Great to find a support group for Achalasia

[Guest guest]

Hi

I am from Sydney Australia and stumbled on this site when

filling out an application for Life Insurance! This disease can be

managed and I would like to provide a short history/notes for the

benefit of others as I have suffered the disease for 20 years now:

1. I am currently 37. I was diagnosed with Achalasia in 1985 (age 17),

following a 3 month period of intense chest pains and increased

diffculty swallowing food (Dad told me to chew my food more! - god

bless him). The diagnosis was quick and effective (barium xray and

manometry). Cause unknown - although the family has disussed potential

interference from Dad's genes - he was in Vietnam and significatnly

exposed to agent Orange (please note Dad and I get along just fine!!)

2. I had a year of dilation treatment (balloons at the stomach

sphincter) - very painful and only of short term benefit.

3. I then had a Heller's cut and Nissan Fundoplication end of '85.

Major op - 10 days in hospital but has been very successful.

4. I have since has a successful career as an engineer in the

Australian Navy (lots of medical tests required) and the IT industry.

I have had to be careful with my inability to vomit properly due to

the Nissan fundoplication.

5. I have had endoscopies every 5 years at the recomendation of my

original Gastroenterologist to keep an eye on the tract of my complete

aesophagas and intestinal system (he beleives anything that has been

interfered with should be checked for abnormalities). He is now saying

I should do this every 2 yrs (i.e. as I am now approaching middle

age). He is an authority in Oz and tells me there is no cure or much

of an understanding why it occurs (I think it comes downs to lack of

R & D money/profile)

6. All in all, I dont beleive Achalasia has impacted my life too

much. I am a regular guy, have a young family (3 kids), and have had

a good career so far. I have been told my life expectancy is normal.

7. Managing occasional chest pain has been by far my greatest

challenge (average pain once every 2 months - usually at night). After

20 years of experience, I reckon the following factors influence/cause it:

- tiredness

- stress

- poor diet (particularly excessively spicy food)

- poor level of fitness

- lying down too soon after eating

I have generally taken antacid tablets (eg quickeze) to settle it down.

So I think long term pain management is based aroung managing

potential reflux (specific) and physical/mental condition (general).

I intend spending some time now reviewing this site to gain great

insights into the holistic management of the disease and pain.

My main recommendations would be to to:

- find a good GP AND Gastro that understand Achalasia

- get busy living!

Hope this helps.