Went back to the doctors for help..!

[reddevil]

I decided to go back to my doctors today (embarrassed, but I got the courage from my NHS anxiety carer).
I also decided to take my wife with me for courage and support.

I decided to put my cards on the table and I told him the following:-

* I'm worried about my throat, could you reassure me please that it's nothing serious?
* Regarding my medication (amitriptyline), do you think it's working / helping me?

He started off by saying, he has to be very careful when checking me over as I suffer from health anxiety and
it's hard to tell if am poorly or my anxiety is causing these symptoms, which I see him about.

First of all he looked into my mouth and said the throat is still inflamed (red) and my mouth is also, but no more antibiotics
would be needed as they would do nothing and if I calmed down, then the throat will calm down (worried me as to why throat is red).

I asked him if it's anything serious like throat cancer and he said he can see no signs of throat cancer.

He then has decided to put me on Citalopram (one a day) and a beta-blocker (propranolol) twice a day to help me out and to come back in two weeks

He listened to me for 20 minutes as I was his last patient and a started to get upset (embarassing for a 32 year old), which he was nice to me.

I left ok apart from why was my throat and mouth still red and that he does not seem alerted by it.

I have to go back in 14 days time to see how I'm coping on.

Red

[Wannabeloved85]

Hi Red,


Sounds like you have a good dr. I used to constantly have a sore throat, ig get spasms in my throat too {which made me worse} but when i got cramp like feelings i was worried. Add that to the razer like feeling i got when i swallowed, i was in a state, for about 3 weeks. I realised the more i thought about it and worried over it, the worse i felt, id panic and it would go really tight and id get a lump in my thoat along side my other symptoms. Now as a smoker i was petrifyed of throat cancer, i may have only been 20, but still, it was cancer. I found a lump on my neck which made it worse {i soon figured out that id burntmyself once using curling tongs!} I never saw a dr, i was too scared to do so, i didnt want the dooming news to be confirmed.

After a while i just drunk warm tea and cut down on the smokes, plus my mum forced me to do things other than lay on my bed and worry.

I really do know where your coming from on this one, its terrifying. There a million and one reasons as to why we get sore throats. {bare in mind the flu is going round, has been for a month or so now} but also {reading from my natural remedies book} where we live can affect our health, living close to town centres etc can cause more sore throats and sinus congestion and highten stress levels, which your body neds to release-stress i mean, and your body will take any resort to release that stress, be it anxiety,tiredness, now i know this is nothing to do with a sore throat lol but i thought id just write it anyway!

Take care

Becci x

[hayles]

Good on you.
Hopefully the new meds will help tp calm you down
and thenmaybe your throat will clear up.

Fingers crossed

Hay x

[Silly Blonde]

Just a thought - but I assume you know that us anxious types produce a lot more stomach acid than your average relaxed person!!

I get quite bad heartburn (pain between my shoulder blades usually!!) and my GP explained that its the reflux of the stomach acid, moving up your food pipe. Only our stomach has a special lining which stops acid erosion, our food pipes and throats don't have that protection.

My guess is that this could be stomach acid causing the throat irritation - and your GP is bang on with his advice - no point sorting out the symptoms (ie with antibiotics) - you have to get to the root cause, ie the anxiety, before this will get better.

Good luck on the new meds - fingers crossed they'll make you feel better!

SB xx

[traciec39]

Well done :Dfor seeing the doctor and being so honest with him:D
Are you constantly swallowing to ease the discomfort? thats why your mouth and throat will be so red.
You must beleive in your doctor, anxiety proglongs any symptom.
I really do hope that the new tablets will help to calm you, Also try to practice relaxation every night before sleep, this will help too.

I wish my doctor was a understanding and sweet as yours

luv tracie x

I CAN, I WILL , I AM

[reddevil]

Hi all,

I'm just glad I was honest with him today, it was very embarrasing at first but it paid off.

Red

[Daisybun]

Hi Red, stress can give you a constant sore throat. It is linked to the tension in the throat area and that then causes the vocal chords and tissues to become strained and irritated. The best thing you can do, and I know this is hard is to relax. Try steaming, this moistens the throat, massage on the neck area and some simple neck turns and shoulder rolls to release the tension in your throat. i had the same thing for four months last year and i am fine now, I even had an endoscopy into my throat, nothing there!
Another idea is to do some simple vocal warm up exercises, you can find them on singer's websites, that helps with throat tension, I do that now and it has helped enormously
I am on citalopram and it was the best thing I did. It was hard at first but now I have returned to work and I have my life back. Hope this helps you

Take care
Daisybun

'This too will pass'

[samc100]

Well done on going to the Dr's it does help to get an understanding one. When are you going back next? ( Oops sorry missed that bit on your post)

I am on Citalopram too. It takes a while to get going but it's fine really and I made a huge drama about taking tablets.

[reddevil]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Hi Red, stress can give you a constant sore throat. It is linked to the tension in the throat area and that then causes the vocal chords and tissues to become strained and irritated. The best thing you can do, and I know this is hard is to relax. Try steaming, this moistens the throat, massage on the neck area and some simple neck turns and shoulder rolls to release the tension in your throat. i had the same thing for four months last year and i am fine now, I even had an endoscopy into my throat, nothing there!
Another idea is to do some simple vocal warm up exercises, you can find them on singer's websites, that helps with throat tension, I do that now and it has helped enormously
I am on citalopram and it was the best thing I did. It was hard at first but now I have returned to work and I have my life back. Hope this helps you

Take care
Daisybun

'This too will pass'

<div align="right">Originally posted by Daisybun - 28 September 2006 : 22:34:39</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Hi,

Thankyou for you reply, is this why it looks red as well because of the tension?

Red