Posted By Mike C (Idaho Falls, Id) on 07/31/2020

In around 2012, I was eating and got a piece of meat stuck in my throat (esophagus). It would not go down. Not knowing what to do, the next morning, we went to the ER, and I ended up having to have an endoscopy done to push the food down. Since that time, I try really hard to chew my food til there's nothing solid left, but I've had a few close calls.

Last night I was eating a green salad with shrimp in it, and food got stuck (never happened with salad before). Stayed in there for 5 hours before it finally went down on its own while I was trying to relax. I tried all the internet remedies like drinking a carbonated drink, honey, simethicone, coconut oil, hot liquid, and on and on.

I really believe there is a cure for everything, but I don't know about this narrow esophagus, what causes it, and what, if anything there is I can do to fix it so that I don't have this keep happening. The problem now is that I literally cannot afford for it to happen. I have lousy health insurance where everything is subject to the deductible, and high out of pocket max, so a visit to the ER would cost thousands.

Back when it happened in 2012 I had good insurance and it didn't cost a lot. The doctor told me it was caused by acid reflux and wanted to put me on a PPI, but I know those are dangerous and they're not a cure so I didn't take them.

I'm really hoping someone has some knowledge to help remedy this as I get nervous now whenever I eat, especially the day after it happens, I'm afraid of solid food.

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