Re: Non Invasive Treatment for Achalasia - Memo

October 17, 2006

Neil:

Thank you for sharing with us your experience. I have a few comments and a few questions. Usually I read a person's post several times before doing so, but in your case I'll have to make an exception.

We have had a number of people here who have tried complementary medicine methods or techniques and the jury is still out as to whether or not they succeeded. If a person comes along with a plan that is proven to cure achalasia, and is repeatable by others, that would be something we could all take with us.

While esophageal spasms are common with Achalasians, I don't believe it to be the case with most people here that the spasms were such a predominant problem initially, as you lead me to believe when you wrote:

"Starting from the beginning, I began to suffer from oesophagus spasms (as with most patients)"

This leads me to my next statement about your Bowen practitioner. Firstly, there is a Bowen practitioner from England who posts to this Board once or twice a year offering free help. Same sales pitch each time. For some reason I get suspicious when a service that is supposed to help me is offered for free. There is no free ride that I know that is legit. What bothers me about your Bernard (Bowen practitioner) is that statement you made below.

"Bernard believed that the associated swallowing difficulty is likely to be just a result of the muscular spasms, which if frequent enough, will dissuade the swallowing muscles to function properly."

It seems to be making the statement that frequent muscular spasms stop the swallowing muscles from functioning properly, and yet most people have swallowing symptoms of achalasia well before they start experiencing muscular spasms. If my statement is correct, then I am disagreeing with the cause and effect relationship Bernard has suggested as the cause of achalasia.

Neil, many of us, early on with this disease have tried things that have given us complete elimination of symptoms, for what might be a limited period of time. In my own case, a month after the onset of symptoms, while my wife was in Florida for a month, I started an exercise program. All symptoms disappeared. No problem swallowing, no regurgitating, and no problem sleeping. After she returned I stopped exercising, and all the problems returned. In retrospect, I should have had her stay in Florida.

While your memo is very thorough and well thought out, I would like to know how long it has been since you had your last barium study? We have people in this group who went decades with this disease who basically had nothing done medically for themselves until such time they had no choice. How do we know its any different with you? How do you know? We are all different with this disease. Its well documented here that people who use complementary medicine are able to reduce or eliminate symptoms of the disease. What is less well known is for how long they can continue to do that. Often the condition of the esophagus worsens, but the esophagus itself might expand to accommodate the retention of food, but the patient does not know that for some time. For all I know you might be doing damage to yourself, while you think you are helping yourself. You still feel better eating standing up. Do you still have to sleep sitting up? You still drink huge quantities of water to flush your system. It sounds to me that you still have achalasia, with less severe symptoms.

I also disagree with your following statement.

"One thing I have realised is that there is a lot of brain function/concentration that goes into eating/drinking; next time you watch a friend eat, just look at the concentration on their face. It's a lot of effort, they just don't realise it, because they take it for granted."

The people who I eat with don't seem to have any problem eating. They focus or concentrate more on talking during their meal than eating or drinking. I see no such concentration on their faces. They just put the food up to their mouth, and down it goes, without any effort. And I know "effort." Its been 25 years of effort for me.

Neil, I appreciate your taking the time to write. Its not important whether I agree or disagree with you. The purpose of this Board is not to have people who all agree with each other, but rather to learn from each other and to give support. It gets very lonely when you can't eat or sleep and there is nobody out there to help you. With the people here you are never alone. I believe in diversity, but I also feel that when a person composes a detailed 3,000 word memo, that person should expect to be questioned (but not "flamed") about some of their statements.

I wish you well, continued success with your program, and hope that you monitor yourself on a regular basis so that you know from medical testing as to how you are maintaining your condition.

In a message dated 10/16/2006 6:54:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, hammneil@... writes:

Hi All,I have just joined the group and would like to share my experience of Achalasia with you...Below is a 3000 wd memo I have spent much time producing....It is self explanatoryNon Invasive Treatment for Achalasia Neil A Ham 19-04-06 As a diagnosed achalasia patient I have produced this memo to share my experience of the condition with the hope to help others. The memo focuses on the use of non invasive treatment for the condition, which I have received in the last 2 years. The outcome being almost complete removal of the achalasia symptoms I suffered.Starting from the beginning, I began to suffer from oesophagus spasms (as with most patients) some years ago whilst travelling Asia. The spasms got increasingly worse (mainly during the night) over about a 2 year period. During this time, I found the best way to relieve the spasms was to drink very cold water, and to try and relax my mind. Around this time the swallowing problems began, first with solids then with fluid. As recommended by my GP/specialist I undertook a barium meal xray. The xray highlighted that my swallowing mechanism was `out of sequence'. The condition was also confirmed by a Manometry. The NHS specialist explained that my options were either to have balloon dilation or surgery. Non of which appealed. The most confusing thing was the lack of information/understanding of the condition, which I think may be due to its rarity (i.e. there is no big demand for research etc). Having done some general research on the internet etc, it became apparent that the balloon dilation and surgery techniques haven't really changed for many decades. Despite my confidence in the NHS, I couldn't help feel that the treatments seemed a little draconian and reactionary. Although I didn't rule out dilation or even surgery as last options, it seemed to me obvious that I should spend some time (and hopefully not too much money) seeking non Invasive treatment. I discussed this with my GP whom fully supported the idea. However it is noteworthy that the NHS consultant did not share the same enthusiasm (I am honestly not sure of his reasons why). So I went away (usually clutching a cold bottle of water) to research the possible alternative treatments. The first interesting thing I found was an article on acupuncture treatment for achalsia on Alsatian dogs. Which apparently resulted in 75% success in all cases. With this, I approached the NHS re acupuncture, but as the practitioner I approached had no procedure for the treatment, nothing came of it. The obvious next step was Chinese therapies. After a few consultations I was scared off, I think due to a lack of professionalism (or at least as I see it); and of course the expense. Close to this time my symptoms were at their worst, the only way I could get food down was to literally force it down with copious amounts of fizzy water (or similar). I think I actually didn't use any swallowing action at all. I went on to research diet supplements and vitamins etc, which led me to trying high strength magnesium and vitamin B tablets. In the first 2 weeks of taking these, my symptoms were vastly improved, the pain stopped and my swallowing returned to almost normal. Thinking I had found the `cure' I carried on, but after about 3 weeks the effect from the tablets began to weaken as my body adapted (as possibly should be expected). Nonetheless, it was a nice break, and it proved to me that my body could function normally given the chance, even though I hadn't swallowed properly for almost a year.Most achalasia studies you will find suggest that the oesophagus is subject to nerve damage and that this reduces or even removes peristalsis. Comparisons are also made to Chaggers disease (where I don't question that nerve loss is apparent). Although I don't dispute that evidence may exist to support nerve damage loss with achalasia, I wasn't convinced that my personal lack of swallowing action was as a result of nerve failure. The effect of the vitamins had suggested this to me, I am not a doctor, but surely nerves just cant start working again if they have supposedly `died'. From the start of my condition I always felt that it was stress induced, and that my mind was playing a key part in the disfunction/suffering. We all know that the mind (or whatever you like to call it) plays a role in brain function, and that the brain produces chemicals to help the body function. Although I had no proof, I was convinced that the stress (mostly to do with work) was causing my brain not serve my body correctly. So I figured if I could get stability back in my mind I could begin to get my body back into balance. To add quality to this memo, it might be worth mention of a few simple actions I took to help the condition. Firstly, I always found it easier to eat whilst standing or moving around. I often found it embarrassing in company to do so, but in the end I figured it was better than suffering, so my advice is just to get on with it. The key is to not make a big deal of it. As also mentioned above, I found fizzy drinks would help; I always felt like the bubbles were good stimulus. Without doubt I found the only way to stop the spasms was to drink cold water upon their onset; but I expect this might vary from individual to individual. Another symptom of achalasia is reflux of fluid during the night. In my case no acid was present, it was just liquid that couldn't drain properly. This was the last symptom to occur in my case, but I believe this is usual. To avoid coughing, and breathing in fluid (thus contaminating my lungs) during the night (due to lying down) I found that I could easily regurgitate (not fully, just a small amount) any residual fluid. Although this removed the symptoms, I knew that it could only be a temporary measure. I figured the reflux would improve, if I could resolve my swallowing issues. It might be noteworthy that I also made habit to drink lots of water every night. I did this to move any food down, plus leave my oesophagus as clean as possible. One thing I always thought was important was not to drink/eat acidy stuff before bed (unless washed down properly), as not to leave any irritants in my throat. Back to treatment etc: Whilst surfing the net I came across a posting which had been produced by a local (luckily) chap whom is a Bowen Practitioner. The Practitioner (Bernard) had been involved with this non intrusive therapy for several years, and had been researching its use to treat achalasia. I am sure his research stemmed from the fact that his son has been diagnosed (but was unfortunately across the Atlantic). I met with Bernard and I agreed to be his patient (a kind of guinea pig really), I thought why not, the treatment was completely non invasive. Bernard began by telling me his theories about achalasia. Although not a medical doctor, I could tell that he possessed professional ability and that he had impressive knowledge of the human anatomy, especially neurological and muscular systems. Bernard believed that the associated swallowing difficulty is likely to be just a result of the muscular spasms, which if frequent enough, will dissuade the swallowing muscles to function properly. The reason being that muscles are versatile and will adapt to their surroundings; thus they adapt to the environment caused by the spasms (which is of course abnormal). In the case of people suffering from spasms, their swallowing muscles would become more redundant, and forget their usual function. Bernard believed that as muscles are known to contain some kind of memory (e.g. a chicken running without a head; child birth, or a person riding a bike etc), then if the spasms could be made to stop, then the swallowing muscles could regain their memory; thus a normal swallowing function could be resumed. This seemed like good old common sense to me and was the only insightful knowledge I had received in 6 months of research. So I had a couple of Bowen sessions. The sessions involve various thumb movements around arrangements of muscles. There is much information to be found on the net to offer more detail of the treatment, but I kind of considered it to be like `muscular re-setting'. The muscles are manipulated in such a way that they kind of `spring back' into their natural position. The science of Bowen goes into the functions of the muscle membrane and its relationship with the nervous system, but that's about the extent of my medical understanding. The sessions take up to 2 hrs as the body is left to rest, and are very inexpensive. I knew from the outset that Bernard was serious about helping me and other A sufferers as he offered the treatment to me for free. Although as soon as the improvements started I insisted on supporting his cause. Ok, the question remains as to what causes the spasms. Bernard's research of achalasia patients led him to believe that the spasms/condition could result from different sources. I thought: why not? People suffer from similar muscular complaints resulting from very different injuries/conditions. Bernard told me that he had spoken to sufferers whom had recently undergone un-associated surgery, or suffered various accidents; all of which shared the same symptoms. In my case, Bernard thought that my posture (which is really bad) could be a contributing factor; along with the stress I was undergoing at the time (stress is known to cause spasms). Bernard's theories go a lot deeper into the Autonomous Nervous System (ANS) in particular the Vegus Nerve, but you will have to speak to him about that, I wouldn't like to document inaccurate medical information. It does get very interesting though, especially the connections between swallowing and fear/stress. Also that the parasympathetic nervous system (which controls fear/stress) controls swallowing muscles at night (when spasms seem to occur most). After the first two Bowen Sessions I began to feel movement in my oesophagus whilst eating. I found that although I still needed lots of fluid to instigate it, the swallowing action was starting to return. However, although I felt a dramatic improvement, eating still felt abnormal. Upon till this time it had been almost two years with virtually no swallowing action, and although I knew things were improving, I instinctively knew that it would take a while. For some reason I knew that I would have to learn to swallow again; just like accident patients learning to walk or use limbs. Unfortunately though, unlike limbs, the oesophagus can not undergo physical therapy, so I decided that I would try and exercise my oesophagus by eating/drinking small amounts as often as possible (despite the frustration). Continuing with the Bowen sessions I found that drinking began to feel more normal; but for some reason drinking whilst eating, was still difficult. Nonetheless I knew progress was being made. It was at about this time that Bernard suggested enforcing the physical treatment (Bowen) with some holistic therapy to try and break down any mental barriers. Not only had my body adjusted to the lack of swallowing action, but my mind had accepted that I couldn't swallow also, so similarly needed to re adjust. The idea was to assist the healing process with positive enforcement. I was introduced to a practice called Nero-Logic-Programming (NLP). It sounds complicated but it is incredibly simple. The sessions I undertook helped me to prepare positive mind sets (pictures in my mind/healthy feelings) that I could instigate with practice. However, the second and final NLP session I undertook (not many were required) had the most impact. I was guided to map out my own life and the lives of my parents and other people close to me, leading up to the point where I believed the condition started. To cut a long story short, turning these life milestones into tools allowed the practitioner to manipulate both my past, present and future (well at least as my mind saw it). This session was without doubt very powerful and seemed to settle my subconscious rumblings. One thing I can tell you is that prior to undertaking Bowen and NLP I had no interest in complementary/alternative or any other therapy. I am an engineer (nuts and bolts type of chap) and consider my self to be a pragmatist so I kind of thought that anything other than conventional medicine was `way out'. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything that I have experienced has been both logical and practical. If therapies such as Bowen/NLP etc could be properly combined with conventional medicine then in my mind this would be logical progress. During my research I did find that although Achalasia is rare, swallowing problems are not. I think there is potential that Achalasia could just be a condition which occurs following long term swallowing difficulties (from various lesser severe conditions etc), and that it could be the case that some peoples symptoms might simply recover before getting any worse; thus avoiding it. Maybe Achalasia sufferers are a minority of people whom are psychologically affected by the swallowing issues/ spasms; thus adding to the severity of the condition? This relates to what I mentioned earlier about feeling my mind and body were out of balance. Following my initial progress I did fall to the miss-fortune of a gastric infection whilst in Italy on holiday. I never did know what to put it down to â€“ either some bad seafood or something to do with Achalasia (although this was the first and only infection I have had). This had an obvious impact on my swallowing. I couldn't eat without severe pain for a few days and was getting worried. The NHS doctors were recommending a dilation, but the thought of it with the pain I was suffering was not exactly welcoming. Luckily, I suggested trying Nitro spray (the same stuff angina patients use); I had read on the net that it can help relax the gastric system. Which it did! Although the side effects (head ache/dizziness) were not very nice; and apparently its effectiveness runs out if used often. Nonetheless it did assist my swallowing and was use enough for a week until the antibiotics had begun to work (sufferers: if you try the spray please don't get carried away with it, you might really need it one day like I did). After the infection (a week or so) I felt myself eating more gently, which really helped with the swallowing action. This then set a foundation for me to build up slowly the amount of food I swallowed, rather than forcing food down with fluid etc. I figured by taking it very slowly and increasing food amounts progressively it was the only way that my body could help remember what was `normal'. I often think that the infection could have been a blessing in disguise. It is now a year since the infection, about 2 years since my first Bowen session, and about 4/5 years since my first symptoms. Following about a dozen Bowen sessions, 2 NLP sessions and 2 hypnotherapy sessions (also done by Bernard, but very lucid/non intrusive) I am as I sit here today. I can now eat/drink anything with little fuss; the worst is that I have to stand or lift my arms up occasionally to ease things along a bit, but then lots of `normal' folk do. I haven't had any spasm pain for about 2 years and am something close to `normal'. I am still in the habit of drinking plenty of water at night to flush my system clear as I sometimes feel that food/fluid is not fully draining (although recently this feeling is fading). Maybe I just drink the water as a precaution to clear acidy food etc. In addition, I no longer have to regurgitate any fluid as the coughing has stopped. I often think that retention issues may stem from the oesophagus becoming slightly enlarged (as often reported) as finer materials like fluid can slip back against the muscle. If the theory of muscle memory/ reformation is correct (which it appears to be) then these symptoms will improve as muscle structure is reforming. It is just unfortunate that as no physio therapy etc can be done that this takes time (1-2 years). I have no doubt though that my swallowing action has returned due principally to my Bowen treatment. As I see it, the Bowen gave my muscles the correct messages for the work to begin. But the holistic approach was also key; as discussed above: the impact of the Achalasia on my mind also needed healing. One thing I have realised is that there is a lot of brain function/concentration that goes into eating/drinking; next time you watch a friend eat, just look at the concentration on their face. It's a lot of effort, they just don't realise it, because they take it for granted, just like I and maybe you did. The hardest part of healing I think was re determining what `normal' is/was. Once you have suffered from a prolonged condition such as achalasia, I don't expect that you could ever take any improved function for granted again; hence, `normal' has to take on a new meaning. I am hoping that this memo will help others in their pursuit to get better. For newly diagnosed A sufferers I strongly recommend that you consider Alternative therapy before dilation or surgery. Then you can make up your own mindâ€¦The surgeons are not going anywhereâ€¦You may feel much better if you discuss this with your GP to get their support. I have put much time and effort into this memo, to try and tie all of my issues into one place, but hopefully to also save time etc re future emails/discussion etc. That's about it, I am sure I haven't missed anythingâ€¦.Best of luck for the future,Neil

October 17, 2006

Wow~ That was a long post to read,but thanks for sharing the

information.I am glad your symptoms have not persisted and you have

been spasm free for 2 years.Thats great!

I would still reccomend following up and having test done yearly to

monitor this disease regardless of your being symptom free at this

time. I am glad this has worked for you-you never know if cases like

this could be the cure we are looking for.I guess time will

tell.Thanks again for sharing your experience with us.Hope you

continue to do well. Tonia

>

> Hi All,

>

> I have just joined the group and would like to share my experience

> of Achalasia with you...

>

> Below is a 3000 wd memo I have spent much time producing....

>

> It is self explanatory

>

> Non Invasive Treatment for Achalasia Neil A Ham 19-04-06

>

> As a diagnosed achalasia patient I have produced this memo to

share

> my experience of the condition with the hope to help others. The

> memo focuses on the use of non invasive treatment for the

condition,

> which I have received in the last 2 years. The outcome being

almost

> complete removal of the achalasia symptoms I suffered.

>

> Starting from the beginning, I began to suffer from oesophagus

> spasms (as with most patients) some years ago whilst travelling

> Asia. The spasms got increasingly worse (mainly during the night)

> over about a 2 year period. During this time, I found the best way

> to relieve the spasms was to drink very cold water, and to try and

> relax my mind.

>

> Around this time the swallowing problems began, first with solids

> then with fluid. As recommended by my GP/specialist I undertook a

> barium meal xray. The xray highlighted that my swallowing

mechanism

> was `out of sequence'. The condition was also confirmed by a

> Manometry. The NHS specialist explained that my options were

either

> to have balloon dilation or surgery. Non of which appealed.

>

> The most confusing thing was the lack of information/understanding

> of the condition, which I think may be due to its rarity (i.e.

there

> is no big demand for research etc). Having done some general

> research on the internet etc, it became apparent that the balloon

> dilation and surgery techniques haven't really changed for many

> decades. Despite my confidence in the NHS, I couldn't help feel

that

> the treatments seemed a little draconian and reactionary. Although

I

> didn't rule out dilation or even surgery as last options, it

seemed

> to me obvious that I should spend some time (and hopefully not too

> much money) seeking non Invasive treatment. I discussed this with

my

> GP whom fully supported the idea. However it is noteworthy that

the

> NHS consultant did not share the same enthusiasm (I am honestly

not

> sure of his reasons why).

>

> So I went away (usually clutching a cold bottle of water) to

> research the possible alternative treatments. The first

interesting

> thing I found was an article on acupuncture treatment for achalsia

> on Alsatian dogs. Which apparently resulted in 75% success in all

> cases. With this, I approached the NHS re acupuncture, but as the

> practitioner I approached had no procedure for the treatment,

> nothing came of it. The obvious next step was Chinese therapies.

> After a few consultations I was scared off, I think due to a lack

of

> professionalism (or at least as I see it); and of course the

> expense.

>

> Close to this time my symptoms were at their worst, the only way I

> could get food down was to literally force it down with copious

> amounts of fizzy water (or similar). I think I actually didn't use

> any swallowing action at all. I went on to research diet

supplements

> and vitamins etc, which led me to trying high strength magnesium

and

> vitamin B tablets. In the first 2 weeks of taking these, my

symptoms

> were vastly improved, the pain stopped and my swallowing returned

to

> almost normal. Thinking I had found the `cure' I carried on, but

> after about 3 weeks the effect from the tablets began to weaken as

> my body adapted (as possibly should be expected). Nonetheless, it

> was a nice break, and it proved to me that my body could function

> normally given the chance, even though I hadn't swallowed properly

> for almost a year.

>

> Most achalasia studies you will find suggest that the oesophagus

is

> subject to nerve damage and that this reduces or even removes

> peristalsis. Comparisons are also made to Chaggers disease (where

I

> don't question that nerve loss is apparent). Although I don't

> dispute that evidence may exist to support nerve damage loss with

> achalasia, I wasn't convinced that my personal lack of swallowing

> action was as a result of nerve failure. The effect of the

vitamins

> had suggested this to me, I am not a doctor, but surely nerves

just

> cant start working again if they have supposedly `died'.

>

> From the start of my condition I always felt that it was stress

> induced, and that my mind was playing a key part in the

> disfunction/suffering. We all know that the mind (or whatever you

> like to call it) plays a role in brain function, and that the

brain

> produces chemicals to help the body function. Although I had no

> proof, I was convinced that the stress (mostly to do with work)

was

> causing my brain not serve my body correctly. So I figured if I

> could get stability back in my mind I could begin to get my body

> back into balance.

>

> To add quality to this memo, it might be worth mention of a few

> simple actions I took to help the condition. Firstly, I always

found

> it easier to eat whilst standing or moving around. I often found

it

> embarrassing in company to do so, but in the end I figured it was

> better than suffering, so my advice is just to get on with it. The

> key is to not make a big deal of it. As also mentioned above, I

> found fizzy drinks would help; I always felt like the bubbles were

> good stimulus. Without doubt I found the only way to stop the

spasms

> was to drink cold water upon their onset; but I expect this might

> vary from individual to individual.

>

> Another symptom of achalasia is reflux of fluid during the night.

In

> my case no acid was present, it was just liquid that couldn't

drain

> properly. This was the last symptom to occur in my case, but I

> believe this is usual. To avoid coughing, and breathing in fluid

> (thus contaminating my lungs) during the night (due to lying down)

I

> found that I could easily regurgitate (not fully, just a small

> amount) any residual fluid. Although this removed the symptoms, I

> knew that it could only be a temporary measure. I figured the

reflux

> would improve, if I could resolve my swallowing issues. It might

be

> noteworthy that I also made habit to drink lots of water every

> night. I did this to move any food down, plus leave my oesophagus

as

> clean as possible. One thing I always thought was important was

not

> to drink/eat acidy stuff before bed (unless washed down properly),

> as not to leave any irritants in my throat.

>

> Back to treatment etc: Whilst surfing the net I came across a

> posting which had been produced by a local (luckily) chap whom is

a

> Bowen Practitioner. The Practitioner (Bernard) had been involved

> with this non intrusive therapy for several years, and had been

> researching its use to treat achalasia. I am sure his research

> stemmed from the fact that his son has been diagnosed (but was

> unfortunately across the Atlantic). I met with Bernard and I

agreed

> to be his patient (a kind of guinea pig really), I thought why

not,

> the treatment was completely non invasive. Bernard began by

telling

> me his theories about achalasia. Although not a medical doctor, I

> could tell that he possessed professional ability and that he had

> impressive knowledge of the human anatomy, especially neurological

> and muscular systems. Bernard believed that the associated

> swallowing difficulty is likely to be just a result of the

muscular

> spasms, which if frequent enough, will dissuade the swallowing

> muscles to function properly. The reason being that muscles are

> versatile and will adapt to their surroundings; thus they adapt to

> the environment caused by the spasms (which is of course

abnormal).

> In the case of people suffering from spasms, their swallowing

> muscles would become more redundant, and forget their usual

> function. Bernard believed that as muscles are known to contain

some

> kind of memory (e.g. a chicken running without a head; child

birth,

> or a person riding a bike etc), then if the spasms could be made

to

> stop, then the swallowing muscles could regain their memory; thus

a

> normal swallowing function could be resumed. This seemed like good

> old common sense to me and was the only insightful knowledge I had

> received in 6 months of research. So I had a couple of Bowen

> sessions. The sessions involve various thumb movements around

> arrangements of muscles. There is much information to be found on

> the net to offer more detail of the treatment, but I kind of

> considered it to be like `muscular re-setting'. The muscles are

> manipulated in such a way that they kind of `spring back' into

their

> natural position. The science of Bowen goes into the functions of

> the muscle membrane and its relationship with the nervous system,

> but that's about the extent of my medical understanding. The

> sessions take up to 2 hrs as the body is left to rest, and are

very

> inexpensive. I knew from the outset that Bernard was serious about

> helping me and other A sufferers as he offered the treatment to me

> for free. Although as soon as the improvements started I insisted

on

> supporting his cause.

>

> Ok, the question remains as to what causes the spasms. Bernard's

> research of achalasia patients led him to believe that the

> spasms/condition could result from different sources. I thought:

why

> not? People suffer from similar muscular complaints resulting from

> very different injuries/conditions. Bernard told me that he had

> spoken to sufferers whom had recently undergone un-associated

> surgery, or suffered various accidents; all of which shared the

same

> symptoms. In my case, Bernard thought that my posture (which is

> really bad) could be a contributing factor; along with the stress

I

> was undergoing at the time (stress is known to cause spasms).

> Bernard's theories go a lot deeper into the Autonomous Nervous

> System (ANS) in particular the Vegus Nerve, but you will have to

> speak to him about that, I wouldn't like to document inaccurate

> medical information. It does get very interesting though,

especially

> the connections between swallowing and fear/stress. Also that the

> parasympathetic nervous system (which controls fear/stress)

controls

> swallowing muscles at night (when spasms seem to occur most).

>

> After the first two Bowen Sessions I began to feel movement in my

> oesophagus whilst eating. I found that although I still needed

lots

> of fluid to instigate it, the swallowing action was starting to

> return. However, although I felt a dramatic improvement, eating

> still felt abnormal. Upon till this time it had been almost two

> years with virtually no swallowing action, and although I knew

> things were improving, I instinctively knew that it would take a

> while. For some reason I knew that I would have to learn to

swallow

> again; just like accident patients learning to walk or use limbs.

> Unfortunately though, unlike limbs, the oesophagus can not undergo

> physical therapy, so I decided that I would try and exercise my

> oesophagus by eating/drinking small amounts as often as possible

> (despite the frustration).

>

> Continuing with the Bowen sessions I found that drinking began to

> feel more normal; but for some reason drinking whilst eating, was

> still difficult. Nonetheless I knew progress was being made. It

was

> at about this time that Bernard suggested enforcing the physical

> treatment (Bowen) with some holistic therapy to try and break down

> any mental barriers. Not only had my body adjusted to the lack of

> swallowing action, but my mind had accepted that I couldn't

swallow

> also, so similarly needed to re adjust. The idea was to assist the

> healing process with positive enforcement. I was introduced to a

> practice called Nero-Logic-Programming (NLP). It sounds

complicated

> but it is incredibly simple. The sessions I undertook helped me to

> prepare positive mind sets (pictures in my mind/healthy feelings)

> that I could instigate with practice. However, the second and

final

> NLP session I undertook (not many were required) had the most

> impact. I was guided to map out my own life and the lives of my

> parents and other people close to me, leading up to the point

where

> I believed the condition started. To cut a long story short,

turning

> these life milestones into tools allowed the practitioner to

> manipulate both my past, present and future (well at least as my

> mind saw it). This session was without doubt very powerful and

> seemed to settle my subconscious rumblings. One thing I can tell

you

> is that prior to undertaking Bowen and NLP I had no interest in

> complementary/alternative or any other therapy. I am an engineer

> (nuts and bolts type of chap) and consider my self to be a

> pragmatist so I kind of thought that anything other than

> conventional medicine was `way out'. I couldn't have been more

> wrong. Everything that I have experienced has been both logical

and

> practical. If therapies such as Bowen/NLP etc could be properly

> combined with conventional medicine then in my mind this would be

> logical progress.

>

> During my research I did find that although Achalasia is rare,

> swallowing problems are not. I think there is potential that

> Achalasia could just be a condition which occurs following long

term

> swallowing difficulties (from various lesser severe conditions

etc),

> and that it could be the case that some peoples symptoms might

> simply recover before getting any worse; thus avoiding it. Maybe

> Achalasia sufferers are a minority of people whom are

> psychologically affected by the swallowing issues/ spasms; thus

> adding to the severity of the condition? This relates to what I

> mentioned earlier about feeling my mind and body were out of

> balance.

>

> Following my initial progress I did fall to the miss-fortune of a

> gastric infection whilst in Italy on holiday. I never did know

what

> to put it down to – either some bad seafood or something to do

with

> Achalasia (although this was the first and only infection I have

> had). This had an obvious impact on my swallowing. I couldn't eat

> without severe pain for a few days and was getting worried. The

NHS

> doctors were recommending a dilation, but the thought of it with

the

> pain I was suffering was not exactly welcoming. Luckily, I

suggested

> trying Nitro spray (the same stuff angina patients use); I had

read

> on the net that it can help relax the gastric system. Which it

did!

> Although the side effects (head ache/dizziness) were not very

nice;

> and apparently its effectiveness runs out if used often.

Nonetheless

> it did assist my swallowing and was use enough for a week until

the

> antibiotics had begun to work (sufferers: if you try the spray

> please don't get carried away with it, you might really need it

one

> day like I did). After the infection (a week or so) I felt myself

> eating more gently, which really helped with the swallowing

action.

> This then set a foundation for me to build up slowly the amount of

> food I swallowed, rather than forcing food down with fluid etc. I

> figured by taking it very slowly and increasing food amounts

> progressively it was the only way that my body could help remember

> what was `normal'. I often think that the infection could have

been

> a blessing in disguise.

>

> It is now a year since the infection, about 2 years since my first

> Bowen session, and about 4/5 years since my first symptoms.

> Following about a dozen Bowen sessions, 2 NLP sessions and 2

> hypnotherapy sessions (also done by Bernard, but very lucid/non

> intrusive) I am as I sit here today. I can now eat/drink anything

> with little fuss; the worst is that I have to stand or lift my

arms

> up occasionally to ease things along a bit, but then lots

> of `normal' folk do. I haven't had any spasm pain for about 2

years

> and am something close to `normal'. I am still in the habit of

> drinking plenty of water at night to flush my system clear as I

> sometimes feel that food/fluid is not fully draining (although

> recently this feeling is fading). Maybe I just drink the water as

a

> precaution to clear acidy food etc. In addition, I no longer have

to

> regurgitate any fluid as the coughing has stopped. I often think

> that retention issues may stem from the oesophagus becoming

slightly

> enlarged (as often reported) as finer materials like fluid can

slip

> back against the muscle. If the theory of muscle memory/

reformation

> is correct (which it appears to be) then these symptoms will

improve

> as muscle structure is reforming. It is just unfortunate that as

no

> physio therapy etc can be done that this takes time (1-2 years).

>

> I have no doubt though that my swallowing action has returned due

> principally to my Bowen treatment. As I see it, the Bowen gave my

> muscles the correct messages for the work to begin. But the

holistic

> approach was also key; as discussed above: the impact of the

> Achalasia on my mind also needed healing.

>

> One thing I have realised is that there is a lot of brain

> function/concentration that goes into eating/drinking; next time

you

> watch a friend eat, just look at the concentration on their face.

> It's a lot of effort, they just don't realise it, because they

take

> it for granted, just like I and maybe you did. The hardest part of

> healing I think was re determining what `normal' is/was. Once you

> have suffered from a prolonged condition such as achalasia, I

don't

> expect that you could ever take any improved function for granted

> again; hence, `normal' has to take on a new meaning.

>

> I am hoping that this memo will help others in their pursuit to

get

> better. For newly diagnosed A sufferers I strongly recommend that

> you consider Alternative therapy before dilation or surgery. Then

> you can make up your own mind…The surgeons are not going anywhere…

> You may feel much better if you discuss this with your GP to get

> their support.

>

> I have put much time and effort into this memo, to try and tie all

> of my issues into one place, but hopefully to also save time etc

re

> future emails/discussion etc.

>

> That's about it, I am sure I haven't missed anything….

>

> Best of luck for the future,

>

> Neil

>

October 17, 2006

Neil wrote:

> Hi All,

>

> I have just joined the group and would like to share my experience

> of Achalasia with you...

>

Welcome to the group.

> Below is a 3000 wd memo I have spent much time producing....

>

Memo? It is late so I am going to make this short, by way of a few comments.

The LES, which is very important in achalasia, has a complex set of

nerves that control it. It is not simply wired to one signal that if on

leads to contraction and if off leads to relaxation. There are nerves

that provide contraction signals and other nerves that provide

relaxation signals. Both signals can be present at the same time. These

nerves not only respond to neural signals but also to chemical signals.

Also the muscle responds not just to neural signals but also to chemical

influences. So, even with the " NO " nerves that control relaxation being

damaged or destroyed you can still effect the amount of contraction in

other ways. This is good news, and why things like nitro work, but it

also means that what seems like it is healing those damaged nerves may

not be doing so. Benefit is benefit whether it heals or not, so I am

happy things seems better for you.

> ... Bowen Practitioner. The Practitioner (Bernard)...

The Bowen Technique needs better scientific study.

Some of us are familiar with Bernard. I did not care for his views about

the achalasia mind set. Perhaps he projects his problems with his son on

all of us.

notan

October 17, 2006

Dear Neil, I am not able to be as articulate as , but I would urge you to carefully read his words. I am one of those people he is referring to who coped with Achalasia for many years by using relaxation and tricks to get the food down. After having the surgery, I now realise how foolish I had been to let it go so long. I am not trying to persuade you to do anything which you do not want to do, but would ask you to 'never say never'. While you are standing up to eat and having to concentrate on every bite, I am leading a near-enough normal life. I would join Tonia in encouraging you to get a barium swallow done to have a look at the current shape of your oesophagus. If you find it

is normal size, then I bow to your superior wisdom. Best Wishes from Anncynmark24@... wrote: Neil: Thank you for sharing with us your experience. I have a few comments and a few

questions. Usually I read a person's post several times before doing so, but in your case I'll have to make an exception. We have had a number of people here who have tried complementary medicine methods or techniques and the jury is still out as to whether or not they succeeded. If a person comes along with a plan that is proven to cure achalasia, and is repeatable by others, that would be something we could all take with us. While esophageal spasms are common with Achalasians, I don't believe it to be the case with most people here that the spasms were such a predominant problem initially, as you lead me to believe when you wrote: "Starting from the beginning, I began to suffer from oesophagus spasms (as with most patients)" This leads me to my next statement about your Bowen practitioner. Firstly, there is a Bowen practitioner from England who posts to this Board once or twice a year offering free help. Same sales pitch each time. For some reason I get suspicious when a service that is supposed to help me is offered for free. There is no free ride that I know that is legit. What bothers me about your Bernard (Bowen practitioner) is that statement you made below. "Bernard believed that the associated swallowing difficulty is likely to be

just a result of the muscular spasms, which if frequent enough, will dissuade the swallowing muscles to function properly." It seems to be making the statement that frequent muscular spasms stop the swallowing muscles from functioning properly, and yet most people have swallowing symptoms of achalasia well before they start experiencing muscular spasms. If my statement is correct, then I am disagreeing with the cause and effect relationship Bernard has suggested as the cause of achalasia. Neil, many of us, early on with this disease have tried things that have given us complete elimination of symptoms, for what might be a limited period of time. In my own case, a month after the onset

of symptoms, while my wife was in Florida for a month, I started an exercise program. All symptoms disappeared. No problem swallowing, no regurgitating, and no problem sleeping. After she returned I stopped exercising, and all the problems returned. In retrospect, I should have had her stay in Florida. While your memo is very thorough and well thought out, I would like to know how long it has been since you had your last barium study? We have people in this group who went decades with this disease who basically had nothing done medically for themselves until such time they had no choice. How do we know its any different with you? How do you know? We are all different with this disease. Its well documented here that people who use complementary medicine are able to reduce or eliminate

symptoms of the disease. What is less well known is for how long they can continue to do that. Often the condition of the esophagus worsens, but the esophagus itself might expand to accommodate the retention of food, but the patient does not know that for some time. For all I know you might be doing damage to yourself, while you think you are helping yourself. You still feel better eating standing up. Do you still have to sleep sitting up? You still drink huge quantities of water to flush your system. It sounds to me that you still have achalasia, with less severe symptoms. I also disagree with your following statement. "One thing I have realised is that there is a lot of brain function/concentration that goes

into eating/drinking; next time you watch a friend eat, just look at the concentration on their face. It's a lot of effort, they just don't realise it, because they take it for granted." The people who I eat with don't seem to have any problem eating. They focus or concentrate more on talking during their meal than eating or drinking. I see no such concentration on their faces. They just put the food up to their mouth, and down it goes, without any effort. And I know "effort." Its been 25 years of effort for me. Neil, I appreciate your taking the time to write. Its not important whether I agree or disagree with you. The purpose of this Board is not to have people who all agree with each other, but rather to learn from each

other and to give support. It gets very lonely when you can't eat or sleep and there is nobody out there to help you. With the people here you are never alone. I believe in diversity, but I also feel that when a person composes a detailed 3,000 word memo, that person should expect to be questioned (but not "flamed") about some of their statements. I wish you well, continued success with your program, and hope that you monitor yourself on a regular basis so that you know from medical testing as to how you are maintaining your condition. In a message dated 10/16/2006 6:54:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, hammneil (DOT) co.uk

writes: Hi All,I have just joined the group and would like to share my experience of Achalasia with you...Below is a 3000 wd memo I have spent much time producing....It is self explanatoryNon Invasive Treatment for Achalasia Neil A Ham 19-04-06 As a diagnosed achalasia patient I have produced this memo to share my experience of the condition with the hope to help others. The memo focuses on the use of non invasive treatment for the condition, which I have received

in the last 2 years. The outcome being almost complete removal of the achalasia symptoms I suffered.Starting from the beginning, I began to suffer from oesophagus spasms (as with most patients) some years ago whilst travelling Asia. The spasms got increasingly worse (mainly during the night) over about a 2 year period. During this time, I found the best way to relieve the spasms was to drink very cold water, and to try and relax my mind. Around this time the swallowing problems began, first with solids then with fluid. As recommended by my GP/specialist I undertook a barium meal xray. The xray highlighted that my swallowing mechanism was `out of sequence'. The condition was also confirmed by a Manometry. The NHS specialist explained that my options were either to have balloon dilation or surgery. Non of which appealed. The most confusing thing was the lack of information/understanding of the

condition, which I think may be due to its rarity (i.e. there is no big demand for research etc). Having done some general research on the internet etc, it became apparent that the balloon dilation and surgery techniques haven't really changed for many decades. Despite my confidence in the NHS, I couldn't help feel that the treatments seemed a little draconian and reactionary. Although I didn't rule out dilation or even surgery as last options, it seemed to me obvious that I should spend some time (and hopefully not too much money) seeking non Invasive treatment. I discussed this with my GP whom fully supported the idea. However it is noteworthy that the NHS consultant did not share the same enthusiasm (I am honestly not sure of his reasons why). So I went away (usually clutching a cold bottle of water) to research the possible alternative treatments. The first interesting thing I found was an article on

acupuncture treatment for achalsia on Alsatian dogs. Which apparently resulted in 75% success in all cases. With this, I approached the NHS re acupuncture, but as the practitioner I approached had no procedure for the treatment, nothing came of it. The obvious next step was Chinese therapies. After a few consultations I was scared off, I think due to a lack of professionalism (or at least as I see it); and of course the expense. Close to this time my symptoms were at their worst, the only way I could get food down was to literally force it down with copious amounts of fizzy water (or similar). I think I actually didn't use any swallowing action at all. I went on to research diet supplements and vitamins etc, which led me to trying high strength magnesium and vitamin B tablets. In the first 2 weeks of taking these, my symptoms were vastly improved, the pain stopped and my swallowing returned to almost normal.

Thinking I had found the `cure' I carried on, but after about 3 weeks the effect from the tablets began to weaken as my body adapted (as possibly should be expected). Nonetheless, it was a nice break, and it proved to me that my body could function normally given the chance, even though I hadn't swallowed properly for almost a year.Most achalasia studies you will find suggest that the oesophagus is subject to nerve damage and that this reduces or even removes peristalsis. Comparisons are also made to Chaggers disease (where I don't question that nerve loss is apparent). Although I don't dispute that evidence may exist to support nerve damage loss with achalasia, I wasn't convinced that my personal lack of swallowing action was as a result of nerve failure. The effect of the vitamins had suggested this to me, I am not a doctor, but surely nerves just cant start working again if they have supposedly `died'.

From the start of my condition I always felt that it was stress induced, and that my mind was playing a key part in the disfunction/suffering. We all know that the mind (or whatever you like to call it) plays a role in brain function, and that the brain produces chemicals to help the body function. Although I had no proof, I was convinced that the stress (mostly to do with work) was causing my brain not serve my body correctly. So I figured if I could get stability back in my mind I could begin to get my body back into balance. To add quality to this memo, it might be worth mention of a few simple actions I took to help the condition. Firstly, I always found it easier to eat whilst standing or moving around. I often found it embarrassing in company to do so, but in the end I figured it was better than suffering, so my advice is just to get on with it. The key is to not make a big deal of it. As also

mentioned above, I found fizzy drinks would help; I always felt like the bubbles were good stimulus. Without doubt I found the only way to stop the spasms was to drink cold water upon their onset; but I expect this might vary from individual to individual. Another symptom of achalasia is reflux of fluid during the night. In my case no acid was present, it was just liquid that couldn't drain properly. This was the last symptom to occur in my case, but I believe this is usual. To avoid coughing, and breathing in fluid (thus contaminating my lungs) during the night (due to lying down) I found that I could easily regurgitate (not fully, just a small amount) any residual fluid. Although this removed the symptoms, I knew that it could only be a temporary measure. I figured the reflux would improve, if I could resolve my swallowing issues. It might be noteworthy that I also made habit to drink lots of water every

night. I did this to move any food down, plus leave my oesophagus as clean as possible. One thing I always thought was important was not to drink/eat acidy stuff before bed (unless washed down properly), as not to leave any irritants in my throat. Back to treatment etc: Whilst surfing the net I came across a posting which had been produced by a local (luckily) chap whom is a Bowen Practitioner. The Practitioner (Bernard) had been involved with this non intrusive therapy for several years, and had been researching its use to treat achalasia. I am sure his research stemmed from the fact that his son has been diagnosed (but was unfortunately across the Atlantic). I met with Bernard and I agreed to be his patient (a kind of guinea pig really), I thought why not, the treatment was completely non invasive. Bernard began by telling me his theories about achalasia. Although not a medical doctor, I could tell that he

possessed professional ability and that he had impressive knowledge of the human anatomy, especially neurological and muscular systems. Bernard believed that the associated swallowing difficulty is likely to be just a result of the muscular spasms, which if frequent enough, will dissuade the swallowing muscles to function properly. The reason being that muscles are versatile and will adapt to their surroundings; thus they adapt to the environment caused by the spasms (which is of course abnormal). In the case of people suffering from spasms, their swallowing muscles would become more redundant, and forget their usual function. Bernard believed that as muscles are known to contain some kind of memory (e.g. a chicken running without a head; child birth, or a person riding a bike etc), then if the spasms could be made to stop, then the swallowing muscles could regain their memory; thus a normal swallowing function could

be resumed. This seemed like good old common sense to me and was the only insightful knowledge I had received in 6 months of research. So I had a couple of Bowen sessions. The sessions involve various thumb movements around arrangements of muscles. There is much information to be found on the net to offer more detail of the treatment, but I kind of considered it to be like `muscular re-setting'. The muscles are manipulated in such a way that they kind of `spring back' into their natural position. The science of Bowen goes into the functions of the muscle membrane and its relationship with the nervous system, but that's about the extent of my medical understanding. The sessions take up to 2 hrs as the body is left to rest, and are very inexpensive. I knew from the outset that Bernard was serious about helping me and other A sufferers as he offered the treatment to me for free. Although as soon as the improvements

started I insisted on supporting his cause. Ok, the question remains as to what causes the spasms. Bernard's research of achalasia patients led him to believe that the spasms/condition could result from different sources. I thought: why not? People suffer from similar muscular complaints resulting from very different injuries/conditions. Bernard told me that he had spoken to sufferers whom had recently undergone un-associated surgery, or suffered various accidents; all of which shared the same symptoms. In my case, Bernard thought that my posture (which is really bad) could be a contributing factor; along with the stress I was undergoing at the time (stress is known to cause spasms). Bernard's theories go a lot deeper into the Autonomous Nervous System (ANS) in particular the Vegus Nerve, but you will have to speak to him about that, I wouldn't like to document inaccurate medical information. It does get

very interesting though, especially the connections between swallowing and fear/stress. Also that the parasympathetic nervous system (which controls fear/stress) controls swallowing muscles at night (when spasms seem to occur most). After the first two Bowen Sessions I began to feel movement in my oesophagus whilst eating. I found that although I still needed lots of fluid to instigate it, the swallowing action was starting to return. However, although I felt a dramatic improvement, eating still felt abnormal. Upon till this time it had been almost two years with virtually no swallowing action, and although I knew things were improving, I instinctively knew that it would take a while. For some reason I knew that I would have to learn to swallow again; just like accident patients learning to walk or use limbs. Unfortunately though, unlike limbs, the oesophagus can not undergo physical therapy, so I decided that I

would try and exercise my oesophagus by eating/drinking small amounts as often as possible (despite the frustration). Continuing with the Bowen sessions I found that drinking began to feel more normal; but for some reason drinking whilst eating, was still difficult. Nonetheless I knew progress was being made. It was at about this time that Bernard suggested enforcing the physical treatment (Bowen) with some holistic therapy to try and break down any mental barriers. Not only had my body adjusted to the lack of swallowing action, but my mind had accepted that I couldn't swallow also, so similarly needed to re adjust. The idea was to assist the healing process with positive enforcement. I was introduced to a practice called Nero-Logic-Programming (NLP). It sounds complicated but it is incredibly simple. The sessions I undertook helped me to prepare positive mind sets (pictures in my mind/healthy feelings)

that I could instigate with practice. However, the second and final NLP session I undertook (not many were required) had the most impact. I was guided to map out my own life and the lives of my parents and other people close to me, leading up to the point where I believed the condition started. To cut a long story short, turning these life milestones into tools allowed the practitioner to manipulate both my past, present and future (well at least as my mind saw it). This session was without doubt very powerful and seemed to settle my subconscious rumblings. One thing I can tell you is that prior to undertaking Bowen and NLP I had no interest in complementary/alternative or any other therapy. I am an engineer (nuts and bolts type of chap) and consider my self to be a pragmatist so I kind of thought that anything other than conventional medicine was `way out'. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything that I

have experienced has been both logical and practical. If therapies such as Bowen/NLP etc could be properly combined with conventional medicine then in my mind this would be logical progress. During my research I did find that although Achalasia is rare, swallowing problems are not. I think there is potential that Achalasia could just be a condition which occurs following long term swallowing difficulties (from various lesser severe conditions etc), and that it could be the case that some peoples symptoms might simply recover before getting any worse; thus avoiding it. Maybe Achalasia sufferers are a minority of people whom are psychologically affected by the swallowing issues/ spasms; thus adding to the severity of the condition? This relates to what I mentioned earlier about feeling my mind and body were out of balance. Following my initial progress I did fall to the miss-fortune of a gastric

infection whilst in Italy on holiday. I never did know what to put it down to â€“ either some bad seafood or something to do with Achalasia (although this was the first and only infection I have had). This had an obvious impact on my swallowing. I couldn't eat without severe pain for a few days and was getting worried. The NHS doctors were recommending a dilation, but the thought of it with the pain I was suffering was not exactly welcoming. Luckily, I suggested trying Nitro spray (the same stuff angina patients use); I had read on the net that it can help relax the gastric system. Which it did! Although the side effects (head ache/dizziness) were not very nice; and apparently its effectiveness runs out if used often. Nonetheless it did assist my swallowing and was use enough for a week until the antibiotics had begun to work (sufferers: if you try the spray please don't get carried away with it, you might really need it

one day like I did). After the infection (a week or so) I felt myself eating more gently, which really helped with the swallowing action. This then set a foundation for me to build up slowly the amount of food I swallowed, rather than forcing food down with fluid etc. I figured by taking it very slowly and increasing food amounts progressively it was the only way that my body could help remember what was `normal'. I often think that the infection could have been a blessing in disguise. It is now a year since the infection, about 2 years since my first Bowen session, and about 4/5 years since my first symptoms. Following about a dozen Bowen sessions, 2 NLP sessions and 2 hypnotherapy sessions (also done by Bernard, but very lucid/non intrusive) I am as I sit here today. I can now eat/drink anything with little fuss; the worst is that I have to stand or lift my arms up occasionally to ease things along a bit,

but then lots of `normal' folk do. I haven't had any spasm pain for about 2 years and am something close to `normal'. I am still in the habit of drinking plenty of water at night to flush my system clear as I sometimes feel that food/fluid is not fully draining (although recently this feeling is fading). Maybe I just drink the water as a precaution to clear acidy food etc. In addition, I no longer have to regurgitate any fluid as the coughing has stopped. I often think that retention issues may stem from the oesophagus becoming slightly enlarged (as often reported) as finer materials like fluid can slip back against the muscle. If the theory of muscle memory/ reformation is correct (which it appears to be) then these symptoms will improve as muscle structure is reforming. It is just unfortunate that as no physio therapy etc can be done that this takes time (1-2 years). I have no doubt though that my swallowing

action has returned due principally to my Bowen treatment. As I see it, the Bowen gave my muscles the correct messages for the work to begin. But the holistic approach was also key; as discussed above: the impact of the Achalasia on my mind also needed healing. One thing I have realised is that there is a lot of brain function/concentration that goes into eating/drinking; next time you watch a friend eat, just look at the concentration on their face. It's a lot of effort, they just don't realise it, because they take it for granted, just like I and maybe you did. The hardest part of healing I think was re determining what `normal' is/was. Once you have suffered from a prolonged condition such as achalasia, I don't expect that you could ever take any improved function for granted again; hence, `normal' has to take on a new meaning. I am hoping that this memo will help others in their pursuit to get

better. For newly diagnosed A sufferers I strongly recommend that you consider Alternative therapy before dilation or surgery. Then you can make up your own mindâ€¦The surgeons are not going anywhereâ€¦You may feel much better if you discuss this with your GP to get their support. I have put much time and effort into this memo, to try and tie all of my issues into one place, but hopefully to also save time etc re future emails/discussion etc. That's about it, I am sure I haven't missed anythingâ€¦.Best of luck for the future,Neil Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

October 17, 2006

very interesting ! It's remarkable

that Alsatian Dogs have been able to

be diagnosed with A by what seems to

be non-traditional testing. How did

that work exactly ?

Thx

M. a