Difficulty Swallowing and Parkinson's

As Parkinson’s progresses, it can become difficult to swallow. “I recently starting choking on my own spit, and for the first time ever, I got really scared because I couldn’t get any air,” shared a young mom on MyParkinsonsTeam. Living with this challenging symptom is a hot topic among community members. Many members find relief from speech therapy. “I saw a speech therapist and it WORKED!” wrote one member. “Don't wait until it gets really bad.”

“Stay aware of chewing and swallowing, without becoming distracted while eating,” advised another. Hot beverages, milkshakes, avoiding dry or grainy foods, and drinking with a straw are recommended by many members: “Chewing gum and sucking on a candy also helps,” wrote one. Some members even share easy-to-swallow recipes that also help medications go down: “Blend potatoes, add any kind of milk, baby-food butternut squash, and a little maple syrup.” Connecting with other members on MyParkinsonsTeam can help you discover strategies to manage swallowing issues and other Parkinson’s-related challenges.

On MyParkinsonsTeam, the social network and online support group for those living with Parkinson's disease, members talk about a range of personal experiences and struggles. Difficulty swallowing is one of the top 10 topics most discussed.

• I'm losing weight too fast. Any food I do have is usually mashed up like baby food, it doesn't look very appetizing, as I have trouble swallowing now.

• I was able to eat today (some days struggle to swallow food) so tonight feeling rather stuffed!

• My husband had a swallow test which he flunked. Any suggestions to make food more appetizing?

Here are some question and answer threads about difficulty swallowing:

• Does anyone know of treatments for dysphagia (swallowing) disorders?

• I have lost a lot of weight in the last month. I am having problems swallowing at times and feel full fast so am not eating as much as I should. Has anyone else noticed a large weight drop?

• Does anyone else have problems with swallowing saliva?

Can you relate?

Have another topic you'd like to discuss or explore? Go to MyParkinsonsTeam today and start the conversation. You'll be surprised just how many others may share similar stories.

Feel free to ask a question here.