ent thinks acid reflux cuz symptoms not 5.2cm nodule???

[zindy]

HI ,i went to ent and she  said she likes to remove nodules over 4cm so i guess i'll be having surgery. but she went through my nasal and looked at my throat and said my vocal cords is really red & inflamed. she wants me to take nexium for a month b/c that is a sign of acid reflux and that might be the reason of my sore throat,hoaresness, feeling of choking, ear & neck pain etc. my nodule is 5.2CM so i thought it was from the nodule? had prior surgery on r. thy. 18 yrs ago and the endo tells me its going to be risky b/c of the scar tissue inside from that surgery but the ent also said the rai(i 131) pill probably caused scaring too? he did say its is growing in depth so i figured thats the reason i feel so much pressure in my neck. fna came back benign but he also told me you really never know until surgery. my tsh went down to 4.2. from 30.4. this started out only being 2cm 7 yrs ago wished they would have taken out then.  i just want to start feeling better i push myself everyday.  i have a 1yo granddaughter i want to do things with but just so tried,cranky,brain fog etc... thank you for your widsom.

[ChitChatNine]

Ahhhhh I have real-life experience to share re: acid reflux and vocal cords being swollen, red, inflammed AND BILATERAL vocal Cord Nodules on my daughter who had these for 2 yrs before the ENT put it all together and scripted Prevacid for a year and after 8 mos the nodules on her cords were GONE!!!!!  In her case you don't have to feel the hot stuff coming up .. it comes up high enough to pass by the vocal cords and cause distress AND she also has something called LARYNGOSPASMS (can google it) and that means the liquid comes up and she chokes on it bcz the windpipe desperately tries to close off the liquid from being aspirated into her lungs.

She was only 10 at the time AND had bad asthma all the time, too ... the undiagnosed reflux, were causing microaspirations and ongoing asthma!!!! After Prevacid it ALL WENT AWAY (except asthma when ill) and the nodules are GONE!!!!

She had hoarseness as a sign and that led to the visit to the ENT in the first place .. they scoped her and I saw her cords many times in the reflux aggravated state.

Also reflux can cause a frog in throat/lump sensation and hard to swallow foods, too .. the esophagus gets raw and red and that causes sore throat pain really low.

I have too much reflux experience .... I have a website from 1998 when my son was born with severe reflux which finally is gone .. his stemmed from allergy to caseine and immature gi tract.  

http://chitchat9-ivil.tripod.com/   -- reflux reality website - geared moreso to children but has good links

Cheryl

[zindy]

thank you for the info.-  i hope your children are doing well now.  my ins. wouldn't pay for the nexium so she told me to get prilosec.  she didn't see any nodules on my vocal cords.  what you have said makes lots of sense.  i been going through this discomfort for 1yr. like today my throat and pressure in neck and ear is really hurting.  feel crappy and pulse is 105.  i go see the ent the end of june.  i'm on armour do you know anything about it?  i love to read this board you get lots of info.  thank you again

[ChitChatNine]

Prilosec should work but it does take time to build up in your system and fully work and be careful not to take any antacids for some time before or after as it will absorb and not work properly.  My now 16yr old had a small ulcer from arthritis meds a few yrs ago ... she takes Prevacid to this day as needed while my other daughter now takes Prilosec 20mgs.  NExium is a next in line defense med if Prilosec or Prevacid don't work .. you can get diareaha from Prilosec or Prevacid so keep that in mind ....

How many mgs of Prilosec are you on?

Gaviscon is great to help coat the esophagus and prevent acid from burning.

Don't know about Armour sorry :( .. I'm on Synthroid 88mcgs and oftentimes get heartburn from it when they up my dose and then it levels off!

C~