Back from Cleveland

[Guest guest]

Well i got back from Cleveland last night. Seen Dr. Achkar, he

wasn't bad. I didn't have a barrium swallow done since he figured

he was going to have to scope me anyway! He said i have one of two

options, one to do the swallow and wait around all day then be

scoped then be stretched or he could just scope me and stretch me

and kick me in the butt and send me home LOL i about lost it. So he

did the endoscopy and stretched me with a 19mm savary, also told me

he can only go up to a 20mm! I was only at the Clinic for about 5

hours, my appt was at 103o and he seen me at 930, procedure was at

noon and i was out by 2! Said i was right and i did have some

narrowing, but that there wasn't scare tissue like i thought! Which

he said was good. But like he said could only go up to 20mm and

then we have to figure something else out! So i'm hoping that this

lasts awhile! Throat was sore for two days and that was it, not

other real effects from the procedure. He was pretty straight and

forward about everything which is what i like. So i prolly will go

back to him when i need to. We did a bunch of shopping while i was

gone! Went to a great mall in Polaris OH right by columbus, it was

huge!! OK thats all for now. Hope everyone else is doing good.

in Indiana

[Guest guest]

,

Just take care of you right now. Remember follow all his instructions and

you will heal on time.

Warren

Please visit my new site, www.achalasia.us

Back from Cleveland

Hello all,

Had a long talk with Dr Rice. Very nice and informed doctor. He

gave me the breakdown of all he knows about the disease and the

latest research on treating the symptoms. He said " no surprise,

your test result's confirm classic primary achalasia " . He showed me

a powerpoint presentation on achalasia... what a normal esophagram

looks like compaired to what ours look like. He even showed me clips

of surgery's he has done.

So, I will be doing a Heller Myotomy with Dor Fundoplication.

Here's the down side...

Because I had my gallbladder out in Nov 2005 and a dilation in June

2005, the odds of coverting from a laparoscopic to a laparotomy

(open) increase to 5% (usually 2% chance). I don't know why, but

this really brought my hopes down even though the jump is minimal.

I tentitivly have the surgery scheduled July 12. He told me to

arrive monday the 10th when he will do a EGD to clean out the

esophagus, admit me on tuesday the 11th, surgery wednesday the 12th

and discharge me to a hotel thursday the 13th, and see me on friday

morning when I will be able to go home to MI afterwards.

Of course this all changes if my procedure converts to a open

myotomy... then he said a minimum of 5 days in the hospital.

So July 12th it is, as long as my mom is able to take me down

there. Just really scared about the whole thing. I had a wonderful

trip planned with my boyfriend to Boston the 2nd week in August... I

hope this won't put a damper on that. But of course, health comes

first before vacation.

I REALLY REALLY hope after all this I can have some

improvement...even if it is slight. He emphasized how different

everyone's outcomes are and there is NO gaurentee of improvement in

symptoms.

in Michigan

Scared

[Guest guest]

That is good to hear that you have a date for surgery. Everything will work out just fine and I am sure you will be able to have your vacation. Keep us posted.

in Suffolk

In a message dated 6/5/2006 11:49:00 PM GMT Standard Time, mandyw1011@... writes:

Hello all,Had a long talk with Dr Rice. Very nice and informed doctor. He gave me the breakdown of all he knows about the disease and the latest research on treating the symptoms. He said "no surprise, your test result's confirm classic primary achalasia". He showed me a powerpoint presentation on achalasia... what a normal esophagram looks like compaired to what ours look like. He even showed me clips of surgery's he has done.So, I will be doing a Heller Myotomy with Dor Fundoplication. Here's the down side...Because I had my gallbladder out in Nov 2005 and a dilation in June 2005, the odds of coverting from a laparoscopic to a laparotomy (open) increase to 5% (usually 2% chance). I don't know why, but this really brought my hopes down even though the jump is minimal.I tentitivly have the surgery scheduled July 12. He told me to arrive monday the 10th when he will do a EGD to clean out the esophagus, admit me on tuesday the 11th, surgery wednesday the 12th and discharge me to a hotel thursday the 13th, and see me on friday morning when I will be able to go home to MI afterwards.Of course this all changes if my procedure converts to a open myotomy... then he said a minimum of 5 days in the hospital.So July 12th it is, as long as my mom is able to take me down there. Just really scared about the whole thing. I had a wonderful trip planned with my boyfriend to Boston the 2nd week in August... I hope this won't put a damper on that. But of course, health comes first before vacation. I REALLY REALLY hope after all this I can have some improvement...even if it is slight. He emphasized how different everyone's outcomes are and there is NO gaurentee of improvement in symptoms. in MichiganScared

[Guest guest]

,

I'm so glad Dr. Rice took a lot of time to explain things! I can

also understand how it suddenly seems scarey listening to the details,

though. Somehow, it's different when you're talking about yourself.

I can relate to that feeling. Back in 1991, I had orthognathic

surgery (they shortened my maxilla by 6 mm. to help correct my bite).

Even though I had seen many, many similar things in dental school and

practicing as a dental hygienist, it still felt a little creepy when

the oral surgeon showed me on a skull model of exactly what he was

going to do, thinking it was going to be to MY face! From everything

I've read, I'm sure you'll be doing exactly the right thing having

surgery and you definitely have the right surgeon! Hang in there, I'm

sure you'll do great!

By the way, said to remind you to turn off your outside

lights to keep the fishflies from swarming ). He said he saw a

couple by our house yesterday. Our cat thinks they're a delicacy (yuck!).

>

> Hello all,

>

> Had a long talk with Dr Rice. Very nice and informed doctor. He

> gave me the breakdown of all he knows about the disease and the

> latest research on treating the symptoms. He said " no surprise,

> your test result's confirm classic primary achalasia " . He showed me

> a powerpoint presentation on achalasia... what a normal esophagram

> looks like compaired to what ours look like. He even showed me clips

> of surgery's he has done.

>

> So, I will be doing a Heller Myotomy with Dor Fundoplication.

> Here's the down side...

>

> Because I had my gallbladder out in Nov 2005 and a dilation in June

> 2005, the odds of coverting from a laparoscopic to a laparotomy

> (open) increase to 5% (usually 2% chance). I don't know why, but

> this really brought my hopes down even though the jump is minimal.

>

> I tentitivly have the surgery scheduled July 12. He told me to

> arrive monday the 10th when he will do a EGD to clean out the

> esophagus, admit me on tuesday the 11th, surgery wednesday the 12th

> and discharge me to a hotel thursday the 13th, and see me on friday

> morning when I will be able to go home to MI afterwards.

>

> Of course this all changes if my procedure converts to a open

> myotomy... then he said a minimum of 5 days in the hospital.

>

> So July 12th it is, as long as my mom is able to take me down

> there. Just really scared about the whole thing. I had a wonderful

> trip planned with my boyfriend to Boston the 2nd week in August... I

> hope this won't put a damper on that. But of course, health comes

> first before vacation.

>

> I REALLY REALLY hope after all this I can have some

> improvement...even if it is slight. He emphasized how different

> everyone's outcomes are and there is NO gaurentee of improvement in

> symptoms.

>

> in Michigan

> Scared

>