I am 30 years old. I used to smoke average 8-9 cigarettes per day for 6.5 years. I quit smoking 6 months ago(Although I had puffed one day during a wedding event in mid Nov 2018 and never since then) after I got severe bacterial infection in my throat. I recovered from infection sooner but since then I have several issues with my throat. The major one was lump in throat sensation which used to reappear several times a day. Endoscopy done in Aug this year showed no problems. Even I didn't face difficulties in swallowing. I had read about Globus sensation somewhere and I still think the lump sensation is due to that(or due to withdrawal symptoms?). I used to feel dizzy with mild headache. My throat muscles also used to feel strained most of the times. Also, I got the sensation of swelling of chin area. Nowadays the same(swelling of chin area) happens along with a feeling of swollen lymph nodes(though they feel tender while touching), mild pain in jaw and ear keeps on recurring and mild headache. Today I met ENT doctor who asked me whether I had common cold recently which I had 1 week ago and it was severe. He told me that I had mild congestion and my throat felt dry due the cold I had and due to dehydration. He advised me to stay hydrated and eat veggies and fruits. . In this span of six months I visited several doctors, most of them telling that the problem especially lumpy sensation was due to GERD(gastroesophageal reflux disease). And yes, I used to have severe acid refluxes at times. With all these info, I want to ask whether all these problems are due to withdrawal symptoms? How many more months are these going to last? My situation is different from others because I might be facing two conditions at a time( Withdrawal symptoms and GERD). But, I am confused about which one is the root cause and I also get scared at times when the mentioned problems increase. Or may be I have some other condition. But if at all the conditions are due to withdrawal symptoms, kindly let me know when these all will end. I have tried: Medications related to GERD. Endoscopy. I have tried all food habits including immune boosting foods and drinks. I think it was caused by: My lifestyle and eating habits. Smoking being the main culprit.
