Hi, for about 4/6 weeks i have found it hard/uncomfortable to swallow. it has gradually been gettin worse, i have a bit of a cough as well. it feels like there's something in my throat on the left hand side. its more noticable when i have a drink but its quite uncomfortable and a couple of times i have felt like i was choking. i have been to my Dr (who to be honest didn't seem interested in my conerns), and i'm awaiting referral to E.N.T Clinic. i just wondered if this sounds similar to anyone? Or am i just worrying over nothing? i look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Becky

Hi Becca,

I had something similar: a sore throat (particularly on one side), and a slight cough, nothing like your choking feeling. Mine were not major pains but annoying ones. I saw my doc twice over the next two months with the same complaint and was told it was most likely a virus, nothing that could be cured by an antibiotic. I was told to go home (be a good little girl) and the problem would cure itself. One month later the pain extended to my ear and I again made an appt with my GP. Fortunately he was on vacation and I got to see the lesser being, the Nurse Practitioner, who immediately referred me to an ENT. This guy knew exactly what was going on, did a biopsy, and the following day I was told it was tonsil cancer.

I was treated and now over a year later, I'm cancer free and doing fine.

There are lots of questions like your's on this board and we all give the same advice - see a dentist, an ENT, or whomever you have access to. Insist on further diagnosis if you're not satisified with what your GP or subsequent docs say. It's great when we never hear from those questioners again because it means that their concern wasn't cancer. They are in the majority.

Hope your ENT appt is soon - they know what's going on pretty quickly.

Let us know what happens.

Mimi

Hello Becca ,your symptoms could be a number of minor things like Mimi has said often viral and usually nothing to worry about, but because it affects you swallow makes you more concerned and panic ,I am sure your GP has checked your throat carefully and probably suspects there is nothing to be overly concerned about which is probably why you felt he was uninterested in your concerns so try and use that as a yardstick and keep positive .This time of the year there are many viral throat and chest things going around that can present in just this kind way even a new allergy to high pollen count .

It is best to be checked by an ENT specialist who has all the appropriate equipment to look at the area more carefully. He will put your mind at rest.Try and keep calm till you have seen the experts.Just keep an eye on your referral as waiting times can be long in some areas and be a worry in themselves .

Keep us in the loop Becca .

Bell.

Mimi and Bell,
Thank you for your adive and information. to be honest im not thinking "omg its this or that", ive done that before and made myself so much worse. i am surprisingly calm, considering i normally panic about alot of things! i am just awaiting my referral to E.N.T and i will keep you informed. it still hasn't improved yet though. speak soon xxx

Hi Becca,

I'm going through something similar to yourself at the moment. I've had a sore throat for the last week or so, drier than normal, and when dry, especially in the morning it feels like there is something stuck in my throat. I'm also having a build up of "gunk" in the throat which I can't get up. Sometimes wish I was a man cos they don't seem to have that problem!!

I think Bell's suggestion of an allergy to a higher pollen count could be on the right track, cos I have had this since the weather's been much warmer. I have a GP's appointment for the 8th June, that's the earliest I could get in, crazy isn't it.

Can you let me know if you are from Norfolk, England cos that's where I'm from or if it's Norfolk somewhere else in the world.

Speak again soon

Sue

Hello ,wondered if this was worth a try meantime ,dry throat with gunk can sometimes be relieved by warm ( not scalding) steam I have a boots inhaler thingy and Paul used this to gently breath in as you would with someone with a bad cold the warm moist steam can moisten throat and mouth and help a ittle ,head over a bowl with a towel would also suffice .

If your throat is really gunky some thinly pureed pineapple( even tined) covered with double cream also loosens dried secretions that are stuck and the cream moisturizes and helps loosen dried phlegm giving a soothing feeling (don't add sugar to cream) .

My hubby is proficient in the art of snorting Sue and has a tecnique for doing this in steam in the shower ,but I know what you mean, women don't seem to manage this the same .

Thought this may be worth a try .

Will be thinking about you both .

Bell.

hi sue, yeah i am in norfolk england. i dont have and gunk that you have described, jus feels so uncomfortable to swallow. more so with drinking. it is crazy how long we had to wait to see the GP these days! im just waiting on my referral appointment. Hope all goes well for you!
Speak soon
becca

Hi Becca

Lets hope your appointment comes through sooner rather than later so that you can put your mind to rest. I'll let you know how I get on. Where abouts in Norfolk are you. If you'd rather not say don't worry, but are you near to me in King's Lynn cos Norfolk's not that big is it.

Speak again soon

Sue

Bell - Many thanks for the suggestions I will try both of them and let you know how I get on.