Mast Cell Disorders Forum - Pressure In The Throat?

nelson1600

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Pressure In The Throat?
07/22/11 at 05:00:44

Ok, so I've put off asking about this but I don't think I can wait any longer Wink

I routinely go through spouts as many do where the heat or some other trigger will put me in a situation where I feel like I can't breathe and will cough in conjunction with the episode until it eases (sometimes 10-15 minutes; sometimes several hours)

However I randomly experience this intense feeling of pressure in my throat around where my neck meets my chest. When I feel this pressure I know two things are going to happen; I am more than likely going to experience another episode where I can't breathe and it's not going to let up until I throw up... I am not one who can just "make themselves" throw up; so I am stuck waiting on my body to take its course. Sometimes I only throw up once; other times it could be 3 or 4 times and then almost like magic the pressure in my throat subsides and I feel as normal as I did before.

Anyway, I've learned to try different things; take an extra zyrtec, zantac; I have even tried some antacids... I'm just curious if anyone else deals with a similar issue and if so have you found a way to help alleviate or remedy the symptom? I've been keeping a "log" of times and environments when I experience these things, but this one has no rhyme or reason... Different times of day, often on empty stomach other times after eating, different places, etc... In fact the most embarrassing was at dinner with my parents, in-laws, and grandfather almost 100 miles away from home and the humidity was non existent; I had felt so good all day that it surprised me...

Anyway; enough rambling from me -- I hope that EVERYONE is doing well today and if anyone has any advice on this I will forever be in your debt...

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Riverwn

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #1 - 07/22/11 at 05:42:20

Hi Lucas!!
Sorry to hear youre having trouble again, I was wishing all was well with you

OK lets tackle this problem. Even before I got "ill" I had problems like that. Sometimes in the middle of eating (most often) , sometimes after eating.. and sometimes when I did nothing to trigger it--or so I thought..

With me, I would call this a "food bolus" or air bolus.. the feeling that something is caught and hurts terribly until it moves--the pain can be so serve that I almost passed out with it. Ive learned how to control it now, so maybe this will help you??

When you get that feeling.. its your bodys first alert that you are trying to react.. excuse yourself from the room, get a glass of ice water (helps me alot)... sip that and do not eat or gulp drinks until this passes. Take benadryl or whichever antihistamine helps you the most and wait for it to kick in.. relax...

OK now try NOT to throw up--because if you do, the throat will swell from it and make the likelyhood more that this could happen again. You dont want that...

For the next few days, I take Prilosec to coat my throat and tummy. I might also take an extra Zantac 300 mg.. and I have Phenergan for nausea and vomiting. Take it ahead of time if you can remember.. Know that this heat is gonna play hell with you, so stay iin cool AC and relax... the weather will change in a month and we will all be so happy

Hope this helps!!
Hugs
Ramona

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Riverwn FORUM MODERATOR/ADVISOR Offline Posts: 993 Gainesville, Florida	Re: Pressure In The Throat? Reply #2 - 07/22/11 at 05:45:05 PS eat light , small bites, keep a drink next to you and when you do eat, do it slowly until you have a few ok days behind you.
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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #3 - 07/22/11 at 06:16:44

Ramona you are so kind... I really don't know what I would do without you and of course Lisa and Heather

I wish I could say all has been well Sad

-- but I've simply learned that life is not going to be perfect and I have tried to pick and choose the questions I ask here on the forum...

Thank you for the information -- I am nervous though because this has been going on for some time -- started last year and what ends up happening is a dry heave that continues periodically (absolutely no control over it) and it continues until something comes up (times I haven't eaten for hours or even the day); but by golly somethings going to come up and then it subsides...

I will try some prilosec OTC in conjunction with my zantac and other meds; hopefully this helps...

As always you are the best!

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nelson1600 Tutor Offline Jack of All Trades & a Master of None :) Posts: 92 Melissa, TX	Re: Pressure In The Throat? Reply #4 - 07/22/11 at 06:24:04 Oh; I almost forgot -- Come on September, come on September, come on September.... Really in Texas (at least North Texas); it's normally around the 2nd week of October before the weather really starts to change... LOL, I feel like a kid waiting on Christmas; but as an adult who just wants the weather to change....
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Susan

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #5 - 07/22/11 at 11:15:13

Hi Lucas,

I'm so sorry, I meant to PM you!

I recently had an endoscopy for many of the throat symptoms you are experiencing. My GI doctor believes I have something called eosinophilic esophagitus, which did show indications in the visuals of the endoscopy, though I am waiting for the biopsy results. My endoscopy pictures look exactly like all the pictures they show of rings in the esophagus.

I posted a couple of papers in the section on conditions related to masto. They are finding quite a few connections between eosinophilic esophagitis and masto, and some other folks around here have also received the diagnosis.

Beyond the regular medications for masto, there are some specific treatments for EoE, including dilation of the throat (scarring develops that restricts swallowing and breathing), swallowing a liquid cortisone medication, and a few other options.

Like masto, it is considered a lifelong disease, and they don't know the exact cause, but believe it may be a delayed allergic reaction to inhaled or ingested items. I highly recommend that you check into it, as the scarring can be something that needs treatment.

Here are a couple simple articles on EoE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophilic_esophagitis
http://www.eosinophilicesophagitishome.org/
http://apfed.org/drupal/drupal/symptoms_of_EGIDs

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Susan

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Chronic neurological infections
Diagnosed with Mastocytosis August 2011

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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #6 - 09/06/11 at 00:57:19

Susan,

It is unlike me to go this long normally without responding... But as late as I may be I want to say thank you for the PM and for posting this info above...

Over the weekend I had an episode at my parents home with my breathing / coughing and as is becoming more and more normal I threw up in front of everyone. It was nothing out of the ordinary for me; but it was a dark black almost sludge looking substance that came out... My dad asked me when the last time I ate was and I told him that it had been over 24 hours; but that was not uncommon for me these days... He is convinced that the the sludge looking stuff that came up was blood; and if he's right then this has been going on for over a month.

So today I am waiting for Dr.'s offices to open so that I can call around and see if anyone can get me in ASAP -- sounds like it's endoscopy time to me.

I will keep everyone posted; and I just wanted to say thank you to Susan one more time.

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Susan

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #7 - 09/06/11 at 07:03:39

Hi Lucas!

As I said in the PM, I'm glad you are scheduling an endoscopy. Gastric bleeding can look like the black sludge you are describing, so good to be checked. You could have an ulcer, which can be treated!

There are other options, but that would be one of the more common. It could be causing all of your upper GI problems. How good if you could get it cured! Let us know what happens.

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Susan

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Chronic neurological infections
Diagnosed with Mastocytosis August 2011

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kimtg68

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #8 - 09/06/11 at 07:26:57

Not feeling well so will be brief but wanted to say.. Me too! I have this hard knot feeling in throat just below Adams apple area. Never made me vomit before until today and not sure with all the other symptoms I have today if that was the culprit or not. But I too have this symptom. I will watch this thread for advice. Good luck to you!

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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #9 - 09/06/11 at 14:43:48

Well, had an appointment with an Internist this afternoon; she is going to schedule a CT for my stomach and is working on a referral to a gastro doctor who can do the endoscopy.

The appt today seemed like more of a necessary "consult" before moving forward. What interested me the most is that I have never seen this doctor and when she read my chart she started asking questions about the masto and how I got my diagnosis; she actually KNEW what it was.

I'm not feeling too great myself so the short and sweet is that I should be doing the CT in a day or so as well as meeting with the gastro doc to schedule the endoscopy. She did a stool test in her office that came back negative for blood and she said that makes it more probable that what I've been vomiting is not blood; her theory being that if it were coming out from the top it would also come out the "bottom"; however I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing at this point.

She also gave me a prescription for Promethazine (12.5mg) and said that it should work better than the Zantac I've been taking; we'll see I just took it for the first time tonight.

Anyway, I promised short and this hasn't been; I'll update this thread as I get more info...

~Lucas

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kimtg68 Guru Offline Posts: 545 Alabama	Re: Pressure In The Throat? Reply #10 - 09/08/11 at 00:49:00 Good luck Lucas! Keep us posted. Kim
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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #11 - 09/08/11 at 08:57:54

I wanted to say thank you to everyone... I am doing a CT tomorrow morning at 8:45am, I have to head up to the hospital tonight and pick up the "contrast". I received a call from the nurse at my internist today with a referral to a Gastro doctor; but I haven't called yet to setup that appointment. I will probably wait and make that call tomorrow (seeing how late it is now).

Out of curiosity; for those in the forum that are more "Medically" minded; what would the purpose of the CT of my stomach / pelvis be? I have become the opposite of who I was just a few years ago; and don't have a problem with doing tests; but it dawned on me earlier that the Dr. never stated the reason for the CT...

Anyway, just curious; if anyone knows what they might be looking for, please let me know

~Lucas

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Joan FORUM ADVISOR Offline Posts: 1502 Colorado	Re: Pressure In The Throat? Reply #12 - 09/08/11 at 09:23:38 If you have or suspect you have mast cell disease, it is imperative that you pre-medicate before taking any contrast! If you look on this forum or on the TMS website, you can find the protocol. If you can't find it, post the question, but it includes steroids, and H1 and H2 antihistamines, etc.
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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #13 - 09/08/11 at 09:35:02

Joan,

Thank you for both your response and concern.. I was diagnosed with SM by Dr. Akin who was gracious enough to review my labs and biopsies and communicate with me via email as opposed to making me take a trip from Dallas to Boston.

I have the protocol to pre-medicate; and should be ok; during my first BMB last year they knocked me out and I did ok. So I feel comfortable with the pre-medication (I don't know about without it

) - but I'll be ok.

Thank you again,

~Lucas

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nelson1600

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Re: Pressure In The Throat?
Reply #14 - 09/08/11 at 09:59:50

I almost forgot to mention; I've been on the Promethazine for a few days now... She prescribed it at 12.5 mg with instructions to take it every 6 hours; but because it can cause drowsiness she instructed me to take two pills every evening before bed. I have still been having fits where I constantly cough, flush like crazy, break out in hives, etc (morning seems to be the worst)... But I have not thrown up since yesterday (first full 24 hours on the med) and even then it was completely clear as opposed to dark and sludgy like it has been. I'm not convinced yet that it's the medicine helping; but I can safely assume that if I make it another few days / week without an episode involving throwing up that this med might be a keeper for the stomach stuff in the interim of hopefully getting proper answers.

~Lucas

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