Hello from a new member

[Guest guest]

Hello - I am new to this group, having been diagnosed with achalasia 2

weeks ago. I am 52, live in Canberra, the beautiful capital city of

Australia. I have had swallowing difficulties for the last 30 years &

learned to cope by drinking heaps of water with food. Every now and

then I'd bring the food up if I didn't drink the water soon enough.

Just learned to live with it, assuming it was some sort of gag reflex

disorder. Then it got harder to swallow about a year ago, and I

finally did something about it - I saw a speech pathologist who

advised me to hold my breath while I swallow. I could not believe it

when this made an immediate difference - I didn't need water (and

still usually don't) with food, as long as I concentrate on making

sure I hold my breath at the right time. Does anyone else use this

technique? If so how much does it help? The speech pathologist also

strongly recommended I get checked out. So got an endoscope, then

barium swallow, and hey presto,achalasia - a diagnosis after all these

years. Now thanks to this group + the internet, I know much more

about what can be done. Manometry next Wednesday (will draw

inspiration from Tia), then a visit to a surgeon (who knows how much

experience Canberra surgeons have had with Heller myotomies? - will

find out soon enough). Thanks so much for running this group and for

everyone who contributes - it makes such a difference knowing there

are others who understand.

Mal