When in the hospital recently I attributed my swallowing difficulty to PD But an endoscopy showed a viral infection of the esophagus. Three days on I.V. antiviral plus 10 more days at home on acyclovir qid got rid of the virus (Herpes simplex 1) and I am cured...swallowing nicely. (During hospitalstay had stomach tube inserted several times...during surgical and diagnostic procedures.) Above all, listen to your doctor. Had I continued to resist the endoscopy, where would I be now? [log in to unmask] (Mary Manfredi)