Re: My bizarre Skittles fix and other question

[Guest guest]

We really shouldn't underestimate the role of mood on swallowing.  Getting a

lump in your throat is not only a literary cliche.  No way could I get anything

down around a bunch of kids at Taco Bell, no matter how many Myotomys I've

had.  It's also a reason I avoid business lunch meetings.  My ability to

swallow seems directly related to the tension in my body.  If I am anxious or

tense, I am less likely to swallow. This idea alone increases the amount of

stress I feel. I like the term " mindful eating " which reminds me to choose

how,what, and when I eat.  To just take a breath and savor each bite I slowly

chew seems ideal, but seems to be a worthy goal.  I wonder if there is

any reseach done on Stress and LES constriction.

 

Santa Fe

 

From: Moms <rauchmom@...>

" achalasia " <achalasia >

Sent: Saturday, July 9, 2011 8:48 AM

Subject: My bizarre Skittles fix and other question

 

This is so interesting bc I too have problems w this and find if I eat

some kind of candy, usually hard candy, it really helps. Even cough

drops seem to help clear the thick mucus out of my way.

On a side note, I'm stumped at my health...after weeks and months of

awful throwing up till I was down to a few bites a week. My dr did the

endoscopy and stretched my throat, which lasted a week. Then throwing

up and hurtful swallowing resumed. This last week I got a stomach bug

but the end result has been I'm able to eat right now. Only a little

pain if I choose the wrong food (bread mostly) and after 4 days I had

the kids out yesterday. I took them to taco bell...well that was a

wrong choice...I threw up more than I took in. But back home I calmed

down, made dinner and ate. (Mexican too)! Only thing I can think of is

I'm trying gluten free here, all fresh veggies and a gallon of sweet

tea...litterly, i drink it like a wino does his wine.

Bad part? I finally got my appt w surgen at MUSC. For Tuesday. I guess

I'm wondering if I should go forward or wait and see if diet helps.

But I'm worried if I do this will just be a fluke and I'll be

suffering again like crazy. Any suggestions? Please..??? Thank you,

y'all will never know how much you've helped me. I talk about this

group to my friends like y'all are family. It just means so much to

know I'm not alone. or crazy!!

~

On Jul 8, 2011, at 6:38 PM, notan ostrich <notan_ostrich@...> wrote:

> Jennlee wrote:

> >

> > This is gonna sound really odd, but I've found that when I get a

> > flare-up of Achalasia where I start spitting up foam and not being

> > able to drink liquids or swallow foods well, that if I slowly eat a

> > few Skittles, it seems to help.... I can't think why in the heck

> this

> > works for me, ...

> >

>

> Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

>

> According to:

>

> http://www.marshealthyliving.com/whats-inside?brandId=11

>

> Skittles contain: hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and sometimes carnauba

> wax (depending on the type). As I mentioned in a post, some days back,

> oils, fats and also waxes act as defoamers (anti-foaming agents). If

> you

> think about what the foam we have trouble with is you may decide it is

> similar to egg based meringue. The egg white would be like the mucus

> and

> saliva. (Egg white, mucus and saliva all contain glycoproteins, mucins

> and water. Each also has a few other things.) When the egg white is

> whipped the meringue is like the foam. To make meringue you have to

> avoid getting any fat or oil in the egg white or it will not become

> firm. The egg yoke contains about 4.5 grams of fat, so if you get just

> some of the yoke in the white it will not make meringue. Each 1.5oz

> (1.25 cups) of Skittles contain 2g of fat. It wouldn't take many

> Skittles to equal enough yoke to act as a defoamer.

>

> I looked for a list of foods that work as demoamers in recipes but

> couldn't find one. There are a lot of chemicals that are used in the

> food industry to defoam food making processes but most of them are not

> things you would think of as food. Most food based oils, fats and

> waxes

> should work though. Some of the additives that you see in foods also

> work.

>

> There may be other reasons Skittles work. This is my guess.

>

> notan

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

In my experience, more information is good. Visiting the surgeon, getting any

additional tests, all these things will help you learn more so you can make the

right decision.

Achalasia seems to be so different for everyone, mine was so fast to ore Rees I

went from initial foamy regurgitation to only clear liquids in 3 weeks. And I

felt better after my endoscopy too-- but only for a day or two. Then it was back

to lemonade and apple juice and still with lots of foamy regurgitation.

For me, seeing the esophogram and watching how slowly the liquid was trickling

into my stomach, on a swallow that felt fine to me, was quite convincing to do

the surgery.

On Jul 9, 2011, at 7:48 AM, Moms <rauchmom@...> wrote:

> This is so interesting bc I too have problems w this and find if I eat

> some kind of candy, usually hard candy, it really helps. Even cough

> drops seem to help clear the thick mucus out of my way.

>

> On a side note, I'm stumped at my health...after weeks and months of

> awful throwing up till I was down to a few bites a week. My dr did the

> endoscopy and stretched my throat, which lasted a week. Then throwing

> up and hurtful swallowing resumed. This last week I got a stomach bug

> but the end result has been I'm able to eat right now. Only a little

> pain if I choose the wrong food (bread mostly) and after 4 days I had

> the kids out yesterday. I took them to taco bell...well that was a

> wrong choice...I threw up more than I took in. But back home I calmed

> down, made dinner and ate. (Mexican too)! Only thing I can think of is

> I'm trying gluten free here, all fresh veggies and a gallon of sweet

> tea...litterly, i drink it like a wino does his wine.

> Bad part? I finally got my appt w surgen at MUSC. For Tuesday. I guess

> I'm wondering if I should go forward or wait and see if diet helps.

> But I'm worried if I do this will just be a fluke and I'll be

> suffering again like crazy. Any suggestions? Please..??? Thank you,

> y'all will never know how much you've helped me. I talk about this

> group to my friends like y'all are family. It just means so much to

> know I'm not alone. or crazy!!

> ~

>

> On Jul 8, 2011, at 6:38 PM, notan ostrich <notan_ostrich@...> wrote:

>

> > Jennlee wrote:

> > >

> > > This is gonna sound really odd, but I've found that when I get a

> > > flare-up of Achalasia where I start spitting up foam and not being

> > > able to drink liquids or swallow foods well, that if I slowly eat a

> > > few Skittles, it seems to help.... I can't think why in the heck

> > this

> > > works for me, ...

> > >

> >

> > Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

> >

> > According to:

> >

> > http://www.marshealthyliving.com/whats-inside?brandId=11

> >

> > Skittles contain: hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and sometimes carnauba

> > wax (depending on the type). As I mentioned in a post, some days back,

> > oils, fats and also waxes act as defoamers (anti-foaming agents). If

> > you

> > think about what the foam we have trouble with is you may decide it is

> > similar to egg based meringue. The egg white would be like the mucus

> > and

> > saliva. (Egg white, mucus and saliva all contain glycoproteins, mucins

> > and water. Each also has a few other things.) When the egg white is

> > whipped the meringue is like the foam. To make meringue you have to

> > avoid getting any fat or oil in the egg white or it will not become

> > firm. The egg yoke contains about 4.5 grams of fat, so if you get just

> > some of the yoke in the white it will not make meringue. Each 1.5oz

> > (1.25 cups) of Skittles contain 2g of fat. It wouldn't take many

> > Skittles to equal enough yoke to act as a defoamer.

> >

> > I looked for a list of foods that work as demoamers in recipes but

> > couldn't find one. There are a lot of chemicals that are used in the

> > food industry to defoam food making processes but most of them are not

> > things you would think of as food. Most food based oils, fats and

> > waxes

> > should work though. Some of the additives that you see in foods also

> > work.

> >

> > There may be other reasons Skittles work. This is my guess.

> >

> > notan

> >

> >