LPR? GERD? Something else? At wit's end! :(

Hello peeps, I'm afraid I'm totally lost right now; every doctor I see tells me I have generalised anxiety disorder, but I've tried CBT, Hypnotherapy, relaxation remedies and even Crystal Healing, but nothing works. I'm convinced something is physically wrong with me, but I just don't know what it could be. I'm having an endoscopy in 3 weeks, but the doctors I've seen claim it will be clear, so I'm worried I'll contract a throat cancer since cancer tends to run in the family.

This is what I've been experiencing for the last 5 months:

- A tight chest like something is sucking my body inside.
- A tight throat, and a feeling my neck needs to click back in place. It can make it feel difficult to swallow my own spit.
- Wake up with a sore throat daily, but it goes away with any food or drink.
- Excessive mucus; there's an usual taste in my mouth which I assume is from the post nasal drip. Sometimes I need to cough it out but my throat isn't hoarse.
- Occasional ear, arm and chest pain.
- Frequent Migraines which are no longer relieved by my usual medicine.
- Feeling of liquid in the throat and "vurping." Nothing that really burns, it just feels like I'm bringing some liquid up when I belch.
- Weakness and fatigue, especially in the head and legs.
- Palpitations and a feeling of not getting enough air. Tends to happen more at night or when sitting down.

Gaviscon Advance temporarily relieves these symptoms but not entirely. Omeprazole and lifestyle changes do nothing. Lansoprazole sometimes made me worse. It doesn't sound exactly like LPR because I don't have a hoarse voice and sometimes the mucus stops, but it can't be GERD because I'm not sure if I really have heartburn. It can't be anxiety either because these symptoms occur most after eating and when I'm trying to enjoy myself. What else could I possibly be suffering from?

Sorry to sound like I'm in a panic; I'm fretting over my symptoms every day and I'm getting worse all the while with no support from my doctors or family. The more I read about LPR the more I see how likely I am to get cancer, and that thought terrifies me. :(

[kevieb]

Just by listening to you, I would believe you have generalized anxiety disorder--but that's ok, I have had problems with it myself---full blown panic attacks, too--and lots of depression.  Sounds like you could use clonazepam or xanax---I kept xanax in my cabinet for years, but eventually switched to clonazepam and now prefer it--it is longer acting.

sound to me like you have reflux--especially since you vring up liquid when you burp.  I'm wondering if you might have some allergies, too.

The tight throat could be ananxiety thing--not sure about the feeling of it needing to click back in place--but I know that i occasionally will feel like I can't swallow, then it makes me anxious, which only makes it worse.

I don't get heartburn with my GERD for years---I got outright pain in my chest and back and neck --even made my teeth hurt sometimes.

Has anyone had throat cancer in your family?  with reflux, if you were worried about cancer, it would be esophageal cancer that would be the concern.

Your symptoms sound like GERD could be a definite possibility.  I have had it for almost 22 years and have now developed a conditon called eosinophilic esophagitis---doc thinks it is secondary to my reflux.

Make sure they take biopsies when they do your scope.

It sounds like you have some fairly insensitive doctors, they know you have anxiety problems, so they want to blame every symptom you have on the anxiety---I'm sorry.  My suggestion is that you get yourself on probably both an antidepressant and an anti-anxiety med and get the anxiety disorder under control.----Then, I think I would find a different doctor that doesn't already have a preconceived notion about you.

Having anxiety is horrible---I'm 50 and have been dealing with it off and on since I was in 3rd grade.  Hang in there---some of us understand!

[Red_Star]

At least 8 nutrients are dependent on adequate stomach acid: calcium, B9 and B12, magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin C and beta carotene.

Magnesium deficiency is found to be the cause of 50 - 60% of migranes (migraines). This one deficiency lists far to many symptoms to count but includes fatigue, heart palpitations, migranes (migraines), anxiety, shortness of breath (feels like you can't get enough air in your lungs), lump in throat or difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness....

The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, not baking powder) test...

The following steps help to determine your stomach's acidity:

1. Perform this test first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (before
eating or drinking)

2. Dissolve ¼ teaspoon of baking soda into an 8 oz glass of cold water

3. Drink the solution and start timing

4. Record the time until you first burp up gas

5. Perform this test for 5 consecutive days (or longer) at the same time each day to give a better estimation of your stomach’s acidity

Time until first burp:

If you burp immediately and excessively your stomach acid level is probably too high

Under 2 min: indicates normal acidity

2 - 5 min: low normal acidity

Over 5 min: possible hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid)

No burping indicates possible achlorhydria (no stomach acid).

[Flycaster305]

I'm not a health professional, but given your symptoms, it sounds like you simply need some exercise.  Certainly if there is throat cancer in your family, I wouldn't smoke or chew tobacco, and I'd certainly investigate what is causing what sounds to be problems with nasal discharge.  

Just a thought... if you hang around pubs, eventually you will have a drink.  If you hang around barbershops, you will get a haircut, and if you hang around reflux doctors, you will eventually find one who will do surgery, and at your age that is the last thing you need.  I'd suggest you exercise daily, keep a positive frame of mind and ignore the little symptoms.  Raise the head of your bed about six inches, don't eat or drink anything but water after you evening dinner, and again, exercise.