This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- Helpful little memory tricks I use for AQA GCSE Biology
- girl I'm dating has really gross fingernails - what to do?
- Anyone who has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ?
- How to reset my body clock?
- Going to university but can't cook at all
- Cooking as a university student
- What are some cheap/healthy meal ideas for student?
- How to budget £50 a week living at Kingston University
- How to get rid of acne or hypopigmentation?
- Choosing an Oxford College (Law)
- Human foods for dogs
- Do these foods belong at Christmas lunch?
- What did you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner today?
- Is it normal for your gf to eat all your food?
- Caution: Tesco celery
- 2 day water fast - on antibiotics for acne
- I'm seriously struggling with food at uni
- uni food ideas
- Getting Kathy fit again. Take II
- SLT or nursing, or both?
I can't swallow potato at all and some other starchy foods. What's causing this?
Hey everyone.
So my problem is really in the title of this post but I’ll try to elaborate a little bit.
In the last year or so, I’ve been finding it impossible to eat any kind of potato-based food. I’ve never been that keen on potatoes and I’ve always found they make the symptoms of my irritable bowel syndrome worse (something I’ve suffered with my whole life), but I could still eat them until now. Now it’s like my body won’t let anything with potato in it pass my tonsils. Even when I try to wash it down with a drink, I retch so hard that I’ve occasionally brought my food back up with it. I don’t experience the same problem with any other type of foods, though I have had difficulty swallowing bread as well on a few occasions.
Do any of you have any ideas as to what might be causing this? I’ve searched high and low on the internet to see if it’s the symptom of some kind of food intolerance, possibly starch, but I haven’t had any luck. Do any of you have the same problem? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks ^_^
So my problem is really in the title of this post but I’ll try to elaborate a little bit.
In the last year or so, I’ve been finding it impossible to eat any kind of potato-based food. I’ve never been that keen on potatoes and I’ve always found they make the symptoms of my irritable bowel syndrome worse (something I’ve suffered with my whole life), but I could still eat them until now. Now it’s like my body won’t let anything with potato in it pass my tonsils. Even when I try to wash it down with a drink, I retch so hard that I’ve occasionally brought my food back up with it. I don’t experience the same problem with any other type of foods, though I have had difficulty swallowing bread as well on a few occasions.
Do any of you have any ideas as to what might be causing this? I’ve searched high and low on the internet to see if it’s the symptom of some kind of food intolerance, possibly starch, but I haven’t had any luck. Do any of you have the same problem? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks ^_^
Scroll to see replies
That's weird. My first guess would be a psychological aversion but if it came on like you described I'm a bit lost :/
Food intolerance would not affect your ability to swallow, and the fact you can swallow other foods indicates to me it's purely in your head!
Hmm, interesting. Why on earth I'd have a psychological aversion to potatoes specifically I don't know. I've never had a really bad experience with them and I used to love jacket potatoes with cheese. I'm missing them actually.
I have dry mouth and I can't eat potato-y things because they dry out my mouth and stick in my throat. It has never made me retch but I understand how it could if you have food sitting in the back of your throat like I often have.
Btw bread is the WORST for me. I have to drink water with every mouthful.
Btw bread is the WORST for me. I have to drink water with every mouthful.
Anonymous
I have dry mouth and I can't eat potato-y things because they dry out my mouth and stick in my throat. It has never made me retch but I understand how it could if you have food sitting in the back of your throat like I often have.
Btw bread is the WORST for me. I have to drink water with every mouthful.
Btw bread is the WORST for me. I have to drink water with every mouthful.
Yeah, that's just like what I experience. I have to slather potato and bread with butter and other things just to be able to get it down my neck, and even then I struggle. I'm glad to hear someone else gets this too
I also have a real difficulty swallowing potato, even though it is one of my favourite foods. I am usually OK at the start of the meal but it becomes increasingly difficult after a few mouthfuls. 
I wonder if it is perhaps an allergy.
I wonder if it is perhaps an allergy.how about barrett's esophagus?
"Hiatal hernia can be difficult to diagnose with traditional examination methods like gastroscopy. At the same time there is a lack of knowledge, both in the general public and amongst health care workers, which can lead to the patient being met by scepticism and prejudice. Some will be told that their problem is all in the mind."
This is quoted from iqoro website under hiatal hernia.
This may be a good start in matching symptoms
It's not in the person's head; The person doesn't have psychological problems. I expect it is genetics that causes this hiatal hernia (or something like it; perhaps it is a narrowing of the esophagus at a certain location i.e. genetics. Perhaps it is Barrett's esophagus.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions that having this difficulty means that you will be prone to getting cancer (that is what some of the literature tries to suggest). Apparently, from what I read between Barretts and Hiatal Hernia, a good portion of society has some form of this issue [and I gather from the reading that they live with it without intervention]. Consulting with a health professional is an option.
This is quoted from iqoro website under hiatal hernia.
This may be a good start in matching symptoms
It's not in the person's head; The person doesn't have psychological problems. I expect it is genetics that causes this hiatal hernia (or something like it; perhaps it is a narrowing of the esophagus at a certain location i.e. genetics. Perhaps it is Barrett's esophagus.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions that having this difficulty means that you will be prone to getting cancer (that is what some of the literature tries to suggest). Apparently, from what I read between Barretts and Hiatal Hernia, a good portion of society has some form of this issue [and I gather from the reading that they live with it without intervention]. Consulting with a health professional is an option.
I also have this problem. Definitely not psychological and certainly something to do with the potato. I also get it with rice and sometimes bread and also pizza. The obvious link is that they are all carbs but I expect it has more to do with the texture than anything. I gave up drinking alcohol a long while ago and it made a huge improvement. Also chewing food thoroughly really helps - almost always happens when I’m rushing around shoving food in!! I have found (weirdly) that boiled potatoes are the worst culprit but that any form can be an offender. If you really miss potato then I’d recommend sitting down to eat and just having tiny mouthfuls and chewing really well and then waiting a bit before your next mouthful. In my experience this can be managed by lifestyle changes rather than turning to meds, although always worth seeing a GP just to be sure. Ignore anyone who says it’s all in your head, I very much doubt it.
I am so glad I have found this thread because I’m currently suffering from the same issue. I have been to the GP about it and they have referred me to therapy and they think it’s related to anxiety. But anxiety is not the cause of it because really starchy foods likes baked potatoes and chips literally get stuck in my throat and it doesn’t move down unless I drink water or put something on it to soak it like ketchup or tomato stew so that it’s not really dry. It really dries out my mouth too. This issue has made me more anxious about eating though because I feel like I’m going to choke 
I would really like to know if anyone had found a solution or reason to this issue because I really don’t know what else to tell my GP. I feel like he doesn’t believe I have a problem
I would really like to know if anyone had found a solution or reason to this issue because I really don’t know what else to tell my GP. I feel like he doesn’t believe I have a problemHey, I'm having issues especially with cracker and bread. It's so dry. I went for endoscopy, was diagnosed with GERD. Those food tends to stick in my throat. I partially think that it rule down to anxiety even though I don't think I have but I'm constantly thinking about swallowing/choking when I'm eating.
This has been happening tho me for years. Bread, rice, pasta, potatoes. It can lead to spasms occasionally that lead to vomiting - then everything comes up. During teally bad episodes, I feel like I cannot breathe. It's scary. I found something once when looking up possible causes called Schatzke's rings (sp). I normally have to drink with every mouthful of food so it doesn't happen. Definitely not in my head - my husband
I am 83 and have fairly recently developed the problem, ONLY with potato, of difficulty in swallowing it. This is obviously not psychological or anything like that. My guess it has something to do with the starch. I have to eat it very slowly or in combination with something else.
Oh my God this is exactly the symptoms I've been having for about the past 2 years I thought I was going crazy. When I eat fries for instance the 1st couple are OK but like the 3rd or 4th is almost like trying to swallow a golf ball and it feels like I've sucked in a bunch air and it hurts like crazy for about one minute or so... Then slowly subsides and I've even thought maybe I just swallowed an air bubble and then tried another potato and instantly the same feeling. And I've noticed it's with any potato product. And I've noticed it's with any potato productAnd the pain is a crazy burning sensation and it's only been for the last 2 years or so that it's happened
I don't think it's all in your head, I get exactly the same thing, I have no psychological aversion to starchy foods, I'm not exactly sure why it occurs, maybe it's down to a smaller or different shaped throat and carbohydrate's ability to absorb water, thus those two factors combined resulting in the food getting stuck, I always just have something to drink whilst eating starchy foods and that usually resolves it
Omg I have the same problemI love potatoes and tonight I bought frozen pre soldier potatoes and I couldn’t swallow it it’s like the texture?!
Related discussions
- Helpful little memory tricks I use for AQA GCSE Biology
- girl I'm dating has really gross fingernails - what to do?
- Anyone who has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ?
- How to reset my body clock?
- Going to university but can't cook at all
- Cooking as a university student
- What are some cheap/healthy meal ideas for student?
- How to budget £50 a week living at Kingston University
- How to get rid of acne or hypopigmentation?
- Choosing an Oxford College (Law)
- Human foods for dogs
- Do these foods belong at Christmas lunch?
- What did you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner today?
- Is it normal for your gf to eat all your food?
- Caution: Tesco celery
- 2 day water fast - on antibiotics for acne
- I'm seriously struggling with food at uni
- uni food ideas
- Getting Kathy fit again. Take II
- SLT or nursing, or both?
Latest
Trending
