Terrified of symptoms - anyone out there?

[RoseHenry]

Hi all,

Long time lurker of Mumsnet, first time actually posting. Not sure what I hope to gain from this post really - hoping there may be someone who has experienced similar symptoms to me and can possibly help calm my nerves until I’ve had tests.

I first had an episode of what I can describe as “food sticking” in my chest with nausea and lack of appetite in August 2023, accompanied by severe upper back pain. Was seen by GP who arranged a barium swallow which showed I have a small hiatus hernia, reflux and also a slow emptying stomach (gastroparesis?). I had an MRI of my pancreas, gall bladder and liver which returned normal, and one of my upper spine which again showed nothing. Follow up from doctor was take omeprozole for a month and then review if things continued. Symptoms largely settled about a month later and that was that.

Fast forward to October 2024, and I’ve had the sensation of something in my throat (higher up this time, not in the chest) almost feels like when a tablet gets stuck, or that the ‘flap’ in my throat isn’t closing properly?! Put it down to possible anxiety (big health anxiety sufferer) and thought it could be globus, so tried to ignore it. Decided to finally go back to the GP in February, as the sensation is now constant. I’ve also started to feel sick, have a real lack of appetite and dread mealtimes. On top of this, I also have a slightly raised lymph node in the left side of my neck, have experienced intermittent ear pain on the same side and keep coughing up yellow mucus in the mornings. I have lost 1 stone 3 pounds since Christmas (although I have been actively trying to lose weight so not sure if this is worrying or not). GP felt the lymph node and said she wasn’t concerned, no signs of throat infection etc. Blood tests have returned normal (full blood count, liver, kidneys, thyroid function).

GP has referred me for an endoscopy which I’m having next Tuesday but my anxiety is HUGE. I’m really starting to think the worst, especially fearing stomach and oesophageal cancer. I’m only 35 and have 2 very young DC, and I can’t bear the thought of something happening and leaving them. I’m holding on to hope that surely if this was something sinister, symptoms would have progressed over 18 months and not temporarily disappeared?

On the rational side of things where I’m hoping it isn’t anything sinister, has anyone experienced anything like this and found a way to calm/get rid of symptoms? I’ve tried Gaviscon, raising my bed pillows, blander foods etc and nothing has had much affect.

Hopeful bump - anyone? 😔

Hello! Sorry you are feeling this way. My sister had an almost identical symptoms to you and it turned out to still be the hernia! Anxiety was making it worse for her. The dr prescribed her propranolol and upped the omeprozole. It made a big difference after a few days.

it sounds like you’ve had some really thorough tests and your dr is listening. Try not to worry (I know easy to say!) but looking into calming strategies that work for you will help.

Hiatus hernias can be so uncomfortable when they flare up, so it really could be this causing it.
I found that my flares up if my trousers are too tight and been sitting for too long.

The good news is, so far your tests have been normal. Please don't worry until you have had the camera.

I suffer with anxiety and had similar symptoms. Good luck with your appointment ☺️

I had an endoscopy back in November for similar symptoms. Felt like something was stuck in my throat constantly & that something was ‘flapping about’, slight ear pain in one ear, and a cough. I have awful health anxiety too & a terrible gag reflex so was terrified of the endoscopy! Thankfully, everything was completely fine - one of the nurses I was speaking to after having the procedure said she’d suffered similar symptoms for a few years & they’d put it down to anxiety. I still get the symptoms now, but don’t notice them as much because I know everything is fine. I seemed to be more conscious of it before - it was constantly on my mind which made the symptoms worse. Nothing helped my symptoms much, tried tablets for acid/ reflux, but nothing really worked, I googled globus sensation as it seemed quite similar to my symptoms, but I think it’s anxiety- it’s been 100 times better since having the endoscopy & I don’t notice it as much. I hope once you’ve had the endoscopy you’ll be told everything is fine & the reassurance will help with the symptoms you’re currently experiencing! Sorry, I’ve not been much help, but good luck!

Hi OP
Some of your symptoms sound very similar to my husband, such as the chest pain, struggling to swallow, the reflux. He’s just been diagnosed with a H Pylori infection in his gut, apparently you can be infected for years without even knowing as not everyone will even get symptoms. It might be worth asking for a test to rule this out. He’s been given a course of antibiotics and antacids and is already feeling so much better.
Hope the doctor can help to put your mind at ease x

Thank you so much to everyone that has replied - reading the responses so far has helped to calm my nerves slightly and helped me to think more rationally!

I must admit that the anxiety I’ve been feeling has been making me feel 100 times worse - it’s a vicious cycle for me, one minute I can try to calm myself down and think about one of the many other things it could be, the next minute I will bounce back to thinking it’s some sort of cancer and start spiralling.

It’s interesting that the hernia has been mentioned by some - I am wondering if this could be the main cause of my problem. When I had the original barium swallow it felt like not much was mentioned in terms of resolving it or living with it long term so if this shows on the endoscopy I will be asking how to manage it going forward.

I have a follow up call with my GP 2 days after the exam so will also mention H Pylori which is another factor I’ve seen mentioned before.

I just need to try and find a way to keep calm between now and Tuesday

Hi OP I've been having the same symptoms can I ask how everything has been going? I'm going to the gp tomorrow.

Hello! I’m really sorry to hear you are going through something similar - I actually still don’t have an answer as to what happened.

Luckily my endoscopy was clear, I actually ended up having 2 different types (one for stomach and oesophagus, one for larynx, nose etc) and both were completely clear. I did have an ENT consultant tell me that he thought one of my tonsils didn’t look particularly ‘healthy’, but other than that couldn’t give me an answer to what was causing the symptoms. He recommended an MRI to look at the tonsil in more detail if the problem continued, but it has actually improved a lot since my original post (I definitely think anxiety was making everything 10 times worse).

I still have a raised lymph node in my neck, but it hasn’t changed over the months and again GP said they would only be concerned if it changed in size/became hard to the touch.

My only advice would be to push for tests to rule things out. Even though I didn’t get an answer per se and I still get uncomfortable sensations occasionally, atleast I could rule out the ‘mega serious’ causes which definitely helped me overcome my anxiety.

Good luck with the GP!

Thank you for replying OP, I've been to the gp who's put me on a 2 week pathway, I'm only 33 so tbh I'm spiralling!