On-off symptoms?

[Guest guest]

Hello

I am from Norway and have problems that may be achalasia. In Norway

this is an unknown diagnosis and I need to learn more about this

before I contact my doctor. Today my diagnosis is " it's all mental.

Just eat " . But have had problems since I was 2-3 years old. I find

it hard to believe myself in ONLY mental. Yes, It's a mental problem

as well now because I so often throw up when I eat that I do not

want to eat. I don't want to feel sick again..So I eat little, and

loose weight. I am 165 cm tall and 44 kg today.

But my question is can the symptoms be on and off? By this I mean

that some days I can eat OK. I can even eat a Kebab without feeling

sick. Other times I can't eat anything, and even water can make me

feel sick. In what I read it seems to be a more constant problem.

However, my English is not good enough to read all the articles on

this site. I tried searching old messages for this question but

didn't find anything. Please forgive me if it is a common question.

Anne Isis

[Guest guest]

hi, Anne,

I know a gentleman. his name is Mauro. he is also from Norway. as

matter of fact, he is working in one of the biggest oil company in

Norway. you can contact him for more information regarding of his

story. I have on and off symptoms now. I throw up when I feel foods

and water stuck in my E. even in some good days, I still can feel

food going down to my stomach. sometimes it goes slower, sometimes

faster. There are a couple of classic symptoms for Achalasia like Non-

cardio chest pain (NCCP), heartburn, nightly cough, regurgitation,

etc. Stress and emotion might intensify the symptoms. Maybe that is

why some doctors think it is mental issue. there are some GI tests

that can help diagnose the disorder. talk to your GI.

you can join Alternative_treatment_for_Achalasia group. Mauro

sometimes post his status there.

Quincia

>

> Hello

>

> I am from Norway and have problems that may be achalasia. In Norway

> this is an unknown diagnosis and I need to learn more about this

> before I contact my doctor. Today my diagnosis is " it's all mental.

> Just eat " . But have had problems since I was 2-3 years old. I find

> it hard to believe myself in ONLY mental. Yes, It's a mental

problem

> as well now because I so often throw up when I eat that I do not

> want to eat. I don't want to feel sick again..So I eat little, and

> loose weight. I am 165 cm tall and 44 kg today.

>

> But my question is can the symptoms be on and off? By this I mean

> that some days I can eat OK. I can even eat a Kebab without feeling

> sick. Other times I can't eat anything, and even water can make me

> feel sick. In what I read it seems to be a more constant problem.

> However, my English is not good enough to read all the articles on

> this site. I tried searching old messages for this question but

> didn't find anything. Please forgive me if it is a common question.

>

> Anne Isis

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Ann. If you ever can get over to the US, there are great docs that seem to know a lot about the disease. One team of GI docs and a great thoracic surgeon is at UCLA in Los Angeles California, however I know others have had luck around the country. It may be worth a trip over here if you really believe this may be the case. Anyway, just a suggestion and the best of luck to you. Take care!cynmark24@... wrote: Hello Ann and welcome to this site. While it would probably be helpful to know how old you are, in answer to your question, it appears that there are no "absolutes" with this disease. In other words, while some people might have "on again, off again" symptoms initially, but then it gets worse, it IS entirely possible, such as in your case that sometimes you feel like a normal person eating, while at other times you can't even get water through. While doctors probably don't appreciate being told by their patients what is wrong, with the rarity of achalasia in Norway, it may not be a bad idea to give them a "clue" as to what you might be suffering from. If that's the case, get yourself to a gastroenterologist (GI - doctor) who might know about it. Have an endoscopy, possibly followed with a barium upper GI study, and then possibly a manometry. Manometries in your part of the world would probably be more often performed on patients suffering from GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or is it that people in Norway don't get that one either? Its a bit of a nasty test, but one can endure it a lot better when performed by a skilled person. Good luck Ann. Please keep us informed as to how you're doing, and feel free to come back at anytime to ask more questions. In a message dated 9/11/2006

6:40:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, isisvoffdressur-web (DOT) nu writes: HelloI am from Norway and have problems that may be achalasia. In Norway this is an unknown diagnosis and I need to learn more about this before I contact my doctor. Today my diagnosis is "it's all mental. Just eat". But have had problems since I was 2-3 years old. I find it hard to believe myself in ONLY mental. Yes, It's a mental problem as well now because I so often throw up when I eat that I do not want to eat. I don't want to feel sick again..So I eat little, and loose weight. I am 165 cm tall and 44 kg today.But my question is can the symptoms be on and off? By this I mean that some days I can eat OK. I can even eat a Kebab without feeling sick. Other times I can't eat anything, and even water can make me

feel sick. In what I read it seems to be a more constant problem. However, my English is not good enough to read all the articles on this site. I tried searching old messages for this question but didn't find anything. Please forgive me if it is a common question.Anne Isis

Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.

[Guest guest]

Yes, on and off for me.

I have a better success rate

w/ caloric intake during the

the " off " times.

M.

>

> Hello

>

> I am from Norway and have problems that may be achalasia. In

Norway

> this is an unknown diagnosis and I need to learn more about this

> before I contact my doctor. Today my diagnosis is " it's all

mental.

> Just eat " . But have had problems since I was 2-3 years old. I find

> it hard to believe myself in ONLY mental. Yes, It's a mental

problem

> as well now because I so often throw up when I eat that I do not

> want to eat. I don't want to feel sick again..So I eat little, and

> loose weight. I am 165 cm tall and 44 kg today.

>

> But my question is can the symptoms be on and off? By this I mean

> that some days I can eat OK. I can even eat a Kebab without

feeling

> sick. Other times I can't eat anything, and even water can make me

> feel sick. In what I read it seems to be a more constant problem.

> However, my English is not good enough to read all the articles on

> this site. I tried searching old messages for this question but

> didn't find anything. Please forgive me if it is a common question.

>

> Anne Isis

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Anne and welcome to our group. This disease seems to float between good days and bad days. What triggers these events is hard to say. I am glad you have came to this site so you can find out more about this disease. There is a lot of informaion here so take your time and look over it. You also can read older posts by typing in a word and it will find the message thread that you could follow too. If you have any other questions feel free to ask us here and we wil do our best to get an answer your way. I hope you can find answers and comfort fro mour group. in Georgia co-founder www.achalasia.usdressurhest <isisvoff@...> wrote: HelloI am from Norway and have problems that may be achalasia. In Norway this is an unknown diagnosis and I need to learn more about this before I contact my doctor. Today my diagnosis is "it's all mental. Just eat". But have had problems since I was 2-3 years old. I find it hard to believe myself in ONLY mental. Yes, It's a mental problem as well now because I so often throw up when I eat that I do not want to eat. I don't want to feel sick again..So I eat little, and loose weight. I am 165 cm tall and 44 kg today.But my question is can the symptoms be on and off? By this I mean that some days I can eat OK. I can even eat a

Kebab without feeling sick. Other times I can't eat anything, and even water can make me feel sick. In what I read it seems to be a more constant problem. However, my English is not good enough to read all the articles on this site. I tried searching old messages for this question but didn't find anything. Please forgive me if it is a common question.Anne Isis<FONT face="comic sans ms" color=#ff0000 size=5> in Georgia </FONT><IMG src=" ">

Get your email and more, right on the new .com

[Guest guest]

Patty wrote:

I have a question, the NCCP you refer to, is

this the same as the esaphageal spasms? Just trying to get more

educated.

It depends on who says it and the context. Many people here use "spasm"

for any intense pain caused by achalasia. For others a "spasm" is an

abnormal contraction in a muscle that can cause great pain. An NCCP

could be a muscle contraction, but it can also be many other sources of

pain. It just means it is chest pain that is not caused by the heart.

notan

[Guest guest]

Thanks Notan, any and all info helps emencely. Patty in FLnotan ostrich <notan_ostrich@...> wrote: Patty wrote: I have a question, the NCCP you refer to, is this the same as the esaphageal spasms? Just trying to get more educated.It depends on who says it and the context. Many people here use "spasm" for any intense pain caused by achalasia. For others a "spasm" is an abnormal contraction in a muscle that can

cause great pain. An NCCP could be a muscle contraction, but it can also be many other sources of pain. It just means it is chest pain that is not caused by the heart.notan

How low will we go? Check out Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call rates.

[Guest guest]

Hello Ann,

Thank you for the followup on yourself. You are correct in saying that a Hiatus Hernia is not achalasia. I do believe that a person with achalasis can have a hiatus hernia, but most do not.

We recently had a discussion on this Board about vomiting and regurgitation, but since English would not be your first language, perhaps its best not to get started with that terminology at this point. Let's just say that "food came up." My question to you is, that when you "vomited" was it something where you felt that you could not keep the food down and you had to run off and vomit, or was it where you felt a lot of discomfort and "YOU" made the decision that you would feel better and went off to relieve yourself by permitting (causing) the food to come back up? Did you feel nausea while the food sat there, or just pressure?

From what you have written, it sounds as if you have achalasia, but I would not, from just reading what you wrote, say that you have it, in order to follow to the next step after receiving a positive diagnosis.

Yes, NCCP might be an indication of achalasia, but it might also be an indication of DES, which one very well known, wonderful wife of a DES sufferer often posts here. DES is more rare than achalasia, so lets leave that out for right now.

Heartburn can be experienced by achalasia sufferers, but is not usually the case. However, heartburn can take many forms and be misleading as to what the cause of the heartburn really is.

You are taking the correct step to have the consultation with the doctor in Sweden. The sooner you can get there, no doubt the better. In the meantime, please try to eat slowly, drink plenty of the fluids that seems to help the most to get the food to go down.

An important suggestion I would make to you, which I have not said for a while, is to have a full glass of that drink before you begin a meal to help clear out whatever there might be sitting in your esophagus from your last meal. Otherwise, the food from your present meal will just accumulate on top of that. Some people on this Board swear by their carbonated drinks, while others cannot tolerate it at all. Some like warm drinks, others like cold drinks.

Regarding your NCCP's, a similar answer. We all have our ways of dealing with it. I think that we are all agreed though, that the best way of handling it is to immediately start doing whatever seems to work best the very moment we first feel the pain coming on. In my case I drink soda or take a nifedipine. There are probably a dozen or more different "methods" you can read about on this board, plus in the "files." Pepto Debbie has posted a brilliant "dissertation" about this in the past, and I suggest you look that up using the "search" function found on the top of the screen if you are reading this from the web site. (or in the "files")

In a message dated 9/15/2006 7:42:29 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, isisvoff@... writes:

Hello againThanks for all your answers. I tried contact the Norwegian member of this list, Mauro, but so fare no answer.Anyway, I am 30 years old. Yesterday I went to see my nutritionist and asked her to read my Gastroscopi result. The strange thing is that the say Cardia is open and I have a small Hiatus Hernia. That's not achalasia is it?? The strange thing is that I have many of the classic symptoms of Achalasia. I vomit several of hours after eating and the food is not digested at all. I feel the food stopping and find it hard to swallow, I have NCCP and heartburn and weight loss. Has anyone else been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia?However, my mother has a friend in Sweden who is a doctor/professor in dysphagia and knows a lot about achalasia. Before she got the result from my Gastroscopi she said I had classic symptoms of achalasia. She will help me getting a consultation in Sweden where they know much more about gastro/dysphagia diseases. I haven't heard from her since I told her about the Gastroscopi result. (We only have contact via mail) My doctor in Norway was even positive to look into this. He will contact this Swedish doctor and discuss my situation. Hopefully they can agree to send me to Sweden.Anne> Hello Ann and welcome to this site.> > While it would probably be helpful to know how old you are, in answer to > your question, it appears that there are no "absolutes" with this disease. In > other words, while some people might have "on again, off again" symptoms > initially, but then it gets worse, it IS entirely possible, such as in your case > that sometimes you feel like a normal person eating, while at other times you > can't even get water through. > > While doctors probably don't appreciate being told by their patients what is > wrong, with the rarity of achalasia in Norway, it may not be a bad idea to > give them a "clue" as to what you might be suffering from.> > If that's the case, get yourself to a gastroenterologist (GI - doctor) who > might know about it. Have an endoscopy, possibly followed with a barium upper > GI study, and then possibly a manometry. Manometries in your part of the > world would probably be more often performed on patients suffering from GERD > (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or is it that people in Norway don't get > that one either? Its a bit of a nasty test, but one can endure it a lot > better when performed by a skilled person.> > Good luck Ann. Please keep us informed as to how you're doing, and feel > free to come back at anytime to ask more questions.> >

[Guest guest]

Hello again

Thanks for all your answers. I tried contact the Norwegian member of

this list, Mauro, but so fare no answer.

Anyway, I am 30 years old. Yesterday I went to see my nutritionist

and asked her to read my Gastroscopi result. The strange thing is

that the say Cardia is open and I have a small Hiatus Hernia. That's

not achalasia is it?? The strange thing is that I have many of the

classic symptoms of Achalasia. I vomit several of hours after eating

and the food is not digested at all. I feel the food stopping and

find it hard to swallow, I have NCCP and heartburn and weight loss.

Has anyone else been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia?

However, my mother has a friend in Sweden who is a doctor/professor

in dysphagia and knows a lot about achalasia. Before she got the

result from my Gastroscopi she said I had classic symptoms of

achalasia. She will help me getting a consultation in Sweden where

they know much more about gastro/dysphagia diseases. I haven't heard

from her since I told her about the Gastroscopi result. (We only

have contact via mail) My doctor in Norway was even positive to look

into this. He will contact this Swedish doctor and discuss my

situation. Hopefully they can agree to send me to Sweden.

Anne

> Hello Ann and welcome to this site.

>

> While it would probably be helpful to know how old you are, in

answer to

> your question, it appears that there are no " absolutes " with this

disease. In

> other words, while some people might have " on again, off again "

symptoms

> initially, but then it gets worse, it IS entirely possible, such

as in your case

> that sometimes you feel like a normal person eating, while at

other times you

> can't even get water through.

>

> While doctors probably don't appreciate being told by their

patients what is

> wrong, with the rarity of achalasia in Norway, it may not be a

bad idea to

> give them a " clue " as to what you might be suffering from.

>

> If that's the case, get yourself to a gastroenterologist (GI -

doctor) who

> might know about it. Have an endoscopy, possibly followed with a

barium upper

> GI study, and then possibly a manometry. Manometries in your

part of the

> world would probably be more often performed on patients

suffering from GERD

> (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or is it that people in

Norway don't get

> that one either? Its a bit of a nasty test, but one can endure

it a lot

> better when performed by a skilled person.

>

> Good luck Ann. Please keep us informed as to how you're doing,

and feel

> free to come back at anytime to ask more questions.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Anne my name is Pippa I like you have had swallowing problems

and being sick. I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia at first which

from what I have read is quite common for people with A to be

diagnosed with at first because A is rare and many doctors don't

know much about it.

I had and endoscopy and was told it may be A but would need further

tests, I had a barium X-ray and was told hiatus hernia then two

weeks ago I had a CT scan and it was confirmed after all that it is

indeed A.

I am due to have surgery next week (Hellers Myotomy) and hope that

once I hace recovered that I will be able to eat again and put some

of the weight back on which I have lost.

Pippa

>

>

> Hello Ann,

>

> Thank you for the followup on yourself. You are correct in

saying that

> a Hiatus Hernia is not achalasia. I do believe that a person

with achalasis

> can have a hiatus hernia, but most do not.

>

> We recently had a discussion on this Board about vomiting and

> regurgitation, but since English would not be your first

language, perhaps its best not

> to get started with that terminology at this point. Let's just

say that

> " food came up. " My question to you is, that when you " vomited "

was it something

> where you felt that you could not keep the food down and you had

to run off

> and vomit, or was it where you felt a lot of discomfort and " YOU "

made the

> decision that you would feel better and went off to relieve

yourself by

> permitting (causing) the food to come back up? Did you feel

nausea while the food

> sat there, or just pressure?

>

> From what you have written, it sounds as if you have

achalasia, but I

> would not, from just reading what you wrote, say that you have

it, in order to

> follow to the next step after receiving a positive diagnosis.

>

> Yes, NCCP might be an indication of achalasia, but it might

also be an

> indication of DES, which one very well known, wonderful wife of a

DES sufferer

> often posts here. DES is more rare than achalasia, so lets

leave that out

> for right now.

>

> Heartburn can be experienced by achalasia sufferers, but is

not usually

> the case. However, heartburn can take many forms and be

misleading as to

> what the cause of the heartburn really is.

>

> You are taking the correct step to have the consultation with

the doctor

> in Sweden. The sooner you can get there, no doubt the better.

In the

> meantime, please try to eat slowly, drink plenty of the fluids

that seems to help

> the most to get the food to go down.

>

> An important suggestion I would make to you, which I have not

said for a

> while, is to have a full glass of that drink before you begin a

meal to help

> clear out whatever there might be sitting in your esophagus from

your last

> meal. Otherwise, the food from your present meal will just

accumulate on top

> of that. Some people on this Board swear by their carbonated

drinks, while

> others cannot tolerate it at all. Some like warm drinks, others

like cold

> drinks.

>

> Regarding your NCCP's, a similar answer. We all have our

ways of

> dealing with it. I think that we are all agreed though, that the

best way of

> handling it is to immediately start doing whatever seems to work

best the very

> moment we first feel the pain coming on. In my case I drink soda

or take a

> nifedipine. There are probably a dozen or more

different " methods " you can

> read about on this board, plus in the " files. " Pepto Debbie has

posted a

> brilliant " dissertation " about this in the past, and I suggest

you look that up

> using the " search " function found on the top of the screen if you

are reading

> this from the web site. (or in the " files " )

>

>

>

>

>

> In a message dated 9/15/2006 7:42:29 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> isisvoff@... writes:

>

>

>

>

> Hello again

>

> Thanks for all your answers. I tried contact the Norwegian member

of

> this list, Mauro, but so fare no answer.

>

> Anyway, I am 30 years old. Yesterday I went to see my

nutritionist

> and asked her to read my Gastroscopi result. The strange thing is

> that the say Cardia is open and I have a small Hiatus Hernia.

That's

> not achalasia is it?? The strange thing is that I have many of

the

> classic symptoms of Achalasia. I vomit several of hours after

eating

> and the food is not digested at all. I feel the food stopping and

> find it hard to swallow, I have NCCP and heartburn and weight

loss.

> Has anyone else been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia?

>

> However, my mother has a friend in Sweden who is a

doctor/professor

> in dysphagia and knows a lot about achalasia. Before she got the

> result from my Gastroscopi she said I had classic symptoms of

> achalasia. She will help me getting a consultation in Sweden

where

> they know much more about gastro/dysphagia diseases. I haven't

heard

> from her since I told her about the Gastroscopi result. (We only

> have contact via mail) My doctor in Norway was even positive to

look

> into this. He will contact this Swedish doctor and discuss my

> situation. Hopefully they can agree to send me to Sweden.

>

> Anne

>

> > Hello Ann and welcome to this site.

> >

> > While it would probably be helpful to know how old you are, in

> answer to

> > your question, it appears that there are no " absolutes " with

this

> disease. In

> > other words, while some people might have " on again, off again "

> symptoms

> > initially, but then it gets worse, it IS entirely possible,

such

> as in your case

> > that sometimes you feel like a normal person eating, while at

> other times you

> > can't even get water through.

> >

> > While doctors probably don't appreciate being told by their

> patients what is

> > wrong, with the rarity of achalasia in Norway, it may not be a

> bad idea to

> > give them a " clue " as to what you might be suffering from.

> >

> > If that's the case, get yourself to a gastroenterologist (GI -

> doctor) who

> > might know about it. Have an endoscopy, possibly followed with

a

> barium upper

> > GI study, and then possibly a manometry. Manometries in your

> part of the

> > world would probably be more often performed on patients

> suffering from GERD

> > (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or is it that people in

> Norway don't get

> > that one either? Its a bit of a nasty test, but one can endure

> it a lot

> > better when performed by a skilled person.

> >

> > Good luck Ann. Please keep us informed as to how you're doing,

> and feel

> > free to come back at anytime to ask more questions.

> >

> >

>