Re: Suspected Achalasia and

[Guest guest]

Oh... I think it would be safe to say about 99% of us agree not to let that doctor do a balloon dialation. Wait until you see a real specialist and you become better informed. That is a big decision, not to be taken so lightly, and you if you have a dialation you want an expert to do it. If your doctor suggested it this early I'd move on as he/she should have discussed options more with you IMHO.

Sandy> > Hi all,> >> > I have posted here before but didn't really follow up. I had a Barium> > Swallow about two weeks ago and the test showed some narrowing near> > the base of my esophagus. I never really found out what the test> > showed until last week when I visited a GI specialist. The nurse> > practitioner that I saw (she was very nice but a bit clueless about> > what was going on) told me that I either had a stricture or pyloric> > stenosism which I found odd since my food doesn't seem to even get as> > far as the pyloric valve. Yesterday I had an EGD and the doctor told> > me before he even began the test that he suspected I had achalasia> > because my symptoms were text book classic and the swallow test> > indicated the diagnosis. He said if he did not see any signs of A he> > would inflate a balloon to relieve the stricture. I tried to stay> > awake to hear what was going on during the test but I fell asleep> > (sigh). After the test he said he halted the test before entering the> > stomach because I had food still in my esophagus (even after not> > eating for 17 hours) and my stomach sphincter was shut tight. He said> > he definitely suspected Achalasia and was sending my for the the> > manometry test. My question is this ... he said if A is present in> > that test they would dilate. I have read conflicting stories that in> > some people this works and in others it is only temporary. I really> > don't want to submit to dilation after dilation. I am tired of the> > problems I am having and just want to be able to eat normally again> > without fear of it all coming back up. What do you recommend? Should I> > see a specialist? I live in San Bernardino County CA (Redlands to be> > exact). The manometry is being scheduled at Loma University> > which is probably one of the best hospitals around but I am still> > nervous about them screwing it up.> >> > Thanks,> >> > Norwood> >> >> >> >> >> >> > 4-H Leader extraordinaire!> > All-Star Advisor to the most awesome> > kids of Amador County!> >> >> >> >> >> > ---------------------------------> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try> it now.> >>

[Guest guest]

The question about seeing a specialist is how does that work with your

medical insurance? I would imagine it would get very expensive. I do

have good insurance ... Blue Cross PPO ... does anyone know if I would

need to get a referral?

> > > Hi all,

> > >

> > > I have posted here before but didn't really follow up. I had a

> Barium

> > > Swallow about two weeks ago and the test showed some narrowing near

> > > the base of my esophagus. I never really found out what the test

> > > showed until last week when I visited a GI specialist. The nurse

> > > practitioner that I saw (she was very nice but a bit clueless about

> > > what was going on) told me that I either had a stricture or pyloric

> > > stenosism which I found odd since my food doesn't seem to even get

> as

> > > far as the pyloric valve. Yesterday I had an EGD and the doctor told

> > > me before he even began the test that he suspected I had achalasia

> > > because my symptoms were text book classic and the swallow test

> > > indicated the diagnosis. He said if he did not see any signs of A he

> > > would inflate a balloon to relieve the stricture. I tried to stay

> > > awake to hear what was going on during the test but I fell asleep

> > > (sigh). After the test he said he halted the test before entering

> the

> > > stomach because I had food still in my esophagus (even after not

> > > eating for 17 hours) and my stomach sphincter was shut tight. He

> said

> > > he definitely suspected Achalasia and was sending my for the the

> > > manometry test. My question is this ... he said if A is present in

> > > that test they would dilate. I have read conflicting stories that in

> > > some people this works and in others it is only temporary. I really

> > > don't want to submit to dilation after dilation. I am tired of the

> > > problems I am having and just want to be able to eat normally again

> > > without fear of it all coming back up. What do you recommend? Should

> I

> > > see a specialist? I live in San Bernardino County CA (Redlands to be

> > > exact). The manometry is being scheduled at Loma University

> > > which is probably one of the best hospitals around but I am still

> > > nervous about them screwing it up.

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > >

> > > Norwood

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > 4-H Leader extraordinaire!

> > > All-Star Advisor to the most awesome

> > > kids of Amador County!

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------

> > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

> Try

> > it now.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

THe doctor who suggested dilation is a GI specialist and he recognized

it for what it was pretty quickly.

> > > Hi all,

> > >

> > > I have posted here before but didn't really follow up. I had a

> Barium

> > > Swallow about two weeks ago and the test showed some narrowing near

> > > the base of my esophagus. I never really found out what the test

> > > showed until last week when I visited a GI specialist. The nurse

> > > practitioner that I saw (she was very nice but a bit clueless about

> > > what was going on) told me that I either had a stricture or pyloric

> > > stenosism which I found odd since my food doesn't seem to even get

> as

> > > far as the pyloric valve. Yesterday I had an EGD and the doctor told

> > > me before he even began the test that he suspected I had achalasia

> > > because my symptoms were text book classic and the swallow test

> > > indicated the diagnosis. He said if he did not see any signs of A he

> > > would inflate a balloon to relieve the stricture. I tried to stay

> > > awake to hear what was going on during the test but I fell asleep

> > > (sigh). After the test he said he halted the test before entering

> the

> > > stomach because I had food still in my esophagus (even after not

> > > eating for 17 hours) and my stomach sphincter was shut tight. He

> said

> > > he definitely suspected Achalasia and was sending my for the the

> > > manometry test. My question is this ... he said if A is present in

> > > that test they would dilate. I have read conflicting stories that in

> > > some people this works and in others it is only temporary. I really

> > > don't want to submit to dilation after dilation. I am tired of the

> > > problems I am having and just want to be able to eat normally again

> > > without fear of it all coming back up. What do you recommend? Should

> I

> > > see a specialist? I live in San Bernardino County CA (Redlands to be

> > > exact). The manometry is being scheduled at Loma University

> > > which is probably one of the best hospitals around but I am still

> > > nervous about them screwing it up.

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > >

> > > Norwood

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > 4-H Leader extraordinaire!

> > > All-Star Advisor to the most awesome

> > > kids of Amador County!

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------

> > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

> Try

> > it now.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I have Blue Cross PPO. You don't need a referral. Just call who you want and make an appointment. Most hospitals and doctors are covered by Blue Cross PPO. The insurance website lists them, but it isn't very user friendly.

You don't need to have a gp or family doctor or anything. Usually they can see you in a month or so, you might consider making appointments with all the doctors you are considering, spaced maybe a few days apart, starting with the ones you are more eager to see, then cancel the others w/i a few days notice. If you don't like one of them, it could take you another month or more to see the next one. Once you make up your mind to see a doctor, it is very frustrating to have to wait for the next appointment. Before you take some more tests maybe see which facility has the best equipment and if USC, UCLA or Cedars will equally use the results so you don't have to redo them. Or put off the tests until you pick your doctor.

Start all that stuff this year, Blue Cross PPO covers some of the doctors visits and tests, and it wasn't really dreadfully expensive. The hospital, if you have treatment usually gets you to the deductible quickly.

But just make an appointment with whoever you want, the glory of a PPO in California. A rare disease is exactly when the benefits of a PPO kick in. None of the insurance companies in California win any great awards for service in the doctors' eyes, when I've asked them, but the PPO are better than the alternatives and are the most widely accepted, here.

Make a binder with all your tests and dates, if you are shopping for medical care, this is the time to keep it organized so if you switch doctors you have copies of everything. Ask for test results right after you take them. Scan and maybe email them to the doctors you are considering. They will call you back or nag them, they are busy.

> > > > Hi all,> > > >> > > > I have posted here before but didn't really follow up. I had a> > Barium> > > > Swallow about two weeks ago and the test showed some narrowing near> > > > the base of my esophagus. I never really found out what the test> > > > showed until last week when I visited a GI specialist. The nurse> > > > practitioner that I saw (she was very nice but a bit clueless about> > > > what was going on) told me that I either had a stricture or pyloric> > > > stenosism which I found odd since my food doesn't seem to even get> > as> > > > far as the pyloric valve. Yesterday I had an EGD and the doctor told> > > > me before he even began the test that he suspected I had achalasia> > > > because my symptoms were text book classic and the swallow test> > > > indicated the diagnosis. He said if he did not see any signs of A he> > > > would inflate a balloon to relieve the stricture. I tried to stay> > > > awake to hear what was going on during the test but I fell asleep> > > > (sigh). After the test he said he halted the test before entering> > the> > > > stomach because I had food still in my esophagus (even after not> > > > eating for 17 hours) and my stomach sphincter was shut tight. He> > said> > > > he definitely suspected Achalasia and was sending my for the the> > > > manometry test. My question is this ... he said if A is present in> > > > that test they would dilate. I have read conflicting stories that in> > > > some people this works and in others it is only temporary. I really> > > > don't want to submit to dilation after dilation. I am tired of the> > > > problems I am having and just want to be able to eat normally again> > > > without fear of it all coming back up. What do you recommend? Should> > I> > > > see a specialist? I live in San Bernardino County CA (Redlands to be> > > > exact). The manometry is being scheduled at Loma University> > > > which is probably one of the best hospitals around but I am still> > > > nervous about them screwing it up.> > > >> > > > Thanks,> > > >> > > > Norwood> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > 4-H Leader extraordinaire!> > > > All-Star Advisor to the most awesome> > > > kids of Amador County!> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > ---------------------------------> > > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.> > Try> > > it now.> > > >> > >> >>