new to group, need help please....

[Guest guest]

Hi, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is . I am an " almost " 40 yo

mother of three. I have a busy life with my family, as I homeschool all three

(16,13,6) I'm not on the wrong group, I just wanted you to know I have an active

life and a family who depends on me 24/7. About 3 years ago I woke up in the

middle of the night with the most intense pain I had ever experienced, and I

birthed a 11 pound baby! It was so horrible!! My husband rushed me to the

hospital bc I just knew I was having a heart attack. The doctors said it was

stress, a panic attack. It fit, I had three kids...so I started taking meds for

panic attacks. These pains would happen usually at night. I would take the

pain meds given to me but after a few times I quit. I couldn't be knocked out

for the whole next day...my children could destroy my house in 15 min...imagine

half a day alone!! I always drank cold ice water and would take a very hot bath.

Usually a combo of the two would knock it out. I finally threw the pills for

both away. I wasn't having panic attacks. It wasn't a heart attack. But

doctors didn't know what it was.

A few months before this began, I had started to have these pains when I would

eat or drink. They didn't happen often at first, maybe once or twice a month.

But the pain was intense. I could breath, the food just would not go down. It

was like the elevator to take my food from my throat down hadn't made it there

in time. As soon as it arrived, I was better. Ofcourse, this was not pleasant

while driving a car!! I talked to my GP and didn't really have much to say.

It was a year later that I was having bowel problems and saw a GI dr. I told

him of my problems swallowing and chest pains. He noted it but didn't have much

to say. Granted, I had much larger problems to deal with...forward a year and I

was in the hospital for intense cramping...the suspect crohns. Meds

given...sent home, test...three months later again I was rushed to ER,

intestinal problems again. The cramps in my stomach was so bad. Pain was

horrible. by the time I made it to the hospital and they saw me I was throwing

up everything. The chalky white mixture they gave me to drink wouldn't go and

stay down. Three days it took them till they gave up on my drinking this and

they installed the tube down my nose....colonoscopy was done. they also had me

swallow a small pill with a camera in it, which got stuck...three more days in

hospital till it emerged...here's the thing. The last two days there I started

the chest and back pain again. Great place for it bc the meds kicked it out

fast!! I was released (they chalked it up to stress, I was in the hospital for a

week, kids begging for me and a garden needing me) The swallowing by this time

had gotten to the point where it was every meal. swallow, pain, pain, swallow,

pain, pain,throw up...but then I could eat. I noticed whenever I took my pain

med's I was able to eat that day and the next with no problems. but meds ran

out. I couldn't keep meds down (3 types of steriods) bc of throwing up.

I switched drs bc my husband was not convinced I had crohns. My new dr was one

of best in town. I told him history...but he wasn't concerned with crohn's as

much bc I wasn't in pain. He was focusing on my swallowing. he put me on one

med after another. It's heart burn. NO, I said, only time I have heart burn is

when I don't eat and I have too much acid in my stomach. He put me on heavy

duty heart burn meds...guess what, I started throwing up acid at night! so now,

I throw up food, drink during day, acid at night. Food with it too, if I hadn't

thrown it all up by then. He ran all kinds of test. by this time my 'crohns'

was acting up but he didn't do much. told me to change my diet, after all I

could lose weight. (at this point I had lost 45 pounds already but I thought it

was from being on Weight Watchers, which I quit after I couldn't keep food down)

finally after six months this dr told me he couldn't help me and would refer me

somewhere else if I'd like. I just 'needed to learn to deal with the pain and

just eat 2-3 bites at a time several times a day'

About this time I got extremely depressed. (could be due to fact that prozac

would not stay down) In the last five months I also had learned I have

fibromyalgia. And gotten a kidney stone from dehydration. I had no energy. I

was starving. And had no desire to cook for my family when I couldn't eat

myself. I quit going to any doctor. Finally I decided to look at a natural

doctor. However, I was not able to do what he suggested...bc pills wouldn't

stay down. Couldn't put them in a shake...cause that shake wouldn't stay

down....finally it got to the point where whenever I could eat and swallow the

food would always come back up. from right away or later that night. My

friends didn't know how I could do it and keep trying to eat. But I told them

it was digested. No acid. I never thought that it wasn't going into my

stomach...Sometimes my chest would hurt so much when I ate I would beat on my

chest, I'd tell my husband, IF I could just burp it would be ok. Sometimes at

night when I would throw up it would be foamy...reminded me of the top of a pond

with frog eggs...gross!!!!

Then I developed this horrible croak...speaking of frogs. It would be when I'd

try to sleep and it came from my throat. Not a burp, not a snore...a stinking

croak...it scared my kids!! not to mention my husband!!

I've lost 109 pounds so far. 70 of that has been just in the last six months.

(ok, that's the ONLY silver lining in this story) I now went to ton to a

diff doc to see what he says. I've been scheduled for an endoscopy twice and

they've been canceled due to me developing a cough from my night time throwing

up...then I get stopped up in my nose. My next one is scheduled for Tuesday

next week. in the mean time i've had people tell me it's all in my head. I've

had people ask my husband if I have an eating disorder. I've had to disappoint

my kids over and over bc I'm too sick or too tired to keep the plans we had. My

six year old asked me this week if I could go a day without throwing up. I did

just for her, Tuesday I took her too the zoo. I ate nothing and only sipped my

lemon aid. no throwing up...but totally worn out and starving...but so worth

it!!

Now today I've thrown up watermelon I attempted to eat last night. I threw it

up last night...three times right afterwards. I coughed all night. I had

nothing but water this morning and I threw that up with a non digested

watermelon! I ate a few fries later and threw them up. But they felt like they

were stuck in my throat. I drank water. and coughed and coughed...threw

up...finally fries came up but still felt like something is in my throat.

Now I don't know what to do and need advice. (by the way, I forgot to mention my

bff saw the mystery Diagnosis show last week and told me about Achalasia. It

was an answer to my prayers. Finally, someone knew what I was going through. I

researched it and found this group. Which has helped SO much!! It's not in my

head!! sigh...My question now, does anyone know if there are any good doctors in

the SC area or surrounding states that are worth going to see? I need help

bad!! Do I go to my appt on Tuesday even tho he's never heard of this? What

should I do?

Thank you so much! Ya'll have already helped me so much by just letting me know

I am not alone. I thank you in advance for any suggestions, as do my family.