UPDATE! Took a vitamin SUNDAY and it still feels like it is stuck in my throat!!!

[CanBeGrumpy]

****UPDATE***Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, I really appreciated the advice and hugs!! Well, I went to the Dr. and after a truly yucky exam (including medicine sprayed in my nose and a scope down my nose and throat!!) he said it was, indeed, a scratch! He also said it could take two weeks to feel better! Bummer! Of course, I am really glad that is *all* that it is, but it still feels terrible!! Thanks again, everyone!


I have a Dr. appointment, but he couldn't see me until Thursday, so I am hoping someone on here has had a similar experience and can offer some advice! I took a calcium tablet on Sunday and immediately felt like it was stuck in my throat. I drank a ton of water, ate dinner, etc, and it still felt stuck. I went to bed hoping it would resolve overnight, but all day Monday I still felt the "stuck" feeling. It is now Tuesday and it still feels that way. I can't imagine that the vitamin itself is still in there. Could I have bruised my throat or something?? It feels so weird and of course, I am very concerned. Has this ever happened to anyone else? What was the outcome? Thanks for any input you might have!!!!

 

[Jingle]

There is a man I work with who has symptoms similar to what you describe. I believe he has to periodically (every 2-3 years) go in and have his esophagus stretched. If I remember right, he said they do it with a laser.

 

[Christine]

The tablet may have "scratched" your esophagus and, until it heals, you will probably have that sensation.

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Thank you Jingle and Christine! Wow, I hope I don't need any "stretching"! Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? I am wondering if I should seek attention sooner than Thursday. It doesn't seem any worse, but not really any better, either. I guess my fear is that I put a hole in my esophagus and the food I'm eating is going somewhere other than my stomach! Is that even possible without some really pronounced symptoms?? I feel no different except for the "vitamin stuck in the throat" sensation! Thanks everyone!

 

[Danvers]

 

[Rajah]

I don't know for sure, but I'd imagine you'd *know* if it was worse than a bruise or "scratch".

 

[Rajah]

Oh, you might also try drinking some warm tea (not too hot). That will sometimes help when I have a "scratch".

 

[Kermit]

It's probably just a scratch. Calcium pills are generally big, and it's less common to get big things stuck in your throat. The scratch can be uncomfortable, though.

However, it is important that you make sure that it's not lodged in your throat. Several years ago, there were cases where Aleve (which is small) was getting lodged in people's throats, and it caused some relatively-severe side effect, but I can't recall what it was right now. I know that they changed Aleve so that it isn't as prone to getting stuck anymore.

I'd call your doctor and see if it warrents a trip to the ER or urgent care.

 

[JennyMominRI]

As someone who has taken a pharmacy worth of pills over the years,some like DDI which were the size of a quarter,I learned to take them with milk...the milk coats the throat and helps them go down easier

 

[Christine]

It's probably just a scratch. Calcium pills are generally big, and it's less common to get big things stuck in your throat. The scratch can be uncomfortable, though.

However, it is important that you make sure that it's not lodged in your throat. Several years ago, there were cases where Aleve (which is small) was getting lodged in people's throats, and it caused some relatively-severe side effect, but I can't recall what it was right now. I know that they changed Aleve so that it isn't as prone to getting stuck anymore.

I'd call your doctor and see if it warrents a trip to the ER or urgent care.

Aleve was getting stuck on the side of the esophagus and the "digesting" there rather than down in the stomach. This would cause ulcers in the esophagus. Iboprofen and other meds can cause this too which is why they sometimes will tell you not to lie down for 30 minutes after taking one of the these pills.

A calcium tablet will not cause any harm to the esophagus. I'm sure it just scratched it. Last night I took half of my Centrum vitamin and the jagged edge really hurt going down and felt funny for awhile.

I think if you punctured your esophagus you'd be bleeding and in some serious trouble.

The only real issue is that it *is* lodged and just stuck there. I'm sure that other things would have pushed it out of the way by now or it has disintegrated on its own, but in case not, drink a lot of warm beverages. I recently read that all aspirin and ibuprofen should be taken with warm water to help them disintegrate faster and not cause so much damage in stomach from "sitting around."

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Update in the first post. Thanks for all the advice/hugs!

 

[Rajah]

Good, glad that's all it was!!