Re: in Va

[Guest guest]

RICHARD wrote:

I do

sometimes wonder if there is some kind of "alternative medicine" cure

that could have been used before having the operation. One can surmise

that we lose peristalsys due to nerve cells in the esophagus failing.

Perhaps Eastern medicine, by exploring energy centers in the body could

"jump start" the nerve cells and restore them to their prior function.

Something caused this disease. There should be something that

could reverse it.

Not just nerve cells failing, but being destroyed. If your arm were

to rot and fall off would there be any medicine to restore it? There

are a lot of problems that are caused by nerve destruction, some types

of, peripheral neuropathy, gastroparesis, blindness and hearing loss,

to name a few. Generally, there is nothing that will give these nerves

back. This may change. There is a lot of research going on to find ways

to get these nerves to grow back.

Despite the rarity of it, my next door neighbor's father had it;

the husband of the couple we dine with each week has it, and my

parents' friends' daughter has it. What is going on here?

Did they actually have a diagnosis of achalasia or just what seems

to be the same symptoms. A lot of people don't know the name of the

diagnosis but when they hear the symptoms they say they have it or know

someone who does. Often these people have something else that has

similar symptoms. On the other hand, if these people really all have

achalasia is that such an amazing thing? Maybe not. When things are

rare we think it odd if they happen in groups. A lot of law suits are

based on this kind of thinking. If too many people in your neighborhood

have cancer sue the nearest source of chemicals. The math of

probability actually shows that "clusters" are more likely than you

would think. There are a lot of paradoxes in probability. It should be

telling you and me that we can't win that million dollar lottery. It

should also be telling you that someone is going to win it. (It lies to

one very lucky person). ;-) There

is one called the birthday

paradox. It is based on the fact that if you have 23 people in a

room the probability that at least two people share birthdays is 50/50.

If you have 50 people in the room it is a 97% probability. The odds are

against me having a big cancer cluster in my neighborhood, but the odds

are very good that there will be big clusters in some neighborhoods.

Even if there is nothing special about chemicals, or other cancer

causes, in those neighborhoods.

As to the people you know that have achalasia, assuming they do, only

the friend you eat with impresses me. The other two are known through

people you know. It is surprising who we know through people we know,

but it shouldn't be. being connect through another is known as a degree

of separation. If you have heard of "six

degrees of separation" you may know that it is supposed to be all

that is needed to have a connection to just about anyone on the planet.

However, in spite of what I said above, I agree in part with what you

are saying. I think the 1 in 100,000 maybe being taken wrongly. I see

sources where it looks like the number means 1 person in 100,000 has

it, but I think other sites imply it is 1 new diagnosed case per

100,000 population per year. In ten years that should be 10 cases in a

population of 100,000 and that 10 would not count those that already

were cases and those that were never diagnoses. If I am correct about

this, it would not surprise me that even some doctors misunderstand the

statistics. Not all doctors are good with math.

notan

[Guest guest]

>

> I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in East Williston, college, 6 years

in Flushing, 25 years in Dix Hills, 4 years in Jericho, and I'm still

only 39 years old! (I wish).

Hi - my dad grew up in Sheeps Head Bay, Brooklyn and then

their family (all 10 kids) moved out to Deer Park. I Still have quite

a bit of family in Queens and out in Bay Shore and Brentwood. I lived

in Astoria/Woodside myself from 1989-1993. Went to college in Jamaica.

>

Perhaps your being 20 had a lot to do with your quick recovery from

the open Heller. I was 42 at the time, (oops, blew my being " 39 "

slip), and my recovery was right on (their) schedule. I don't recall

any setbacks. Funny, they never tell you ahead of time about the

recovery process from the " open, " just what the surgery is intended

to do.

> Where did you have your operation done?

I had my surgery in Schenectady. Maybe it was my age but I was never

in ICU and I started on clear liquids 2-3 days post-op

> Despite the rarity of it, my next door neighbor's father had it;

the husband of the couple we dine with each week has it, and my

parents' friends' daughter has it. What is going on here?

WOW!! Until this group, I had only met one person and heard of

my 'friends grandmothers friend' kind of thing. Maybe it's something

environmental because even in this group, there seems to be 'pockets'

where there are alot of people with A. But to personally know so many

people - wow!

>

> , maybe we can reserve a time in the chat room to catch up

with NY sometime.

Sure, I really am only on line at work though. I have a computer at

home that we rarely turn on - and it's slow, I still have dial-up.

Good to know you, the next time I'm on LI for a wedding or funeral or

something - I'll let you know, I think there's a few others from LI

or the city area, maybe we'll do a meet-up.

Take Care,

Happy Swallowing!

in Va.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

On this computer, I can't do the text editing color stuff so I will

try to delete the parts we've already talked about and leave in the

newly written info, and have my responses without the " > " symbol

> >

>

> Hi - my dad grew up in Sheeps Head Bay, Brooklyn and then

their family (all 10 kids) moved out to Deer Park. I Still have

quite a bit of family in Queens and out in Bay Shore and Brentwood.

I lived in Astoria/Woodside myself from 1989-1993. Went to college in

Jamaica.

Sheeps Head Bay was my section of Brooklyn too, but for only 5 years.

Dix Hills 1977 - 2001, which as you know, borders Deer Park.

> > Where did you have your operation done?

s Hopkins Hospital by Dr. Heitmuller, who was considered

the golden boy amongst the thoracic surgeons there. Later on he told

me that I was his first failure! However, 14 years later I still do

not feel the need for additional myotomies or dilitations, even

though eating has never been a piece of cake for me, I get by.

> > , maybe we can reserve a time in the chat room to catch

up with NY sometime.

>

> Sure, I really am only on line at work though. I have a computer at

home that we rarely turn on - and it's slow, I still have dial-up.

I acted upon the notice of the chat the other night to meet with

anyone who happened by. Checked several times but nobody was in the

chat room at the same time I was. I guess there are times people

check in, other times not.

> Good to know you, the next time I'm on LI for a wedding or funeral

or something - I'll let you know, I think there's a few others from

LI or the city area, maybe we'll do a meet-up.

>

> Take Care,

> Happy Swallowing!

> in Va.

Thanks ....any time I can swallow, I am happy!

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hello dear ,

Thank you so much for taking the time from your healing to write.

You've been through a lot. I will put your number in my cell.

You take care of you---I will be fine.

Hugs,

>

> Hi - I hope this post reaches you before you leave for

> Cleveland. Good luck to you and hang in there. It will all be over soon

> and you can start on the process of healing and learning about life

> without achalasia!! If I can be of any help, venting, fears, questions -

> whatever - call me at 252-722-2358 or email at mcnairmichelle at

> aol.com.

> I'll be thinking of you!

>

> - in NC

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sherry,

When I visited Dr. Rice in October, he was very upset because I had

the lap Heller in 2004, and I cancelled my 2005 appointment, didn't go

in 2006 and returned in 2007! He wasn't a happy camper about that and

said he likes to see patients once a year. But I know of others who do

not have to return but every 2 years and some every 5 years. I will

certainly ask him when I see him on the 22nd.

>

> Dr Rice did my ectomy also in May 05.He is an absolutely wonderful Dr.I

> would highly recommend him to anyone.Would you care to ask if you think

> of it how often do we need to follow up with him after surgery.I saw

> him last in sept 05.I know I probably should follow up at sometime but

> I hate to call his office.Good luck and if you have any questions I

> would be happy to try to answer them for you if I can.

> Sherry DeBord from Ohio

>

[Guest guest]

Sherry,

Why is it that you are so hesitant to contact Dr. Rice's office?

You had an 'ectomy, and clearly there is some follow up associated

with that.

I had my 'ectomy in March 2007 by Dr. Rice, and I am approaching my

one year anniversary. I emailed Dr. Rice directly to find out what

follow up was entailed because my husband and I were thinking of

switching medical insurance, so we were looking into what would be

covered. He indicated to me that he would see me once a year for a

couple of years......it would involve a ct scan and endoscopy, with a

possible barium swallow. Nothing crazy, and certainly nothing we

haven't had done before. So I ask again, why are you so opposed to

following up with his office? Did you have a bad experience? It is so

important to make sure all is well.

Concerned about you,

in NY

in Va

achalasia

> Dr Rice did my ectomy also in May 05.He is an absolutely wonderful

> Dr.I

> would highly recommend him to anyone.Would you care to ask if you

> think

> of it how often do we need to follow up with him after surgery.I

> saw

> him last in sept 05.I know I probably should follow up at sometime

> but

> I hate to call his office.Good luck and if you have any questions

> I

> would be happy to try to answer them for you if I can.

> Sherry DeBord from Ohio

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks so much for the tips. I have the GasX, and I know what you mean

by outdoing the dog! I will try to get more fiber in as well. I am

having some trouble swallowing sometimes, and I believe I need to be

dilated. I also eat a banana every morning and sometimes in the afternoon.

I am not feeling that well and don't feel like posting that much

either. I am still very weak. I drove to my son's home last Saturday,

which is two hours round trip and I was exhausted.

In VA

>

> Hey - you posted a few days ago about some of your more

> unpleasant side effects from your -ectomy. I am so sorry I have not

> posted sooner, it just seems like lately, I don't have time to post

> as much as I would like - I'm struggling just to stay up on the posts.

> Here are some suggestions - I am about 4-6 weeks ahead of you post op

> so I can truly relate to where you are at - hopefully some of these

> suggestions will help.

> For gas and bloating - keep some gas-x handy. They have small

> capsules, chewables and strips. If I felt any bloating, chewing one

> would help pretty quickly. I also take one if I am eating something I

> know is going to cause gas (cole slaw, chocolate, etc) Thankfully, it

> did ease for me right at 3-4 months post op. Let me tell you, gas

> wise (getting personal here) for awhile - I was putting the dog to

> shame!! That seems to have REALLY eased lately as my body has

> adjusted more.

> For the dumping - I don't have it bad but I do get some really loose

> stools sometimes and for awhile, I was going 5-6 times a day. I

> recently started really working on getting more fiber rich and

> binding foods into my diet and now I am down to a much more normal 1,

> sometimes 2 times a day. I eat a banana with breakfast every day and

> in the afternoon, I eat a handful of dry shredded wheat bites, or

> some celery with dip or some cheddar on triscuits. It has helped

> tremendously.

> Just some ideas. I hope something will help but I feel confident in

> saying that as time goes on and your body adjusts, it all gets

> better. We'll still never be perfect but I already feel like I'm

> better than before surgery and it's only going to get better yet!!

> Keep us posted on your visit with Dr. Rice.

>

> - in NC

>