Healthwise, I've always considered myself to be average. Not too healthy, but definitely not frail either. While I did get sick frequently, it was mostly small problems like a passing stomachache or a headache- nothing too big. Most recently, my throat (more specifically my throat and stomach) was the issue.
It started last week Friday (10/13/23), when I felt some kind of small lump in my throat, especially when I was either speaking or swallowing my saliva. I was at school, and while the lump I felt was somewhat different from the other times (it seemed to be in an area more in the back/deeper part, and I was getting thirsty more easily), I decided to brush it off. I often got sore throat, and it usually disappeared in a day or two. Unfortunately, it was a little different this time around.
The next day, I woke up coughing and my throat feeling dry. Every time I drank water, it seemed to slide over the same lump from yesterday and I got thirsty right away. My parents and I decided that going to see a doctor was probably the right choice. At that point, I had no choice but to agree that it wasn't the average sore throat I'm used to getting. I volunteer every Saturday at a Korean School as an assistant teacher, but my voice wasn't coming out and I was starting to get body aches as well. After informing the teacher, I went to the hospital instead with my dad. The otolaryngologist (ENT specialist; focus on areas such as ears, nose, and throat) asked me what the problem was and checked the inside of my throat. The walls of the oropharynx had some redness, and he had to see further down. A sour-tasting anesthetic liquid was sprayed into my throat to numb the area (a thin but long stick had to go in a bit deeper to the front of my esophagus). Similar to the oropharynx, it was quite red and swollen. I was told that it was due to an acid reflux, in which the stomach acid was flowing backward into the esophagus. According to the doctor, it was probably because I had something spicy in the last few days, which I still don't understand as I don't remember having anything too spicy at home or at school. I was given some medicine to reduce the acid. When I searched up some causes for the reflux, I ended up even more confused than before, as the results that came up included:
Smoking
Large and fatty (or spicy) meals
Extra weight
Eating directly before going to bed
None of which I have done in the last few months (or probably years; also, I have never smoke before and don't plan to). My parents thought it was because of stress and irregular sleep patterns, which is probably the most likely case, as I should be sleeping earlier. I decided I should manage myself better, and I have been getting more sleep since then.
I spent most of the time after the hospital either sleeping (I was having some headache and fever as well, and I managed to fall asleep easily). I couldn't go to the dental clinic either because I wasn't feeling well enough. Thankfully, the fever faded on Sunday, and the only things I had by then were a sore throat, loss of voice, and coughs.
After a lot of thought, I took a leave of absence from school on Monday to give an extra day for me to rest. It was the right choice, as I was still quite sickly, and my voice was almost fully gone. With the help of the medicines and a lot of sleep I was getting, my throat did improve a little and I could go to school on Tuesday (but with a mask, and I barely talked at school).
Luckily by Thursday, my throat was a lot better, and I could talk way more than before. Currently, I'm feeling completely fine. I'm still taking the medicines though! Better safe than sorry, especially since it hasn't been long since I got better😅😊
The medicines I got (and are still using at the moment):
Anesthetic, Antacid & Antiflatulent Oral Suspension: A syrup that neutralizes the excess stomach acid and has a numbing effect to relieve symptoms. It is a combination of aluminum hydroxide (antacid - reduces the amount of acid in the stomach), magnesium hydroxide (antacid), oxethazane (local anesthetic - numbs an area of the body), and simethicone (anti-foaming agent - prevents the formation of gas in the digestive tract). (two tablespoons, three times a day after meals)
Omeprazole and Domperidone Capsules IP: A pill which is a combination of omeprazole (is a proton-pump inhibitor/PPI and decreases the amount of stomach acid) and domperidone (increases the movement and contraction of the stomach and intestines). (two times a day before breakfast and dinner)
Lycopene, Multivitamin & Zinc with Soyaisoflavonoids Softgelaitin Capsules: (two times a day after breakfast and dinner)
Ebastine Tablets IP 20mg: Used as treatment for allergic reactions and relieve symptoms of itching, swelling, and sneezing. (before going to bed)
*The text in red is the prescription I was given for each medicine (there was only one syrup, and the rest were tablets).
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