Guest guest Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Dear , I am sorry to be the first one to answer your question, as I don't think that I am representative for most of the myotomy-patients. January 5th I have had my 2nd myotomy and on a scale of 1-10 I would now say I am at 3 or 4 compared to the time before my 2nd one. The time will definitely come, that all my complaints return. We don't know yet exactly why that is. Maybe too much scar tissue, maybe something about the fundoplication, or maybe something went wrong with the myotomy. My first myotomy was 11 years ago and I would have given an 8 or 9 compared to the time before surgery. Why my complaints have returned is not sure. During my second surgery they found out that I have really lots of scar tissue; my second myotomy was done over a greater length, perhaps the first one was done too short; furthermore I had a Nissen fundoplication, of which is proven that 75% of all achalasians get returned complaints within about 10 years (so never get a Nissen, but choose for a Dor or a Toupet). I had my first myotomy done as I was just out of my teens. There was no internet like it is nowadays, so I couldn't look things up like I can now. If I had known then, what I know now, I would have never had my first myotomy done in the hospital where it has been done. I would have looked for the best possible surgeon in achalasia area and maybe (you never know for sure) my 2nd one would not have been necessary then. The surgeon who performed my 2nd one was the best I could find in Holland. He really is great and has done so much for me. It just was a risky and difficult surgery and I cannot and will not blame him for my returned complaints. I know he has tried so hard to help me. Nevertheless I will go abroad, should I really need my 3rd surgery. I will then go to Germany, to dr. Schulz. Most of his patients give a 8 or 9 post surgery!!! Most of them never have to undergo another achalasia surgery again!!! Those are the figures you need to look at, not those of some individual like me. What you should learn from an individual like me is the following: find yourself the very very very best surgeon you can. Travel if you need to. Nothing is so important as your health. You can have one operate on you, thinking: if it doesn't work, we'll redo it. But a 2nd and 3rd surgery are so much harder. If you find yourself an experienced surgeon you will probably have it done correctly at once and you won't have to undergo any more surgeries. Isabellakristinmari2 <kristinmari2@...> wrote: If you've had the myotomy, I have a question.On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being "I'm as good as new, even BETTER in fact," where are you post surgery.I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have surgeries or dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real life stories.Thank in advance, Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check.Try the Beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Hi - My son has had 2 myotomies,lap and open. Since his second operation which was a success,he has gained 35 pounds since October!!! That should tell you how he is doing Scale of 1 - 10 my son said it would be a 10.... but with his spasms he still gets but only very occasionally he would have to say a 9. He eats whatever he wants with very little trouble.Breads ,meats things like that require him to drink more but doesnt stop him from eating anything.Somepeople do have foods they still cant eat even after surgery I am sad to say.It will just depend on your esophagus. I guess you need to look at how things are for you now and compare to atleast being able to eat more after surgery.Maybe not ALL the foods you would like, but much more than now. How are things for you now? What symptoms/problems are you having? Tonia > > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as new, even BETTER in > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have surgeries or > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real life > stories. > > Thank in advance, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Wow, I'm sorry you a dealing with all of this. May I ask your age? I'm only 27 with 3 little boys to take care of in my life. I need to get this taken care of so I can be happy and healthy for them! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I hope you find some relief soon! > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as new, even BETTER in > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have surgeries or > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real life > stories. > > Thank in advance, > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. > Try the Beta. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 I don't want to shout this too loudly but I've never had a spasm, that I know of at least. When this all first started, I would feel like I was chocking and have pain in my chest but that only happened a couple of time. Basically, I can't swallow much of anything. It was much better 6 weeks ago when I was pregnant, believe it or not! I eat every other day. Today is my day to just drink. Tomorrow I should be able to eat a little bit in the morning and a little bit in the afternoon. Then I just drink as much as physically possible in order to try and get it down. That's my life! > > > > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as new, even BETTER > in > > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have > surgeries or > > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real > life > > stories. > > > > Thank in advance, > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Hi , Well, I'm not so very much older then you are. I am 33 years old now and we have 2 boys, 1 aged 8 and one aged 5. I so understand what you mean by saying "I need to get this taken care of so I can be happy and healthy for them". That is exactly the reason why I decided to take care of my A. last summer. I did everything I could to go see the best surgeon I could find, which resulted in my surgery last January. It is also the reason why I am doubting my 3rd one now. Doubts against my surgery are: having to leave my family again; needing so much time to heal again; surgery risks (as it will be my 3rd one, it will be a hard one). Doubts in favor of surgery are: being able to eat normal again; my family not having to see me struggle to get my food down anymore; being able to enjoy eating again; not having spasms anymore; my E. sack not getting wider anymore; not walking around feeling my lunch in my E. untill dinner anymore. Follow your heart, . Deep inside you know what you have to and want to do. You will make the right decision (oh, I need to read this for myself too, I guess...). Isabella kristinmari2 <kristinmari2@...> wrote: Wow, I'm sorry you a dealing with all of this. May I ask your age? I'm only 27 with 3 little boys to take care of in my life. I need to get this taken care of so I can be happy and healthy for them! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I hope you find some relief soon!> If you've had the myotomy, I have a question.> On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being "I'm as good as new, even BETTER in > fact," where are you post surgery.> > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have surgeries or > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real life > stories.> > Thank in advance,> > > > > > > > ---------------------------------> Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check.> Try the Beta.> Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debatein the Answers Food Drink Q&A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 > > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as new, even BETTER in > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have to have surgeries or > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to hear some real life > stories. > > Thank in advance, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 , on a scale of 1-10, I would say I am a 8.5. You are never going to be perfect, but i eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I was eating taco's 3 days post surgery when I had not had any real food in the 4 months prior. This is something I will have forever. I may need dialations down the line, but I am a 13 months out of surgery and I am doing well. Some things take some water to be pushed down and some things do not. I probably drink 2 glasses of water with most big meals. It just helps things go down. I have no real discomfort and very little, if any reflux. Let me know if I can answer any other questions. Vinnie --- " J. " <jsmith21703@...> wrote: > > > > > > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as > new, even BETTER in > > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have > to have surgeries > or > > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to > hear some real life > > stories. > > > > Thank in advance, > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut. http://tools.search./shortcuts/#loc_weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Vinnie Thanks for replying. I don't remember what perfect is anymore! An 8.5 is fabulous! I can't imagine eating a taco at all right now! Where did you have your surgery done? City/State/Surgeon. Thank you! > > > > > > If you've had the myotomy, I have a question. > > > On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being " I'm as good as > > new, even BETTER in > > > fact, " where are you post surgery. > > > > > > I'm getting kind of depressed thinking I will have > > to have surgeries > > or > > > dilations the rest of my life. I'm just wanted to > > hear some real life > > > stories. > > > > > > Thank in advance, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ ______________ > Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast > with the Search weather shortcut. > http://tools.search./shortcuts/#loc_weather > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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