Feeling a lot better but..... HELP !!!!!!

[Sheik N Shimmy]

Hi guys,

Happy new year to everybody. I hope that Christmas helped some of you relax and forget about health and other worries.

I have been feeling a lot more positive lately thanks to this site, the feedback from people like Nell and Meg and Co. I've been taking walks and thinking about ther best holidays I ever had and where I'd like to take the family this year.

However, today I had been hoping to hear that I got the all clear after going through a barium swallow test. Instead they've asked me to do a CT scan and go back to the ENT Dept two weeks after that. The reason is that there is some kind of narrowing somewhere in my esophagus.

Apart from a tumour is there anything else that could cause a narrowing/ external compression of the esophagus?

I know there must be lots but I've had ongoing concerns about lung cancer, throat cancer etc. I'm a 37 year old with a 20 year history of smoking.

Despite some mild pain on inhalation (began three days ago) my breathing was examined by a Doctor today and he said nothing to worry about - just mucous/phlegm after a bad cold I've had.

It'll be weeks before I get an answer re the CT scan.... just looking for some positive vibes. I've accepted a promotion today but I'm scared that I'll be a failure due to worry.

Cheers for reading this,

E

Keep On Keepin On

[Trish]

Hi E

I'm sorry you have not got the results you were hoping for today...I am sure this will turn out ok for you. I can relate to playing the 'waiting game' for more tests to be done, i am waiting the results of some more blood tests i had done to see if my white cell count has come down, they are looking into CLL (see my posting in general) and i think the waiting is the worse. don't you?

I too am a smoker and the more i worry the more i smoke, even though with every one i smoke i panic, thinking "i shouldn't be smoking this"...What am i like???
Please feel free to pm me at anytime
Take care
Trish x

[Sue K with 5]

Hi

I too am sorry that you are worried! I am also a heavy smoker with a health anxiety and I know its hell because when we worry we really do worry.

Just try to stay positive and trust the doctors instincts

I am sure everything is going to be fine


Take care

Sue with 5

scknight

[Sheik N Shimmy]

Trish/Susan,

Thanks a lot for your posts. I'm glad there are people who can identify with this.

My GP examined my breathing yesterday and said that I don't have a chest infection - just some phlegm from the cold I've had. He prescribed Viscolex Syrup - something to bring up the phlegm. I felt much better after talking to him. Then of course things got worse.

Thismorning, to make matters worse I've had bright red blood in the tissue when I've been blowing my nose. My nostrils are inflamed. I'm not certain but I think I'm coughing up a bit of blood too. I'd feel like a fool going back to my GP again.

I ignored things over the Christmas (eg swollen gland behind ear which was sore). I can't go walking with this cold and breathing exercises aren't easy with congestion so it's getting harder to manage the anxiety.

I really think I'm done for now. :(

E

Keep On Keepin On

[nell1965]

Hi E
Happy new year to you too. Ok here goes, you have had recent chest x rays havnt you? so if any doubt over condition of your lungs you would know about it, dont worry about blood in hankie, that happens to me at times if i have bad cold or if sinuses playing up and i dont smoke, as for coughing up blood, im sure you are not, but even that can be sign of infection, remember though its more likely it is coming down back of throat from nose. As for narrowing of oesophagus there is a condition called oesophageal stricture which is a narrowing (nothing to worry about) but this normally presents itself with the patient unable to take any solid food as would any condition involving serious narrowing of the oesophageal area. Im not sure what to say to make you feel better except that you are a young man and the ent people are wonderful and can do wonderful things,if they thought for one minute that you had a life threatening condition they would have you in there right away,turning you inside out just to prove they are the king of specialties,maybe you will just have to face the fact that you are imperfect and may always have had a slight narrowing but your anxiety and present condition has brought it to light. Remember honey not everyone has to have something serious wrong with them, what makes us so special that we think it has to be us! Get those brochures and plan your next holiday, and then plan how not only are you going to prove yourself in your promotion but that you are going to take over the company, lol , have a little faith mate YOU HAVE THE POWER,now i expect a cheery response
H

I just want my life back
nell
x

[nell1965]

oh and i should quickly add for all you people out there with health anxiety that anxiety itself can also cause difficulty in swallowing due to oesophageal spasm just in case i have induced panic in anyone who has globus hystericus or oesophageal spasm, im trying to make people feel better, not worse, lol

I just want my life back
nell
x

[Sheik N Shimmy]

Hello Nell,

Thank you so much for the positive and reassuring response. I feel a lot better. I wish I could comfort people like that. But then you know your stuff and you are a professional.

Could 'Globus' compress the esophagus?

I think you could be right about the blood coming down from my nose. I haven't had nosebleeds in years but then I get one just before Christmas and then last night/ thismorning - only two hours after being checked out. If it had happened before I was talking to the Doctor I could have mentioned it. It's as if the anxiety or something is taunting me....... [Sigh...]

Traces of blood are still coming up in my phlegm.... it seems to be coming from the back of my nose.

I had a chest x-ray in October and it came back clear. I'll take it that that is a good sign and reduces the likelihood of lung cancer. A clear CT scan would give me great peace of mind.

I'm more than willing to accept that I'm not perfect lol!!!! I'll start thinking about the holidays soon - maybe Italy again.

Thanks again Nell. I hope you are feeling better too.

E

Keep On Keepin On

[Dan]

hi
i am not a medical person but my nan had lung cancer and it showed up in an x ray that she had for something else so i think you can assume it would have shown up if it was that in oct i dont really have any advice im afraid but just want to let you no that i to worry that any niggle must be terminal or worse haha
hope everything is ok im sure it is
and go back to plannin a holiday
im really hoping to get away this year even tho it is a bit daunting and if i can you can
take care and good luck
Dan

[nell1965]

E
Yes you are right a clear chest x ray is a very good sign, if there had been any doubt about it you would have had it repeated,or a ct of chest ordered then,my friend has a slight shadow on his and they investigated it right away turned out to be a bit of scar tissue from a bad chest infection but it did give him a bit of a scare (even though i told him it was probably that) I was working in respiratory at the time and dealing with regular bronchoscopy and ct biopsy patients as well as all kinds of respiratory conditions, respiratory physicians dont take chances with people any age but especially young people. As for the globus ? im not too familiar with bariums as we tended to go straight for the scopes or the ct,so unsure whether spasm would show up in a swallow as a "spasm" or as a narrowing,but i would imagine they would have been able to tell the difference, meg may be able to answer that question. Sometimes they already know if something is "nothing" but they ct anyway just to confirm. Best thing to remember is that you are being investigated and that whatever, if anything is wrong with you they will find it and fix it,you just have to keep telling yourself that,youhave a lot more damage to do yet, are you still off the weed?

I just want my life back
nell
x

[Sheik N Shimmy]

Many thanks Dan and Nell. Like the rest of the crew here I'm more reassured when I run these concerns by people here who understand. Obviously I'll have to wait before I get the all-clear but your words keep me hopeful.

I 'fell off the horse' over the Christmas but I'm back off the smoking again. It's a constant struggle. I wish I had more willpower but I don't.

E

Keep On Keepin On