This is my fifth pregnancy and I have this lump feeling in the base of my throat and I can feel part of the sensation spreading to my upper chest. If I gently press on the base of my neck in the triangle space where the neck and chest meet at the front it seems to go away until I release pressure. Sometimes it almost feels as if there is a flutter or contraction in my chest as well but my pulse appears steady. Is this something anyone else has experienced? It isn't painful at all just feels uncomfortable and tight.
Hi F., Your not gonna believe this, but the same thing happened to me and it was heartburn! The heartburn was making the bottom of my voicebox swell just enough to make it feel like I had a lump or mucus in my throat. Tell your Dr. about it, take some pepcid or tums after dinner everynight before bed and you should feel fine in a few days as the inflamation goes away. Best wishes.
Never had that with my pregnancies but get it now...it is reflux for me. Reflux does not at all have to feel like classic heartburn. For me it feels like a lump in my throat and chest pain. It also gives my sinus congestion and ear trouble. I hardly ever get that "heartburn" feeling. Worth checking into.
Hi!
Congratulations on your 5th baby!
By any chance do you have acid reflux? Even if you do not have obvious symptoms (heartburn, a feeling of liquid coming up)there is still a condition called silent reflux and it can get worse with pregnancy. If this is the case, the lump in the throat (fullness) can be caused by irritation coming up into the throat where your vocal cords are. When left untreated it causes your throat to basically swell and close off the section where the acid would come up and possibily get leaked into the lungs. This is the explanation given to me by my Allergist. When left untreated you can also get a fullness in your chest, making it feel as if it's hard to breath. In my case I even have acid reflux induced asthma. You wonder if you're having a heart attack, and you kinda panick over the lump in the throat - tightness in the chest - but then you get checked and your heart is fine :). It can make you anxious and for about a year I had a horrible doctor tell me that I just had anxiety. Well, I did't. I had severe GERD. I knew I had heartburn but was eating tums and taking zantac, I had no idea that it was causing these other symptoms. My first pregnancy I had hearburn but not all the other symptoms (I only ate tums), my second pregnancy brought on the lump in the throat feeling and chest heaviness. I never made the connection but I can remember not being able to bear even wearing a turtleneck, it was as if it was choking me. I also have MVP (mitrovalve prolapse) and I get fluttering and heart palpitations so I thought it was related to that. AFter second baby was born (I did not treat my heartburn, actually I didn't even really think it was an issue this time) the chest heaviness was worse and the throat lump was making me nervous. I had my thyroid checked (that can also cause that feeling) and then finally went to my allergist to get checked for asthma (since I was having the chest problems and it wasn't my heart) and low and beyond, found the answer. Not anxiety, Gerd. I am now pregnant again (#3) but take nexium so it hasn't been an issue. Just get a mild cough from the irritation of the acid coming up when it breaks through...but overall I've got control of it. It took me months of a high dosage of nexium to get rid of the feeling of the lump in the throat and chest heaviness but it definately worked.
Please check with your doctor first about the Thryoid (to rule it out) then ask about acid reflux if having symptoms or silent reflux if not having symptoms. I can remember feeling like I was choking. It's very scary, but if it is from reflux, it's your body's way of trying to keep the acid from going into your lungs which can cause damage. In the meantime, try taking Maalox (safe when pregnant) and see if that helps at all. It tends to coat the throat better then eating tums or taking zantac, which only neutralizes acid but still allows is to come up and cause the throat to swell up that little "v" in there that is trying to protect your lungs.
Take care and good luck with your pregnancy!
M. :)
Sounds like the area of your thyroid. I would call your doc and make appt to have them check it out. If it is an enlarged thyroid, they will probably send you for bloodwork to check your thyroid levels. It can be "fixed" with medication. Good luck.
possibly gall bladder. I felt similar sensations & thought it was just the pregnancy - I was sick the entire 9 months. The symptoms progresses after the birth of my precious little girl and I just recently had my gall bladder removed. Talk to your doctor & tell him of your symptoms. When I approached my doctor, he insisted that I had acid reflux and tried to talk me out of having the ultrasound to check my gall bladder. Best wishes =O}
Did you call your doctor?
The only thing I can think of is thyroid. Ask to have your thyroid levels checked.
Have you had your thyroid tested??
I had this and it was heartburn without the "burn" sometimes. My doctor recommended medicine and not to recline after eating for 30 minutes to an hour (which was nearly impossible because I was so exhausted, but with 4 children you probably don't recline that much anyway!)
; )
I would definitely see your doctor to be sure.
Feel better!
M.
Recently went to my dr. with same complaints and they sent me for an endoscopy to check for reflux. Sounds like it may be the same thing.
