Xynobix, just keep working at it & don't get discouraged. Think about it. Look how long it takes little babies to learn how to eat successfully. In a sense we have to relearn all over again how to eat. All the rules have changed. I find that I have developed a sort of suction action to maneuver food around in my mouth & sort of use suction from my throat to get the food into position to swallow sometimes. Carol, I love anything spicy & eat hot sauce, salsa, jalapenos, etc. all the time. I think it helps me eat a lot of different foods by causing mucous which lubes the throat. It's my theory & I'm stickin' to it! I can not do black pepper though. Black pepper burns the hell out of my throat.