so scared and need reassurance - Dysphagia Message Board

packerbacker04 · 01-10-2008, 04:17 PM

I was diagnosed with Gerd and Erosive esophagitis about 2 years ago and was placed on Nexium. It helped immensely. What led me to get checked in the first place was the lump in the throat and swallowing problems. Well after things cleared up and we lost our insurance, I stopped the Nexium. I also was not able to get a follow up scope. We still do not have insurance and I have been taking the prilosec otc and since I foolishly did not change all my eating habits, have had acid reflux back for awhile now and this time I feel worse. I am now choking on smaller bits of food so today I have started on liquids. I also foolishly typed something in on a search and saw that my symptoms say it is esophagael cancer. Which I know it could be but when I was scoped I had no Baretts. Do you think cancer could have come on this fast in two years? I am so scared and as I said I cannot get a scope right now. I hope the liquid diet and the prilosec otc twice daily will heal this. I have also had chest pain and upper back pain which I did not have two years ago, just the heartburn and swallowing issue. I guess I hope this is a stricture and not cancer. I just hope someone here can reassure me, maybe if you are having the same symptoms. Thank you so much for reading. And to everyone with Gerd, God bless. This is not a fun condition for sure

packerbacker04 · 01-10-2008, 07:16 PM

anyone??!!

taape · 01-10-2008, 07:33 PM

Maybe you should go see your regular doctor and see if a referral to a specialist is necessary. Surely, if they think it's cancer your insurance would pay for a scope.

Stefarina · 01-10-2008, 08:55 PM

I don't know that I would go into panic mode, however I would consult your regular doctor if you can afford an office visit without having insurance. I was taking prilosec but had the scope done about 6 weeks ago. ( I think I have taken almost every PPI on the market and used to take Prilosec when it was still prescription only). I too was put on nexium for erosion in my esophogus. I also had some incidents with food getting stuck and have had GERD for 10 years.

A friend of mine had a scope last week who was having lots of choking issues on his food. He found out the scope showed a large hernia, which increases GERD and issues related to acid and choking. He hasn't had his follow up appt. yet, but the scope showed no erosion for him. Apparently the hernia is causing all of the problems for him.

I am thinking perhaps you also have a hiatal hernia. I have a small one, but my dr. said nothing needed to be done with the size of mine. Read up on hiatal hernia's and consult your doctor if you do not feel better. At least your regular M.D. can give you their opinion.
Keep us posted on how you are feeling and what you decide to do.

Good Luck,
Stefarina

Stefarina · 01-10-2008, 09:02 PM

You may also be having a gallbladder attack with chest pain and upper back pain. That is how my attacks presented last year and I just suffered for 12+ hours of excrusiating pain all 4 times thinking it was just my GERD/heartburn and it would go away.

It did eventually go away each time, but then I had to have gallbladder surgery. The surgeon I went to couldn't believe I had suffered through the attacks without going to the ER. I guess when you have a high pain tolerance, it is not always a good thing.

Best of luck to you, I just thought I'd throw out that thought as well after I re-read your post. You might want to explore gallbladder symptoms online.