Help me get to the Mayo Clinic for my throat

Hi, My name is Edward MacGregor..

At the end of 2019 I got very sick. I came down with a horrible cough, my throat felt swollen and it was very painful to swallow. When I laid down to try and sleep I had this burning feeling in my throat along with some other problems. Whether I was talking, not talking, even breathing. It was very painful and still is to this day.

My goal is to be able to be seen at the Mayo Clinic. Through the Mayo Clinic I would hope the doctors could find an answer. To find out what is wrong with my throat and to get the appropriate treatment to cure this condition.

The amount of time It took for me to have my first appointment with a ENT doctor- Ears, Nose and Throat doctor was almost 4 months. I went to see five different ENT doctors. I was also seen by a gastroenterologist, an allergist and a speech Pathologist.

These ENT doctors diagnosed me with post nasal drip, allergies, and acid reflux. They also said it could be from Tourette Syndrome. However I told them the issues with my throat began when I became very sick back in 2019. Years after I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome.

When I first became sick I would sometimes spit up blood, also blow blood out from my nose. I was taking acid reflux medication I was prescribed by one of my ENT doctors. Seen by a Gastrologist that I seeked out for myself to see if I had acid reflux and the doctor said I did not have acid reflux. By this time I had been taking different medications for over 8 months. Allergy shots for a few years, took some speech therapy and none of this helped.

I then went to the ENT specialist at UCLA and the doctor told me he'd do a series of tests. But he ended up doing only two or three test.

He prescribed me to take 1800 mg of gabapentin which after a while of taking the Gabapentin I had to take anti depressants with which made me feel numb inside. I also experienced emotional blunting. Gabapentin has some side effects like suicidal thoughts, tiredness, sudden behavioral changes, along with some other side effects. I also took it along with some other medications and nasal sprays on a daily basis. Then after my last appointment at UCLA the doctor wanted to see me in a year and to continue to take the medications during that year.

That year has just ended. So I reached out to make a follow-up appointment with him and in short he told me that a follow-up wasn't needed because he didn't find any problems with my throat based on those tests I had taken the previous year. The doctor told me, "the benefits of the medication outweigh the risks". So I'm confused on why I would continue to take medication for a whole year if the doctor says that he doesn't see anything wrong with my throat.

At one of those appointments I previously had he even stated that I have a deviated septum and that I would require surgery. Then fast forward to another appointment I had with him he says that I don't suffer from a deviated septum.

It has been very frustrating to go through all these doctors, take all kinds of medications that they themselves have side effects to be told that there is nothing wrong. I was taking pointless prescriptions.

I just wanted to let you all know that I have attached two videos. One of the videos shows some photos I took showing that through all the stress that I went through I started to lose hair, photos of me at UCLA, the blood from my nose, only some of the medication that I took, some over the counter cough medication the doctors gave me when I first got sick with the worst cough that I’ve ever had.

Even if you’re not able to donate I ask that you share this. That in itself will be helpful. However, anything helps. Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars. It all helps to make my visit to the Mayo Clinic possible.

I'd like to say thank you to those I know who have encouraged me to make this gofundme account and thank you for helping me make this video. I have been rather reluctant to go forward with this, but with your help I was able to do it. I couldn’t have done this without you.You truly are amazing and beautiful people.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Edward MacGregor