(DES) Update

[Guest guest]

Just wanted to give a brief update about the latest with (my

hubby who has DES), for those interested. He saw his local GI doc

yesterday and they ordered an EGD for next week. I think this is

because it's been just over a year since his last one. He's had a few

occasions of different symptoms, lately, and I'm glad they're checking

him, again. He's had a few times of feeling pain in his lower E

(usually the DES gives him spasms in the middle E) and hopefully, they

can rule out damage from reflux. I think others have discussed here

that it can be hard to distinguish the feeling of spasms from the pain

of acid reflux. Sometimes, I wonder if he's transitioning to

Achalasia (I know the EGD won't really help in determining that,

though).

Interestingly, his doc said he may refer to a neurologist (I

think that's what he said. 's memory is affected by the

Wellbutrin and Valium, so he wasn't sure if he was remembering

correctly.) I'm guessing he wants to make sure they're not missing

some other systemic neurological problem (i.e. M.S.) that may be

behind the DES. I'm glad that they're finally thinking of the

neurological end of the problem. I'll keep you all posted on anything

we learn from this (I told we should think of this as another

learning experience, even if they don't find a good treatment for

him). He asked his doctor about Viagara (mentioned in the seminar

that sent us a link to as being " the best smooth muscle

relaxer " ) and the doc said he may consider prescribing it after the

EGD (sounds a little scarey to me . He has discontinued his

Nifedical for this week (at the doctor's advice, to see what happens),

since he said he wasn't sure if it was even working for him anymore.

Today, had a symptom he gets sometimes on his bad spasm

days. I doubt anyone here can relate to this symptom (because no one

else here has DES), but sometimes gets a hive or swollen gland

on his neck, just behind his ear on bad days. Our chiropractor

noticed it today and seemed concerned that a gland or lymph node was

so swollen. He's been seeing for about 6 weeks and had never

seen that before. He wondered if it had some connection to his DES.

When we've mentioned it to his doctors before, they dismissed it as

just an allergic thing and not related to the spasms. Hmmm....I'm

just hoping that one of these days we get more answers about all this.

Here's hoping that all of our recent surgery people are healing

well!! It's been so good to hear the encouraging news we've been

getting so far! I hope to read of more good news soon!

in Michigan