in Essex

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I must confess that I am mystified as to why the Diet Coke that I

use for the spasms and for clearing food, works so well with me, and

for some others, but not for you and many other Achalasians. Of

course I became aware of that many posts ago, but in just trying to

think this through, same disease, but so many different ways to deal

with it. Seemingly no hard and fast rule with almost everything.

While many of us avoid certain foods like the plague, in my case

I need to know if my sphincter is showing a " red " or " green " light.

If its a " green " light, there probably isn't anything that will give

me a problem going down. If its a " red " light, even the Diet Coke

won't get through!

Perhaps, if I was comletely disciplined, approaching a meal I

would always first have a cold drink to see if the sensations of cold

reaches my stomach or not. If it does, then I can proceed. If not,

then take a nifedipine, wait a couple of minutes then try the cold

drink again (cold water, or Diet Coke), until clear. Sometimes I do

this, other times, just don't think about it, and I can wind up in

trouble ( " trouble " being the bathroom, again).

I think its pretty universal, that if you can determine that

you have yesterday's dinner or an earlier meal of the day just

sitting there, don't start eating your next meal. It used to really

bother me when my first gastroenterologist used to tell me what I had

to eat for the last 2 days each time I went to him. After all, what

I ate should not be his business.

PS: F. - yes, I know that feeling all too well. You know I

can regurgitate with the best of them, but I have not thrown up

(vomited) in over 25 years. I guess peristalys does not work in

reverse with me either.

>

> Dear Ann,

>

> You still beat me to it today and there was me thinking I was

nearly

> up to speed with everything. Well, on the subject of time

difference

> I'm afraid I can't help you much except that I do know we are 10

> hours behind Australia [i think its behind] since watching " I'm a

> Celebrity Get Me Out of Here " .

>

> I think I'm just about managing to get enough antibiotics into my

> system but definitely won't choose capsules of any sort again.

>

> I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner but last week really did seem to

> go downhill almost from the moment I came from that unproductive

> appointment. Do you reckon that could be partly phsychological?

>

> Anyway, on a lighter note, I noticed from one of your previous

posts

> that you were up in the wee small hours and made yourself of nice

> cuppa. Do you find tea generally helpful in sending food down in

the

> right direction. I've tried 's Diet Coke test and that

> definitely didn't work for me.

>

> Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the chat room. Well, I went there

one

> night but as mine was the only name in the column I panicked and

> came out just as quickly as I went in. I'm not yet too well

> acquainted with my new laptop to venture into these realms [i

> thought].

>

> Will speak to you very soon.

>

> Luv from your cybersister in cold, cloudy Essex xxx

>