Throat issues - trying so hard

[Traceypo]

I've had a sore throat for at least 6 months. Symptoms range from;
Burning raw feeling
Feeling of a lump stuck there
Mucus on throat
Hurts when cough or sneeze
Pain at back of mouth

I do have some acid problems, been prescribed lanzopreole but this upset my stomach so waiting to go back to doctors to try something else. Surviving on gaviscon at present.
Approx 2 month ago I went to ENT, had the camera up my nose and he said back of throat looked healthy. He offered me a camera down throat but felt it wasn't necessary, due to having recent surgery I declined.
I also have two bumps on roof of mouth, these were checked by my Dentist, xrays performed and they were not concerned at all, these were checked by two dentists.

I'm currently having CBT and things were going well, however I'm now letting myself spiral. I'm catastrophising again and this throat thing is really getting me down. My rational mind is telling me it's most likely acid problems mixed with a bit of a viral infection, my irrational mind is focused on the unthinkable. I'm googling again (slap my hand) and to be honest, I don't know what symptoms are real and what's in my head. It's my focus now from waking.
I've not been to my Gp in 8 weeks which is a miracle for me and evidences my progress, however I'm tempted to attend the walk in today.
Can throat problems last this long?
Xx

[MyNameIsTerry]

Well mucus in an inflammatory response, take it from a long term asthma sufferer of nearly 30 years. So, given it's very possible your throat is being irritated by acid, it follows that mucus will occur because your throat is going to be inflamed. So, unless a doctor (and preferably a specialist as GP's do see mucus as a flag for things that the specialists then tell you they are not!) is telling you mucus is a concern, it won't be and it will just be a response to the known acid problem.

Acid problems can go on for a very long time. My dads in his seventies and he's on omeprazole for dyspepsia and has been on it for years. I bet there are plenty of people on here who will tell you there acid problems have been ongoing for years, I've seen them helping others and explaining this.

Just to add something else to the counter evidence of something that will likely flash through your mind, you've seen two specialists (especially the ENT) trained to spot signs of cancer as well as from examination - so strike that one off the list straight away!

Not seeing your GP for so long is a massive achievement so well done. BUT something I have seen on here in HA people is also that they kind of view seeing a doctor for a physical issue any person would see them for becomes giving in to HA. Seeing your GP for this is sensible and normal and the battle with the HA here is that it can make you avoid it because you fear slipping back into the habit of pestering for reassurance. I can relate to this in myself as a non HA sufferer because with my OCD I had to walk for miles every day because it was the routine. Initially daily walking was a very healthy practice but like with all obsessional disorders it can become a negative but the trick is to learn to take control of it be removing the fear element and how you feel forced. I broke mine by staying in for months and suffering the extra worry about needing to go out. I broke the cycle. It wasn't quite as simple as it sounds and it was harder to get back out again but mixing things up is what I needed - because I needed to feel it was my choice and I could either.

You need to be able to choose to visit you GP when you WANT to, not when you are being pushed to. Then you see him to talk about something rational to help yourself, not to reassure yourself. Isn't that healthy?

You aren't slipping, you are doing really well but conquering anxiety is also about being able to do these things and not allow anxiety to make you fear them out of fear of relapsing old behaviours. You've broken an old negative behaviour all on your own, now you have an opportunity to take further control over it by telling it you do things when you WANT to.

[Traceypo]

Thanks Terry,
Just writing that and reading the response made me feel better.
I was given a thorough exam by ENT, checked neck, back of throat etc and also rechecked my benign lymph node and confirmed the previous diagnosis.
My throat has been through the mill, acid reflux and surgery with a tube down it is definitely going to irritate it. A lot of symptoms I had previously attributed to anxiety I now realise were Indigestion issues, so it's likely the acid has been present for a lot longer than I recognised.
I'm going to go back to Gp to see if there's an alternative to the prescribed one, or whether I just need to see out the nasty side effect.
I need to nip it in bud quickly, as the part of me has already started to fear things getting stuck in my throat, I spat a paracetamol out this morning as I'd convinced myself I couldn't swallow it, done dishes calmed myself down, didn't think about it and guess what, swallowed two without a problem.
Comforting to know about the Mucus thing, its not an all day issue, mainly lying on my throat first thing.
Once again Terry, thanks again for your calming words and support.
Xx

[uru]

You sound like me.

[Traceypo]

Thanks hun, what's your symptoms?
Xx