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tibinyellow · Jun 4, 2007, 09:41 PM

In October I started feeling like I had a lump in my throat. Many trips to the doctor, testing for strep, treated for sinus infection no relief. Last month it peaked, very swollen vocal cords which had a spasm and cut off my air supply, started on prednisone, ENT said it is gerd started me on prevacid, two times a day, disolvable ones as I can't swallow pills. Last week the back of my tongue swelled hug, EMT's thought allergic reaction, doctor thought lingual tonsills? Waiting for an transnasal esophagoscopy which is not until the 11th of this month. At my pre-op appointment ENT doctor said swelling had gottten worse not better. Even on pred still have some swelling, (not as bad) have to take lorazepam about 30 minutes before eating to be able to swallow.

I just don't feel like the doctor is on the right course and don't know where else to go, he doesn't share very much information with me and of course, didn't warn me of all the bad things that could happen and did but now says they can happen again.

Where else should I be going what doctor's should I make an appointment with gastro? Allergist? Please help, scared and frustrated.

J_9 · Jun 4, 2007, 10:42 PM

Oh, boy, you got me on this one. LOL

Unfortunately I am 650 miles from home (where my textbooks are), so I am going to have to wing it. Hope you don't mind.

First, your doctor may not share much with you, so be proactive, ask, get answers to your questions from your doctor. If you don't tell him that you will have to find another doctor. Remember he is your employee, if you are not his paitent and you are not paying his bill, he is not getting paid.

Now, since I got that out of the way...

If you were "diagnosed" as having GERD, it would be important that you see a gastro. While an ENT may be good, a gastro might be better.

Also, do you notice any similar foods you are, or have been, eating prior to the swelling occurring?

Can you describe to me in your best ability where in the throat the "lump" feels? Lower throat almost chest area?

Are you able to swallow your food completely or does it come back up?

tibinyellow · Jun 5, 2007, 05:22 PM

Hi Thanks for the response. I can't quite pin point what things I may be eating to cause this. I have never been much of an eater...
The lump feels about right where the indentation in my neck is between the collar bones... when I can swallow it goes all the way down but if it is gets stuck it sticks right where I feel the lump. The only thing that I have noticed that has gotten better on the prevacid is the "hairy" feeling that I had on the back of my tongue is gone but I still have that whitish brown stuff that I can scrape off but comes back right away. His assistant did tell me that the following is a list of diagnosis codes that they are treating me for (at least billing me for) at this time:
Laryngopharyngitis, Gastritis, Acute and Chronic Esophageal reflux.. I also forgot to say that I have very thick bubbly salvaia that sometimes I can't swallow cause it is so thick..

J_9 · Jun 5, 2007, 07:42 PM

Does the food ever HAVE to come back up? Like it won't go down and you have to vomit to get rid of the lump and the pain? Sorry to sound so graphic, but it's the only way I can really describe it.

tibinyellow · Jun 5, 2007, 09:33 PM

No never does it have to come back up. Sometimes it seems to take a long time before it goes down, it is mostly just medication that gets stuck.. when the doctor scoped my throat he said that it was so swollen that things like a capsel would not have enough room to pass and that is why they sit there. It is weird that you ask because I was thinking today that it has been a really long time since I have thrown up even with all the stuff going on I am not even the least bit Nauseous

J_9 · Jun 5, 2007, 09:50 PM

No, I don't mean nausea, not that at all. You see there is a condition I was just throwing around, wondering about you, called Achalasia. It is usually diagnosed as GERD in the early stages. It is when the smooth muscles of the esophagus will not let the food, med, even liquids to pass easily to the stomach. With Achalasia one usually gets a feeling of food or meds being "stuck" in exactly the area you are talking about. The food or meds usually do not go completely "down" and sometimes are brought back up by contractions of the esophagus.

It would probably do you good to make an appointment with a GI doc.

tibinyellow · Jun 5, 2007, 09:59 PM

Thank you. But so far no the food doesn't try to come back up but I seriously can not swallow until about 30 minutes after I have taken a lorazepam. Sometimes after I eat and it feels stuck if I chew a piece of gum it helps it go down.
I tried to make an appointment with a GI doctor but they said that they wanted to wait until the ENT doctor ran the test then if he says gastro they will make the appointment. I have tried all over Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, WA to get an appointment with one and this is the only answer I have gotten. I have decided if things continue to get worse I will go to OHSU and see what they can find out. Thank you very very much you have been so helpful! I also wanted to let you know that I grew up in Memphis and all my family still lives there I was very pleased to see that is where you are at. If you don't mind I will give you my test results on Monday.

J_9 · Jun 5, 2007, 10:02 PM

Oh, please tell me the results when you get them. I am only a measly little nursing student. I LOVE to learn new things.

Lorazepam is a benzo, so it would relax the smooth muscles, forgive me, but did you say you also took pred? I thought so.

So your family is from Memphis. I am about 40 miles north.

tibinyellow · Jun 15, 2007, 06:59 AM

I had the test on Monday, they didn't find anything, (which is a good thing but still don't have any answers). No ulcers, no irrirevesable damage. I still have swelling of the voice box and thickening around it Doctor still assures me that he thinks it is GERD. We are waiting a month taking the previcid twice a day then if still swollen he will do a test to measure the PH level of my stomach acid. He said that it is a very uncomfortable test so I was OK with waiting. I do think in the meanwhile I am going to have my primary doctor run a test just to rule out some kind of baterial infection and I am making an appointment with an allergist to see if maybe I have become allergic to something.

If you can think of anything else please let me know... totally miserable with this swelling..

Thanks for everything!

tibinyellow · Jun 20, 2007, 10:09 PM

Just had my "surgery" follow up today and it was discussed that I am being sent to OHSU for testing and such to see if I can have LES surgery. I am not on prevacid 30mg 3 times a day as the swelling in vocal box and vocal cords has not improved at all still on 10 mg a day of Prednisone for the next 5 days then down to 5 mg a day indefinitely. Hoping since the doctor but in the referral "serious condition due to vocal cord swelling and spasms" I will get an appointment soon. If you are tired of the updates just let me know and I will stop but until then I will keep you updated.. Thanks!