- Nov 18, 2005
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The discomfort started Thursday night after taking my nightly supplement pills. I figured one either got stuck (actually started looking up advice for that possibility) or at least was temporarily stuck and caused some irritation.
Friday morning and afternoon it continues. After swallowing food, and to some extent liquids, I'd definitely notice discomfort in the throat. Quite generalized, and to some extent following the esophagus.
Friday night I get the bright idea to finally look at my tonsils. Eeek! Covered in white patches. No fever however. And also no other symptoms - no malaise, fatigue, nausea, or any dietary changes (like, not being hungry when I should it). Granted, I'm sort of in a cutting phase (trying to minimize just how far I take it, since it seems I'm sick with something. I want to stoke the immune system fires, not calm them), but essentially, I didn't notice (nor have I still) anything out of the ordinary for what should be expected. I know my body fairly well - and I'm hyper-sensitive to anything being "off", thus why I'm here.
Suffice it to say, other than the throat, everything seems as it should be.
Which is odd. Before, when I've had confirmed strep throat, not only was I absolutely miserable and a nasty mess, I don't think the tonsils had as much white on them. Granted, for this bout of whatever, they aren't as red and swollen as typical for strep or an otherwise nasty infection.
Saturday I took time from drill to go to the doc (free visit!). They did a strep test and also just checked me over. Their conclusion was the thread title: viral pharyngitis. Course of action: 800mg ibuprofen thrice daily.
So far, having followed that (today I did take an old prescription naproxen 500 or whatever for my third dose instead of 800mg of ibuprofen - previously, for tendon swelling in my ankles, ibuprofen did jack and naproxen worked miracles in time), I've noticed no improvement, if not a worsening.
Every meal, it's like an hour long torture event. I guess it's helping my cutting, though it's ruining my idea of giving my immune system the helping hand it needs, because I am definitely not eating as much as I want to because it's nearly unbearable.
After each swallow, the pain just rides the entire esophagus. Hell, it almost seems like the focal point is below the clavicles - which should be entirely below even the laryngeal muscles, let alone what is specifically the pharynx and larynx.
It's definitely weird, because I can basically trace the pain down through the chest and near what must be the end of the esophagus where it meets the stomach.
Worse, though I'll also give a possible explanation after this, is starting Sunday and continuing through this moment, my upper back just seems to be in cahoots with the esophagus right now. Stretching, giving myself the rack treatment with my bumpy foam roller (which is oh so magical when it can help, like muscle soreness from lifting or running), all forms of contorting my body to relieve the back pain... sometimes is ineffective, sometimes it's only a temporary mild improvement.
I've had something similar when I let some kind of stress just build up to the point that it took over even my breathing style, which is what I think ultimately caused the back discomfort.
To make it short and sweet, there are enough life-based stressors to make that a feasible outcome, which is why I am making this post here, first, before I think this is worth the time and money for a doctor visit.
If the two "symptoms" are related, sometime tells me that would call for a very very close look.
But dammit, as it is, even just the "sore throat" is on a level I've never, ever experienced. Shit, at this rate, considering it still seems to be getting worse after taking loads of NSAIDs to reduce inflammation and it's now over 96 hours after the first symptom manifested, I might honestly say I'd rather this was strep. One, I'd already be on antibiotics, and I never had strep throat make eating and drinking this much torture. Room-temp water isn't terrible, at least, and is actually a relief I utilize frequently while suffering with food (and tiny, tiny tiny bites. food is always cold or luke-warm by time I finish).
I know I shouldn't expect expert opinions - but, I know we have some medical-field types, and perhaps someone has experienced something similar.
And no - I've never been one to experience real problems with heartburn or reflux/GERD. Maybe a random moment once in a blue moon of that "I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth" type feeling - or a "wet burp" - but nothing frequent or consistent.
I actually fear experiencing exactly that while this, whatever it is, ruins my enjoyment of all things nutritious or not nutritious and turns it into pure torture.
If my entire esophagus is experiencing something wrong, having any stomach acid make contact would probably send me to my knees. Food alone nearly does in some instances already, it can get that bad. Sometimes, maybe the right bite size or whatever, it's not bad - sometimes I'm gripping at my chest hoping I can massage away the pain.
Thoughts?
Friday morning and afternoon it continues. After swallowing food, and to some extent liquids, I'd definitely notice discomfort in the throat. Quite generalized, and to some extent following the esophagus.
Friday night I get the bright idea to finally look at my tonsils. Eeek! Covered in white patches. No fever however. And also no other symptoms - no malaise, fatigue, nausea, or any dietary changes (like, not being hungry when I should it). Granted, I'm sort of in a cutting phase (trying to minimize just how far I take it, since it seems I'm sick with something. I want to stoke the immune system fires, not calm them), but essentially, I didn't notice (nor have I still) anything out of the ordinary for what should be expected. I know my body fairly well - and I'm hyper-sensitive to anything being "off", thus why I'm here.
Suffice it to say, other than the throat, everything seems as it should be.
Which is odd. Before, when I've had confirmed strep throat, not only was I absolutely miserable and a nasty mess, I don't think the tonsils had as much white on them. Granted, for this bout of whatever, they aren't as red and swollen as typical for strep or an otherwise nasty infection.
Saturday I took time from drill to go to the doc (free visit!
). They did a strep test and also just checked me over. Their conclusion was the thread title: viral pharyngitis. Course of action: 800mg ibuprofen thrice daily.So far, having followed that (today I did take an old prescription naproxen 500 or whatever for my third dose instead of 800mg of ibuprofen - previously, for tendon swelling in my ankles, ibuprofen did jack and naproxen worked miracles in time), I've noticed no improvement, if not a worsening.
Every meal, it's like an hour long torture event. I guess it's helping my cutting, though it's ruining my idea of giving my immune system the helping hand it needs, because I am definitely not eating as much as I want to because it's nearly unbearable.
After each swallow, the pain just rides the entire esophagus. Hell, it almost seems like the focal point is below the clavicles - which should be entirely below even the laryngeal muscles, let alone what is specifically the pharynx and larynx.
It's definitely weird, because I can basically trace the pain down through the chest and near what must be the end of the esophagus where it meets the stomach.
Worse, though I'll also give a possible explanation after this, is starting Sunday and continuing through this moment, my upper back just seems to be in cahoots with the esophagus right now. Stretching, giving myself the rack treatment with my bumpy foam roller (which is oh so magical when it can help, like muscle soreness from lifting or running), all forms of contorting my body to relieve the back pain... sometimes is ineffective, sometimes it's only a temporary mild improvement.
I've had something similar when I let some kind of stress just build up to the point that it took over even my breathing style, which is what I think ultimately caused the back discomfort.
To make it short and sweet, there are enough life-based stressors to make that a feasible outcome, which is why I am making this post here, first, before I think this is worth the time and money for a doctor visit.
If the two "symptoms" are related, sometime tells me that would call for a very very close look.
But dammit, as it is, even just the "sore throat" is on a level I've never, ever experienced. Shit, at this rate, considering it still seems to be getting worse after taking loads of NSAIDs to reduce inflammation and it's now over 96 hours after the first symptom manifested, I might honestly say I'd rather this was strep. One, I'd already be on antibiotics, and I never had strep throat make eating and drinking this much torture. Room-temp water isn't terrible, at least, and is actually a relief I utilize frequently while suffering with food (and tiny, tiny tiny bites. food is always cold or luke-warm by time I finish
). I know I shouldn't expect expert opinions - but, I know we have some medical-field types, and perhaps someone has experienced something similar.
And no - I've never been one to experience real problems with heartburn or reflux/GERD. Maybe a random moment once in a blue moon of that "I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth" type feeling - or a "wet burp" - but nothing frequent or consistent.
I actually fear experiencing exactly that while this, whatever it is, ruins my enjoyment of all things nutritious or not nutritious and turns it into pure torture.
If my entire esophagus is experiencing something wrong, having any stomach acid make contact would probably send me to my knees. Food alone nearly does in some instances already, it can get that bad. Sometimes, maybe the right bite size or whatever, it's not bad - sometimes I'm gripping at my chest hoping I can massage away the pain.
Thoughts?
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