Swallowing Problems - any advice?

General
1

3 weeks ago I started feeling a catching feeling in my throat. That was one symptom my Neurosurgeon told me to watch out for. He saw me right away and determined that along with swallowing difficulties I had also lost my gag reflex, this prompted us to schedule surgery for September (we are waiting till September, because was also recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Hypoventialition, so need to get that sorted out before surgery).

Anyway, the constant catching feeling and dryness in my throat is driving me INSANE!!! I drink water constantly throughout the day because if I don’t my throat gets worse, does anyone have any advice or suggestions for dealing with the swallowing/dryness? My surgeon says it should get better post-op, but would love to find some relief for the next 2 months prior to surgery.

2

I had my first MRI in January 2013, and at the time my surgeon didn't note a syrinx, my "herniation" is 17mm. Also at the time of my first visit, I had no swallowing or gag reflex symptoms, so this all progressed very rapidly.

Samantha Jo Nicholson said:

I have a lot of numbness in my throat which causes a lot of mucus to build up so I spit constantly. But unfortunately my neurosurgeon told me that even after I had my surgery that's not a symptom that gets relieved because it is caused from neurological Damage due to my syrinx. Do u have a syrinx too?