my doctor is puzzled, and this is getting old...

[gnznroses]

rouge, every time i go back to the doc he says "i still think your throat looks like allergies", but since i've been on so many allergy meds he's not trying that anymore. i've been on Zyrtek, Allegra, Claritin (or Clarinex, can't remember), and some nasal spray, which he said was the best treatment. there may have been another too. none of em worked. and all of em but the Allegra and the nasal spray gave me major stomach pains.

i think i'm going to make another appt with the doctor and ask him what kind of specialist i should see. cause he right out tells me he has no idea.

what's worrying me now is the lump under my chin, at the very top of my neck.

i do wonder about it being some kind of injury, but would that actually make glands swell? and i haven't done much to injure it, except i moved my bed to the inside wall of my room, in case there was mold in the outside wall causing the problem, and now i have to pick it up and move it several feet every time i want to get into my closet, cause it blocks the door.

as for exercise, i really don't get any. at all. i had started kinda exercising a couple months ago, doing some sit ups and push ups and whatnot, and i guess i could have injured it doing that, but i would think i'd have noticed it when i initially did it.

[terrienne]

Originally Posted by gnznroses

I sure hope someone here can help me. i know this is a long thread, but please bare with me...

Starting a year ago, my throat has been sore, with red spots at the back of my throat. I went to the doctors and initially he said it could either be strep throat or an infection and gave me antibiotics. Then, stronger antibiotics. When those didn't help he said it could be allergies. I tried two different meds, and they didn't help. So I went to the Ear Nose and Throat doctor. He said the same thing: allergies. So i was put on Allegra. then a nasal spray. nothing helped.

So, I researched it and decided I have GERD or some kind of acid reflux. cause i have some symptoms (constant heartburn, belching, acidy taste in the morning). went back to my regular doc, and he puts me on Pilosec. then Prevacid. didn't help. so he signed me up for a low-cost way of getting Nexium. cause my uncle had used prevacid and got no results, but did with nexium. but, he said it could take months to actually get it. that was over a month ago.

then, about 2 1/2 months ago, my neck started hurting. and it felt swollen. went to the doc, he said the lymph nodes were swollen and put me on antibiotcs -- which didn't help. i go back again, and had a blood test taken, which came back fine. he's pretty much clueless by now. has been for a while actually. so he sends me to get an ultrasound.

the ultrasound took about 5 minutes, and she only covered the very front of neck, around the thyroid. even tho i told her it also hurt on the sides and that the doc said it was swollen on the sides. the results came back showing nothing.

now, it doesn't hurt so much around the adam's apple, but more under my chin. and i feel a lump there. but i dunno if it's normal or not. or if it was there before, in which case the doctor probably would've noticed.

but, there are some strange things about my problem. for example, if i take a hot shower, it hurts really bad. and feels more stiff (which it does some already). and my shoulders and down my back a little will hurt. plus, i've been fairly tired lately, sleeping in really late. and i've felt kinda flu-like off and on. and, my right ear has been ringing off and on for many months, which the doc said is usually caused by allergies. both my ears ache a little as well.

but, i don't know if the sick feeling is due to that or if i'm actually sick. or, more importantly, if my throat and my neck are related.

i'm really just desperate here. my doctor is just guessing. he even suggested that i have depression, and that the mental problem is manifesting into physical problems. which seems hard to believe.

any kind of help would be appreciated...

From Gee Gee,

This is just my opinion, I would see a ' Doctor of Infectious Diseases ', if I were you. This sore throat has gone on much too long, don't you think ?

Question........ ? Do you still have your tonsils ?

Good Luck, and I hope I have helped a bit.

Gee Gee

[gnznroses]

no, had my tonsils out when i was 9 or so.

[faeriegirl25]

Have you had your thyroid levels tested? Last year, I had " allergies" and they found out that I had hypothyroidism. I had excruiating pain that radiated from the front of my neck into my ear that lasted a month before they even did anything. You mentioned that you have been tired more? This is one of the signs that could possibly be your thyroid.. maybe you could mention it to your doc and see if you can get a thyroid panel. It may or may not be this, but I know how painful this can be, and you deserve to feel better.
Take Care
Fae

[gnznroses]

well, i thought of that, because according to my mom it runs in the family. actually, we talked about it before my blood test, and i think he said it'd be tested as part of that. and the blood test turned out fine. tho i wish instead of a simple "everything is fine" card in the mail that they'd give me a printout of all things tested and of the levels of each.