Re: seeking advice for getting in with a doctor

[Guest guest]

G'day!

I read your post and simply had to reply immediately. I live in Germany , so

can't help you

with advice about doctors, insurance etc.

What I would like to point out, though, before you make a decision about a

repeat Botox

injection, is that there is some evidence to suggest that any endoscopic therapy

(Botox,

dilatation) compromises the result of subsequent surgery.

It is quite common for a Botox injection to only last a few weeks, a few months.

Your body

also bulds up an immunity to it, so each injection will have a lesser effect

than the last

one.

Is it possible to book the surgery - if surgery is what you are really aiming

for - for a date

from Feb. 1? At least to have the surgery date set? To have that to aim for, as

a

psychological advantage?

Can you get hold of some high calorie energy drinks for yourself? I've heard

about them

only, so can't be more specific.

My heart just goes out to you across the miles, one mum to another. How

difficult it can

be caring for a small baby and being sick yourself.

I'm sure you'll find some more practical help from the American contingent in

the Forum

here.

Sending greetings across the miles

Anita in Germany

[Guest guest]

Hello, .

> ... I didn't think

> the botox would wear off so quickly. ...

How long Botox last varies from person to person. In some people it does

not work at all. Over time your body may become immune to it. You never

know if it will work the next time or if it does work if it will last as

long as the last time.

> ... They say there is not

> an open appointment with either doctor till the middle of january,

> and they can't possibly get me in sooner. ...

Depending on your insurance, you may want to ask about going to an

urgent care or emergency care center. That is one way to light a fire

under them. If you feel at all bad, weak, light headed or even

depressed, I would not mess around waiting. You may also want to

consider dilatation instead of the Botox or surgery. The Botox may last

even shorter than before, and after myotomy surgery you will need time

to heal and won't be able to lift your baby for something like two weeks.

notan

[Guest guest]

,

As others have mentioned, botox wears off quickly and causes

scarring which can be a problem later. Pneumatic dilation is

another option that might help you, but it is not generally a

long-term solution in people under 40 or 50 years old, and also

causes some scarring. It needs to be repeated, and every time a

dilation is done, there is a risk of perforation which would

require emergency surgery.

The best long-term solution is surgery, laparoscopic Heller

myotomy with fundoplication. It's best to have it done by an

experienced surgeon, because their results improve after 50 or so

surgeries for achalasia! If you get in touch with a surgeon who

treats many achalasia patients, his office may be able to work

with your insurance to get the surgery covered, even if they are

way out of network for you. There are highly experienced

achalasia surgeons in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Mayo

Clinic. There may be some who are closer to you as well.

I did a web search for esophageal surgeons in Colorado and found

a few:

D. , M.D., University Physicians, Aurora, Colorado,

303-493-7000

J Weyant, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver,

303-315-8527

Northern Colorado Surgical Associates, Ft. , CO, (970)

482-6456

I would call their offices, explain everything to their nurse,

ask how many Heller myotomies for achalasia the surgeon has done,

and leave your phone number so the doctor can call you back.

With a baby, you would need help after the surgery for a few

weeks. I think you could keep nursing if someone handed the baby

to you while sitting in a recliner, and you supported the baby

with a pillow. A lactation consultant could advise you. Call

1-800-LALECHE to speak with a volunteer.

Meanwhile, keep eating that soup and ice cream, and try putting

other foods through the blender with extra water, milk, broth, or

tomato juice to thin them.

Good luck!

in Lancaster, PA

seeking advice for getting in with a doctor

> Hello everyone,

>

> I am new to the group but have greatly appreciated hearing that

> there are others going through the same thing. I am 29 years

> old

> and live in Colorado. I started having problems eating 2 years

> ago

> and saw a couple doctors before finding one who figured out

> what was

> going on. I was diagnosed with A. in Oct, a couple weeks after

> giving birth to my son. I had a botox injection and it really

> helped, until now. I am losing weight again (down to 115 (I

> have

> lost 55 pounds over the past two years)). I am throwing up all

> the

> time and can't eat anything other than soup and ice cream. I

> really

> want to keep nursing my son, but I am having a hard time

> getting

> enough calories and my milk production is decreasing. I didn't

> think

> the botox would wear off so quickly. I really liked my doctor,

> but

> our health insurance changed and he can not see patients not

> with

> their plan. He recommended another doctor, but I can't seem to

> convince them that I need to get in quickly for another botox

> injection. I had seen a doctor there before and even though he

> does

> not do botox injections, the office stipulates that I see him

> and

> then he will decide if I need to see the other doctor for the

> injection, which seems like a waste of time. They say there is

> not

> an open appointment with either doctor till the middle of

> january,

> and they can't possibly get me in sooner. I feel like I am

> hitting

> my head against a wall. I don't feel like I can wait that

> long.

> When I looked at other GI offices, the said they didn't have

> openings until Feb. I do want to get the surgery, but my

> husbands

> insurance with his new job wont be effective until Feb 1, and

> our

> current insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.

>

> I was wondering if anyone else has had a problem with getting

> into a

> doctor quickly, or being able to communicate effectively the

> necessity of getting in quickly. I don't know what else to do.

> I

> am just so tired and worried about being able to nurse my baby.

> I

> appreciate any advice anyone is able to give. Thank you all

> for

> your time.

>

> Take care,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much to everyone who wrote back. I greatly appreciate

the advice and support. I made many more calls today, including to my

old doctor to advocate for me, and hopefully will get some results

quickly. I will let you all know how things go. Thank you so much

for all the encouragement. I did not realize how much I needed it.

Thank you,