heartburn or spasm? triggered by speaking? worse with virus?

[Guest guest]

Many thanks to all who have replied. This is such a valuable

forum where we can share our wisdom and experiences.

's achalasia gets worse when he has a cold, and also

gets worse spasms when he has a cold... Apparently a virus does

something to the GI tract that can contribute to achalasia

symptoms, at least for some people.

I also learned that Isabella's spasms get worse when she speaks

loudly, and gets spasms when projecting her voice and

speaking loudly. So speaking aloud is a trigger for at least two

others besides my son. Mark (15) was amused to hear that this is

convenient for Isabella's children.

in Lancaster, PA

heartburn or spasm? worse with virus?

triggered by speaking?

My son (15) had the myotomy with fundoplication last summer.

Although the follow-up barium showed incomplete emptying at five

minutes, his swallowing is much improved. He has experienced

occasional heartburn, but usually it has gone away with just

Tums. The other night it was different.

He came down with a cold and was sent home from school in the

afternoon with a high fever. That evening he began complaining

of heartburn, a burning sensation behind the sternum. He took

Tums and water, and the pain would go away briefly, then come

back in 10 or 15 minutes.

I think he had about 20 Tums, more than the recommended daily

maximum. I also gave him Pepto-Bismol a couple of times. Last I

gave him a dose of mik of magnesia, which is a different antacid.

Nothing helped for long, and still he had painful heartburn.

He spoke in a soft voice or whisper because he thought that the

pain was triggered by speaking aloud. (Does that ring any bells

to anyone?)

Finally he went to bed, still feeling heartburn. At midnight he

felt nauseous and vomited (or regurgitated, not sure which), then

felt better and slept till morning.

I wonder if this was really heartburn. Does the fact that

antacids didn't really help, or the fact that speaking made it

worse, suggest that it was a spasm? He has almost never had

spasms or pain other than heartburn. I also wonder how all this

was related to his fever and cold.

Thanks in advance.

in Lancaster, PA