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TheAnxiousNarcicist
31-01-15, 01:31
Hi guys. It's my first post here, so I'd first like to introduce myself. I'll probably start using this more often as my anxiety seems to be getting be better of me recently after thinking id conquered it.... Great. I'm 21 years old, names Jamie, and I'm from the UK. :)

Recently I've had a number of problems. In ascending order;

First on the arch at the back of my throat I noticed a small lesion, felt if in my mouth for a while, it bugged me, I plucked the nuts to ask a dentist during an examination and was told it was probably a blocked salivary gland due to its appearance. All was fine from there, it's still there but seems to have blended colour wise and is no longer (seemingly) a problem.

Then, the right side back of my tongue I kept feeling food get caught behind my tongue/between my teeth/tongue. Again this was self diagnosed and written off as enlarged papillae and has seemingly subsided.

Upon examining my throat around this time I noticed a little v shaped growth behind my pharyngeal arch, or whatever it's called I know there are other names for it names after some guy I believe. Either way, the closest thing I found to them on google are 'lymphoid aggregates', but these typically are round from what I've been able to see, not the same shape as this. I wish I could get a good picture to show you guys. This doesn't appear to be growing or painful, but recently I'm noticing twinges and a sensation of muscles pulling around that area almost... That's probably the best way I can describe it.

Either way it's tucked behind the arch and only noticeable by looking properly, been to two doctors who claim they can't see anything, second one said bed refer me to ENT, and 5 weeks later nothing has transpired as regards to an appointment which is just making things worse.

What my problem now is, is that I can feel a lump on the left side of my neck just beneath my 'glands' which is firm, but pops backwards and forwards if I push it quite easily as long as I get the right angle with it. Not painful at all, which is a bit concerning as it's not on the other side. Much like the lesion in my throat isn't on the other side either, or anything that resembles it for that matter.

The feeling of something being in my throat over the past 5 weeks has been lesser than it was, however I believe this is greatly to do with me packing in the use of ecigs which dry out your throat/mouth, thus creating more lubrication and less of an awareness to this issue being present.

To summarise amongst the rambling, there's a movable bump on the left side of my neck which isn't on the right, this causes no real bother or discomfort, there's a tenderness in my right neck muscle which the doctor has palpated and says there's nothing he feels there of concern, but the idiot doctor was in a rush at the time because he had more patients that day than expected and rushed me out leaving me feeling unassured, and when I turn my head to the right, I can feel something which I'm struggling to identify the location of. Part of me says I can feel the lesion touching the walls of my throat as I move, but at the same time I wonder if there a something somewhere else in there that I feel when I turn my head, it's really hard to tell if it's there or elsewhere.

I need some reassurance. I know there's probably few or no doctors here but I'm hoping someone has insight from a related experience or something! I'm going wild, and I feel like I'm not being taken seriously by my doctors. It's also difficult to explain to your boss after you've already taken two days off for the doctors... Especially when they've not had anxiety related issues to relate to.

Help! :((( I'm sick of thinking I'm going to die. I can't even seem to look to the future these past few days, I'm finding myself senselessly spending money and all sorts of crazy things. I need a blessing right now. :(((

popejoan
31-01-15, 02:05
Help! :((( I'm sick of thinking I'm going to die. I can't even seem to look to the future these past few days, I'm finding myself senselessly spending money and all sorts of crazy things. I need a blessing right now. :(((

This really got to me. I understand your fear. I've been there, I know how difficult health anxiety can be.

Don't get me wrong but you're not a doctor either. Aren't you examining your throat way too much? And googling will never help you. You're not a doctor and you will misinterpret what you see and what you read.

Do you think you might be suffering from anxiety lump (globus sensation)? It is very common amongst people with anxiety. I've had it on an off for 5 months and it gets worse whenever I focus on it. Anxiety makes your muscles too tense as well so maybe your neck pain is due to this.

I had oral cancer fears few months ago that I was looking down my throat everyday for hours. I ended up having a very painful jaw and I convinced myself I had tonsil cancer. I saw 2 ENT specialist and they both said I'm fine.

Just believe your doctors and try to stay away from google as well. Hope this helps, I'm here to talk whenever you need someone to talk to x

TheAnxiousNarcicist
31-01-15, 11:42
Hi PopeJoan, thanks for your response.

If I'm honest, this is so bad I've actually stuck my fingers down my throat to feel and it's made me gag, I'm that desperate to find out what's wrong. With doing this I've noticed that the papillae on my tongue are considerably larger and harder on one side than the other. Much rougher texture on the right hand side... Which is where all this discomfort is located.

The best way of describing it would be it feels like there's a load of congestion in all the areas mentioned. Right side of esophagus, right side of neck, and then I felt that bump on the left and though shit... The C word. You know how it is.

The worrying part is that I either dismiss it and it's serious and I face implications down the line or I keep worrying about it and for no good reason... Neither options are pleasant in all fairness, and it feels like neither are things I have a great deal of control over.

For one my panic is elongated and not subsiding, and for 2, even now that I've finally plucked the balls to visit a doctor which is something I always avoided with my fear of hearing the worst... It feels like nobody wants to know, and all friends/family seem to say is 'I doubt it's anything serious' as if they'd know anything. I just feel frustrated and shoved aside.

spacebunnyx
31-01-15, 20:54
I looked down my throat a year or so ago and saw a large lump on the back wall.. I freaked. Even the dr could see it and referred me to ent. Ent doc said it was a lymphoid aggregate. Sometimes it changes shape a bit but hasn't got bigger. I think oral c tends to happen Around the tongue and tonsils and is also v v v rare at your age.

TheAnxiousNarcicist
16-02-15, 00:50
Thanks for your reply SpaceBunny.

I understand that it's v v v rare as you put it but as a health anxiety sufferer you can't help but wonder why you wouldn't be one of the small percentage.

This has now been ongoing for 7 weeks. Still no response from docs regarding referral, I feel guilty to call in sick to work so I can take a doctors appointment incase they disbelieve me, I feel so frustrated and in despair at this moment in time. Feel like I'm too young to be dealing with this bull.

I'm noticing lately that coffee seems to bring the awareness out, and not as in when the caffeine kicks in but immediately after my first sip. It's annoying because some days I don't feel it for a few hours and then when I do it's not too bad, and I feel all positive then other days it feels like there's something lodged there.

So frustrated. Still hoping someone can come forward with some insight. It's driving me mad.

TheAnxiousNarcicist
09-03-15, 23:54
I'm still having difficulty. This past week I've felt great and felt like it was muscular tension after massaging an area of my neck and feeling little symptoms through the week. It's back today and it's annoying me again now.

Payday tomorrow, considering private ENT for endoscope/MRI/any other tests.

Bloods came back all clear aside from me needing to retake liver function. They checked for bone profile, full blood count, thyroid function, liver function and something else which I forget at this present time.

What are you guys thoughts on setting this aside and hitting up the private ENT? It might set me back but do you guys think it's worth it? For 1, the peace of mind if it's nothing, or 2 for the treatment if it is something?

I'm feeling frustrated as hell at this point.

keaw
10-03-15, 19:17
you sound just like me 2 years ago, I used to constantly poke about inside and outside my throat looking for lumps and spots, and shining torches down my throat in the mirror (I still do sometimes). I still feel like you...thinking what if they missed something etc. but 2 years on im still here. anxiety,stress,acid,food all sorts of different things can cause horrible feelings in your throat.

TheAnxiousNarcicist
11-03-15, 00:49
Keaw, what lead you to feel this way initially? Anything like what ticked me off?

keaw
11-03-15, 10:48
my dad died 2 years ago, and a few weeks after my throat started to feel strange, like someone strangling me and also like something was stuck in my throat, I started obsessively looking at and feeling my throat, and getting panic attacks. my drs said it was all anxiety( and maybe silent reflux) and put my on citalopram and lanzoprazole, they also sent me for an endoscopy (just to make sure) and took various samples, which were all clear. its taken me a long to to feel vaguely human again.

---------- Post added at 10:48 ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 ----------

also forgot to mention the lump behind my uvula (spelling?) on my throat wall, which terrified me for ages...but went away after a couple of months.