Long shot but any throat specialists about...?!!

[Bagelsandbrie]

Seriously don’t know what to do with myself now.

I have a lot of autoimmune conditions- Addison’s, lupus, sjorgens, hypothyroidism, pituitary issues etc and also asthma and anaemia. I am on a lot of medication. Because of my impaired immune system I suffer with recurrent thrush - oral and the other! (And not because I don’t follow the hygiene rules with my inhalers- I do the whole washing mouth out afterwards etc etc, I just get thrush because I take steroids, antibiotics and have a poor immune system). I usually control this with Daktarin gel and canestan creams (I can’t dissolve pessaries due to Sjorgens so use internal creams) and the occasional 150mg Fluconazole tablet.

About 2.5 weeks ago I suddenly felt I couldn’t swallow without pain. Like something was stuck although nothing was. I looked in the mirror and (sorry this is gross) I had a huge lump of white cheese / thrush type stuff in my throat. Awful. I took a cotton bud and scraped it off gently and took 150mg Fluconazole.

I saw the GP the next day and they prescribed 50mg Fluconazole for 7 days. I am now half way through this course and although I cannot see white spots anymore I still feel unable to eat properly.

My mouth is insanely dry due to the sjorgens and I have been using Glandosane and dry mouthwash but it’s actually making me feel terrified to eat anything as it feels like I have no saliva to swallow and I’m scared I’m going to choke.

I now haven’t eaten hardly anything for a week. I mean I can have soup, egg etc but it’s a struggle to eat as it literally feels things are getting stuck in my throat.

I have spoken to rheumatology, I’m due to start a new drug for lupus in January that may help with the dry mouth and inflammation (methotrexate- I couldn’t take hydroxy).

But in the meantime I am really struggling. I speak to the GP on the phone and they just tell me to use the Glandosane but I don’t find it helps even using it a lot!

I am scared of going to the hospital for any help as the last time I went they didn’t separate me from anyone (I’m in the extremely clinically vulnerable group) and they only test people for
Covid when they reach the wards!

I’m so scared and miserable.

Any help or words of advice very welcome. Actually scared I’m going to choke to death if this carries on.

Rheumatology have asked me to do a Covid test as with sjorgens etc I may not show the same symptoms so I have done this and am waiting for the results.

Was it at the back on the side behind your tonsils. Could have been a tonsil stone. I get those as well.

No medical expertise but didn’t want to ignore you. For different reasons I suffer dry mouth and recurrent thrush for which I take itraconazole.

Can you suck on something like Xylimelts? Would that help lubricate your mouth enough to help you swallow. Do you use specialist toothpastes ( biotene) ? I just keep sipping water, but often feel my mouth is ‘tight’ and constant xylimelts can often help.
I have a friend with sjorgens and it’s just crap, I feel for you.

Xylimelts on Amazon if you need them.

Not a throat specialist. However have you considered something like Difflam. It's a throat numbing spray or mouthwash. It may give some relief for a while and available over the counter.

Nystatin might be another option on prescription to treat the thrush.

Thank you so much for your kind words and replies.

I have had tonsil stones before and this doesn’t seem like one. I’ve had a good poke about (although don’t want to make things worse!) and nothing to see.

I will try and get hold of some of the things mentioned. Thank you.

I had a really terrible bout of tonsillitis a few years ago where my tonsils swelled to about 3 times the size and went purple / black (!) and I needed 4 lots of antibiotics to clear it and ever since then they just seem all pitted and scarred and not “normal” for me but when the GP examines me (whichever one it is) they always say it’s normal!

I really want to just be able to eat normally and not worry about choking.