"Lump in Throat" Sensation - GERD? page

[valeo44]

Hi all!

Just wondering if anyone has experienced a "lump in the throat" sensation as a manifestation of acid reflux? When I don't think about it, I don't feel it. But when I swallow saliva (I don't really notice it when swallowing food), it feels like there is a little something stuck there.

I have a history of acid reflux and have been on PPI's for about 6 months, but just started having this sensation a few days ago. Thyroid tests, etc were normal when I had them done in April...

I am hoping that paleo will alleviate the need for PPI's so I can get off them once and for all.

Any thoughts? Advice? Experience with this issue?

[Ukprimalchick]

I used to get a sensation like the lump in your throat you get when you are going to cry? I put it down to anxiety (even though I don't suffer with anxiety lol!) but it actually turned out to be a symptom of my hypertension. When my BP is under control, no lump. When it's up, I get the lump. Very unpleasant I might add.

[valeo44]

Interesting Ukprimalchick! My BP hovers around 121/77 usually (also tested in April)... I suspect this sensation could be attributed to many things, including anxiety, like you said.... now that I'm thinking about it most of the time...

Good to know though, that once you got your BP under control the lump went away. You're right, it is unpleasant!!

I'm hoping someone else has a similar story that was explained by acid reflux...

[Danielle5690]

You can have "normal" thyroid labs and still have an enlarged thyroid (I did for years). That would be my first guess, but it could be several different things.

[valeo44]

Edit...

[Carlita]

Hi,

I experienced the same thing!

I went to see a nose, ear, throat doctor and he didn't see anything.
He gave me Pantomed which works against acid reflux and that helped.

He also sent me to an internist, I don't know how you call a doctor who's specialized in stomachs
He did the thing with the tube down the throat and confirmed it were cramps of the gullet (hope that's the correct word).
He said I shouldn't worry.

So it's an annoying thing that still happens once in a while when I have acid reflux, but not so often anymore.

I don't experience a big difference in acid reflux since eating Primal, but the gullet cramps are much less.

[Gravyboat]

You can have "normal" thyroid labs and still have an enlarged thyroid (I did for years). That would be my first guess, but it could be several different things.

This this this.

I had a feeling of a lump in my throat for years and years. It was especially bad after eating, and I'd end up having to clear my throat a ton. I could only swallow tiny amounts at a time, and whenever I swallowed liquid it would first shoot up into the back of my sinuses, like there was a blockage below.

Got thyroid panels done, and was told I was fine. Got a thyroid ultrasound done, and was told it was "slightly enlarged".

I wasn't satisfied with that because I had like every single hypothyroid symptom in addition to a small but visible goiter, so I started taking iodine and lost 2 inches off my neck within a couple weeks. Now there's no more lump in my throat.

[lindab]

I've had the same thing for a long time, along with constant clearing of throat, post nasal drip and hoarseness. I've never had heartburn or GERD, but the ENT said I have "silent" reflux, that he said, left untreated, could lead to esophogeal cancer. He prescribed a PPI, which I've been taking for about 6 weeks. I honestly don't notice much difference, and I don't want to continue taking pills that don't help anything. He also put a tube down my nose/throat to check my vocal chords to make sure there were no nodules, and they were clear. I've stopped drinking because of other meds I'm taking, which I thought might help the reflux, but I don't think that's helped either.

[keithpowers]

I had this happen quite frequently when I had GERD... the doctor put me on two 30-mg Prevacid a day, and it started to heal my esophagus from a VERY badly damaged stricture just above my cardiac sphincter (there were several times in which food would get stuck, below my windpipe but above my stomach, and my options were to try to force it down, or throw it up. The extent of the damage was discerned on June 6, 2006 when I had to have a gastroscope inserted to displace a chunk of pork wedged into it). After 6 months of Prevacid, the stricture started to release, and I was more able to swallow. After I changed jobs, and alleviated the stress from the previous one, it got even better.

After I started eating Primal/Paleo, it pretty much went away completely.
Sugar seems to trigger my reflux without exception, so I actively avoid it.
(Please note that I mean refined white sugar, and HFCS: honey doesn't do it, and neither does starchy carbs like sweet potatoes)

[valeo44]

Thanks, all! I'll have my doc check the thyroid next time I'm in to see her.

I too had the constant throat clearing, "silent reflux" for years, but didn't have it diagnosed until late 2010. I resisted taking the PPIs initially prescribed thinking I could lose weight and that would help with the reflux (ENT said it would, and I'm sure it will). In the last 6 months though, the silent reflux has morphed into wicked heartburn, so I have been on the PPI's for 6 months. If I forget one, I feel not only the throat cleaning, but terrible heart burn. The "lump in the throat" only started about 2 weeks ago... So clearly, it's getting worse... or that's what it seems.

I am starting a 30 day paleo challenge to see if that clears up the throat clearing, heartburn, and lump in the throat, and allows me to stop the PPIs. I'll keep you posted. Lindab, I read somewhere yesterday on here that it took someone about a month to notice improvement/disappearance of their GERD/reflux after going primal.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences