blood tests

[kmlong]

the rhinocort is budesonide spray, probly similar to nasonex, flonase, etc. As far as my thyroid goes, there is no visible swelling around my neck but boy it sure as heck feels like it! Also did some reading about post nasal drip (which i have terribly) and how that too can cause these symptoms. I am constantly swallowing thick secretions, clearing throat, and my ears always hurt. been taking the rhinocort probly two weeks now but don't think it's been long enough to get the full term effect yet. I would hope that my blood tests were figured using the most up to date numbers but they only sent me a paper telling me what was tested and they were all normal. i'm not sure if i even want to go to the gastroenterologist now if this could be all allergy related but i just don't know! i can't live like this everyday though, i know that! It's just constant pressure! it bothers me the most on the neck muscles on either side of the adams apple just above the collar bone. the muscles actually feel like they are tensed up all the time, they feel tight to the touch. Guess i should still get the scope work done though just to know if it isn't something in my esophagus.

[lugter]

Dont worry about the scope. Its not a pleasent feeling, but afterwards you are like "Thats it!". Its really nothing to worry about. Good luck.

[kmlong]

it's getting much worse! I'm going to go crazy waiting another 2 weeks for the consultation with the gastro. Now getting pinching like pain all through the thyroid area and my left lymphnode seems a bit large and kinda crunchy if you move it around and turn the neck different ways. Turning my head left and right seems even tighter now with even more pressure on adams apple when head is turned at left or right, driving has been real fun! Still getting pain on and off between my shoulder blades almost as if i swallowed something too big and that feeling of when a large piece of food just slowly slides down scraping through your back. Now feeling like air is in my throat (burping feeling I guess). I'm not sure but i think it is worse after eating but the surprising thing is that while eating i only experience a very small amount of trouble swallowing which i believe is from whatever is causing the pressure and swollen like feelings. I get very gassy now. I've never been regular at all with bowel movements even before having heartburn problems. I guess that should've been my que to get checked. Also feels like i'm swallowing air when i swallow sometimes. Everything i eat i burp and taste, even liquids i burp and taste! I'm not so sure it's even related to post nasal drip anymore because today i was virtually free of any PND symptoms and i'm having problems. I am so worried to death guess from the guilty conscience of using smokeless tobacco for a long time and drinking. I stopped using the tobacco for all last week and seriously cut back on my drinking habbits and at first it seemed like it made all the difference but now the end of the week it's right back the same way again. No doubt in my mind now that over the months of tobacco and alcohol use is what caused my GERD in the first place. And knowing now that i'm particularly vulnerable more than most standard people!! I pretty much have myself convinced i've got some kind of cancer and just can't seem to get my mind off of this. I gotta tell you i hope the gastroenterologist seems more concerned than my doctor and can answer a lot more of my questions!

I appologize for writing such a lengthy post but i just have to get this off my mind! About how much does this endoscopy cost anyways! I have $300 deductable then after that i pay 15% of the bill. Anyone remember from their insurance statements about how much the total procedure was before insurance kicked in? thanks everyone