I cannot move my Tongue and Swallowing is difficult

[WillowJ]

I wondered if MG caused swollen tongue and I do find a case report saying this can happen. Survey of patients also indicates this is possible, but it's unclear whether this is due to medications or the disease itself.

WebMD also says swollen tongue can be caused by dehydration. If you are having trouble swallowing, that could contribute to dehydration. However, should be easily resolved with IV hydration, if that were the case.

 

[AndrewB]

Hi Willow,
My tongue isn't swollen, nor is my throat.
It's the mobility in my tongue ive lost, and the ability to move my throat muscles in order to swallow.
Im getting enough liquids down me to live at the moment, but should this problem get any worse,
i wouldn't be able to swallow anything at all.
My huge worry is that after being ignored at the hospital, if i did have to go back because i couldnt swallow anything,
i think they would still send me home.
They just assumed my problems were related to M/E after doing a basic blood test.
Something that even M/E patients are guilty of at times is assuming every illness they experience is M/E related,
which is clearly not the case.
I haven't read too many people with M/E say they have experienced the kind of problems ive got,
although im sure plenty have.
I have M/E care workers coming out to see me, and to be honest, i don't really know what they are going to be able to say or do to help me.
In my condition, graded therapy exercise and cognitive stuff isn't an option, im just too physically weak for that.
I was hoping this tongue/throat issue would be fleeting, but its not going away.....

 

[Prosons]

I don't know if this problem ever got resolved but with cfs/me, there can be muscle stiffness aka. spasticity throughout the body due to a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system.

 

[AndrewB]

Hi guys

Its been a while since i visited here.
Since i last posted i had a lump removed from my thyroid.
It's not stopped the swallowing and tongue spasms however.
The swallowing condition is still an issue if im trying to eat anything
that requires a lot of chewing.
It's been a miserable addition to what we all know is a crippling
condition in any case.
One thing i did want to post here is that for a week after the
operation, i had MUCH more energy that normal.
I was not given any antibiotics nor steroids so it couldn't
have been those medications that had anything to do with my
strength getting better.
After the first week i went back to normal though.
Im still in pain with my neck and lower jaw even though the operation
was 4 months ago, but im told its all clear.

 

[lansbergen]

Do you know which anesthetic they used?

I was not given any antibiotics nor steroids so it couldn't have been those medications that had anything to do with my strength getting better. After the first week i went back to normal though..

 

[AndrewB]

I did ask and they told me it was a standard one and that it's used in most operations.
I could request the papers from the operation.
I was able to walk around the hospital after id woken up. It was astonishing
how all of a sudden id improved. The only things that help ease my fatigue
are Zopiclone and Steroids.

The 'Z' drugs are the family of drugs that are used to being long term
coma patients out of their coma's for a short time, and whatever is doing
this is also helping my fatigue and making me more alert.
I digress though, id had no Zopiclone in the week after the operation.

Im just wondering if the swallowing problems was a result of having a growth
on my thyroid and my immune system over reacting?
Ive spoken with The Shen Clinic and they believe that the immune system
is what's at the center of M/E and that once the immune dysfunction
is corrected, M/E is cured.