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Lump in Throat- GERD information

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 11/6/2005 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
My Mother passed away in December of last year with cancer.  I am having a lot of problems with it which is yet another story.....

I began to have a strong feeling of a lump caught in my throat and having to clear my throat a lot, etc.  I was really scared it was cancer, so i made an appt with my M.D.

The Dr. gave me prescription for previcid which did not help, then later prescription for protonix which also did not help.

My Dr. referred me to an ENT since i have other problems as well (I have bilateral Meniers Disease and am on medications for it)

My ENT did the scope test of the throat and esophogas and said he saw no cancer, but that the esphogas was severly burned and to continue taking medicine and it would take quite some time to heal. 

Both Dr's felt i should be on nexium twice per day.

Still i was not getting better, so i was referred to a gastroentologist whom then did a scope test under anesthetic to look at the throat and stomach.  He said the same thing, esphogas burned, but no cancer, thank God! But he said my stomach was still full of food after 12 hours of not eating, so he set me up for a gastric emptying study which came back fine.

All three Dr's now just tell me to continue the nexium twice per day, but now it has been 9 months and i am still having the same problems.  Any suggestions as to what i should do at this point?  Also, are other people having this problem? The people i know with GERD have the acid and stomach problems which i have some, but mostly my throat is what is bothering me.  This really concerns me as my health insurance has a nurse that calls to follow up on problems, and she said that you can develop esphogas cancer, so now she has me scared again.

 

Posted 11/6/2005 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Jennifer,

Thank you for your welcome and support.  I am just thankful to have found a site where people understand and care what a person is going thru.  I think part of my GERD is stress as well and especially right now with my husband going thru the prostate cancer problems.  I will continue to check back on the and forums and will check out the resources you have listed for me.

Again many thanks and hugs

 

Posted 11/6/2005 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hello & Welcome to the Forum! I am not experiencing your symptoms and glad your test results returned negative. I'm sorry to hear about your Mother, it's always tough losing a love one.

I hope the Dr's you're working with are able to give you some definitive answers in relieving your symptoms soon. Stroll thru the post here, maybe, some of the other members have experienced the symptoms that you're having, and you could gain some info.



Take care of yourself, and hope you start feeling better soon.

Vanessa
Posted 11/6/2005 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
Vanessa,

Thank you for the caring and kind words.  I am so glad to have found this forum. I will return to the Dr. after we take care of my husband's health problems and follow up on mine, but my husband's health is more important right now.

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

Posted 11/16/2005 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi: I,m new to this forum. I have been suffering from acid reflux for years. Had all the tests. I,ve taken prilosec, acifex, nexium etc. and health food. 

sincerely Indycatt yeah

Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 11/16/2005 4:14:36 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/16/2005 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
Have you changed your diet? Try elevating the head of your bed, cutting out tomato products and citrus foods including vitamin C, beer, and maybe milk products. Because a lot of GERD experts say that milk increases stomach acid production.
Posted 11/22/2005 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
    I too have had the lump in throat feeling for about 5 months.  My doctor sent me for upper GI xrays which came back normal.  He suspects I have gerd and reading the list of symptoms I would tend to agree.  As well as the lump in throat I have excessive throat clearing and my voice box feels strained after prolonged conversations.  I do not however have heartburn or any other of the common symptoms associated with gerd. A few weeks ago my doctor booked me an appointment with a specialist who would like to perform a scope procedure to verify gerd is the problem.  I'm not too keen on this so I have been looking all over the web for a potential remedy.  I have changed my diet, raised my bed, tried the apple cider vinegar all to no avail.  A collegue of mine suggested I talk to the woman who runs the local healtfood store.

    I find it interesting that in all the literature I have read on the subject that Doctors in gereral do not know what causes gerd nor do they think there is a permanent cure.  This woman at the healthfood store seems to think she knows what causes it.  She explained to me that the acid reflux is caused by either your stomache not having enough acid (you would think the reverse to be true) or that the acid in your stomache does not have enough of the right enzymes to digest the food your eating.  This causes the food in your stomache to linger longer than it should and cause a backup which then causes the acid to rise back up the esophagus.

    She gave me a bottle of 60 capsules called Full Spectrum Plant Enzymes.  I was directed to take one or two capsules before meals.  I notice results almost immediately.  I have been using them for 2 weeks now and they are fabulous.  I sometimes still get the feeling that my food is still sticking but it goes away quickly though sometimes it helps to take another capsule.

    I went back today to get more.  I talked to her again and told her how great the pills were working.  I also mentioned that I was still having the strained feeling in my voicebos.  She told me this was a direct result of the acid reflux and damage to the esophagus.  I have been taking a prescriibe drug simialr to nexium for about 2 months but it has not helped so far.  She gave me a bottle of Aloe Vera gel which I am supposed to mix 1/4 cub with an equal amount of water.  She warned me that it would taste horrible but I will give it a shot.

   The Plant enzymes are not a cure but they do make the situation much more tolerable.  Eating more fruits and vegetables is the best way to ger your own stomache enzymes working properly.  Just to let you know that Plant Enzymes help you to digerst your food quicker and move it more easily through your intestinal system.  Be prepared for more frequent bowle movements.

 

  Hope this helps..pass this along to fellow gerd suffers

 

Posted 2/10/2007 2:33 PM (GMT 0)

I too felt like I had a lump in my throat. It was never there when I woke up in the morning but would most times appear about 3 hrs later. I started keeping a log of what and when I ate, seeing that I was told by an ENT (who scoped my throat - thru my nose), a Gastroenterologist (who did an EGD), and my General Practitioner, that it was GERD. I started the log hoping to avoid the lifelong medicinal remedies these doctors were pushing. To make a long story short, I continued to research 'lump in throat' on the internet. After 8 months of this lump and finding no pattern from the log I was diligently keeping, I finally stumbled across an article on voicedoctor.net where Dr. James P. Thomas suggested that my specific symptoms could be from a Cricopharyngeal spasm. I then remembered that I had severely burned my throat w/scalding hot coffee around the time my symptoms appeared. I decided to do an extreme test - I did not talk for an entire day - AND THE LUMP NEVER APPEARED that day. I have now been lump free for a month by just speaking softly and sparingly. (My husband is happier than I am with this remedy!!!!!). Good luck.

Post Edited (tutulady) : 2/10/2007 7:56:20 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/12/2007 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
wow, tutulady all you had to do was stop talking.  wish it were that easy for all of us...i doubt my lump wtould go away from merely just doing that...

Posted 2/17/2007 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
hey folks. new here. I too suffer from a feeling of a lump in my throat. I stay stressed, have social anxiety disorder, and panic attacks. I never really had a problem with the lump though until recently. I and 30 yrs old and have used smokeless tobacco for about 8 years. So you can imagine my first thought when i got this feeling. My question is where do most of you feel like the lump is located in your throat? Do you feel like it is in the front, like aroud where you adams apple is? or is it in the back of your throat that you feel it? Mine is on the front of my throat just to the left side of my adams apple. Of course their is no lump that i can feel to touch, just a feeling on the inside that their is a lump. Where do most of you have the feeling?
Posted 2/17/2007 4:20 AM (GMT 0)

Worrywart76, I feel like my throat is constricted and the lump feels close to my adam's apple when I swallow.

buttonsgirl, I also have a stomach full of food after hours of not eating. 

I am going to ask the GI place where I go to for a gastric emptying study (my primary doctor's suggestion).

Nothing I try seems to cure my symptoms (the lump is always there, so is the burning in the stomach and constipation).

I don't think you have to worry about esophageal cancer.  Many people have GERD without developing it.

I don't want to be scared of getting it.  friendlygal

Posted 2/20/2007 6:01 AM (GMT 0)
I was recently diagnosed with GERD and was wondering if anyone ever has any chest pressure from it? Today I went to the med station because of my chest pressure and lightheadedness that I have had for the past 2 days. I was diagnosed with GERD on New Years and have been taking Prilosec which seems to be working for the stomach pain. They did an EKG and that said Normal sinus with Biatrial Enlargement, which the doctor at the med station couldn't explain and said to follow up with my doctor. He said my chest discomfort and pressure may have more to do with my esophagus. Does this sound like anything anyone has had before ? It's really making me nervous even though he said the EKG doesn't show that I am having a heart attack.
Posted 2/20/2007 6:04 AM (GMT 0)
Also I do have that "lump" in my throat thing going on. More in the morning when I wake up, but I can tell it's there if I think about it all through the day.
Posted 3/1/2007 11:47 PM (GMT 0)

TakeItSlow911 said...
I was recently diagnosed with GERD and was wondering if anyone ever has any chest pressure from it? Today I went to the med station because of my chest pressure and lightheadedness that I have had for the past 2 days. I was diagnosed with GERD on New Years and have been taking Prilosec which seems to be working for the stomach pain. They did an EKG and that said Normal sinus with Biatrial Enlargement, which the doctor at the med station couldn't explain and said to follow up with my doctor. He said my chest discomfort and pressure may have more to do with my esophagus. Does this sound like anything anyone has had before ? It's really making me nervous even though he said the EKG doesn't show that I am having a heart attack.



Hello TakeItSlow911. I don't know if you are still following this thread but I thought I would respond. I had chest pain, nausea in the morning, stomach ache, loss of appetite (from nausea), pressure behind the breastbone, burping and belching. I never had heartburn except for 5 months 8 years ago with first pregnancy. I was diagnosed with GERD and Berrett's Esophagus (BE) recently. Your symptoms most likely are just the GERD because it turning into BE, is quite rare. However, if you are having heartburn, belching I would get checked for BE. It can turn cancerous over time. They do an upper endoscopy and take biospy at the lower esophagus. I was shocked when mine came out positive. It is most seen in Men, 60 and over. Good luck.
Posted 3/3/2007 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
Happy2BeHere, sorry to hear that you have BE.  May I ask how old you are?  If you don't want to say, that's ok.  I understand. :)

Posted 3/3/2007 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
late 30's.
Posted 3/3/2007 8:33 PM (GMT 0)

Happy2bhere said...
late 30's.

Oh, ok...I'm 34 and I've been diagnosed wiht "rigorous GERD," on a barium swallow report.  But my endoscopy showed that the esophagus is "normal."  I have a debilitating lump in my throat. 

Do you have any advice as to how I can prevent getting barret's??

Posted 3/4/2007 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Friendlygal
The remedy I've been told is to get rid of your GERD symptoms by taking PPI's or H-2 blockers. This are simply (most of them) over the counter antacids like Zantac but at prescription strength. I'm sure your doctor has told you to take something like these if you are suffering from extreme GERD? If not, please talk to him or her. I've been told that most people that have GERD will not further go onto develop BE. They don't know why some do. If you do go onto developing BE, I've been told that you can only try to take the antacids to prevent more tissue damage but that it won't heal the damage already done and it's that tissue that may turn to Cancer.
The fact that your esophagus looks fine is great news. Just keep your symptoms under control and you should be fine. I had some symptoms but they were very minimal. My warning system gave me nausea in the morning when my stomach was empty and considerable unrelenting belching. They say that I don't have any symptoms of heartburn now because the tissue in the esophagus resembles that of my stomach and intestines where they are harsher to stand up to the acid of the stomach. The body tries to correct itself. The only problem is this tissue doesn't belong in the esophagus. I hope this helps.
Posted 3/4/2007 5:55 PM (GMT 0)

Happy2bhere, thanks for your email.  You sound very brave.

I have been taking PPIs and do have a GI.  But they don't work and I always have a lump in my throat, nausea, bloating, and belching.  that is why I'm worried about getting BE...

Posted 3/4/2007 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
You got me with that answer. I don't know what they do in your case. Sometimes they try to up the strength. I know there is a surgury to tighten the muscle at the end of the esophagus. They pretty much put part of the stomach around it to prevent the acid from backing up. I'm not sure how long it lasts and I understand depending on the length of the esophagus some aren't a good candidate. This comes with its side effects too so they only do this, I believe, for those that do have BE and aren't getting relief from meds, nor want to be on them forever. Hang in there. You could always re-do the test with a doctor that specializes in it. I hear that sometimes it can be difficult to diagnose because. I assume they took tissue samples when he l

As for being brave, my dh would laugh. I question, question, question when I read the criteria that has to be met in order to be BE. My doctor was actually a bit surprised. She was in there looking for something else. I'm just waiting for this follow-up endo. Can't do anything about it. So, I try not to think about it too much. It is rare to go to cancer so I just try to stay positive.
Posted 3/4/2007 9:09 PM (GMT 0)

Happy2behere,

What is "dh"?  It is rare for BE to turn into C?  I didn't realize that. 

I have gastritis (an extreme case), and I heard that it can turn into stomach C. so I hope that this is also rare for this to happen.

I will also try not to think about it too much! :)  We must enjoy life. :)

Posted 3/5/2007 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry, "dh"= dear husband. Only 10% of BE will go to C. And I believe, there are three levels of C so there is time to do something about it when caught early. This is why they will give me a test in one year from now. If nothing changes, it is safe to get tested every three years going forward.

I do not know anything about gastritis although was told I have a mild, chronic type.
Posted 3/5/2007 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
You may be suffering from Anxiety due to what has happened in your life recently. I know I will get a lump in my throat at times and I have always been told it is due to being anxious. I also have Acid Reflux (never had one test done) and have been on Nexium for almost a year. I don't get heartburn, but I get the feeling as if I have to burp.
Posted 3/6/2007 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
JHP, thank you for your post.  I thought that the lump was anxiety.  But, in my case, it really might be acid.

Posted 2/26/2009 3:24 AM (GMT 0)

hi, i am new to this forum...i want to tell my story and see if anyone can help...in november i started having a lot of dental work done. i had to wear temporary dental work for about 5 weeks. towards the end of the dental work, i noticed a lump in my throat. i mentioned it to my dentist and even asked the dentist to look down my throat to see if he could see anything..nothing. mid-november i went to my regular dr. he gave me antibiotics and pednisone. after 2 weeks on the meds, no change.

i saw him again and he read me the riot act that beccause i waas a "chronic tobacco abuser" the meds had not worked and he would give me a stronger antibiotic. i got  augmenten (sp) - after two weeks, no change.

sent back to drs office and saw a different doctor. went and got soft tissue x-rays and a cbc panel. results showed nothing. made appt with ent.

went to ent,,she put the thing through my nose to look at my throat. gave me an iv (steroids and antibiotics in the office and said i had Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) from the dental work. gave me rx'es for antibiotic and flagyl. after 8 day, no change. i called the office and another ent called in new meds, another antibiotic, more flagyl, pepto-bismol tablets and prilosec. after three weeks, no change.

returned to ent office today...she wants me to take 80 ml of prilosec a day. she stands by the h. pylori theory. but added gerd something to my chart today.

please note. the lump is real. i can feel it all the time.  less in the early morning.

i have NEVER had stomache acid, heartburn, etc. i have never taken a tums in my life and i am almost 60 years old.

i am a smoker.have been for about 35 years.

my stomache has been alittle on the blitz because of all the meds, but nothing i think other than that.

i don't think i could have major stomache acid and not know or feel something.

i am to go back to the dr in 6 weeks.

i don't drink soft drinks. i do drink coffee and tea.

no bad taste in my mouth.

no problem eating anything i want. had mexican last night, no issues.

i don't have gas, stomache aches, etc.

no fever, that i have noticed. 

ni issues sleeping, no problem breathing. i have had, for years, maybe once a month, post nasel drip in the night,i just keep a spray bottle of cloriseptic (sp)spray on the bedside table, no issue. not a regular thing.

is there a connection between h. pylori and gerd?

i what is in my throat (an infection?) contagious? scared to kiss my husband.

will the lump get bigger? seems to have stayed the same size for the last 4 months

i stay at home and raise small dogs...no stress

any info you have might help me to figure this out..i just cannot believe i have gurd this bad and nothing but the throat lump to show for it. nor that prilesec is a cure for a throat lump.

thanks for your time...

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