New member history

[Guest guest]

I'm 50 and female...I have never been able to swallow pills without eating

something (perhaps shows an underlying propensity). I first became aware of

painful esophageal spasms after I took clindamycin for a root canal seven years

ago. (The cindamycin also seemed to provoke the onset of my Crohn's disease). I

went through years of misdiagnosis of heartburn (and cardio workups). I began

having more swallowing problems several years ago. I have had three endoscopies

(one during a painful yeast outbreak in my esophagus) with two GI docs but all

they did was check for Barrett's and neither diagnosed achalasia. I had a barium

swallow a year ago but they said " probably not achalasia. " My swallowing

deteriorated...I now have to drink about six glasses of water to eat a meal, and

I cannot eat a large meal, avoid meat and salad, etc. After shedding 20 (excess)

pounds, I keep my weight stable by eating high-fat foods (and chewable

vitamins). I finally had HR manometry at s Hopkins in January--zero

peristalsis. Achalasia. I had known it in my heart, been lurking on here, but

put off the nasty manometry and definitive diagnosis for almost a year. They say

I am " class II " because my LES pressure was NOT actually high (no " bird beak " ),

just lack of peristalsis? My GI says there is no one truly expert in the DC

area, not clear myometry would help me, so I am going to Richter in Philly

for a consult.

Questions--presume I will face dilation/myometry choice now. Eager to do

something. Hard to get my head around having two inflammation-related rare GI

conditions that onset at the same time (Crohn's, achalasia)--could they truly be

unrelated?? Confused by " class II " subtype thing. Worried that I will be steered

to dilation when I should just do the myometry. Worried about where to do the

surgery--good insurance, could go anywhere. Frustrated that there are no top

docs in DC. Can't seem to find the file with doctor recommendation in the

archive? What is the label on it?

Thanks for help--

ma