@ManjiB sorry we seem to be responding to each other concurrently, wth stomach lining issues, what are the symptoms -IBS Could it be that like me her natural microbiome has died, this can be replaced with vegan yoghurt and even keffir.
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Hello Mich,
That sounds like great progress. Excellent stuff. I’ll wait for my next videofluroscopy and see if there is any improvement. If not I will go ahead after speaking with the SLT. Appreciate your advice and follow up and will let you know how I get on.
Best Wishes
Eamonn
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@Hayeam I urge you to insist that you start eating again. Eating is so much more than taking in nutrients from mental health because we release the feel-good hormones oxytocin and dopamine when we eat food we like. Then there’s ear health too. When we chew the muscles around the eustatian tubes contract moving ear wax out of the ear. At the rehab hospital the doctor’s response to congested ears was to prescribe ear drops, when chewing gum would have done the trick. I’m guilty of living from one meal to the next but the joy of different tastes is ethereal, not to mention the cultural human-connection of eating with those we love.
@ManjiB i encourage you to consider a teaspoon of yogurt to repair stomach lining.it is very likely that damage to the stomach lining is due to the death of her natural bacteria or microbiome that exists in the whole digestive tract.our natural flora contribute to gut health and even digestion itself.there are drinking yoghurts available e.g. actamel.best of luck to you all,I hope your wonderful mum overcomes this set back soon.take care.
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Hi Michelle - thanks for the suggestion. It’s very kind of you to think of solutions that may help.
I will try as soon as Mum shows willing. Sometimes she is a bit eccentric and she will refuse to play ball. What I mean by that is if she feels she has done “proof of concept”, unless there is further benefit or development (in her view) she will shut up shop. She has previously played along up to a point and then when she got bored, she just stopped playing.
We are pleased with the safe swallowing with water and would very much like to go to the next level, but right now Mum is feeling down and until she perks up and shows willing we will just have to stick with the medical route.
Just so you know, we have been giving Mum supplements to help improve gut microbiome and manage bloating as suggested by her (very good) dietician. So Mum has had actimel, yakult and some Bio Gaia drops but it is hard to say how effective these were as at the time she was on Asprin but unlike many other patients who are prescribed Asprin post stroke, she was not given the PPI inhibitor (omeprazole or lansoprazole) and as a result the long term use of Asprin is what damaged her stomach lining.
I am not too sure how to explain it in medical terms, but as soon as she ended up in hospital with stomach bleeds (as indicated by dark stool) the first thing the consultant did was stop Asprin immediately and put her on omeprazole to line the stomach (apologies if my explanation is off the mark, but it is as I understand it) i.e. the omeprazole was to reduce the production of stomach acid and so the stomach lining could heal. The one downside is that omeprazole takes about a month to become effective and no short-term medicine was prescribed.
Anyway, that is history and yes, lessons have been learned but right noe we have to help Mum return to her pre-incident baseline and of course we all know by now that she will - she always does 
Don’t you just hate it when someone is always seeing the glass half full? 
P.S. When Mum has her first non-liquid food by mouth, you will be the first to know
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Thanks Mich,
Yes socially it’s very difficult not eating/drinking.
I aim to start soon. Probably yoghurt and jelly to start and progress (times of day etc) the types and quantities of food each month. I’ll definitely take your advice on board.
Thanks
Eamonn
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@ManjiB firstly give yourself some credit you explain the biology of the aspirin caused gastrointestinal issues perfectly.i am furious that it came to that as if your mum hasn’t had enough to deal with.I’m delighted that you got her to take some supplements just a couple of mouthfuls will make a lot of difference because her microbiome will be long dead and anything introduced will be delighted to take up residence.best of luck to you, your mum and sister and happy new year.
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