed while I had food in my mouth the food ended in my nose cavity like yours when I eventually managed to snort it out it flew back down my throat and choked me again!! I’ve not been the same since, I hope you’re ok now love Janette x

[Barry52]

It would appear that this is a common problem but I have not heard any mention from the dieticians or SLT’s.

[Ellie]

Nasal Reguritation (not mealtime reading!)

Yes, food and liquid coming out through the nose is part and parcel of swallowing problems (dysphagia) - MND, the gifts they keep a coming 😮

My soft palate is very weak (can't do its job too well) and my swallowing muscles are pretty shot, so I regularly get coffee and water dripping from my nostrils (not one from each nostril, I mean as I'm drinking either 😂) It's made worse because I lean forward to drink.

Nasal regurgitation is why I always have antisickness meds in my house and why I said vomiting would be catastrophic for me - that's why I also advised people with bulbar involvement to have a stock of antisickness meds, just in case!

It's disappointing to hear that not all SLTs or Dietitians advise people that A) it can happen and B) how to handle it... If it's happening to you and you haven't spoken to your SLT or Dietitian about it, please do.

Safe eating and drinking everybody!

Love Ellie.

[Ellie]

GaryM I have asked various medical professionals about using the Heimlich Manouevre vis-à-vis having a feeding tube in place and always got similiar replies:

It should only be used in a full-blown choking episode, ie the person is unable to breathe, cough or speak, and there is a risk of death. Many 'choking' incidents are not as such, although they sure may feel like it at the time. And, most people who attempt the Heimlich, do it incorrectly.

That said, I was told that, in a life and death situation, a ruptured stoma is the least of my worries 😏

It'd be interesting to hear what you or others would be/were told, on asking your doctor the question.

Just to add that death by choking in ALS/MND is very rare indeed - most of us have some form of modified diet or go nil-by-mouth for safety.

Love Ellie.