24 hour PH-a

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Hey a - great first posting by the way - it is always so great to

hear success stories.

I was supposed to have the 24 hr. ph test several years ago. It is a

thin NG tube that you leave in for 24 hours to determine when your

stomach acid is highest, etc. I never had it done because they were

supposed to do it the same day I had my last menometry and honestly -

after that - I was NOT ready to have another NG tube passed. My GI

doc at the time, at a military hospital - they don't have to have

much in the way of bedside manner - actually gave me some crap about

it at follow up - something to the effect of 'wow, really too bad you

don't tolerate that better, it would be good results to know' - what

a schmuck!! He'd NEVER had so much as an NG tube, let alone menometry

or 24 hour test!! Easy to judge when you have no idea what it's

really like.

Good luck with it. I hope it goes well for you. I know some others

here have had it done and didn't seem to have too much trouble. Who

was it maybe a year ago or so who went to Cleveland for the 24 hr. ph

and talked about going to the movies with her husband to get her mind

off of it??

Keep us posted

Happy Swallowing!

- in Va.

> > >

> > > Hey everyone! I wish I would have found this site pre-

surgery.

> > So

> > > much info to read about, this is great! My name is a and I

> am

> > > 29 years old. My GI doc said I've had this for at least 10

years

> > > and I didn't know it. I thought the way i felt was normal, I

> > guess

> > > because Ididn't know any better. I was diagnosed with

Achalasia

> > > back in October, this after a CAT Scan, Endoscopy and

Manometry.

> > > After my Endoscopy, my GI Doc was amazed I could eat at all and

> > > ordered the Manometry test asap. Since I had to go out of town

> > the

> > > following morning, that horrible test was done 2 days later,

then

> > it

> > > was off to the surgeon. After meeting with him, I knew surgery

> > was

> > > the next step. He said it wasn't anything that had to be done

> > right

> > > away, but needed to be done. He was going to review my tests

and

> > > get back with me. I received a call not 2 days later and

surgery

> > > was scheduled, they actually wanted to do it the upcoming

monday,

> > > but I said no, I wasn't ready yet. I guess it was worse than

> what

> > > he thought.

> > > Surgery wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. After the

first

> > 36

> > > hrs, I was feeling pretty good. But before then, the pain was

> > > horrible, especially on the higher incisions. I was on

morphine

> > > almost every hour for the first 2 1/2 days. Breathing was

> > > extrememly painful from the start and I complained enough, the

> doc

> > > ordered a chest x-ray. this only found more fun! Air pockets

in

> > my

> > > chest cavity and a partially collapsed lung! It sounds

painful,

> > but

> > > I guess it really wasn't that bad, with the morphine. So, I

> ended

> > > up staying a full 4 days and going home on the 4th night. The

> > > vicotin then the darvoset they had me try made me sick, even on

> > the

> > > anti nausea meds, so i didn't take them. When I got home, just

a

> > > few advil a few times a day did the trick. Doc said that my

> > > esophagus was still full of food the day of surgery, and I was

on

> a clear liquid diet

> > 4

> > > days prior and a soft diet 3 days before that! I think that is

> > the

> > > part that grosses me out the most. My time at home was pretty

> > > boring. I did sleep alot, but for the most part felt pretty

> > good.

> > > I was walking a few times a day right from the start. I was

off

> > > work for 3 weeks, but only because the 3rd week was

thanksgiving

> > and

> > > it was silly to go back to work. Thanksgiving is usually my

> > > favorite holiday, but not when you get to enjoy cranberry sauce

> > and

> > > mashed potatos for dinner!! I did have pumpkin pie without the

> > > crust, so that wasn't so bad.

> > > I was AMAZED at how wonderful a milkshake felt going down.

> Before

> > I

> > > would have to drink a whole glass of water to get it all down,

> but

> > > now? It's fabulous! I have been on mostly normal food since

the

> > > middle of December. Granted, my portions are small, but it's

> > still

> > > good. I am back working out 3 times a week and even jogging a

> > > little bit. Surgery was by far the best choice I've ever made

> and

> > I

> > > highly recommed it, I have never felt so good. I've been

having

> > > problems for the past 10 years, wish I would have known what

was

> > > wrong back then. I am curious what will happen in the months

and

> > > years to come. I have to have the 24 hr ph test in may, which

> has

> > > me very scared. Any words of advice from you guys would be

> > great!

> > > Right now I think I am just enjoying sleeping all night without

> > > waking up coughing EVERY night. I don't miss that at all or

> > sleeping

> > > in a chair because of horrible reflux or just trying to not

cough

> > > and keep the food in, or eating dinner before 5:00 to give food

> > time

> > > to get where it needed to be.

> > > That is my story. I am so happy I found this! It is very nice

> to

> > > hear other stories about this rare disease, not feel like an

> > > outsider when I try and explain what happened to me to others.

> > > Hope to talk soon,

> > > a in St. Louis

> > >

> >

>