To Hege...Re: What is NORMAL for Achalasia??

[Guest guest]

A diverticula is a pocket-like structures formed when the interior space of the

esophagus protrudes into the walls that surround it. I have a small one at the

bottom of the esophagus. I dont know so much about this condition. Have tried to

ask in this group, but never get any reply.. I belive its common in people with

A when they dont get good treatment.

I used Nifedipine with good result when I had spasms, they stopped the spasms

in a few seconds. but after 6-7 months they lost their effect. They can also

give bad side effects. I got really bad headache. Now I take a pain medicine

containing codeine and paracetamol. They dont stop the spasm, but they give me

relief so I can function or sleep. My spasms sometimes last for several hours

(6-10 hours), and nothing else work when they get really bad. During daytime I

sometimes get " small " spasms, and then drinking cold water can make them go

away.

Hege

> > >

> > > My daughter, Jessie, was diagnosed with Achalasia in the summer of 2006

when she was 12 years old. She had extended laparoscopic Heller myotomy and Dor

fundoplication done in March 2007 at Seattle Children Hospital.

> > >

> > > Jessie has since be able to eat pretty much what ever she wants as long as

she has water to go with it. She seems to use the water to wash down the food.

The amount of water that she needs for a meal is ranging from 500 ml to 1,000 ml

( 1 to 2 bottles of water).

> > >

> > > Besides the need of water for just about every bite when she eats, Jessie

has occasionally experienced the kind of discomfort that she refers as " chest

pain " . She will put heating pad on her chest when that happens. I'm not sure

how much that helps, but we really don't know what else we can do to help her

feel better. Most of the time, the discomfort will go away in less than an

hour. Recently, she seems to have experienced this " chest pain " more often

during night time and early mornings.

> > >

> > > Jessie is not on any medicine. She had one upper GI barium x-ray in 2008

in our local hospital in southern Indiana since the surgery.

> > >

> > > I have tried my best to learn about Achalasia through this group and other

sources on internet, but I still can not be sure if we have done everything

possible to help Jessie live with this condition and not to get worse.

> > >

> > > I have so many questions such as...

> > >

> > > --Is it " normal " for an achalasia patient not being able to get the food

down without water? I mean..is it the way it is...there is nothing else we can

do to improve it?

> > >

> > > --What does it mean that she needs so much water when she eats? Does it

mean the surgery was not successful? Could it be due to the Dor fundoplication

too tight? Does it mean she might need other procedure such as dilatation? Is

there something we can/should do to improve it?

> > >

> > > --What does the chest pain mean? What causes it? Is there something she

can do/take to avoid it or ease the discomfort when it happens?

> > >

> > > --What can we do to avoid the condition getting worse? Is she supposed to

have regular check up for this? If so, how often and what need to be done?

> > >

> > > I will really apprecaite if you can share your experience with me.

> > >

> > > Thank you!

> > >

> > > YJ

> > >

> >

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