's DES Update

[Guest guest]

Hi, all!

I just wanted to tell you that today I saw our local GI for a

re-check about my GERD (same local GI as sees). I asked him if

he knew why Dr. Rice might have said " Who knows. This may even burn

itself out in 5 years. " I thought maybe Dr. Rice meant 's

peristalsis could just die out, but I didn't want to call him for just

one question, so I asked the local doc today. He said that sometimes

DES just goes away on it's own. They don't know why. He also

mentioned something that I had read about in a recent Medline article.

(I was going to send a link to the article to the group, but I didn't

know how to do it.) The article and this doc said that they're

thinking there may be a separate nervous system that controls

digestion (peristalsis, etc.). Did anyone else read that article?

That will be great once they learn more about how that nervous system

works and how to fix problems with it. Also, I told him that is

not having side effects with his 90 mg. of Nifedipine a day. He said

that they used to give it as the capsule that opens under the tongue

(like I think uses), but the kind that takes, Nifedical

XL tablets, seem to have less side effects.

Anyway, is not losing weight right now. He has actually

gained 10 lbs. since our last Cleveland Clinic visit 2 mos. ago and

since starting the Nifedipine. He still has spasms, but they don't

seem to last as long and they're only a couple of days a week versus 3

or 4, like he was getting before. Most days he can eat almost

everything he wants (and his appetite has increased) which is a

definite improvement. So, right now he's not rushing into surgery

(also, with DES you don't normally risk distention of the E or

aspiration troubles). I guess we'll follow Quincia's advice and keep

thinking positive (and hope the DES decides to go away on it's own)!

I hope everyone is swallowing well! Take care!

in Michigan