Anyone pre-surgery with this problem?

[Peggy in Alaska]

I've been thinking about asking you guys about this one. I am always feeling like something is stuck in my throat. I am constantly clearing my throat or forcing a cough to make the feeling go away, but it is always there. I've been told it is not related to my heart problems, but my cardio. doc says next time I am at the Mayo I could see another specialist and go through a bunch of additional tests. Yuk!

I saw an ENT here, he was sure it was reflux. Put me on that popular pill, said I'd feel great in days, nothing. Went back to him, he still though it was reflux. Sent me to a gastro doc. Boy, did I have fun. 24 Ph monitor [tube down the throat]. Then an esophagus motility test [another tube down my throat]. Was told this test would be a difinite test as to whether or not I had acid reflux. Test came back inconclusive. So I've been living with it, after going to a different ENT than the 1st one. He did a pharyngoscopy and didn't find anything strange. I was told that my "thermostat" has changed, that I am just now more sensitive to the slightest feeling of blockage in my throat. Anyway, just wondering if anyone has experienced this. The thread the other day about the breathing tube and gagging really made me think of my problem.

 

[bvdr]

Peggy,

I wouldn't be surprised if it is some way related. My cardio did mention to me that alot of people with valve problems have GERD as well. I told him I sometimes did and he asked me what I did about it. I told him I took my husband's prilosec for a few days until it went away. He asked me if it worked...I said yes, and he said to continue it then.

I just think if an enlarged left atrium can exert enough pressure on a nerve to cause hoarseness than surely other things can be effected as well. Is your heart enlarged? If it is then it may be taking up more than it's assigned space. I guess I'm just not surprised by much anymore

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello Peggy,

Did your ENT or GI Doc tell give you a list of the usual 'treatments' for GERD?

Eliminate or reduce intake of Caffein (coffee, cokes, chocolate)

NO mints (especially peppermint) or Tomatoes.

These tend to make the esophageal sphincter open or loosen up.

Sleep with the head of your bed elevated 6 to 8 inches.

Do NOT wear tight clothes / pants.

That's all I remember off the top of my head.

'AL'

 

[Nancy]

It could be so many things.

My husband has had enlarged neck veins in the past. They were prominent enough for me to see them sticking out, looking likes ropes and I could see his pulse in his neck. This was from his cardiac problems prior to his mitral surgery. It is from fluid backup and high pressures. He also had the same problems when his pulmonary hypertension was untreated.

They caused him to cough and even choke on food. I have had to give him the Heimlich maneuver in the past. Plus he has vomited and coughed up blood.

The cardiologist can take a look at your neck veins and even palpate them to see if this is the problem.

It can be from cardiac problems, but it also can be from many other things.

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Al:

I tried all that stuff - no coffee, no alcohol, raised the head of the bed. I don't think it is acid reflux, but I know it is driving me crazy. I NEVER have heartburn, so how can I have acid reflux? Maybe I will have to endure yet more tests the next time I am in Rochester. Means I'll have to stay an extra day or two. But it might be worth it. In the back of my mind, I think it is somehow related to the valve problem. . .

 

[Georgia]

Yeah, that was another problem I had that I sure didn't relate to heart (along with all the others). I had a lot of indigestion - took gobs of tums, etc, and that was all in the month before I got really sick. It was all through the holidays; so I wrote it off to holiday fare. Haven't taken a tums since I got home from the hospital. And I had some of that choking kind of feeling up high in the throat. Not nearly as bad as you and not as often. I think I had so much fluid retention that my middle was distended and caused all of this.

 

[hensylee]

Peggy - hiatal hernia? This can cause the feeling of a 'lump in the throat'. My mother had it for years upon years. Many have this, but some are much worse than others. Mother's was and she felt the lump always. Read up on the net about it.

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Hensylee:

But with a hiatal hernia, I would be experiencing indigestion and heartburn and I have absolutely none of that. Only the feeling of a lump or a clog in my throat. I never take tums or pepto.

 

[chilihead]

Peggy,

I've had a similar feeling lately. I'm on Altace to try and postpone my AVR a few months. I think it makes me have the cough. I was at another heart surgeon the other day and his nurse asked me if it flet like food was "hanging up" when I ate. it does some times but not always. She did not tell me, but I suspect that at times my heart may be swollen and constricting the esophogaus (sp).

Best of luck,

Jim
AVR planned for later this year.
severe aortic regurgitation

 

[Jamjude]

chilihead

chilihead

I wish you luck Jim. Just ran across your post. Just in the past few months I have had difficulty eating, with out having slight heartburn. Not always, depends on what I'm eating. The only good thing I can say is my waistline sure isn't suffering! Very cute child there! TC. And best of luck. Judy.

 

[KimC]

Wow, it's amazing to read posts that I can identify with.

I'm seeing a GI specialist next month for an endoscopy. I live with the sensation that something is throbbing in my throat. I try not to think about it, but have noticed that it gets worse when I eat or drink -- the pulse pressure increases in my neck and upper sternum.

The sensation was 10x worse while I was pregnant; by the end of the pregnancy I could only eat small amounts of food, and even this caused great discomfort. If I would lay down on my left side, I would sometimes feel a rising pressure that would intensify -- as if I was being strangled. The sensation would last a couple of minutes, then go away. Angina or GERD? I don't experience the pain of acid reflux; it's more like a swelling or tightness and throbbing.

I've been told it's either GERD, anxiety or heart-related and have tried several medications to no avail. I'll know more in early October after further testing.

After what I experienced during Labor, (my BP kept dropping) I'm convinced that it was angina. I'm only experiencing the throbbing postpartum, so I guess it doesn't matter. I see my cardio next month for further testing.

 

[Marcia]

heartburn

heartburn

I have had severe heartburn since the surgery. I was put on Pepcid after the surgery for 2 mos then taken off. I really started having some bouts with heartburn and called and went back on the Pepcid. I also have a feeling in my throat that there is something there and keep trying to cough. I think maybe something changed after putting all the tubes down. I have also been mouth breathing at night which causes me to snore. Have woke myself up snoring. Never did this before. Has anyone else done this? I thought maybe it was the extra 10 lbs. that I gained since the surgery that was doing this. I quit smoking when I had the surgery and thought that the throat thing would stop.





Mitral valve replacement, St. Jude
02/27/03
Peoria, IL
Dr. Dale Geiss

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Hi Jim:

I am not on any drugs, so I don't think my cough/clear my throat all the time is from any drugs. I can see that if the heart is enlarged, it could be putting pressure on the esphagous. Maybe that is what is going on with me.

Congrats. on the new baby! Hope everything went well and, also I am glad to hear you will be having your surgery before the end of this year.

Take care.

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Marcia:

Thanks for the reply. I don't have trouble with heartburn at all, but your comments about having the feeling of something stuck in your throat and trying to cough it loose sounds all too familiar. And the mouth breathing. I never used to breath that way when sleeping and yes, I have woken myself up with a snort or a snore lately! Weird.

 

[Granbonny]

Peggy

Peggy

My Mom ( my best friend died suddenly) after the funeral..when I came home..I had the lump in my throat...I guess..I am lucky..because after testing for 3 months ..ENT..Gastro man..and my PCP.. and every test that you mentioned..Nothing. Tried all their pills for reflux..I kept saying to them..I do not have heartburn, ect.. Finally, my PCP sent me to Cardiologist..Guess what? Open-heart surgery for an aneurysm..They would have never found it..if I had not gone to try to find out why..the lump in the throat, ect....That is the good news..the bad news is..I had starting burping to try to stop it..Now, I have aerophagia..swallowing air..without knowing it. Cardiologist and PCP says I will stop on my own someday. It is worse in afternoon's..After a stressful day of trying to stay up with my age 11 year old grandson, ect. Whatever you do..do not make yourself burp. I feel like mine all started with stress...from Mom's passing. If you are pre-surgery..maybe some anxiety meds could help? bonnie

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Thanks for your thoughts, Bonnie. Anxiety meds. are not a solution for me, at least not yet. I even hate taking my birth control pill each day! I hate taking pills. At least I have confirmed my belief that this throat thing is not in my head, and that there are people out there with the same condition and that it is probably related to my valve. Gee, I hope they dont find an aneurysm at my check-up next summer! Yikes.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Peggy-

Is you next checkup actually next summer? In my humble opinion, maybe you should run this by your doctor and have it checked out sooner. Any time people with known medical conditions feel something different that is unexplained, they should get it checked out, sooner is always better. If it turns out to be nothing, then wonderful, you won't have to worry, but if it is something, and you don't get it checked, you might regret it.

If your cardiologist doesn't want to pursue it, then call your primary and run it by him/her.

If it is bothering you and doesn't feel right, please go, don't wait. It isn't normal to feel like there is something stuck in your throat.