Non acid reflus

[majdar164]

Hello,
I hope someone can shed some light to my  problem.  It has been exactly one year that I have been experiencing tremendous problems with my throat.  For sometime before the sudden onset of my problem on January 14th of last year I was already experiencing acid regurgitation in the middle of the night and sometime during the day I would have a sensation of food getting stuck in my throat.  On the 14th of January last year my nightmare started while I was having a fish dinner.  It just felt like I couldn't swallow that peice of fish.  I went to the hospital and they thought I was allergic to the fish.  Ever since that time I ALWAYS feel like there is something in the left side of my throat.  It feels like pressure up against the inside of my throat.  To make a very long story short I was hospitilized in January for 8 days becuase the doctor thought I had a puncture in the esophegus or pharynx.  It was never confirmed that it acutally happened.  I was scoped before leaving hospital and nothing was seen.  I was put on antacid medication but I still have the same sensation every day of my life.  I have also lost 50 pounds in the last year.  I do not feel hungry at all and when I do eat I always feel like I am chocking and feel full quickly.  I have had barrium swallows done, endoscopy, ct scan (without dye) and mri of my throat.  All the tests  show small nodules in my throat and thyroid, loose junction between my stomach and esophegus and small lesions in my siliva glands.  None of the doctor's I have seen seem to think this is causing my problems.  I also see a phychiatrist since some of the doctor's indicated that anxiety could cause some of these problems.  I have been to the phychiatrist for six month, given medication, and my problem is getting worse.  I feel anxious but only because no one can seem to help me with my problem.  The phyciatrist is totally convinced that once my physical problem is resolved my anxiety will disappear.  Could this be some sort of reflux without acid or can you have an acid reflux problem and not feel heartburn?  
What is so frustrating is the the ENT doctors says its a gastro problem, the GI specialists say its an ENT problem.  I am continously going for scopes and tests but no one is putting all this together becuase the doctors are looking in their  area of expertice.  I wish there was a place like the Mayo clinic in the states here in Ontario or Canada.  You go in and all the doctor's work together to try to find your problem.  Can you shed some light on my problem or do you know of any place in Ontario that is like a Mayo clinic.  I feel like I have lost total control over my life and I am determined to help myself get it back.  I am very tired of getting the "I don't know" diagnosis, I just want someone to tell me why I am having so much trouble swallowing, feeling full all the time, constant feeling of something pushing in my throat, constant redness in my throat, exhausted, anxious and overall  un well feeling .

Hope you can provide some feedback on my situation.

Thanks so much for taking time to read this.
Majdar164

[majdar164]

Thank you so much for your reply,
what  test did you do that finally determined the diagnosis?  I have already stopped eating all the foods you listed for a year and was also on Nexium for 11 monrhs.  It does not seem to help but it could be that maybe my trigger foods are slightly different.  It is encouraging to hear that you are now going on 5 years healthy, I am getting scared that I will be this sick for the rest of my life.  If you can provide me with more information in regards to the test that was done I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks so much again!

[chris998]

Dear Majdar164
You sound like you have exactly what I do.  It's called endoscopy negative reflux disease.  I went through hell and went through all the tests you did and know one new what is was.  I finally went to a gastroenterologist and he diagnosed me.  I had to radically change my diet.  No diary products, no nuts, no beans, no chocolate, no alcohol, no coffiene, no citrus fruits, no tomatoes.  I gave up these foods and took Nexium for 6 months and got better.  I'm very careful about not lying down after I eat or drink.  At least three hours.  Now after 5 years if I cheat on these foods I can still get sick.  The good news is I am very healthy now.  I lost a lot of fat and no longer have throat problems.  The endoscopy negative means your swallowing mechanism doesn't work.  Your food goes down by gravity only.  Be careful about medications.  My general doctor gave me Lorazepam (Xanex) and my body got addicted to it.  That also made me sick.  I've had to spend months getting off the stuff.  Good luck, I hope it helps.