Re: Re: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

[Guest guest]

There are a few studies out there that say the incidence of complications begins

dropping after the 50th surgery and continues to lower with continued

procedures. The higher, the better.

Maybe Notan can dig those up, but I do believe they have been posted already and

may be found in the forum search function on the site.

________________________________

From: nowtri <nowtri@...>

achalasia

Sent: Tue, June 8, 2010 8:04:25 PM

Subject: Re: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

I will listen to what he has to say, and yes first question on

my list is how many have you done...

not sure whats a good number to have done?

when you consider how rare this condition is how many

people can a person expect him to have done?

matt

>

> Number one question: How many myotomies have you performed?

>

>

> Â

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: nowtri <nowtri@...>

> achalasia

> Sent: Tue, June 8, 2010 12:33:23 PM

> Subject: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

>

> Â

> Well I started out diagnosing myself and after finding this site

> figured I better do something before things get to bad.

> so started the testing.

> first the barium swallow which confirmed achalasia.

> then they wanted to put the camera down to take a look which

> i thought was a waste of time but ruled out other possible problems.

> then it was off for the manometry test which also confirmed achalasia.

> after seeing two gi docs I was referred to a surgeon.

> I am not to excited about the down time after getting this fixed

> I am way to busy to be out in pain:(

> A dr. birch in edmonton alberta. anyone know anything about this guy?

> I will be full of questions and will not settle for this doc. if he

> doesnt have all the right answers.

> what are some questions you would ask?

> thanks

> matt

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

From what I have heard and learned, from here and from my doctors, is that even

though you seem to be ok, your esophagus is stretching. I think you and I are

at a similar point. I can eat just fine for the most part and just use lots of

water. Even with that, it is slow draining and a timed barium swallow will show

you that in vivid reality. Food, even though you don't feel the pressure, is

still not going down in completion and may be stretching your esophagus. I was

shocked to find out my esophagus is 5-6 centimeters when a normal one is only 2

to 3, and I feel like I am ok with eating!

The things is, this is progressive. Do nothing and you risk more long term

damage and become a candidate for the e-ectomy and mega-esophagus.

I have decided to do the surgery to prevent further stretching. Granted, I will

need to wash things down since the achalaisa is renderer my swallowing muscle

contractions useless, but at least when I wash it down it WILL go down. I won't

just feel like it did and still being stretched.

There is the potential that the myotomy is not successful to the point that it

all goes down or they do a partial fund on you and that is too tight. That is

why it is CRITICAL you go to someone that has done a LOT of these and know what

to do, how much or how little to do, and has been there and done that...

My doctor was very blunt. He told me " only a crazy person would do nothing... "

________________________________

From: nowtri <nowtri@...>

achalasia

Sent: Wed, June 9, 2010 10:10:02 AM

Subject: Re: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

I was thinking by the time a Dr. would have done 30 he should

know what he is doing.

but 50 it is will be interesting to see what he says.

I really wonder if i should get the surgery done, been reading

lots of what gets posted here and it seems that many after having

it done are about where i am now, i can get food down going

slow and drinking lots.

or is it a matter of the surgery can only do so much and if you are

really having problems it will only help so much and if i get it

done it will make things much better...

I dont know,,, well i am out the door to see what he says.

later

matt

> >

> > Number one question: How many myotomies have you performed?

> >

> >

> > Â

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: nowtri <nowtri@>

> > achalasia

> > Sent: Tue, June 8, 2010 12:33:23 PM

> > Subject: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

> >

> > Â

> > Well I started out diagnosing myself and after finding this site

> > figured I better do something before things get to bad.

> > so started the testing.

> > first the barium swallow which confirmed achalasia.

> > then they wanted to put the camera down to take a look which

> > i thought was a waste of time but ruled out other possible problems.

> > then it was off for the manometry test which also confirmed achalasia.

> > after seeing two gi docs I was referred to a surgeon.

> > I am not to excited about the down time after getting this fixed

> > I am way to busy to be out in pain:(

> > A dr. birch in edmonton alberta. anyone know anything about this guy?

> > I will be full of questions and will not settle for this doc. if he

> > doesnt have all the right answers.

> > what are some questions you would ask?

> > thanks

> > matt

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I will chime in since I am going through this right now. I did nothing after a

dilatation in 1996. That is 14 years of swallowing fine with lots of water. No

other symptoms. I now have a mega tortuous esophagus with a 10.5 cm diameter.

Scary scary situation. I may not even be a candidate for a heller at this point.

The whole time I thought I was swallowing fine, I was really draining slowly and

there must be residual and that is what is streching out my E.

So the big issue is whether or not you are retaining food/fluid in your E. If

so, that needs to be fixed because you could aspirate it and it can stretch out

your E over time.

I wish I knew this 10 years ago but no one told me.

Let us know what your surgeon say and good luck.

Cara

> From: Lucas <floridagators@...>

> Subject: Re: Re: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

> achalasia

> Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 10:19 AM

>

>

>

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>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>  

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> From what I have heard and learned, from here and

> from my doctors, is that even though you seem to be ok, your

> esophagus is stretching. I think you and I are at a similar

> point. I can eat just fine for the most part and just use

> lots of water. Even with that, it is slow draining and a

> timed barium swallow will show you that in vivid reality.

> Food, even though you don't feel the pressure, is still

> not going down in completion and may be stretching your

> esophagus. I was shocked to find out my esophagus is 5-6

> centimeters when a normal one is only 2 to 3, and I feel

> like I am ok with eating!

>

>

>

> The things is, this is progressive. Do nothing and you

> risk more long term damage and become a candidate for the

> e-ectomy and mega-esophagus.

>

>

>

> I have decided to do the surgery to prevent further

> stretching. Granted, I will need to wash things down since

> the achalaisa is renderer my swallowing muscle contractions

> useless, but at least when I wash it down it WILL go down.

> I won't just feel like it did and still being

> stretched.

>

>

>

> There is the potential that the myotomy is not successful

> to the point that it all goes down or they do a partial fund

> on you and that is too tight. That is why it is CRITICAL

> you go to someone that has done a LOT of these and know what

> to do, how much or how little to do, and has been there and

> done that...

>

>

>

> My doctor was very blunt. He told me " only a crazy

> person would do nothing... "

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> From: nowtri <nowtri@...>

>

> achalasia

>

> Sent: Wed, June 9, 2010 10:10:02 AM

>

> Subject: Re: Off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

>

>

>

> I was thinking by the time a Dr. would have done 30 he

> should

>

> know what he is doing.

>

> but 50 it is will be interesting to see what he says.

>

> I really wonder if i should get the surgery done, been

> reading

>

> lots of what gets posted here and it seems that many after

> having

>

> it done are about where i am now, i can get food down

> going

>

> slow and drinking lots.

>

> or is it a matter of the surgery can only do so much and if

> you are

>

> really having problems it will only help so much and if i

> get it

>

> done it will make things much better...

>

> I dont know,,, well i am out the door to see what he says.

>

> later

>

> matt

>

>

>

>

>

> > >

>

> > > Number one question: How many myotomies have you

> performed?

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > > Â

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > > ________________________________

>

> > > From: nowtri <nowtri@>

>

> > > achalasia

>

> > > Sent: Tue, June 8, 2010 12:33:23 PM

>

> > > Subject: Off to see the surgeon

> tomorrow.

>

> > >

>

> > > Â

>

> > > Well I started out diagnosing myself and after

> finding this site

>

> > > figured I better do something before things get

> to bad.

>

> > > so started the testing.

>

> > > first the barium swallow which confirmed

> achalasia.

>

> > > then they wanted to put the camera down to take a

> look which

>

> > > i thought was a waste of time but ruled out other

> possible problems.

>

> > > then it was off for the manometry test which also

> confirmed achalasia.

>

> > > after seeing two gi docs I was referred to a

> surgeon.

>

> > > I am not to excited about the down time after

> getting this fixed

>

> > > I am way to busy to be out in pain:(

>

> > > A dr. birch in edmonton alberta. anyone know

> anything about this guy?

>

> > > I will be full of questions and will not settle

> for this doc. if he

>

> > > doesnt have all the right answers.

>

> > > what are some questions you would ask?

>

> > > thanks

>

> > > matt

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > >

>

> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

> > >

>

> >

>

> >

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> >

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> >

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> >