| Need help/advice with my LPR. I'm new to this problem.
Hello,
My name is Kevin, I am from the US, and I am 29 years old.
About four months ago I started noticing the sensation of a lump in my throat on the left side when swallowing. This "lump" feels as though it is just above my Adams apple on the inside of my throat only on the left side. My only other symptom is that at night my throat feels very dry… But it's not my throat that feels dry it's just the spot where I have the lump sensation feels dry. Almost like sandpaper.
The symptoms started abruptly, I woke up one morning and all of a sudden this lump sensation was there and has been there ever since 4 months later. I had been drinking heavily the night before and slept on a couch with no pillow if that helps.
Of course at first I freaked out and figured I must have throat cancer or some horrible problem. My doctor referred me to an ENT who did a laryngoscopy of my throat and later a CT scan. All of the tests came back with normal results. She then officially diagnosed me as having LPR.
I have no other symptoms, and have never had "traditional" symptoms of heartburn or GERD.
She prescribed me Pantopazole 40mg 2x a day before breakfast and dinner, and 20mg Nortriptyline at bedtime. I guess sometimes these lump sensations can be aggravated nerves and the Nortriptyline can help calm and heal nerve damage.
However it's been 4 months and I feel no better or worse. In addition to the medication I have also made the following changes:
-elevated my bed with bricks
-take meds as directed
-stopped drinking acidic beverages and eating acidic foods plus limit caffeine
-I would occasionally smoke cigars, but I have stopped.
-I recently stopped my weekend drinking with buddies.
-I gargle with Evamor high PH water after brushing incase it's "pepsin"
NOTHING seems to help. After 4 months I feel just as bad as I did in the beginning, except I have less money from spending it on pills and tests and DR's visits. Also I'm starting to get depressed and frustrated, and my girlfriend is getting upset that it bothers me so much. But it's hard to get people to understand how distracting it is to feel this lump when swallowing or talking.
Is there anything else I can do? Should I find another ENT? Or ask for a different test? Am I stuck like this forever?
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