What To Do
Lately I just don't know what to do. I have been feeling much, much better since the botox injections. I have not regurgitated since February 27; plus, I actually gained about 10 pounds--a little depressing, but good in the long run.
Last Friday night after I ate dinner, I had these terrible pains in my upper front abdomen on the right side underneathe my rib cage. It was excruciating! It finally stopped after I laid down. After doing some research, I was beginning to think that maybe I had gallstones. Of course, my doctor automatically thinks it is spasms due to my achalasia.
He keeps trying to convince me to get the dilation and I am trying to put it off until I graduate next month. Plus, I already owe a good bit of money for my lovely 3 days and 2 nights stay at the hospital. What a vacation, let me tell ya. I could've gone on a cruise for that amount of money. Heck, probably 3 cruises.
I wish he would just come out and make the decision for me! Lauren, you need the dilation now or Lauren, it can wait a few more months. I hate making decisions!
posted by Lauren @ 4:31 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
Chiropracter, huh? I never thought about that. Good luck!
I hope your myotomy goes well for you. I have already had one back in July of 2004 and may have to have another in the future. Unfortunately, this is going to be an on-going problem for us for the rest of our lives. Good to hear from you and let me know how the chiropracter works out for you.
As far as I know, I didn't have any muscles removed. They just went in and made two incisions where the esophagus was stricted. I did notice a big change after the surgery. I was not regurgitating anymore and was able to have more restful nights. I'd say that around August of 2005 is when I started having major symptoms again. So, it was successful for me roughly around one year.
My doctor thinks that they may not have cut into the muscle deep enough. So, it could possibly all be resolved by another surgery. I've been pretty happy with the recent botox injections. How long do yours usually last? I had mine done in the end of February and I haven't regurgitated since then and actually gained about 10 or 15 pounds. Although, over the past three days I haven't been swallowing so well. It's really frustrating.
Hi My name is Gina and I was glad to find your posting. I relate to eveything you have gone through. It is very similar to my story. I have been suffering with achalasia for 4 years and had numerous botox injections. We are close to the surgery, but my doctor wants to wait just a little longer. He feels that because the systems can be progressive, I should hold off as long as possible. But the thought of sleeping through the night without the reguritation and coughing even for a few months sounds great. I just want to talk with someone who knows what I am going through and not just pitty me.
Hey Gina!
Your doctor does have a point, but what doctors seem to forget sometimes, is that it's your body and you're the one that has to put up with the symptoms. If you're ready for it, I think you should do it.
Not to be negative, but the surgery is not always successful--like mine. I have read that some people have had the surgery multiple times! Luckily, it's done laparoscopicly (http://www.clevelandclinic.org/thoracic/phys/swallow/) so the recovery time is only two weeks.
Don't get me wrong, my surgery was successful for about one year. Unfortunately, like your doctor said, this is a progressive condition. No procedure is ever going to be a permanent fix, but we can only hope that they'll last us a good long time before anymore attention is needed. Good luck and keep in touch!
Hi,
Do either of you take Nifedipine? I have some success with taking this before I eat. I still have the regurgitation at night, but very little during the day. I had my botox in the end of December and will have to go back in May for another shot. It seems to be wearing off a little. I am going to look into the chiropracter idea. What should I look for when choosing one?
Gina
4-27-06
What an interesting suggestion you have given us sruka4!
It sounds crazy but it seems like it's worked a good bit for you. I'll remember to keep that in mind for the future. Luckily, I'm able to eat since my Botox injection back in February.
Anonymous, I have been using 10 mg of Reglan 15 minutes before each meal. I think it works for the most part, though before the Botox injections, I never noticed a big difference.
I also seem to need both the botox and the pills to make the entire thing work. I am going back in for another shot of botox in two weeks. It has been about five months since my last shot. But I am very interested in the chiropracter.
First of all i'm from Argentina and my english it's a little bit poor.
Second, i was diagnose with achalasia in november of 2009, i've lost 17 kg in 3 months! i could not eat or drink anything! so, my doctor told me to do a surgery (Heller's miotomy).
Now, a few month later i can tell you that i'm just wonderful. i eat well, drink well...and i do exactly all the things that i did before achalasia(go to the gym, etc.).
So, don`t be afraid...i think the surgery save my life.
Sorry for my poor english, i hope you understand what i wanted to say.
I have Achalasia too. I've had it for a couple years now. I'm not going to get the surgery until or unless I absolutely have to. Since it doesn't always work, and many people have to have it repeated every couple years, I don't want it. I've found that eating ice cream helps in not losing as much weight.
I have terrible pain sometimes after I eat, and taking Nexium, which I have for pain, and Reglan, help some.
I don't have so much difficulty swallowing, but have to spit up mucus all day. Though sometimes I have trouble swallowing water.
I wish someone would do some research on it and come up with some better solutions, sigh.
Just an FYI. My father developed achalasia after having his stomach removed because of cancer. He came home from the hospital and was unable to swallow, unable to get anything past his throat. The specialists were unable to figure out why. He ended up being fed via a tube. I came home 4 months later to find my father in the throes of Parkinsonism, a disease that I knew one doesn't just get at the age of 84. I looked at the medications he was on and discovered that Parkinson symptoms can be a side effect of Reglan, which is a medication that one should not be on for long term. We stopped the Reglan immediately and lo and behold he was soon able to swallow without any problem at all. Beware of Reglan and like pharmaceuticals. The cure can be way worse than the disease.
Hi all, I am physician myself and I suffer from achalasia. I will share my thoughts here.
I am newly diagnosed. I have tried coconut oil (did not help). I am currently doing daily meditations, drinking chamomile and lemon balm tea. The goal is to address the latent anxiety. And it has helped maybe 10-20%.
For those who are concerned about choking in sleep here is an easy remedy - before going to bed go to the sink and try to regurgitate all the contents of your esophagus. The food just sits there in the first part of your stomach and that is what causes cough and aspiration during sleep. I have had horrible nights. Now with me regurgitating my food at bedtime I sleep very peacefully without any episode. The way you do it is you bend over the sink and let the food fall out (aided by some mild retching).
I am most likely going to get an endoscopic myotomy and I will continue to work on anxiety. I am avoiding to try any pills for now or botox.
Hi all, I am a physician myself and I suffer from achalasia. I will share my thoughts here.
I am newly diagnosed. I have tried coconut oil (did not help). I am currently doing daily meditations, drinking chamomile and lemon balm tea. The goal is to address the latent anxiety. And it has helped maybe 10-20%.
For those who are concerned about choking in sleep here is an easy remedy - before going to bed go to the sink and try to regurgitate all the contents of your esophagus. The food just sits there in the first part of your stomach and that is what causes cough and aspiration during sleep. I have had horrible nights. Now with me regurgitating my food at bedtime I sleep very peacefully without any episodes. The way you do it is you bend over the sink and let the food fall out (aided by some mild retching).
I am most likely going to get an endoscopic myotomy and I will continue to work on anxiety. I am avoiding to try any pills for now or botox.
This comment has been removed by the author.
@ Nash
I had the Heller Myotomy done a few years ago. As my surgeon told me "It won't be 100% but it will be a lot better" He was right ! I have to eat smaller meals and sleep slightly elevated. Recovery time is only 2 weeks.
Tim Quinn
Charlottesville, VA
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