Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Posted February 16, 2006 Mobunny, How old is your husband and has he had surgery? Yes these are all the same things that many of us on this site have gone through. Mine also started in my early 20's. We have the same pains. Noncardiac chest pains. I get them in my jaw too, and back. I don't know that a smell ever triggered my pains, but I have them. More so before my surgery than after. My heart pounds funny only when having trouble with food going down, but not after. Has he seen a dr? Where do you live? Many people on this board will be able to help you. maybe past posts too. have you read them??? We are here to help so...don't worry..we can relate ALL TOO WELL. GOOD LUCK! Dawn in Ohio > > He suffers with this disorder-achalasia. Are these symptoms common in > what everyone else goes through? > Began in early twenties... > Has to drink enormous amounts of liquid to push food down... > pain when it doesn't go down... > then if not pushed down fast enough, it comes back up! > funny chest pain (on right!side),jaw pain,back of teeth ache, nose > cloggs up > certain strong smells set off chest pain, etc he describes as " heart > burn " for lack of a better word... > After eating, very sleepy, heart pounds funny...sometimes sweaty > worse under stress or nervous? > > Has anyone has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer from the acid > back up? > > Thanks! > Mobunny6 > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Posted February 16, 2006 Hi Dawn! Thanks for responding...he's 38 and was diagnosed about 8 yrs ago. He was told to check back in 2 yrs after they tried a dilation, which did no good. He's never been back. He is " afraid " of what they did to him last time. They were trying to put a nasal-gastric tube in and boy did it gag him like crazy despite the throat spray and mild sedation. He has a really strong gag reflex. I was worried because they made a point of saying, " Having achalasia puts you at risk for esophogeal cancer due to the acid back up and the bulging. We need to scope you out in 2 yrs. " What kinds of surgery do all you guys get? At that time they said something unpleasant like, " ...then we have to open up your rib cage... " YIKES. We thought-like they do in open heart surgery...ummm no, thank you! Then they said, of course then by opening up the lower spincter you'll have more acid splashing up into your esophagus, raising the risk of cancer and it can be quite unpleasant in terms of acid reflux on a daily basis. So you would have you take an anti-acid daily etc. It sounded so troublesome that my husband chose to do nothing. Mobunny6 > > > > He suffers with this disorder-achalasia. Are these symptoms common > in > > what everyone else goes through? > > Began in early twenties... > > Has to drink enormous amounts of liquid to push food down... > > pain when it doesn't go down... > > then if not pushed down fast enough, it comes back up! > > funny chest pain (on right!side),jaw pain,back of teeth ache, nose > > cloggs up > > certain strong smells set off chest pain, etc he describes > as " heart > > burn " for lack of a better word... > > After eating, very sleepy, heart pounds funny...sometimes sweaty > > worse under stress or nervous? > > > > Has anyone has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer from the acid > > back up? > > > > Thanks! > > Mobunny6 > > > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Posted February 16, 2006 Welcome to the group! I am also the wife of someone suffering from an esophagus motility disorder (my husband has something called Diffuse Esophageal Spasm, not achalasia, though). It does affect a spouse and family of a sufferer, too! You'll find a lot of support and information about achalasia here. I wanted to comment on your question about cancer. From what I've heard, achalasia patients don't have a higher risk of esophageal cancer than the general public. Their lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is normally tight and doesn't allow stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus (E), unless they develop acid reflux after having surgery. The acid exposure is what puts people at risk for developing cancer. Good luck in helping your hubby deal with this disease! in Michigan > > He suffers with this disorder-achalasia. Are these symptoms common in > what everyone else goes through? > Began in early twenties... > Has to drink enormous amounts of liquid to push food down... > pain when it doesn't go down... > then if not pushed down fast enough, it comes back up! > funny chest pain (on right!side),jaw pain,back of teeth ache, nose > cloggs up > certain strong smells set off chest pain, etc he describes as " heart > burn " for lack of a better word... > After eating, very sleepy, heart pounds funny...sometimes sweaty > worse under stress or nervous? > > Has anyone has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer from the acid > back up? > > Thanks! > Mobunny6 > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Posted February 16, 2006 Mobunny6, welcome to the group. The surgery that is done is called a Heller's myotomy. The surgeon will cut the muscles that control the valve to the stomach to relieve the constriction and thus allowing better passage of food and liquids into the stomach. It can be done several ways. I have had my first surgery done laproscopic through the abdomen. Then last May I had to have an open Heller's redo. They did not crack any ribs or anything like that but I do have a nice scar that follows my rib cage from the left to the right. The surgery is the best option for people that have Achalasia and are able to make it through a surgery. Yes, there is a concern about acid reflux but there are way they can help prevent that. One way is either to do a partial wrap or full rap of the oesophagus. This is done by using the top part of the stomach or the fundus to help give back some structure from cutting the muscles that control the valve to the stomach. I do not have a wrap now so I am taking Prilosec and that seems to be doing just fine for me. There is a lot of information on this site so take time and look over it with your husband. Write down as many questions that you might think of and there are some on the site you may want to print out. Try and find a specialist that deal with this disease. In the end you and our husband need to do what is best for you and your family. I hope this helps you out. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask or if you want to contact me my e-mail is muellmeris@... . Again welcome to our family and I hope your husband and you find relief soon. in Suffolk Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 Mobunny, welcome to the group. It sounds like your husband was treat before the laparoscopic surgery was known. Things are so much different now. Your husband needs to see a doctor who is very experienced in achalasia. Please tell us where you live and maybe someone here will be able to recommend a doctor in your area. It sounds likes your husband had the manometry (the nasal gastric tube) done by a technician who didn't have much experience. Things have come a long way in 8 years. Keep reading old messages, asking questions here, and again tell us where you live. We care, Maggie Alabama Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 I had a wrap done on my first surgery that was done in 2003. When I went in for my second surgery the surgeon took down the wrap because it was one of the contributing factors in giving me so many problems. Like pain and not being able to get food and drink down. He did not replace the wrap and prescribed the prilosec. I have had dilation's and botox prior to my first surgery. I have only had one manomitry though. So I do not know if my readings were so distinct or what but I have not ever had another one sense 1995. Looking back at things I think I have been dealing with this disease for about 18 years. Having the information I have now I would do things differently and I would have opted for the surgery right off the bat. I have an appointment on the third of next month with my GP and I have several question concerning that medication and some odd pains I have had sense my surgery. in Suffolk Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 Well, you do get tired of fighting to eat and drink. This is a progressive disease and there might be a point where he will not even get water down. That should be a big warning that things are getting really bad. If you are not able to drink water you will so be in a lot of distress. The surgery is really not that bad and if it is done laproscopic then the recovery time is very short. I do not have as much pain sense I have had the surgery and the spasms that I was having have almost gone away. I eat a lot better and even have gained some extra weight. I also have not had a coughing episode at night or have spit up during the night sense my last surgery. Having that piece of mind that I can sleep flat again and not worry about choking in my sleep is very nice. I feel more relaxed now and that has improved how I sleep. Getting to his point has also taken the stress off of my kids and wife. The group site has a doctors referral's list in the data base that might help you and some of the group members I am sure will give you any input on any surgeon that you are considering. in Suffolk Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 Hi again! Throughout many of the tests I've had done, I've gagged, cried, thrown up, you name it. It is a pretty natural reaction. I had the heller surgery at 21, I am 35 now. I had it done in Cleveland and it was a great success. They did an incision about 5 inches through my left back ribs and did spread em open, but today they usually do it laproscopically. It is a shorter hospital stay. My stay was 6 days and my recovery was 2 weeks. Having achalasia does put you at a higher risk for cancer but everytime I have gone to be scoped...there is no damage by acid and no cancer visible. I take no antiacids, no medicine for chest pain. It may not be as bad as you think. Check into it. It saved my life. Dawn in Ohio.....keep us posted!!!!!!!!! > > > > > > He suffers with this disorder-achalasia. Are these symptoms > common > > in > > > what everyone else goes through? > > > Began in early twenties... > > > Has to drink enormous amounts of liquid to push food down... > > > pain when it doesn't go down... > > > then if not pushed down fast enough, it comes back up! > > > funny chest pain (on right!side),jaw pain,back of teeth ache, > nose > > > cloggs up > > > certain strong smells set off chest pain, etc he describes > > as " heart > > > burn " for lack of a better word... > > > After eating, very sleepy, heart pounds funny...sometimes sweaty > > > worse under stress or nervous? > > > > > > Has anyone has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer from the > acid > > > back up? > > > > > > Thanks! > > > Mobunny6 > > > > > > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 , you do not have a wrap, huh??? I don't either. I had surgery when they didn't do them. I am glad. BUT, WHY DO YOU TAKE PRILOSEC EVERYDAY OR DO YOU TAKE IT AS NEEDED??? I guess I am just against it for myself. My dr. Recommended uh.....pepcid instead, but I don't take it. I find that I wouldn't need it on a daily basis anyhow. Besides, I think I have never really had heartburn. Just spasms. I was telling MOBUNNY that when I have been scoped there is never any evidence (THANK GOD) of acid damage or cancer. I haven't been scoped in 3 yrs and my problems are minimal in camparison to others in this group. I'm not familiar with your story. Tell me one day. Did you guys chat last night??? Dawn in OHIO > > Mobunny6, welcome to the group. The surgery that is done is called a > Heller's myotomy. The surgeon will cut the muscles that control the valve to the > stomach to relieve the constriction and thus allowing better passage of food > and liquids into the stomach. It can be done several ways. I have had my > first surgery done laproscopic through the abdomen. Then last May I had to have > an open Heller's redo. They did not crack any ribs or anything like that > but I do have a nice scar that follows my rib cage from the left to the right. > > The surgery is the best option for people that have Achalasia and are able > to make it through a surgery. Yes, there is a concern about acid reflux but > there are way they can help prevent that. One way is either to do a partial > wrap or full rap of the oesophagus. This is done by using the top part of the > stomach or the fundus to help give back some structure from cutting the > muscles that control the valve to the stomach. I do not have a wrap now so I am > taking Prilosec and that seems to be doing just fine for me. > > There is a lot of information on this site so take time and look over it > with your husband. Write down as many questions that you might think of and > there are some on the site you may want to print out. Try and find a specialist > that deal with this disease. In the end you and our husband need to do what > is best for you and your family. I hope this helps you out. If you have > any other questions please feel free to ask or if you want to contact me my > e-mail is _muellmeris@..._ (mailto:muellmeris@...) . > > Again welcome to our family and I hope your husband and you find relief > soon. > > in Suffolk > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 Thanks for all the info everyone! We live outside St. Louis by an hour. I'm sure there must be someone there who is good... I'm thinking that my husband will just opt to live with this. He certainly manages to get the food in him...at 38, he's 275 and 6'2 " ! It is very hard to see him stretch out his neck and make this horrible grimace (from the pain of having the food stuck in there not going down!). Once, I asked God to let me know how it felt for him, because I was getting annoyed with watching him struggle through this thinking, " He's probably not even chewing well enough, mutton-head " : O Boy, the next day I was eating and I swallowed and it felt like it lodged in my chest. I immediately felt panic and it hurt like crazy then I gulped a bunch of water and...well. I won't be so annoyed anymore! It is horrible! I am really concerned because he has sleep apnea...so he is at risk for heart issues plus it is in his family history. He also falls asleep whenever, very easily despite wearing a C-Pap at night for it. He seems to cough a lot, you know, like you swallowed saliva wrong etc. I say, " Choking on spit again? " " Yep. " His complaints of chest pain on the right side has been dismissed by doctors around here. They don't seem to know why he gets these unpleasant tightness/pain that goes up into his jaw and back teeth...which he just named " heartburn " for lack of a better description. He has a weird thing going on with his heartbeat while all this is going on. A doctor heard it once and gave him an EKG and said it was fine... Potporri and strong cologne can bring on this chest thingy...and popcorn. I'm thinking achalasia AND esophageal spasms-which I read can affect right side-Thoughts? Opinions? How did you individually decide when enough was enough and force yourselves to go through the " treatment " for all this? Thanks for the help! Mobunny6 Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 -Hello Mobunny ( don't know your name). Leaving this problem be because of the fear of surgery could be to your husbands detriment. His E is only continuing to get worse even if the symptoms are not. Many people here will let you know this. The best option is ask questions here and get knowledge and decide for yourself. For me I had all the symptoms you mentioned and more and ended up not even swallowing water well. I had the heller myotomy in October and it made my life so much better. I have no acid reflux. It was also a fear for me too. So many people here have had years of better eating since the myotomy. How well it works is obviously different for everyone, it is a degenerative disease. I recommend you find a doctor who deals with this a lot and get all your information together on his condition. Living with all those symptoms just controls his life and yours. You owe it to yourselves to look into it. -- In achalasia , " mobunny6 " <upstairs@...> wrote: > > Hi Dawn! > > Thanks for responding...he's 38 and was diagnosed about 8 yrs ago. > He was told to check back in 2 yrs after they tried a dilation, > which did no good. He's never been back. He is " afraid " of what they > did to him last time. They were trying to put a nasal-gastric tube > in and boy did it gag him like crazy despite the throat spray and > mild sedation. He has a really strong gag reflex. > > I was worried because they made a point of saying, " Having achalasia > puts you at risk for esophogeal cancer due to the acid back up and > the bulging. We need to scope you out in 2 yrs. " > > What kinds of surgery do all you guys get? At that time they said > something unpleasant like, " ...then we have to open up your rib > cage... " YIKES. We thought-like they do in open heart surgery...ummm > no, thank you! > > Then they said, of course then by opening up the lower spincter > you'll have more acid splashing up into your esophagus, raising the > risk of cancer and it can be quite unpleasant in terms of acid > reflux on a daily basis. So you would have you take an anti-acid > daily etc. > > It sounded so troublesome that my husband chose to do nothing. > > Mobunny6 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > He suffers with this disorder-achalasia. Are these symptoms > common > > in > > > what everyone else goes through? > > > Began in early twenties... > > > Has to drink enormous amounts of liquid to push food down... > > > pain when it doesn't go down... > > > then if not pushed down fast enough, it comes back up! > > > funny chest pain (on right!side),jaw pain,back of teeth ache, > nose > > > cloggs up > > > certain strong smells set off chest pain, etc he describes > > as " heart > > > burn " for lack of a better word... > > > After eating, very sleepy, heart pounds funny...sometimes sweaty > > > worse under stress or nervous? > > > > > > Has anyone has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer from the > acid > > > back up? > > > > > > Thanks! > > > Mobunny6 > > > > > > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 -Don't be too hard on yourself. My husband did not get it either to start with. When symptoms got worse it was really frustrating for him too. He wanted answers in the end and was my driving force to go forward. I probably would have sat back with fear too. This disease is hard on the whole family. My daughter missed a lot of school when I was in hospital when she returned she missed a whole unit of biology but topped the class in the test. Would you beleive it they studied the gastro system. The teacher asked how she knew more than what he taught so she gave the full explanation of A. We worked at getting through this as a family. Be stong for him. It really is difficult for him. -- In achalasia , " mobunny6 " <upstairs@...> wrote: > > Thanks for all the info everyone! > > We live outside St. Louis by an hour. I'm sure there must be someone > there who is good... > > I'm thinking that my husband will just opt to live with this. He > certainly manages to get the food in him...at 38, he's 275 and 6'2 " ! > > It is very hard to see him stretch out his neck and make this > horrible grimace (from the pain of having the food stuck in there > not going down!). Once, I asked God to let me know how it felt for > him, because I was getting annoyed with watching him struggle > through this thinking, " He's probably not even chewing well enough, > mutton-head " : O Boy, the next day I was eating and I swallowed and > it felt like it lodged in my chest. I immediately felt panic and it > hurt like crazy then I gulped a bunch of water and...well. I won't > be so annoyed anymore! It is horrible! > > I am really concerned because he has sleep apnea...so he is at risk > for heart issues plus it is in his family history. > He also falls asleep whenever, very easily despite wearing a C-Pap > at night for it. > He seems to cough a lot, you know, like you swallowed saliva wrong > etc. I say, " Choking on spit again? " " Yep. " > > His complaints of chest pain on the right side has been dismissed by > doctors around here. They don't seem to know why he gets these > unpleasant tightness/pain that goes up into his jaw and back > teeth...which he just named " heartburn " for lack of a better > description. He has a weird thing going on with his heartbeat while > all this is going on. A doctor heard it once and gave him an EKG and > said it was fine... > Potporri and strong cologne can bring on this chest thingy...and > popcorn. > > I'm thinking achalasia AND esophageal spasms-which I read can affect > right side-Thoughts? Opinions? > > How did you individually decide when enough was enough and force > yourselves to go through the " treatment " for all this? > > Thanks for the help! > Mobunny6 > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 I'm hoping your husband decides to go for treatment, soon. My husband and many here can relate to how uncomfortable and annoying the tests are that the doctors use to evaluate A patients. You'll find that some technicians or nurses are more experienced and gentler than others in doing the test. There can be, however, serious consequences of leaving A untreated, or not having a doctor monitor it. I'm not the expert here, but many in this group could tell you that A can progress, and cause the E to get stretched out and twisted. If the damage is severe enough, esophagectomy is the only treatment option at that point. Even if there is no stretching, food or fluids that are sitting in the E, unable to pass very quickly into the stomach, can back up into the lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia (I know some from the group have had that before, unfortunately). I'm sorry, I'm not trying to scare you. You may want to let your husband know that you are concerned about him and that if he gets checked out soon, maybe he can prevent some major problems. My husband can be the same way as yours at times. When he makes up his mind on something (like yours did a while back when he realized he didn't like the tests that had to be done for A), it can be tough to change it. In the case of his DES, my husband was miserable enough to seek treatment shortly after it started. I think the fact that the spasms were so painful that it was preventing him from going to work some days triggered it for him. He was new at his job and worried about what they would say, so he figured he better get it checked out. I've had to help keep him motivated at times, to continue to pursue things when it took a LONG time to get an accurate diagnosis. Good luck with finding information and getting help for your hubby! in Michigan > > Thanks for all the info everyone! > > We live outside St. Louis by an hour. I'm sure there must be someone > there who is good... > > I'm thinking that my husband will just opt to live with this. He > certainly manages to get the food in him...at 38, he's 275 and 6'2 " ! > > It is very hard to see him stretch out his neck and make this > horrible grimace (from the pain of having the food stuck in there > not going down!). Once, I asked God to let me know how it felt for > him, because I was getting annoyed with watching him struggle > through this thinking, " He's probably not even chewing well enough, > mutton-head " : O Boy, the next day I was eating and I swallowed and > it felt like it lodged in my chest. I immediately felt panic and it > hurt like crazy then I gulped a bunch of water and...well. I won't > be so annoyed anymore! It is horrible! > > I am really concerned because he has sleep apnea...so he is at risk > for heart issues plus it is in his family history. > He also falls asleep whenever, very easily despite wearing a C-Pap > at night for it. > He seems to cough a lot, you know, like you swallowed saliva wrong > etc. I say, " Choking on spit again? " " Yep. " > > His complaints of chest pain on the right side has been dismissed by > doctors around here. They don't seem to know why he gets these > unpleasant tightness/pain that goes up into his jaw and back > teeth...which he just named " heartburn " for lack of a better > description. He has a weird thing going on with his heartbeat while > all this is going on. A doctor heard it once and gave him an EKG and > said it was fine... > Potporri and strong cologne can bring on this chest thingy...and > popcorn. > > I'm thinking achalasia AND esophageal spasms-which I read can affect > right side-Thoughts? Opinions? > > How did you individually decide when enough was enough and force > yourselves to go through the " treatment " for all this? > > Thanks for the help! > Mobunny6 > Quote
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Posted February 17, 2006 Dear Bunny, You didn't say if you have kids.... your husband absolutely needs to treat this problem. Ignoring it makes it worse. If I may share a lecture I give my (forgive me here for bringing religion into the discussion) fundamentalist Catholic friend across the street, who is 44 years old, already has 4 kids aged 5-22, one grandchild and has been advised by probably 5 specialists to have a hysterectomy because of severe anemia, pain and other difficulties. My dear friend is clutching onto her uterus because she somehow is convinced removing it goes against her religious beliefs about reproduction. (I said fundamentalist.) She is regularly sick and unable to get out of bed. The problem is this isn't just between her and her husband, but affects the 4 kids that worry themselves sick when she isn't well. If you and your husband have kids, (as I tell my husband who still smokes) then your health is a responsibility you also owe your kids. Fine if you make decisions about avoiding treatment for yourself, but what it does to those around you can be devastating. You (what is the correct term when "you" is used collectively?) owe it to your family to be there in the future. I think a parent has to "gut up" to face the doctors so they will be around to take care of their kids. (Now I'm on a roll so close your eyes if the lecture is already getting on your nerves.) Resentment can build among logical people in a family if the ill one avoids the obvious. An ill person may think not going to doctors, or learning about a disease is less traumatic, but I think not knowing and worrying is much harder on the surrounding loved ones and on the individual itself. To a certain extent, how many times do we have to nag a loved one to take care of themselves before we start resenting it and just take out a larger life insurance policy. (Speaking personally, how difficult would it be for my husband to just take the damnned thyroid pill, instead of arguing about it.) I don't care if a family member thinks to themselves they aren't worth the expense or bother (let's get real, we are talking about husbands usually here) but for some reason their kids care and think they are worth keeping around. So to the dear family members here, tell your sick person to take care of the problem and quit whimpering about how awkward the tests are, how difficult it is to find the doctor. We didn't say the path was straight and level, but the path is still better than cutting your own trail. Get to the best doctor you can find and find out the truth instead of wondering. In general achalasia isn't life threatening so take care of it and get on with your life. The tests and obstacles to good care aren't that big a deal in the scheme of life. At least we have tests to take and procedures that generally help us. Yes there may be financial issues and insurance hassles, but we can work through them. Sandy in So Cal.... whew, where did that come from... well, I've been nursing a migraine since 7 this morning, finally fading because of good drugs. My Mother had migraines constantly, worse and worse and I was worried sick. I would come home from school and she was still in bed. I cooked and cleaned and she would drag herself out of bed with eyes closed and would pat me on the shoulder as she walked by, then back to bed. This happened for many years, very bad my high school years. If I asked her how she felt and she was the martyr and said fine, as she came to some school function there was a huge wave of resentment that she was lying, and was really sick, maybe brain cancer, and WHY was she sick all the time and HOW COULD I BE so unloving as to resent her then the waves of guilt because I felt that way. >> Thanks for all the info everyone!> > We live outside St. Louis by an hour. I'm sure there must be someone > there who is good...> > I'm thinking that my husband will just opt to live with this. He > certainly manages to get the food in him...at 38, he's 275 and 6'2"!> > It is very hard to see him stretch out his neck and make this > horrible grimace (from the pain of having the food stuck in there > not going down!). Once, I asked God to let me know how it felt for > him, because I was getting annoyed with watching him struggle > through this thinking, "He's probably not even chewing well enough, > mutton-head": O Boy, the next day I was eating and I swallowed and > it felt like it lodged in my chest. I immediately felt panic and it > hurt like crazy then I gulped a bunch of water and...well. I won't > be so annoyed anymore! It is horrible!> > I am really concerned because he has sleep apnea...so he is at risk > for heart issues plus it is in his family history.> He also falls asleep whenever, very easily despite wearing a C-Pap > at night for it.> He seems to cough a lot, you know, like you swallowed saliva wrong > etc. I say, "Choking on spit again?" "Yep."> > His complaints of chest pain on the right side has been dismissed by > doctors around here. They don't seem to know why he gets these > unpleasant tightness/pain that goes up into his jaw and back > teeth...which he just named "heartburn" for lack of a better > description. He has a weird thing going on with his heartbeat while > all this is going on. A doctor heard it once and gave him an EKG and > said it was fine...> Potporri and strong cologne can bring on this chest thingy...and > popcorn.> > I'm thinking achalasia AND esophageal spasms-which I read can affect > right side-Thoughts? Opinions?> > How did you individually decide when enough was enough and force > yourselves to go through the "treatment" for all this?> > Thanks for the help!> Mobunny6> Quote
Guest guest Posted February 18, 2006 Report Posted February 18, 2006 Dear Sandy, I wa so moved by your post. You really opened up your heart and shared some very intimate feelings with us there. And I felt your sincerity and passion. It also gave me a new perspective on things. I have always been aware that no one is an island and what they are and what they do will always have an effect on other people, but you described it so well. I related to your mention of smoking. My Husband smokes a lot and I have spent many years trying to encourage him to cut down, to no avail. You (I suppose you should say "one" but it sounds so formal). "One" gets to the point when "one" thinks it is HIS body and his life to destroy as he wants, but at that point you feel as if you are giving up. It's a no win situation. I am eternally glad that I have never smoked. I hate to think what sort of state my oesophagus would be in now if I did, and would only have myself to blame. Does any one want to confess to being a smoker? A word of warning for you if you do. You might get some of us shouting at you to stop. Love to you Sandy, from Ann xx> >> > Thanks for all the info everyone!> >> > We live outside St. Louis by an hour. I'm sure there must be someone> > there who is good...> >> > I'm thinking that my husband will just opt to live with this. He> > certainly manages to get the food in him...at 38, he's 275 and 6'2"!> >> > It is very hard to see him stretch out his neck and make this> > horrible grimace (from the pain of having the food stuck in there> > not going down!). Once, I asked God to let me know how it felt for> > him, because I was getting annoyed with watching him struggle> > through this thinking, "He's probably not even chewing well enough,> > mutton-head": O Boy, the next day I was eating and I swallowed and> > it felt like it lodged in my chest. I immediately felt panic and it> > hurt like crazy then I gulped a bunch of water and...well. I won't> > be so annoyed anymore! It is horrible!> >> > I am really concerned because he has sleep apnea...so he is at risk> > for heart issues plus it is in his family history.> > He also falls asleep whenever, very easily despite wearing a C-Pap> > at night for it.> > He seems to cough a lot, you know, like you swallowed saliva wrong> > etc. I say, "Choking on spit again?" "Yep."> >> > His complaints of chest pain on the right side has been dismissed by> > doctors around here. They don't seem to know why he gets these> > unpleasant tightness/pain that goes up into his jaw and back> > teeth...which he just named "heartburn" for lack of a better> > description. He has a weird thing going on with his heartbeat while> > all this is going on. A doctor heard it once and gave him an EKG and> > said it was fine...> > Potporri and strong cologne can bring on this chest thingy...and> > popcorn.> >> > I'm thinking achalasia AND esophageal spasms-which I read can affect> > right side-Thoughts? Opinions?> >> > How did you individually decide when enough was enough and force> > yourselves to go through the "treatment" for all this?> >> > Thanks for the help!> > Mobunny6> >> Quote
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