Posted 8/9/2011 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi
I've been reading several posts on this site the last few days to try and find some comfort, and it has done that to some extent although I'm very anxious and wanted to ask for your help or opinions if thats OK.
I'm a 38yo male. about 2months ago I started becoming sensitive to hot food, subconciously really at first, and then gradually became aware of a kind of full feeling in my chest. It was very subtle that I didn't give it much thought until I just started to notice a very slight bruised feeling on the right hand side when food went down. It was at this time that I gave it some attention as my father had died 3 years ago (aged64) of esophagus cancer.
I went to the doctors who rather flippantly said that it was acid reflux and gave me some Maalox but no other advice. It was about now on one particulary day at work on the computer that I noticed an achey pain in my right shoulder blade. I carried on eating normally until about 5 days later I could feel that it was getting more sore and then on returning to him again he gave me some Lansaprozole, to have 1x30mg a day.
This has seemed to be an improvement although I seem to be see sawing all the time, I am still getting new sore areas coming and going almost every couple of days. The original pain low down originally started to ease off, but then I would wake up with a swollen sore throat, hoarse voice, but then after a good nights sleep it would back off again but then I might get a different sore area higher or lower, always on the right side. As of today, the swollen and sore area's in my throat have calmed down but the original one below seems worse again today and in fact after eating it was so inflamed the irritation radiated into my back, shoulder blade and down my arm!
Since my first appointment with the doc it's been about 3 weeks now. I'm due for a gastroscopy soon but in the meantime, I'm struggling to know what to do as it seems as though I'm getting slightly better one minute and not the next. Also, it all seemed to get worse as soon as I started addressing it, would this be down to high anxiety making the acid worse? I'm eating soup, bananas, manuca honey, small bits of bread, and drinking lots of water. The head of my bed is angled, and I'm now taking sips of Gaviscon whenever I wake up in the night to try to counteract the acid. It's a complete nightmare because I have an impression that when I sleep well it seems better the next day. But if I don't get that the worry during the night seems to make it all worse and I wake up with a new sore bit. I am a terrible worrier already but added to having this problem, and what happened to my Dad, I'm struggling like mad to sleep and then get through the days. I'm obviously worried that I have cancer like him.
I'm really sorry about the long email, but if anyone could offer me some help or advice it would be really appreciated. :)
Alex