Tongue/ Tonsils / Throat - Redness, Lesions, Bumps, Whiteness - Please Help

[BigB0SS]

To preface this, I have had problems swallowing normal food for around 4 months. Since June of this month. As of time of writing, it is now early October 2021. Getting a little worried might be cancer or something.

Anyways, I need some help diagnosing my problems. Back of throat has small bumps. Tonsils are red and somewhat deformed looking. Seems like openings in tonsils have red (where tonsil stones are found on some people). No tonsil stones though. If I put my tongue out and look down tongue, cobblestone appearance. And whiteness on tongue. Seems like some yellow lesions on upper throat.

I've been to doctor but they keep saying all of this is normal. Which is not true at all. They keep prescribing me meds for acid reflux (lpr), and oral thrush. I got really sick taking nystatin, omeprazole, etc. Nothing has helped at all.

Saw an ENT and they did upper endoscopy and said it was a little red but nothing abnormal. Put me on more acid reflux meds. Which made me sick.

Swallowing feels like something is stuck in throat. Usually after eating. Used to be asthmatic when I was younger, and the feeling of asthma constriction best describes constricted feeling. Swallowing food has to be done with liquids to go down without problems. Chewing into fine pieces before swallowing. Lots of time food is going down wrong pipe and gets coughed back up. It has made eating very difficult, laborious, and anxiety inducing.

I have pictures but seems they wont let me upload them here. Any advice would be extremely helpful because I feel like my doctors are lying to me, leading me on a wild goose chase, and causing me financial harm.

[BigB0SS]

During the barium swallow test, the pill went down the esophagus. It then got stuck in there. I had to take a drink for it to go down all the way. So this sensation (that feels like it's going down the wrong pipe), is actually it going down the esophagus but not going down all the way. Due to the aortic arch constricting it?

The barium dr mentioned it got stuck. And says in the results:

Mild stasis at the level of the aortic arch where there is vascular impression on the esophagus with mild stasis of barium tablet passage which resolved with water

[Paxiled]

Have any anxiety problems by any chance?  Eat too fast?  Don't chew your food thoroughly?  All can irritate your throat or rush you so you don't swallow comfortably.  Try relaxing and slowing down when you swallow.  As for your medical questions, these are for your doctor.

[BigB0SS]

These mouth problems may not be related at all to this breathing / swallowing problem. I've been to urgent care, er, primary healthcare dr, ENT dr, barium swallow. Every time I've been to one of these, my breathing is said to be within normal ranges. But I seems like I'm having a breathing problem. But the big problem is the swallowing. These other mouth problems may be some bacterial infection that is unrelated to the swallowing issues (as seems to be shown by barium swallow results).

[BigB0SS]

I hear you. I just seem to have gotten confirmation that it's not GERD, LPR, acid reflux, etc. Went to get a barium swallow test done. During the test they had me swallow soda type liquids that were quite uncomfortable going down (large swallows) considering I have to eat and swallow small amounts now.

Here are the results:

No laryngeal penetration or intratracheal aspiration. Esophagus is normal in caliber without evidence of stricture or dilation. Mild stasis at the level of the aortic arch where there is vascular impression on the esophagus with mild stasis of barium tablet passage which resolved with water. No hiatal hernia. No gastroesophageal reflux identified on this examination.


Mild vascular impression on esophagus associated with aortic arch demonstrating some minimal stasis in this region but no other abnormality.



What does this mean? Lots of doctor lingo but I think I understand most of it. No acid reflux. Esophagus itself is fine. But sounds like aortic arch (of heart) is pushing on the esophagus. Or does this mean something else? If that is what is constricting the esophagus, what is the treatment for this? Surgery? To remove the vascular obstruction.

[Paxiled]

They're guessing it's acid reflux because those who have acidity problems often get esophagus problems which can cause a problem swallowing.  Without a diagnosis, such as an ulcer, though, or seeing it with a scope that would go down the throat, a doctor can't really diagnose it.  Docs often give meds to get rid of you.  Those meds can then cause problems.  Too many antibiotics really mess up your digestive system and your immune system and even your mental health.  Meds for acid reflux actually cause the problem to get worse, and if you didn't have it in the first place, can cause it.  If you suppress stomach acid, the stomach must then make more because without it you can't digest protein and some minerals.  So you get a rebound.  If you have reflux, you'd know it, because you'd be having heartburn regularly and it would be especially bad if you laid down soon after eating.  If you don't have those issues, you don't have acid reflux.  It's basically just acid from your digestive system coming up into your upper body rather than doing what it does and then evacuating it out the bottom.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you why you have this.  Again, acid coming up can cause it, but you can see that with a scope.  Some people have this problem because of an anxiety problem.  Some have it because they eat too fast or take too big of bites or swallow large pills a lot and irritate the area.  Lots of reasons other than reflux.  If your tonsils are in fact red, which any doctor would see so they apparently aren't, you might have tonsilitis, but I've had that and you get pretty sick from it.  So don't know, but in the end, when your docs aren't helping you, get better docs.