Re: When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

[Guest guest]

I had mine in 2005. At the time I literally

Could not eat or drink anything for 5 months prior to the procedure. I was

basically eating and drinking normally within 12 hours post op. I would say I

was totally symptom free for 2 years or so. I then think my E " settled " a

little . So since then I still eat anything I want, I just need some water to

push some things down. I do not think there is any procedure that will last

forever. I am 100% satisfied with the Myotomy. It has allowed me to live again.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 5, 2011, at 5:43 PM, " grahamsev2 " <grahamsev@...> wrote:

> I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to those

who have had it here on this forum.

>

> When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree completely, I had the surgury 2009, and was able to eat my first meal

the next morning, after not being able to eat or drink for over 6 months.

I sometimes have food that gets stuck but I drink a lot while eating and chew my

food good. Rarely I will have to spit food up, but not often.

[Guest guest]

I also agree. Chewing food thoroughly is huge! In 6 years since the procedure

I think I spit up food no

More than 6-10 times.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 5, 2011, at 8:08 PM, <blondie1677@...> wrote:

> I agree completely, I had the surgury 2009, and was able to eat my first meal

the next morning, after not being able to eat or drink for over 6 months.

> I sometimes have food that gets stuck but I drink a lot while eating and chew

my food good. Rarely I will have to spit food up, but not often.

>

>

[Guest guest]

2005, I think, maybe 2004. I eat and drink everything, wash it down with a

glass of water at the end of the meal. I do eat slowly, small meals often.

Spasms in streaks, daily, hourly, but often no spasms for weeks.

Sandy in So Cal.

>

> I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to those

who have had it here on this forum.

>

> When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

>

[Guest guest]

I didn't have surgery.

Had my last dilation in 1998.

Debbi in Michigan

>

> I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to those

who have had it here on this forum.

>

> When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

>

[Guest guest]

Debbie, would you tell me about your dilation? i assume it was a balloon. how

bad were your symptoms before and how are you now? how old are you and how long

had you had A.? did you ahve all the tests?? Kim

> >

> > I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to

those who have had it here on this forum.

> >

> > When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Kim, I'm 33 and had a balloon dilation last year with the smallest size balloon.

Before the dilation I had lost 35lbs and could barely get anything down. I was

regurgitating my own saliva at the end. My achalasia progressed very quickly in

the course of one year. Started off with a couple spasms I had no idea what

they were (thought I was having a heart attack), then the problems getting

food/liquids down began. It gradually got worse until I had to make a decision

to either have surgery or dilation. I decided to go with the less invasive

option first. It's been almost a year now and I'm 90% normal. We can never be

100% because our E's don't push food down as you know so we have to let gravity

do the work along with drinking along with meals. Before my dilation my E was

stretched to twice it's normal size and after 6 weeks after the procefure it had

shrunk back to normal size. I was very happy to hear that cause as we all know

preserving the E as long as possible is important.

As for the tests, I had an endoscopy which didn't show anything, and then a

manometry which confirmed achalasia, then a timed barium swallow which showed my

E was stretched to twice it's normal size.

Hope this helps, email me with any questions.

Vicky from Cape May, NJ.

> > >

> > > I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to

those who have had it here on this forum.

> > >

> > > When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Kim, I'm 33 and had a balloon dilation last year with the smallest size balloon.

Before the dilation I had lost 35lbs and could barely get anything down. I was

regurgitating my own saliva at the end. My achalasia progressed very quickly in

the course of one year. Started off with a couple spasms I had no idea what

they were (thought I was having a heart attack), then the problems getting

food/liquids down began. It gradually got worse until I had to make a decision

to either have surgery or dilation. I decided to go with the less invasive

option first. It's been almost a year now and I'm 90% normal. We can never be

100% because our E's don't push food down as you know so we have to let gravity

do the work along with drinking along with meals. Before my dilation my E was

stretched to twice it's normal size and after 6 weeks after the procefure it had

shrunk back to normal size. I was very happy to hear that cause as we all know

preserving the E as long as possible is important.

As for the tests, I had an endoscopy which didn't show anything, and then a

manometry which confirmed achalasia, then a timed barium swallow which showed my

E was stretched to twice it's normal size.

Hope this helps, email me with any questions.

Vicky from Cape May, NJ.

> > >

> > > I am wondering how long ago and how successful the Myotomy surgery is to

those who have had it here on this forum.

> > >

> > > When did you get surgery and how long without symptoms?

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Kim --

Symptoms first started, very irregularly, in the early 90s. (Wow, I just

realized I'm coming up on 20 years! LOL) First symptoms were just that feeling

that something was stuck, like when you take too large of a bite and you have

that " uh-oh " sensation that you're going to choke on it and then it finally goes

down.

It progressed to the point that I'd had some spewing incidents, so I saw my

doctor and I had a full workup in 94-ish. My doc did simple stuff, like a

barium swallow and an ultrasound of my gall bladder, then referred me on to a GI

specialist.

Well, the GI was incompetent (didn't perform the tests correctly, didn't

interpret the results correctly, etc.) and he told me I was crazy and needed a

shrink and tranquilizers (because when the almighty doctor can't figure it out,

that means you don't really have a problem and it's all in your head, right?).

After that I let it go for a while (I knew at that point I didn't have any

tumors, which was my big concern) until it got to the point where I went a whole

day where I couldn't even get water down. When water won't flow downhill, you

KNOW something is wrong!

In fall of 1996 I was finally diagnosed and in December 1996 I had my first

pneumatic dilation. I'd estimate that my swallowing function went from about 10%

to about 20% after the first dilation.

In May 1998 I had my second pneumatic dilation. That one did the trick -- I

went up to about 80% swallowing function. (all these percentages are my own

subjective opinion, not an actual " medical test result " ) The doc did mention

that he did the dilation several times and he held it for longer than he

normally does on the second dilation. Unsure if that's what made the

difference, or if it was simply the second time was the charm.

In 2002 I had a Botox done, which was totally ineffective -- pointless, complete

waste of time and money (and the reason I no longer go to the University of

Michigan for treatment).

At this point, my issues are more related to the lack of peristaltic

contractions in my esophagus than the LES issue. I've gotten really good at

listening to my body and following its cues... when I have a stuckage due to

improper contractions in my esophagus, I've learned to either stop and wait for

it to pass or keep adding water until I force it through, etc. I think I've

also gotten better control of my upper esophageal sphincter, so that it's better

able to " hold back the tide " when I have one of those stuckages -- it's very

rare for me to spew anymore.

I've had regular barium swallows and endoscopies every few years to monitor the

condition of my esophagus. I show no signs of esophageal irritation (from

rotting food sitting in my esophagus for days on end) nor signs of further

dilation of the body of my esophagus (from stretching out due to large

quantities of food sitting for long periods of time).

As for tests, if I had to guess I'd say that I've had about 10 endoscopies, 8

manometries, and at least a dozen barium swallows -- probably more like 15. (The

nurse laughs when she's giving me the pre-endoscopy procedure lecture so I can

sign off on the Informed Consent form -- I've done it so many times that I can

give the lecture just as well as she can, and sometimes she says I'm even more

thorough than she is! LOL) I've also had an MRI of my head, neck, and shoulders,

and also a CT scan of the same region, plus an ultrasound of my thyroid gland

and of my gall bladder.

I'm 42yo now, so the symptoms started in my early 20s. I also had a healthy

baby boy in 2000 at age 31.

Hope I got all your questions!

Debbi in Michigan

>

> Debbie, would you tell me about your dilation? i assume it was a balloon. how

bad were your symptoms before and how are you now? how old are you and how long

had you had A.? did you ahve all the tests?? Kim

[Guest guest]

I had a VATS Myotomy in April 2011 and I am doing wonderful. I can eat

anything. I had a few NCCP's during recovery but not since then. I do have

more burping than I ever did before. Just happy that I can eat!

Marci

Northern California