Posted 8/3/2017 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
This is my first time posting. Sorry if I'm doing it incorrectly.
I'm 34 and have been experiencing extreme difficulty with swallowing/feeling that there is either something blocking me from swallowing or that my throat passage has been narrowed. I'd like to believe that I was relatively healthy before all of this occurred. Although, I did take a daily kick of ranitidine to keep the heart burn monster away for the past 2 or 3 years. I fear the problem there is that I eat too quickly. My Mother always told me to slow down.
This all started in early April, of this year. I was sick with some unknown viral thing. I went to the ER on Easter, because it had been 11 days, and my normal doctor was on vacation. They ran blood work and said I was good to go. They told me it was a non-flu viral. My doctor concurred that same thing a few days later. It was mostly fatigue, very tired eyes, headache, sore muscles and clogged ears. Never had a fever or anything. Some upset stomach, but no vomiting or diarrhea.
Just about the time I started to feel better (late April), out of nowhere, my throat started to feel a tad bit constricted. I figured it was my normal seasonal allergies kicking in. But by April 28th or 29th, my swallowing was completely impaired.
I saw my doctor again on May 3rd, due to the swallowing issues, and he suspected GERD. Which made complete sense, given my history with heartburn, and the fact that towards the end of my viral, I had amped up my fight against being sick by eating two or three oranges a day and taking three doses of over the counter Airborne for about 5 days. My actual diagnosis was GERD with Esophagitis. I was put on 40 MG of generic Protonix twice per day and three tablespoons Mylanta four times per day.
I followed this for a few weeks, while only getting worse and worse, before scheduling another appointment, to tell my doctor that this treatment didn't seem to be working. He set me up to get scoped by a GI, which was another three week wait. By this point it was nearly June. I was taken off of work and eating only soup, scrambled eggs, ground burger with gravy, and mashed potatoes.
On June 6th, I went to the local ER. I must not that I live in a town with a population of about 10,000 people. The medical treatment here sucks. The ER told me they couldn't help me, but would ship me to the city (Rochester NY). I went that evening and visited Strong Memorial Hospital, which is a very good hospital in this area. It's about an hour drive from where I live. I was admitted into observation, and had numerous doctors and tests run. I had numerous X-Rays of the throat and chest, that were all negative. I was scoped by their GI, who found nothing but mild irritation of the esophagus (not enough to cause my issues). The next day I saw a couple of ENT's, who scoped me through the nose and suspected LPR. I google'd LPR and it seemed to fit (although, so had GERD). On my last day (before being booted by my insurance company) I spoke with a Speech Pathologist. She wanted me to get a barium swallow conducted, but my insurance company had me cut loose.
I traveled home, no better, and on a strict diet of only mashed potatoes (my own doing). I ate nothing but mashed potatoes, and drank water, for six weeks. In that time, I did get a barium swallow (pharyngogram) done, which had results that suggested my throat muscles simply forgot how to swallow. Like, how does that even happen? I had a follow-up with an ENT (who was highly recommended), who found nothing wrong in my throat. No LPR, or signs of acid reflux. No pooling. No physical damage to my throat. Though, he and the Speech Pathologist both watched the results from my barium swallow, and concluded that my throat was not preforming it's functions the correct way.
I followed up with Speech Pathology and they gave me a NMES unit to use three times per day, on my throat, while eating or drinking. Along with six different exercises to do to strengthen my swallow. It's been a full month and I feel no different. I've graduated from mashed potatoes, to eggs and roast beef hash. That's only because I caught a stomach bug, two weeks ago, which made the thought of potatoes make my physically ill.
I've completely lost faith in the process they currently have me on. My throat feels like I need to clear it constantly. I wake up with a lump in there (down towards the gap In between my collar bone). It usually feels a bit better after I've drank a couple glasses of water, but once I start eating for the day, I'm right back to feeling like there's something stuck there. I have no issue drinking water. But swallowing food and my own saliva sucks. The sensation I get after eating is inherently worse than the actual act of swallowing. Which is why I've begun to question if it's the actual swallow that's messed up, versus whether or not something is actually blocking my throat. It feels constricted, like somebody is choking me. Although, I have no trouble breathing.
I'm also still on Protonix, twice per day, along with ranitidine at night.
Sorry for the book. I've just become miserable, and am wondering if anyone else has ever felt like this. Sometimes I go to bed, hoping I won't wake up. Which makes me feel even worse.