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Accidentally Swallowed Plastic Water Bottle Cap, Feeling Nauseous. Will It Pass Naturally Without Hurting?
Question: I accidentally swallowed a plastic water bottle cap when swallowing several pills ( at least I think, because I can't find it and something hurt in my throat -felt like a couple of the pills got caught in my throat when I swallowed them)..then couldn't find the cap. I did this yesterday almost 24 hours ago. I am slightly nauseous....my stomach feels better with a little something in it....but this nauseous feeling I've has has been with me for two or three days, so I'm not 100% sure it is related. I do keep burping today. I'm just very concerned about whether, if I did swallow it as I suspect, then can it pass naturally without doing damage to me?
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
If you really had swallowed a bottle cap, it wont get excreted by its own. Such cup is too large and can stuck anywhere in the esophagus or stomach. If it will get through the stomach, still there is narrowest area of whole gastrointestinal tract - a connection between small and large intestine. If this cup will reach this point, can cause bowels obstruction and surgery might be necessary to remove it.
That is why I suggest you to visit your doctor as soon as possible. Barium swallow test and abdominal X-ray should be done at first. Gastroscopy is a next step.
It is better if this cup will be located in the stomach, as there is a possibility to remove it with gastroscopy.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Thank you for the query.
If you really had swallowed a bottle cap, it wont get excreted by its own. Such cup is too large and can stuck anywhere in the esophagus or stomach. If it will get through the stomach, still there is narrowest area of whole gastrointestinal tract - a connection between small and large intestine. If this cup will reach this point, can cause bowels obstruction and surgery might be necessary to remove it.
That is why I suggest you to visit your doctor as soon as possible. Barium swallow test and abdominal X-ray should be done at first. Gastroscopy is a next step.
It is better if this cup will be located in the stomach, as there is a possibility to remove it with gastroscopy.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Answered by
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