Question: sorry fo this can barelt thin straight tomake sense struggling to breathe somuch...Ive XXXXXXX prscibed 16mg dexamethasone yeaterday by private consulatant for breathing difficulty which has been worsening for over a year. Ive tried to investigat over nhs over this time but not been taken seriously due to unsymaptehitic doctor. and told chest xray is clear and no problem with vocal folds by ent causing obstruction. Th respiaratory consultant is invstigating thoracic area for obstruction on Monday with ct scan and diaphragm and intercostal muscles. I have had difficuty swallowing th last week and went to emergency as discomfort and difficuties worsening by hour but sent home after general exmanination and told i was panicing about nothing. The consutant yesterday said i should return if breathing worsened. IT HAS and a and e basically said when i went back last night im imagining things to be worse than they are and my o2 levels are ok, so they arent too concerned . I cant return to a and e to be told the same thing an that its not an emergency becuae i can still breathe as feel they feel wasting docs time. At same time am struggling so much to get breath now an swallow, worsening each hour. It hs been worsenigfor over year but nowim atcrisispoint struggling to breathe adn gp has persistenty XXXXXXX im hyperventilating. My friend who is medically trained says there coud be a problem with oesophagus with connected worsening breathing diffs and i shoud have mentioned to consultant. in my panic over everything i didnt mention this to the private repiartaory consultant yesterday and kicking myself as i said about choking feeling but not difficulty swallowing worsening all time. As i say having CT scan tomrrow, but will have to ask for seperate test for barium swallow independently. I told a and e my throat making strange gurgling too and choking sensation worsening. Am stuck in a practically impossible situation as I was diagnosed with anxiety some time becuase of repeatedy going backto docs over breathing diffs. The resp consultant has now said he thinks there is a problem with stridor and was concerned i couldnt do spirometry test and wants to check for obstruction but as i said I didnt mention the swallowing. a aned e say this isnt an emeergency as i can still breathe and im not choking. If there is an oesophagal obstruction or some problem will the dextamethasone be ok to continue taking till tomoorow please? I dont know which was to turn, and e said come back if it worsens but i equay know they wont examine further on basis of anxiety diagnosis, despite what the respiratory consultant has said. Am scared by how little breath i have which is worsening and decreasing abilty to swallow, but becuase of this anxiety diagnoisis a and think im imagining things to be worse thy are. Dontknow waht to do, very little I can do now except wait till tomo an see if they will do barium swallow along with other tests. I actually have an NHS appointment for barium swallow on Friday but am struggling so much to breathe and swallow now with choking feeling worsening by hour, just hoping they can do something tomorrow. stuck becuase when they exmaine my throat by saying aah they say nothing wrong but the discomfort and dissiculty worsening each hour along with breathing and so annoyed at myself i idnt mention to respiaratory consultant yesterday about the swallowing. Wiill the daxamethasone be ok to continue if there is something oesophagus related, someone has mentioned oesophagul stricure?

Thanks...isit safe to take the streoidsfor now if there is a problem with esophagus or couldit make things worse as cant get test immediately?

Thank you. If my breathing is very shallowand swallowing is very difficult are there other examinations that could be performed other than gastoscopy as i read this can perforate oesophagus .. are thre any other prcedures which would give same degree of analysis... would barium swallow detect same things, as it is realted toinabilty to breathe? I feel so stupid for failing tomention swallowing issue and feelingof lump in throat to consultant as i know now thoracic ct scan doesnt examine throat and i presumed before itwould? Just struggling more each day and sovery scare this is at this stage of barely being able to breathe

Hionelast question... is there any procedure which would examin eosophagus and trachea at the same time as to diagnosing the worsening breathing and swallowing Thanks. I wan to be sure i ask for the correct xray and not sure which it would be as there are so many tests and so many things this could be? If there was one which examined both this wold be good asp, s feel my throat is about toclose up and dont know diffrence bettween windpipe and osophagus realted conditions, as both seem to be able to caue breathing and swallowing problems. Iis v difficult toknow.. as I will be paying for this myself and im not very rich.... My lungs have showed ok on scan done before. Thanks and sorry to go on, i just want to look at the right things asap as struggling so much more each day with both isues