To Mobunny

[Guest guest]

Dear Mobunny,

May I second some of the points that have been made by others, in particular the point Sandy made about weight. I think that people with achalasia are expected to look like anorexics, which is sometimes the case but usually not. I personally am probably somewhere in the middle of the degenarative process of the disease and would be regarded medically as the perfect weight for my height.

In the earlier stages, many years ago, I did loose quite a lot of weight because I could not maintain my calorie intake, but nowadays, as my oesophagus will have adjusted, which is a double-edged sword, I am ok in that respect, although my choice of foods has to be governed by what my aperistalsis will allow and unfortunately for my health some of the easier foods are suspiciously yummy - ice cream, chocolate, crisps for example. I can manage some fish and amazingly, can eat nuts, so I am able to get some protein.

I feel for your Husband. He is simply afraid, and what a normal human response that is. It is a lot easier to do nothing and push it all aside. Try to encourage him to be at least assessed properly. Let him know that whatever happens afterwards will be his decision. Just listening to advice does not compel you to take it. Give him my Regards and let him know we all understand and will support him as best we can, but we cannot do that if he will not help himself.

Love from Ann in England xx>> > I reread the message from mobunny (aka Bunny) about his weight. Let me> put on my too much help yourself tv shows hat..... I sense some> resentment and guilt (and this isn't a critique of you Bunny, because I> can tell you are full of compassion) about the comment that he is> obviously getting enough food in because of his current size..... many> of us have weight issues and that is the first comment we hear from> doctors, gi's, even experienced gi's. It seems illogical we could have> a weight issue and not eat.... (In my case the gi was about 400 pounds> and I was about 50 pounds overweight and he said it looked like it> wasn't affecting me that much and diagnosed GERD.)> > We often eat high fat things to help smooth the way. Blended and> liquidized food often isn't easier to eat. Ensure and other liquids> often come back up faster than a hamburger. That is part of the> illogical part of the disease. It leads to secret eating and also> overeating because the food doesn't reach the stomach we don't ever feel> satisfied, assuming no treatment yet. We often take in huge amounts of> food, regurgitate back huge amounts of food just to get some in, but we> don't ever get a full feeling (if not yet treated).> > Your husband doesn't sound that unusual to me but to non-achalasian wise> people he is very unusual. Water is sometimes the hardest to get down.> > The sleep apnea....I've had some "electric jolts" just as I'm falling> asleep, not sure if that is related or something to do w/ the vagus> nerve. I think there is some correlation there, not sure but it is> possible more of his symptoms are just part of the disease. You might> also see a correlation between depression and achalasia. Many of us> have depression issues at one time or another (but maybe everyone does?)> I also have a sense that the migraines I have (seldom these days if I> avoid certain foods, cheddar cheese snacks last night seem to have> triggered today's headache) are related to depression and achalasia as> seritonin (sp?) may have some impact. Just my instincts, totally> unproven.> > Now to all my dear friends, thinking of Kathie, who do see doctors and> continue to have problems, I'm not speaking of you when I voice my> opinion that your family is suffering because of your illness. I think> knowing as much as you can is sooooo much better than living in the dark> for family members. My mother later got over her migraines and lived> with cancer and my father had health issues. That actually was not as> traumatic, although both lost their battles, as living with my mother's> unknown headaches that seemed to have no source or treatment. Before> my father had a diagnosis for a spinal AVM and kept falling and losing> feelings in his lower body the unknown was much harder than when there> was a diagnosis and even then the prognisis wasn't good. So... what I'm> rambling on is that sharing and discussing the information with family> members is a good thing. Not knowing, when it is possible to be more> informed, is not a good thing.> > Sandy in So Cal.... Done now, done done done no more, done done done....> as I told our tenant when she wasn't paying her full rent for 4 months> and still the last check wasn't good. I'm so done. (For today.)>