Follow-up to recent lump in throat post- more questions
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Anonymous
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I'm the OP of a recent thread about a lump in my throat feeling and people chimed in to say it could be heartburn or acid reflux. I went to the dr., who said it did sound like reflux and told me to take double the OTC Prilosec dose (I had started taking it a couple days before I saw her at regular dosage). She said by day 6 I should feel much better, but that if the discomfort persisted, I should get an abdominal ultrasound and make an appt with a GI (they did an ulcer test, which was negative).
Well, here I am and I don't feel better at all. The lump in the throat feeling is still there and when I took the double Prilosec, it really upset my stomach and I ended up throwing up several times, so I have stopped that. I've been taking digestive enzymes and HCL with each meal, but that hasn't helped either. Each day around 3pm, I start getting a tremendous amount of gas, but when my body tries to burp it out (sorry!), it gets caught in my throat. Also, I end up very short-winded and out of breath, like I felt when I had bronchitis. Unfortunately, I can't get into a GI until Aug, so I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do until then. Should I return to the GP? Is this lump in my throat feeling permanent? |
Anonymous
| OP, find another GI doc that can see you sooner than a month. You might need an upper endoscopy to rule things out and get to the bottom of this. I am sorry you aren't feeling well but I woudl follow-up sooner than later to be on the safe side. |
Anonymous
Plus one. FWIW, I had a UE due to same symptoms, and find that Zantac relieves my symptoms. You can try that in the interim. Cut out coffee and alcohol. |
Anonymous
OP here. I managed to get in to a dr next week, thank goodness. Pp, you had similar symptoms to me? Was your issue indeed reflux or something else? Thanks for the tip about Zantac. I don't drink alcohol but do have a cup of coffee here and there so will cut that out. |
Anonymous
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Definitely go to doctor. However, it can take longer for everything to subside. When I first started on Nexium, I took 2 pills a day for over a week because I was so bad. Then, it took a few weeks at one pill a day until I was rid of the constant reflux symptoms.
So don't assume anything else is wrong just because meds haven't worked yet. |
Anonymous
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This website is for kids but the avoid food list is the same for adults (plus alcohol): http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/gerd_reflux.html#
Try to sleep with your head elevated at night as well. |
Anonymous
| Are you taking both Prilosec and HCl? If so, they are canceling each other out. Prilosec is an acid reducer, HCl is acid. |
Anonymous
PP here - mine was / is definitely reflux. I suspect mine was a trifecta of stress, alcohol and coffee. Its interesting b/c I think Zantac relieves my symptoms better than my prescription (Dexalent (spelling?)). Try taking the Zantac twice a day, and modifying your diet with PP's list. I think the irritation can take a while to heal. They sell Zantac at Costco, as well as the generic. I buy the name brand, its not that much more and I'm just fed up with dealing with this, so I figure I'm not going to bother with anything else, though the generic is a little cheaper. If your GI suggests an endoscopy, don't be overwhelmed by the idea - I thought it was going to be horrible and it was a walk in the park and I'm so glad I did it. You don't want to let reflux go unchecked - it can lead to other conditions. I'm irritated the I went to an ENT and he commented that going to a GI was "overkill". I should have gone a year earlier. |
Anonymous
| Are you on any medications? I'm wondering if its a side effect from something that you're taking? |
Anonymous
OP here. I've stopped taking any Prilosec, maybe prematurely? This is what a friend advised me: If you go to a traditional MD, they will most likely order an acid reducer for you but my nutritional training has a completely different theory. Your lack of sleep and hectic schedule keep your sympathetic nervous system active. This is your flight or fight system and when it is active, your digestion is suppressed. So, your body is not producing the digestive enzymes and acid it needs. So, further reducing the acid levels will not really address the problem. It makes perfect sense you would be feeling this more now because you are eating more protein which requires more enzymes and acid. I recently started eating a higher protein diet, and because I'm a vegetarian, started taking whey protein in various forms, mixed into yogurt, milk, or water, as well as protein bars and stuff like egg whites, etc. This is when all these issues started, so I'm sure there must be a connection. I've stopped the additional protein intake and have gone back to my typical diet. I now have a prickly feeling in my throat and stomach and have wondered if I'm allergic to something I've been eating. |
Anonymous
OP here- I'm on medications, but nothing new. Metformin and during my period, Lysteda. But I've been taking both of these for awhile now- the met for several years and the Lysteda for about 4 months... |
Anonymous
I'm the PP with the reflux; I've read these things too, and also Chris Kresser's blog has info on this same sort of thing. At the end of the day though, I need to heal my esophagus, so I'm doing the medication for 8 weeks. |
Anonymous
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Hm, I didn't see te original, but when I have that lump I'm the throat feeling, it's post nasal drip. Have it occasionally now because of allergies. Antihistamines help. Real sugared when its a cold.
Any chance that's what's going on? |
Anonymous
| *sudafed not sugared. |
Anonymous
| sounds like indigestion. i had/have this and i took prilosec too which did nothing. im pretty sure i have a virus. |