Started with "lump in throat" sensation...

[mackey73]

I was getting this full, congested feeling right around my voicebox--not painful, per se, but very annoying and actually quite consequential. That is, since it mimics a sort of sore throat feeling--and makes me feel "gaspy," it has a tendency to make me feel sick in general--malaise; a cold/flu-type mentality.

Anyway, that was two months ago. All of my Internet research pointed to GERD, so I decided to see whether Prilosec OTC would make a difference before going to my ENT. I had made an appt. with my ENT just when it was starting to work; the lump feeling was pretty much gone. He listened to my complaint, looked down my nostril with a scope, and said it looked a little, pink, but no tumors or anything. Then he gave me an Rx for Prilosec 40mg/day. My insurance won't cover it until I try Aciphex first, so I'm trying that as soon as I get the Rx in the mail.

Anyway, a few days went by without any Prilosec, and the lump sensation returned. And, for the first time, I noticed that my breathing sounds like I've got asthma--or a constricted esophagus. A wheeze--but not a craggly/pulmonary type wheeze like when you're sick, but rather my inhale and exhalations sounds as if the air is passing through a smaller space than before...

I resumed 40mg Prilosec OTC whilst waiting for the Aciphex Rx and things are getting better again, but now it seems like I need 60 or even 80mg a day!!

I've got no other symptoms or predisposing factors except that I'm a light smoker, and I take a drug (Ritalin) that causes marked dry mouth, which I'm sure plays some kind of role. Oh, and my diet, which I haven't made a lot of progress on in changing, still sucks, GERD-wise. That is, I eat chocolate, diet Coke, Indian foods, fast food, curry, etc.

Just thought I'd put my story out there to see if anyone else's is similar
Cheers,

[anonymouswreck]

Originally Posted by mackey73

I was getting this full, congested feeling right around my voicebox--not painful, per se, but very annoying and actually quite consequential. That is, since it mimics a sort of sore throat feeling--and makes me feel "gaspy," it has a tendency to make me feel sick in general--malaise; a cold/flu-type mentality.

Ahhhhh the all too familiar throat lump. Hi! I'm 17 years old in a week or two, and I've had LPR (Laryngopharyngeal Reflux) for just about 5 years. I would look it up if I were you, I can only assume that it may be the form of acid reflux you have. LPR is when your acid goes all the way up and hits your throat and messes with everything there. I think the combination of your changing around your medications sometimes can mess up your progress and *possibly* make things worse. So my advice is to find whichever PPI works best for you, stick to it, stop smoking, and try your very best to cut out those foods, because they are increasing the irritation that causes the acid to come up in the first place.

[Maxibear]

Mackey,

I use Ritalin for ADD problems, but when I developed GERD, the Ritalin made me sicker then evern whenever I would take it. A friend of mine with Chron's Disease who takes Ritalin tipped me off on how to take it when you have a problem stomach. He told me to drink a dose of Malox or Mylanta before swallowing the Ritalin. Though it still makes my stomach a little sore, the pain is nothing like it was before I started taking the Malox. The difference is remarkable. Still, I believe the Ritalin insn't helping any, so I try to use it as infrequently as possible.