Re: Heller-Dor scheduled on Tuesday - follow-up

[Guest guest]

Today is a month post-surgery and I wanted to post a brief update. Dr.

Westmoreland and Baylor (Dallas) were both great. There was a sort-of snafu with

everyone telling me I'd only be in the hospital for one night (including Dr.

Westmoreland) and then I was in for two nights - without really anyone telling

me why - but otherwise we were very happy with the surgeon and the staff there.

The surgery was the morning of the 7th. On the morning of the 8th I had a barium

swallow test which looked great. Dr. Westmoreland reviewed it and approved me

for soft foods only starting around 2 PM on the 8th. He wanted me to have 2

meals down before I went home, so I had to stay the night of the 8th as well. My

first meal was cream of mushroom soup and it tasted so good! No problems keeping

any meals down, or liquids. Once they took me off the IV drip they wanted me to

keep liquids in me, but I was so used to only sipping a tiny bit of drink at any

time so that was a little bit strange to have to re-learn how to drink .

I went home around noon on the 9th and was to remain on soft foods (no meat

unless it was baked and cut really small, no nuts, no chips, etc) for 2 weeks

until my follow up. This got old really quickly but I rediscovered a love for

soup and was so pleased to be able to eat without drama that it didn't really

matter. My follow up was on the 20th and Dr. Westmoreland gave me the go-ahead

to eat anything but nuts, tortilla chips, and carbonated beverages (in large

quantity, a little is ok). He said to give it 2-3 months total from the surgery

before I eat those foods.

Anyway, I am thrilled. Eating almost everything* is a breeze. Because I had this

condition for 3.5 years, it is hard to learn how to have portion control again -

I used to just eat until my body made me stop (you know, after half a

hamburger). Being able to drink my coffee on the way to work without worrying

about choking, having Christmas dinner with the family without worrying about

choking, it is all just so great. I wish I would have known what the condition

was years ago so I could have skipped all that nonsense and just got the surgery

right away.

(* - if I eat too much, or too quickly, it can be a problem. but not a PROBLEM

like before, just mild discomfort mostly)

>

> Hi all,

>

> I'm pretty new to this group and have been reading everyone's messages for a

month or so. I had never heard of achalasia before I was diagnosed in late

October.

>

> I've had problems keeping food down for 3.5 years (I'm 33/F). I've lost 70 lbs

total since the problems started. I started seeing doctors a few months later

and had a difficult time finding a good doctor. The one that I went to first was

rated " Best in Dallas " by a local magazine and he gave me the major blow-off. We

did a EGD and they found candida in my esophagus. He treated the candida and

continued to treat me for reflux. (I had the " foaming " , I thought it was acid,

so it's not totally his fault) He then told me he hadn't believed me when I told

him previously that Aciphex hadn't helped me, so I decided to find a new doctor.

A bunch of doctors told me that my eating problems were psychosomatic and tried

to give me anti-anxiety meds.

>

> I finally found a good doctor and he had a motility test done and a barium

swallow and he said he was surprised to find that it was achalasia. (After

reading the symptoms of the disorder, I'm surprised that he and every other

doctor didn't know it immediately, but whatever.) He referred me to one surgeon

but we decided to go with another, Dr. Westmoreland right here in Dallas.

>

> Anyway, my surgery is scheduled for Tuesday morning. I am hoping it helps

because I am in a bad way. My weight has maintained for basically a year and a

half, but I am tired all the time, I don't keep almost anything down, I have

tremendous bags under my eyes from the dehydration and lack of sleep (constant

choking all night lately even if I regurgitate before bed). I can't keep any of

my prescriptions down with any consistency so that can't be helping my other

health conditions.

>

> I wanted to ask (after telling my life story I guess) - if you've had the

procedure, is there anything you wished you knew going in?

>

> Also - I have had frequent recurring sinus infections for about 6 years. This

coincides with my move to Texas from Michigan, so even though I don't have any

allergies, I just thought it was environmental. Could the sinus infections be

related somehow? I know there is a lot of drainage that goes on and perhaps it

is impeded by the achalasia.

>

> Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice!!

>