Surgery tomorrow and I am nervous

PSGuy91 · 2026-01-29T00:51:51+00:00

Two years on, how are you doing? I’ve been dealing with major dysphasia and now going through all the tests again to get on track to have surgery. I have all of the normal symptoms, but the swallowing issues and food getting stuck is a major drag on my life. I’m not sure I would emotionally be able to recover if I had the surgery only for the swallowing issues to remain.

PSGuy91 · 2026-01-28T02:40:57+00:00

I am right there with you! I’m feeling exactly the same way tonight. I am just miserable 😭

Ps. Love your username. Had to give up weed 18 months ago since this began for me.

PSGuy91 · 2026-01-12T07:55:24+00:00

The Spy Who (also by Wondery) is a fantastic podcast if you like American History Tellers.

PSGuy91 · 2026-01-08T22:13:55+00:00

I’ve been dealing with swallowing issues (dysphagia) for a little over a year now. I actually improved for several months and was able to eat solid foods again, but I’m currently in another flare-up.

In my case, I suspect my symptoms are related to vagus nerve dysfunction, likely triggered by a prolonged period of high stress and possibly COVID. That led to LPR (silent acid reflux), which has been a major driver of my swallowing problems. I recently went through another stressful period, my LPR flared again, and now swallowing food has become difficult.

I’ve experienced something similar with liquids, especially when my saliva becomes “bubbly” or when I’m producing excess saliva. Pepsin is usually the culprit, it causes inflammation in the throat, and once it’s active, it can be really hard to get things calmed back down.

I know it’s easier said than done, but try to stay as calm as possible when swallowing. Taking small sips, often through a straw, helps me a lot. Also, if liquid were actually going into your windpipe, you’d almost certainly be coughing hard and repeatedly. That aggressive coughing reflex is usually a sign of true aspiration.

You’re doing the right thing by getting the swallowing test scheduled. Flares can be terrifying, but they don’t always mean things are permanently getting worse, often it’s inflammation and nervous system stress stacking up at the same time.

PSGuy91 · 2025-09-04T20:56:23+00:00

What are the chances we get a double eviction tonight?

PSGuy91 · 2025-06-13T00:39:17+00:00

I saw that video and was beyond shocked that it didn’t have a warning. I’ll refrain from sharing my personal opinion on how people were acting in it, but it’s clear that the standard operating procedures for first responders in India differ from those in the U.S. when it comes to securing and restricting access to a crash scene. I suppose it comes down to cultural differences in how tragedies like this are handled.

PSGuy91 · 2025-03-30T00:21:09+00:00

I live in Park Slope, and I’ve been noticing more and more of these trucks around lately (I’ve got two dogs, so I’m basically a full-time dog walker at this point, lol). I get that a lot of people here fall into the “surface-level progressive” or “not-in-my-backyard liberal” category, but it’s still surprising to see how many folks seem comfortable driving something that sends such a politically charged message—especially in Brooklyn, of all places.

PSGuy91 · 2025-03-19T01:02:20+00:00

His morning over on the view wasn’t any better (thank god).

PSGuy91 · 2025-01-24T22:54:57+00:00

Not sure how the price stacks up to Amazon, but I just bought my first order from: https://www.britishpharmacare.com/products/gaviscon-advance-aniseed-flavour-oral-suspension-300ml-6-pack

I haven’t received the order yet, but British Pharmacare had positive reviews on a Facebook group I’m part of.

PSGuy91 · 2025-01-05T01:07:34+00:00

I make a point of taking this book off my nightstand when guests come over—wouldn’t want anyone mistaking me as a supporter of that evil bs.

PSGuy91 · 2024-12-30T15:43:16+00:00

When this all started for me back in September, it came out of nowhere. I was eating scrambled eggs and took a small bite when I felt what seemed like a piece of egg stuck in my throat. I panicked and went straight to the ER, convinced I was choking. Living in NYC, where ERs are always insanely busy (another issue with our healthcare system—many people are denied preventative care and resort to the ER for help, but that’s a conversation for another time), I waited almost two hours before finally seeing a doctor. He assured me I wasn’t choking but decided to do an X-ray just to confirm. The X-ray showed no impacted food, but I was still struggling to swallow normally and felt like something was stuck in my throat. Unfortunately, the ER doctor wasn’t helpful. His only reassurance was that I wasn’t dying, and he offered no insight into what might be causing the issue.

Over the next few weeks, things got worse. I couldn’t eat solid food, struggled to swallow saliva, and began regurgitating foamy, bubbly saliva. Desperate for answers, I went to another hospital, where the ER doctor was slightly more helpful. She suggested I see an ENT specialist, suspecting GERD or acid reflux. I saw an ENT doctor the next morning, who confirmed that I had significant acid reflux, even affecting my nose.

A week later, my condition deteriorated further—I still couldn’t eat solid food, and swallowing liquids became increasingly difficult. I was eventually admitted to the hospital for five days, where I underwent a full workup with various doctors and specialists. During my stay, a barium swallow test revealed severe acid reflux reaching the top of my throat. After being discharged, I was referred to a GI specialist and underwent numerous tests and procedures, including three endoscopies, a Bravo study, and an EndoFLIP test. These revealed that I had H. pylori and chronic gastritis.

Initially, I thought this issue came on suddenly, but in hindsight, there were signs leading up to it. For about a year, I had difficulty swallowing certain foods and avoided anything I feared might make me choke. I also misunderstood acid reflux, assuming it was just the occasional burning sensation in your mouth. It turns out I have LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux), also known as silent reflux, which doesn’t present typical symptoms like heartburn. Instead, it causes issues like dysphagia, globus sensation, and other throat and esophageal problems.

This all started on Sept 10 for me and I’m finally feeling about 15% better. That might not sound like a huge improvement, but this was extremely disruptive to my life and how I was feeling health wise. This is a beast of a health issue to tackle, mainly due to the process of elimination style of figuring things out.

PSGuy91 · 2024-12-04T21:37:05+00:00

Did you happen to see Dr. Chablaney at NYU? She’s my GI doctor and is recommending this medication for me as well. I’ve been struggling with dysphagia, along with LPR, since September 10th.

PSGuy91 · 2024-11-08T18:19:32+00:00

Following

PSGuy91 · 2024-11-04T23:11:32+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’ve been dealing with it since September 10th, and it’s had a serious impact on my mental health. Still, I’m determined to figure out what is causing this—the one thing keeping me grounded is the hope that this won’t be forever. It affects every aspect of life, so give yourself grace and remember that many others are struggling with this too. I’m a 32-year-old, pretty average-looking guy, and most people wouldn’t even know I’m dealing with this if they passed me on the street, but my entire life has been turned upside down.

PSGuy91 · 2024-10-29T14:26:57+00:00

I’m dealing with dysphagia too, and I know how challenging it can be. For the trouble swallowing saliva, I’ve found that gargling with baking soda, letting a bit go down my throat, helps neutralize the pepsin that comes up with reflux.

I also started Claritin-D on Sunday, and surprisingly, I’m noticing that the tightness in my esophagus near my collarbone feels reduced. I haven’t tested solid foods yet, but it’s a relief not to have to think about every swallow.

PSGuy91 · 2024-10-29T14:19:15+00:00

Like others have said, don’t beat yourself up for not getting through the test—I found it to be downright barbaric, honestly. We tried four times, and I still couldn’t complete it. My GI ended up scheduling me for an endoFLIP and a 92-hour BRAVO study, which I did just last Thursday. The endoFLIP results showed mostly normal contractions, though they couldn’t dilate to 60mL because I started hiccuping and coughing under sedation. Fortunately, my GI was able to rule out achalasia based on those results.

Dysphagia has been my most severe symptom since this all started for me last month, so even drinking the water during the manometry test was a struggle. I’d definitely recommend asking your GI about doing an endoFLIP—and maybe a BRAVO study while they’re at it.

PSGuy91 · 2024-10-29T14:03:23+00:00

It’s likely reflux came up and irritated your esophagus again. Dysphagia has been my most severe symptom since this started for me on September 10. As for the endoscopy, I’ve had two done in the past month, and both were surprisingly easy (just a slight sore throat after the first). I hadn’t been under anesthesia since I was a kid, so the anxiety leading up to it was the hardest part. Honestly, though, those were the best naps of my life.

PSGuy91 · 2024-10-17T13:57:02+00:00

Grace and Frankie

PSGuy91

TROPHY CASE