Re: Hi - Father with Alchalsia

[Guest guest]

Let your father seek help He is not OLD I am 68 years young

Hi - Father with Alchalsia

Hi,I'd just like to introduce myself. My name is Kirsten and my dad has had alchalasia ever since he was a baby. He always has trouble eating: sometimes he can't eat (like in the mornings), but sometimes he is able to squeeze down a little food. He can't eat hard things so he often eats soft foods. He drinks a lot of soup, and he spends a great deal of time eating even a small amount of food. He throws up almost after every meal (he's very skinny). Aside from this, however, he is a healthy and vital man in his 60s. He never gets colds or flus. The only affliction he apparently has is alchalasia. If this were cured or alleviated, I could see him living a better life. I want him to be able to eat normally, or at least pseudo-normally; this I want more than anything. I just recently found out the name of this disorder in a magazine article, so I don't know much at all about it yet (I'm still reading some articles on the internet). To those more well-versed in this than I, do you know what the best treatment for this is at the moment (especially for the elderly)? Any information will be greatly appreciated.Thank you for reading this.

[Guest guest]

Hi. I had my surgery at 65. I did just fine with the surgery. I am sure I have had this for years too. Good luck. Bev in SC

[Guest guest]

Kirsten - Welcome to the group and good for you looking after your Dad. I

developed achalasia when I was 68 and within 8 months I had the lap surgery

which included a myotomy and Dor funduplication. That was almost 4 years

ago and I am still doing great. Has your Dad actually been diagnosed or is

this your discovery? It certainly sounds like he is a healthy person

despite not having been able to eat properly for all these years and that is

amazing! As far as his age is concerned, if he is healthy that should not

be a deterent to surgery. My specialist wouldn't consider any other route

at my age as he said everything else would be a band-aid solution and I

would eventually need the surgery so I should get on with it.

Encourage your Dad to seek the advice of a qualified Doctor and go from

there. You will find a lot of information on this site. Look on the data

file on the side bar. Perhaps you will find a local Doctor listed there.

Good Luck Kirsten............All the best from an " elderly achalasian "

- Vancouver B.C. Canada

Hi - Father with Alchalsia

> Hi,

>

> I'd just like to introduce myself. My name is Kirsten and my dad has

> had alchalasia ever since he was a baby. He always has trouble

> eating: sometimes he can't eat (like in the mornings), but sometimes

> he is able to squeeze down a little food. He can't eat hard things

> so he often eats soft foods. He drinks a lot of soup, and he spends

> a great deal of time eating even a small amount of food. He throws

> up almost after every meal (he's very skinny). Aside from this,

> however, he is a healthy and vital man in his 60s. He never gets

> colds or flus. The only affliction he apparently has is alchalasia.

> If this were cured or alleviated, I could see him living a better

> life. I want him to be able to eat normally, or at least pseudo-

> normally; this I want more than anything. I just recently found out

> the name of this disorder in a magazine article, so I don't know

> much at all about it yet (I'm still reading some articles on the

> internet). To those more well-versed in this than I, do you know

> what the best treatment for this is at the moment (especially for

> the elderly)? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

>

> Thank you for reading this.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the great responses! To answer all of your questions:

My dad had testing years ago. My uncle, who's a physician, took him

to a specialist. He used a camera and had an x-ray done. Apparently

there is this volcano shaped area inside him that makes it hard for

him to take in food. This was years and years ago, so he hasn't had

an endoscopy lately. I think my father really wants to be rid of

this after all of these years.

My dad lives in Los Angeles, so I hope there are specialists nearby.

I looked around the internet and it looks like the Cleveland Clinic

is the best place for this sort of thing. I'm not sure how to go

about finding a good doctor in my area. Maybe I should e-mail some

doctors? A Dr. Sudish C. Murthy came up on my search several times:

(http://www.clevelandclinic.org/misc/staff/murthy.htm). Maybe I

should contact him?

Again, thanks so much for all of your responses. This sounds like a

very supportive and wonderful group. I am glad I found it.

> > Hi,

> >

> > I'd just like to introduce myself. My name is Kirsten and my dad

> has

> > had alchalasia ever since he was a baby. He always has trouble

> > eating: sometimes he can't eat (like in the mornings), but

> sometimes

> > he is able to squeeze down a little food. He can't eat hard

things

> > so he often eats soft foods. He drinks a lot of soup, and he

spends

> > a great deal of time eating even a small amount of food. He

throws

> > up almost after every meal (he's very skinny). Aside from this,

> > however, he is a healthy and vital man in his 60s. He never gets

> > colds or flus. The only affliction he apparently has is

alchalasia.

> > If this were cured or alleviated, I could see him living a

better

> > life. I want him to be able to eat normally, or at least pseudo-

> > normally; this I want more than anything. I just recently found

out

> > the name of this disorder in a magazine article, so I don't know

> > much at all about it yet (I'm still reading some articles on the

> > internet). To those more well-versed in this than I, do you know

> > what the best treatment for this is at the moment (especially

for

> > the elderly)? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

> >

> > Thank you for reading this.