Re: post-op spasms/tight chest (definitely long)

[Guest guest]

IMO Paxil makes it easier to live with men (or a man). Any lessening

of spasms etc. is just a side effect. :-))))

By the way, I take Lexapro, which is a newer antidepressant, the last

couple years or so, and my pharmacist said it has fewer side effects

than the other antidepressants. I was getting headaches from generic

version of prozac. I reveal my inner most secrets to you all only

because it seems like so many of us take anti depressants I would

mention it in case anyone is having trouble w/ side effects. Whether

is helps w/ spasms I can't tell. I have minor spasms compared to

what I read here, so maybe it helps.

Sandy

> Thanks Deb, Cindi and Joan for replying. It's so great to be able

to

> come to this board and ask for help. Especially since this disease

> is so trial and error. I'm still getting used to knowing what I

> have. In a span of a month I was diagnosed, scheduled for surgery,

> and now find myself recovering at home. I wasn't really scared

about

> surgery. I was excited because I wanted to be able to eat without

it

> coming back up!

>

> I did have a wrap with the surgery so I am worried about it being

too

> tight as well. I'm hoping that it's because of the solid foods.

> I've been trying small portions and have been really careful with

> what I am eating. It's so hard to eat slowly and not to eat too

much

> in one sitting. Especially because I wasn't able to hold down even

> the simplest of liquids for 2 months before surgery. I'm also

getting

> some of my appetite back.

>

> It just feels wonderful to be able to swallow and not have to be

near

> a bathroom. Too be honest eating is great post op. Everything goes

> down. If it gets stuck I drink water. Acid reflux is only a minor

> problem. It wakes me up sometimes. So I am back on Zantac before

> bedtime and it helps. Digestion is the issue because I'm getting

used

> to solids again.

>

> I've been on just one solid meal a day this week. Next week I was

> going to slowly increase solids, but am falling back to more

liquids

> if it feels like it's just sitting there. Basically it all depends

on

> what my body feels like doing.

>

> I called Dr. Buyske but she is out of town. The on call doctor has

> yet to return my call. I called three times because I didn't want

to

> go the weekend worrying.

>

> I took it easy today. Yesterday I had to drive my dad to a doctors

> appointment and with the stress of driving into center city I may

> have overdone it yesterday. So today I stayed in and was careful

> with food. I put a hot water bottle on my chest and it lessened

the

> tight feeling but it's still there. Hopefully I'll know more

either

> later today if the on call doc calls back or on Monday when I talk

to

> my doctor.

>

> I hope I'm not scaring those who are still thinking about the

surgery.

> Surgery itself is not bad. It was harder on my family seeing me

post

> op with the tubes and machines. There was some pain for me the

first

> two days but I have a low pain threshold and the morphine was doing

> nothing for me. Once they gave me meds that actually worked on me

I

> was feeling really good. So much so I don't remember much of the

> hospital stay. The hardest is post op learning how to eat again!

>

> Thanks for your support. It's nice to have an understanding

support

> group. I'll ask about the Paxil. And really hoping that everything

> will be fine.

>

> Lisbeth

> Philadelphia, PA

>

>

>

> Is Paxil to prevent the spasms or to treat them once you get them?

>

> I called the doctor

[Guest guest]

Lisbeth,

The paxil is to prevent the spasms.

As for eating after surgery my surgeon told me to eat whatever I felt

comfortable with. Swallowing wasn't an issue but I did find that

more I ate the worse I felt. So I was very careful and very slow in

adding foods for quite some time after my surgery. I'd have to say a

good 8 weeks or so before I got brave enough to try a piece of bread.

I feel so much better when I don't over eat even today.

Don't even feel funny about coming here and asking questions. I felt

like a big cry baby and a pain in the neck every time I came here

when I was feeling so bad. Everyone here has been amazingly

understanding and compassionate. I think I would have lost my mind if

it were not for the people here who took the time to tell me their

stories and offer their suggestions for help.

Deb NJ

In achalasia , " toomuchclutter " <sandycarroll@c...>

wrote:

> IMO Paxil makes it easier to live with men (or a man). Any

lessening

> of spasms etc. is just a side effect. :-))))

>

> By the way, I take Lexapro, which is a newer antidepressant, the

last

> couple years or so, and my pharmacist said it has fewer side

effects

> than the other antidepressants. I was getting headaches from

generic

> version of prozac. I reveal my inner most secrets to you all only

> because it seems like so many of us take anti depressants I would

> mention it in case anyone is having trouble w/ side effects.

Whether

> is helps w/ spasms I can't tell. I have minor spasms compared to

> what I read here, so maybe it helps.

>

> Sandy

>

>

>

> > Thanks Deb, Cindi and Joan for replying. It's so great to be

able

> to

> > come to this board and ask for help. Especially since this

disease

> > is so trial and error. I'm still getting used to knowing what I

> > have. In a span of a month I was diagnosed, scheduled for

surgery,

> > and now find myself recovering at home. I wasn't really scared

> about

> > surgery. I was excited because I wanted to be able to eat

without

> it

> > coming back up!

> >

> > I did have a wrap with the surgery so I am worried about it being

> too

> > tight as well. I'm hoping that it's because of the solid foods.

> > I've been trying small portions and have been really careful with

> > what I am eating. It's so hard to eat slowly and not to eat too

> much

> > in one sitting. Especially because I wasn't able to hold down

even

> > the simplest of liquids for 2 months before surgery. I'm also

> getting

> > some of my appetite back.

> >

> > It just feels wonderful to be able to swallow and not have to be

> near

> > a bathroom. Too be honest eating is great post op. Everything

goes

> > down. If it gets stuck I drink water. Acid reflux is only a

minor

> > problem. It wakes me up sometimes. So I am back on Zantac

before

> > bedtime and it helps. Digestion is the issue because I'm getting

> used

> > to solids again.

> >

> > I've been on just one solid meal a day this week. Next week I

was

> > going to slowly increase solids, but am falling back to more

> liquids

> > if it feels like it's just sitting there. Basically it all

depends

> on

> > what my body feels like doing.

> >

> > I called Dr. Buyske but she is out of town. The on call doctor

has

> > yet to return my call. I called three times because I didn't

want

> to

> > go the weekend worrying.

> >

> > I took it easy today. Yesterday I had to drive my dad to a

doctors

> > appointment and with the stress of driving into center city I may

> > have overdone it yesterday. So today I stayed in and was careful

> > with food. I put a hot water bottle on my chest and it lessened

> the

> > tight feeling but it's still there. Hopefully I'll know more

> either

> > later today if the on call doc calls back or on Monday when I

talk

> to

> > my doctor.

> >

> > I hope I'm not scaring those who are still thinking about the

> surgery.

> > Surgery itself is not bad. It was harder on my family seeing me

> post

> > op with the tubes and machines. There was some pain for me the

> first

> > two days but I have a low pain threshold and the morphine was

doing

> > nothing for me. Once they gave me meds that actually worked on

me

> I

> > was feeling really good. So much so I don't remember much of the

> > hospital stay. The hardest is post op learning how to eat again!

> >

> > Thanks for your support. It's nice to have an understanding

> support

> > group. I'll ask about the Paxil. And really hoping that

everything

> > will be fine.

> >

> > Lisbeth

> > Philadelphia, PA

> >

> >

> >

> > Is Paxil to prevent the spasms or to treat them once you get

them?

> >

> > I called the doctor

[Guest guest]

Sandy - Lexapro is also faster-acting than most anti-depressants. Paxil is geared more toward anxiety than some. I understand that all relax smooth muscles, of which the lower E is. So they help in that regard. Living better with men is just a side effect! lol!

Actually, the other day I was in tears about something & Dan said, "Did you take your medication?" I busted up laughing & yelled, "YES, BUT MAYBE I SHOULD DOUBLE IT WHILE I'M PMS!!!"

And....I thought I'd never admit it if I had to go on an anti-depressant, but I'm starting to wonder who ISN'T on them! lol! Cindi

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Almost all my mid-40's career Mom-friends with youngish kids are on

antidepressants. I swear! Those that aren't should be.... you can

see it in their shoulders, their posture, their voice everything.

I've seen it make a difference, but not solve problems totally of

course, in many of their lives. Speaking out brings it more

acceptance I think.

I say this kiddingly, but with some truth. I see how easily I can

snap at my kids when I didn't take something and how much more

patient I am with medication. The look on their face when I

unreasonably snap is what keeps me on it now. Also hearing about how

dangerous it is to stop and start suddenly keeps me steadily taking

them.

For whatever it is worth, they have helped me and maybe that is one

reason my spasms aren't devastating.

I did take Paxil for a while, but for some reason switched, maybe

just because of cost to the generic Prozac. Then the CONSTANT

migraines, and I was too goofy to realize they might be causing it.

The migraines are another story... seems like I figure out one

trigger, then another one starts. The lexapro is advice from the

pharmacist. Seems fine for me, but they all worked.

Sandy

> Sandy - Lexapro is also faster-acting than most anti-depressants.

Paxil is

> geared more toward anxiety than some. I understand that all relax

smooth

> muscles, of which the lower E is. So they help in that regard.

Living

> better with men is just a side effect! lol!

>

> Actually, the other day I was in tears about something & Dan

said, " Did you

> take your medication? " I busted up laughing & yelled, " YES, BUT

MAYBE I

> SHOULD DOUBLE IT WHILE I'M PMS!!! "

>

> And....I thought I'd never admit it if I had to go on an anti-

depressant, but I'm starting to wonder who ISN'T on them! lol! Cindi