Scleroderma Information » Scleroderma » Mysteriously sluggish esophagus while eating bread
Question:
Here are the possibilities: 1. Infections (Aids could start this way. If you are not gay or an IV
^^^ ^^^^^ drug abuser, this is highly unlikely)
PLEASE don’t perpetuate the myth that AIDS is a "gay" or "an IV drug abuser" disease… How can we hope to curtail it when we continue to pretend that "straight folk" are "highly unlikely" to have it???? Kassandra aka Serena
Response:
: Here are the possibilities: : 1. Infections (Aids could start this way. If you are not gay or an IV : ^^^ ^^^^^ : drug abuser, this is highly unlikely) : PLEASE don’t perpetuate the myth that AIDS is a "gay" or "an IV drug abuser" : disease… How can we hope to curtail it when we continue to pretend that : "straight folk" are "highly unlikely" to have it???? I support furthering the education of the public as far as AIDS goes, but I don’t think that the original poster was far from wrong. Statistically speaking, homosexuals and IV drug users are at high risk for AIDS, and heterosexuals are at a much lower risk. Heterosexuals are just as susceptible to AIDS as are homosexuals and IV drug users, but the latter two groups engage in behaviors that have proven to put them at a much higher risk of infection. Straight people can get it, too, but calling things as they are isn’t pretending anything. Stuart Hall
Response:
:I support furthering the education of the public as far as AIDS goes, but :I don’t think that the original poster was far from wrong. Statistically :speaking, homosexuals and IV drug users are at high risk for AIDS, and :heterosexuals are at a much lower risk. Heterosexuals are just as :susceptible to AIDS as are homosexuals and IV drug users, but the latter :two groups engage in behaviors that have proven to put them at a much :higher risk of infection. Straight people can get it, too, but calling :things as they are isn’t pretending anything. It’s true that at present the rate of HIV infection is highest in the U.S. among male homosexuals and IV drug users, but the group with the fastest increase in the rate of HIV infection is young heterosexuals. They too engage in risky behavior. And please don’t forget that the present low rate of HIV infection among heterosexuals is a strictly geographic phenomenon. In Africa and parts of Asia, HIV infection rates are highest among heterosexuals who don’t use IV drugs. Charlotte Allen
Response:
It’s true that at present the rate of HIV infection is highest in the U.S.
<among male homosexuals and IV drug users, but the group with the fastest <increase in the rate of HIV infection is young heterosexuals. They too <engage in risky behavior. And please don’t forget that the present low rate <of HIV infection among heterosexuals is a strictly geographic phenomenon. <In Africa and parts of Asia, HIV infection rates are highest among <heterosexuals who don’t use IV drugs. I’ve read (I think Sci Am) that the high rate of aids amongst heterosexuals in Africa and Asia are associated with the high rate of other untreated SIDs that cause lesions in the genitals. Open sores vastly increase the rate of transmission of HIV. Another reason for the high rate of AIDs in these countries is that anal sex is often used as a form of birth control. Anal sex is inherently more risky because it also causes lesions. MaX
Response:
: I am 34 years old. For the first 33 years of my life, I’ve never had : any problem eating bread (and some other low-water content foods, like : potatoes). During the past year, whenever I eat the aforementioned : foods, I can only eat a couple of bites before I feel a wad of food : clogging my esophogas. It can be pretty unsettling, though not quite : painful. Greg, You were correct with your initial diagnosis. Your problem is most probably centered in your esophagus. Here are the possibilities: 1. Infections (Aids could start this way. If you are not gay or an IV drug abuser, this is highly unlikely) 2. diffuse spasm of the muscles of the esophagous. (not known what causes it, but could be related to stress) 3. crycopharingeal dysphagia: The upper muscles of the esophagous degenerate. Unknown reasons but related to stress. 4. Achalasia: same thing in the lower esophagous. Also unknown causes, but heredity and emotions play a part. 5. Scleroderma: It is one of the many collagen vascular disorders that can affect the muscles of the esophagus; amyloidosis is another one. Unknown cause. 6. Any disease or disorder that puts external pressure on the esophagus, such as thyroid disease, aberrant blood vessels or cancer (although you would be far too young for cancer) 7. Outpocketing of part of the esophageal wall – called a "diverticulum" – (this problem is likely) – caused by a weakness of the wall. The resulting pouch would capture food. 8. Hiatus Hernia: A part of the upper stomach would slip up through the diaphragm into your esophagus, thus trapping food up there. Unknown causes, but probably due to stress. Common problem. 9. The development of an esophageal "ring" of mucosa or muscle around the esophagus. Unknown causes. 10. Foreign body, like a piece of chicken bone stuck in your esophagus and preventing the passage of some foods. 11. Esophageal stricture. this is literally a scar that follows reflux of acid stomach contents up into the esophagous, thus burning the hell out of it. If you had burning at the pith of your stomach and now you have the problem you mention, this diagnosis is likely. 12. Barrets esophagous. Your esophagous literally turns into stomach tissue. Strange it is; uncommon it is also. 13. A rare form of anemia or inability to make red blood (Plummer-Vinson syndrome) can also cause webs in your esophagus (rare in men). 14. An actual ulcer of the esophagus (a crater, or a partial hole). Very rare. 15. Crohn’s disease of the esophagus. This is a rare lower gi condition, which sometimes can appear here as well. 16. Benign tumors – such as a leiomyoma – which can grow in the esophagous and eventually obstruct it. Very, very rare. 17. Cancer: Extremely rare in men under 50. I have eliminated from this short list any disease of the stomach which you could not possibly have for one reason or another (either age, sex, or the fact that you would have mentioned it). To find out which one of these illnesses you have, it is a good idea to start with an esophagogram, which is a simple x-ray taken after you swallow Barium – a radio opaque material. The list will be considerably narrowed afterwards, or the diagnosis may even be made (like in the chicken bone example). If I could have asked you a few questions, I could have narrowed the list considerably, and even derived the correct diagnosis right here on the net! Good luck Richard Low, M.D. — Richard Low X If the History of Man is the story of what Man was… INFOR*MED CORP. X …then the History of his Culture, is the story of L.A / Bs.As. X what Man wished to have been…..
Response:
I am 34 years old. For the first 33 years of my life, I’ve never had any problem eating bread (and some other low-water content foods, like potatoes). During the past year, whenever I eat the aforementioned foods, I can only eat a couple of bites before I feel a wad of food clogging my esophogas. It can be pretty unsettling, though not quite painful. If I wash it down with some liquid, I can resume eating. Extra chewing doesn’t seem to help much. I wonder if it might be related to gluten content, as I don’t have this problem with cookies, for instance. Has anyone else had a similar experience? What’s the cause? Why would this suddenly start happening? — (ask me for information about intentional communities)
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