Spasms

[Guest guest]

Are these " spasms " also included in the midnight leg spasms I get that are

considered " charlie-horses " ? I get those, or I used to, in the middle of the

night. I would go to stretch and one of my calves would seize up so hard that

the muscle would ache like I ran a marathon the next day. These " spasms " send me

screaming!

-Wendi

foxhillers@... wrote:

Marti

Muscle spasms are usually a sign of not enough Magnesium.

Bet the nurse did not tell you that lack of Magnesium can also cause heart

failure and that IV Magnesium is given to folks in the ER with heart attacks.

COnsider increasing your daily intake of Magnesium.

mjh

" The Basil Book "

_http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/_ (http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/)

If it does not, then I will

take a muscle relaxer and wait an hour. If it works, then it was

spasms. If it does not work, then I am to head into the Emergency

Room.

The basis assumption of this plan is that a heart attack will not

respond to pain medication or muscle relaxers.

Is this a valid assumption?

Thank you all,

Marti

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I have to disagree with the cream cheese. Wow, just proves yet again what works

for one doesn't work for another! When I had a spasm, the roof of my mouth and

back of my throat were on fire. A spoon full of plain cream cheese swallowed

slowly eased the pain.

[Guest guest]

Check out this post:

achalasia/message/61326

I'm still able to prevent mine from happening with a daily dose of 5mg of Paxil.

(To give you an idea of how small a dose this is, I have to cut my pills into

quarters to get down that much!)

Just last month I tried to wean myself off the Paxil (I try every year or so)

and within a week of cutting my dose to every-other-day, my NCCPs started back

up.

Debbi in Michigan

>

> i wondered if any of yall have throat spasms too? my throat.. you can see this

when it happens - on my neck -gets hard looks swelled up- even my daughter will

say, i see your throat doing that " thing " again. it takes it by spells and

doesnt do it every day, but then may do it for many days.It is also painful. but

the meds help. thanks, Kim

>

[Guest guest]

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

For me they start as a pain in my right side which radiates to my jaw and

results in a burning sensation in my ears.

S

-- Spasms

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Thanks all. I'm on this site because my son has achalasia and had an HM 2 yrs

ago. But I'm asking now for myself as I've been getting this horrible squeezing

pain right at the bottom of where my ribcage connects and goes all the way to my

chest. Have also noticed that when I swallow pills or eat certain things I can

feel them in my throat. I know it would be really rare to have the same thing

but something is going on! My son has never had spasms that I can tell- so far!

Thanks again!

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 23, 2011, at 10:18 PM, " s " <ravenstorm2008@...> wrote:

> For me they start as a pain in my right side which radiates to my jaw and

> results in a burning sensation in my ears.

>

> S

>

>

>

>

> -- Spasms

>

> I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

> feel like?

>

>

> Sent from my iPhone

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

As you can see, spasms affect everyone in different ways, and different things

can cause them to start for different people.  That is the one crazy thing

about this disease, it is not the same for everyone.

 

My spasms can feel like heart burn and can be mild to a pulling sensation; to

feeling like a hunger pain in my mid-chest rather than the stomach, to a dull

aching pain to a excruciating bone jarring pain to feeling them into my jaw

bones and arms to the point of I don't want to deal with this again (that

doesn't happen alot, since my myotomy in 1999).  Then I have to set my mind to

the fact that it is never going to be cured and I just have to deal with it and

I am Blessed as it could be much worse than it is since I have been dealing with

it since 1978. 

 

Sharon Cline

From: <grneyegrrl@...>

Subject: Spasms

achalasia

Date: Saturday, July 23, 2011, 12:31 PM

 

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Going to a GI doc is the best thing to do. Good luck.

On Sun Jul 24th, 2011 2:24 PM EDT wrote:

>I am also trying to figure out what triggers them for me, if thats what they

are ( eating, not eating, etc). I too went to the ER a few weeks ago and they

told me it was a UTI. I figured leaving there as soon as I could was probably

the best option! I will go see my GI Doc soon I think

>

>Sent from my iPhone

>

>On Jul 24, 2011, at 2:19 PM, Fiorino <katief0811@...> wrote:

>

>> i have had problems with spasms for over a year and a half. I had to spend

alot of time understanding things that are going on with the spasms and not

eating. I was only just diagnosed with achalasia last week. My spasms start in

either my chest or in my upper back up into my ears and they rotate. Im found

that once i start feeling the spasms i drink a glass of cold water. It almost

immediately stops. Now last year it was so bad that i was constantly in the

hospital but they could never help me. Then i found that water helps me. I

myself found that stress created these spasms for me. And i had to learn how to

change the way i handle my stress and they became less freaquent. I hope this

may help.

>>

>> On Sat Jul 23rd, 2011 11:29 PM EDT wrote:

>>

>> >Thanks all. I'm on this site because my son has achalasia and had an HM 2

yrs ago. But I'm asking now for myself as I've been getting this horrible

squeezing pain right at the bottom of where my ribcage connects and goes all the

way to my chest. Have also noticed that when I swallow pills or eat certain

things I can feel them in my throat. I know it would be really rare to have the

same thing but something is going on! My son has never had spasms that I can

tell- so far! Thanks again!

>> >

>> >Sent from my iPhone

>> >

>> >On Jul 23, 2011, at 10:18 PM, " s " <ravenstorm2008@...>

wrote:

>> >

>> >> For me they start as a pain in my right side which radiates to my jaw and

>> >> results in a burning sensation in my ears.

>> >>

>> >> S

>> >>

>> >>

>> >>

>> >>

>> >> -- Spasms

>> >>

>> >> I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what

they

>> >> feel like?

>> >>

>> >>

>> >> Sent from my iPhone

>> >>

>> >> ------------------------------------

>> >>

>> >>

[Guest guest]

I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain

that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the

pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice

it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on

a heating pad & it helps

99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then every

time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way to work

but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad with me. 

Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not possible),

I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because I don't

like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering from the

spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost like I

had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they took 2

biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I am

doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine the fellowship program. 

He seems very eager to help me & is open to suggestions.  I email him if I'm

having a hard time & he will email me back or call me.  That definitely keeps

my spirits up. 

I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of you

also.

 

Westgerdes

Healed spirit but not body

From: <grneyegrrl@...>

achalasia

Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 1:31 PM

Subject: Spasms

 

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Hoarse voice? I'm a speech path, so I find that interesting. Maybe you have some

kind of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease or silent reflux triggering the spasms

and also spilling over into your airway, causing hoarseness?

>

> I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain

that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the

pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice

it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on

a heating pad & it helps

> 99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then

every time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way

to work but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad

with me.  Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not

possible), I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because

I don't like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering

from the spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost

like I had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they

took 2 biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I

am doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine the fellowship

program.  He seems very eager to help me & is open to suggestions.  I email

him if I'm having a hard time & he will email me back or call me.  That

definitely keeps my spirits up. 

> I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of

you also.

>  

> Westgerdes

> Healed spirit but not body

[Guest guest]

,

Good description.  I know exactly what you are talking about.  Have you talked

to your GI about it?  I still have spasms and I had my Myotomy in 1999.  I did

not have the fundo.  I cannot eat bread, as the gluten in the bread makes it

ball up and stick together and stay in my esophagus, causing the spasms.  Also,

I have the vigorous version; that is the spasms you refer to.  I take an

anti-spasm tablet (Donnatol), 2 Prescription Acid control meds, Buspar and a

Prescription Pain tablet.  I stay away from bread, unless I am eating something

that is fibrous enough to break up the gluten and let the bread go through or if

it is made out of corn then I can eat it.  I eat a lot of popcorn (not

buttered) as it satisfies my desire for bread and it is a whole grain (watch the

oil and salt).  Also, sometimes; things that are cold will bring on a spasm and

then for no known reason the spasms will start.  Some are worse than others. 

Even antibiotics

can cause my spasms to start.  My meds help a great deal; and control it for

the most part.  I have a lot of Faith in God, but it has not been in his master

plan for me to be healed.  I do believe in miracles and know the reason that I

have 2 healthy boys, now grown, was by His Grace. 

 

The only real advise I can give is make sure your doctor has lots of experience

treating achalasia, and the added problem of the hiatal hernia, not just in the

fellowship program, and talk to him/her as each of us with achalasia knows that

we all react to things differently.  That is why the disease is so hard to

diagnose and treat. 

 

God BlessSharon Cline  

From: Westerdes <sara4894@...>

Subject: Re: Spasms

" achalasia " <achalasia >

Date: Saturday, August 13, 2011, 8:05 AM

 

I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain

that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the

pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice

it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on

a heating pad & it helps

99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then every

time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way to work

but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad with me. 

Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not possible),

I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because I don't

like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering from the

spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost like I

had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they took 2

biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I am

doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine the fellowship program. 

He seems very eager to help me & is open to suggestions.  I email him if I'm

having a hard time & he will email me back or call me.  That definitely keeps

my spirits up. 

I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of you

also.

 

Westgerdes

Healed spirit but not body

From: <grneyegrrl@...>

achalasia

Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 1:31 PM

Subject: Spasms

 

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

     I've discussed all of this numerous times with my GI.  I've tried

several different meds to prevent them plus meds to stop them while in

action.  Donnatol did not work for me nor have the others.  Right now I am on

Bentyl 10mg 3x's day which seems to be doing " just ok " .  I even did the PH Test

for 24 hrs but the test came back negative.  36 hrs after wearing it I suffered

a severe attack while traveling to another state.  Then had another moderate to

severe attack the next day.  Then the 3rd day I had pain while swallowing which

I believe was caused by the pain from the previous 2 days.  Since my GI is in

his 2 yr of a fellowship, he always sees me & then goes to speak with one of the

other doctors.  The last time I was there, the other doctor (who I had met the

last time) came in & seemed rather snotty.  He told me that they were running

out of things to try.  Part of me thinks that he was upset because I had gone

to a reflexologist

& was trying Lobelia Essence.  He told me " you know that is nothing more than

just a flower? "   This is the same doctor that put me on Peppermint Oil drops a

month ago, which did not help at all.  He also had me try drinking water that

was to be hot almost to the point that you couldn't drink it.  Neither of his

suggestions had worked.  He told me at the last visit that they are limited on

what they can try because I take Zoloft for OCD & too many meds will react with

it.  My next appointment is on Sept 19 & I'm hoping my doctor or myself has

found some new information that will help me.  My boss & HR person can't figure

out how I keep going.  I tell them that I love my job & that I know that there

are people out there who are in a lot worse pain than I am so I could be a lot

worse off.  I thank God for that!!!

 

From: Sharon Cline <sharon_cline@...>

achalasia

Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 3:45 AM

Subject: Re: Spasms

 

,

Good description.  I know exactly what you are talking about.  Have you talked

to your GI about it?  I still have spasms and I had my Myotomy in 1999.  I did

not have the fundo.  I cannot eat bread, as the gluten in the bread makes it

ball up and stick together and stay in my esophagus, causing the spasms.  Also,

I have the vigorous version; that is the spasms you refer to.  I take an

anti-spasm tablet (Donnatol), 2 Prescription Acid control meds, Buspar and a

Prescription Pain tablet.  I stay away from bread, unless I am eating something

that is fibrous enough to break up the gluten and let the bread go through or if

it is made out of corn then I can eat it.  I eat a lot of popcorn (not

buttered) as it satisfies my desire for bread and it is a whole grain (watch the

oil and salt).  Also, sometimes; things that are cold will bring on a spasm and

then for no known reason the spasms will start.  Some are worse than others. 

Even antibiotics

can cause my spasms to start.  My meds help a great deal; and control it for

the most part.  I have a lot of Faith in God, but it has not been in his master

plan for me to be healed.  I do believe in miracles and know the reason that I

have 2 healthy boys, now grown, was by His Grace. 

 

The only real advise I can give is make sure your doctor has lots of experience

treating achalasia, and the added problem of the hiatal hernia, not just in the

fellowship program, and talk to him/her as each of us with achalasia knows that

we all react to things differently.  That is why the disease is so hard to

diagnose and treat. 

 

God BlessSharon Cline  

From: Westerdes <sara4894@...>

Subject: Re: Spasms

" achalasia " <achalasia >

Date: Saturday, August 13, 2011, 8:05 AM

 

I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain

that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the

pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice

it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on

a heating pad & it helps

99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then every

time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way to work

but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad with me. 

Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not possible),

I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because I don't

like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering from the

spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost like I

had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they took 2

biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I am

doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine the fellowship program. 

He seems very eager to help me & is open to suggestions.  I email him if I'm

having a hard time & he will email me back or call me.  That definitely keeps

my spirits up. 

I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of you

also.

 

Westgerdes

Healed spirit but not body

From: <grneyegrrl@...>

achalasia

Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 1:31 PM

Subject: Spasms

 

I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone tell me what they

feel like?

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

All -

I also deal with painful spasms. I suffer from Achalasia and had an HM a year

ago. I have a new theory that I am more prone to them when I'm dehydrated. I

had a bad bout of them over the past few days and realized I hadn't been

drinking enough water. I'm hoping this is a break through realization. There

is no worse pain than a bad spasm for me. They last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2

hours. Once they hit, there is nothing I can do but pace around and wait for it

it to subside (they get worse and worse once it starts). Sometimes I'll go a

couple/few weeks without one and then I'll think to myself 'I haven't had an

attack in a while'... this almost always leads to one that night (so weird that

it happens that way). I'm hoping my hydration theory holds water! Good luck

everyone.

> >

> > I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain

that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the

pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice

it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on

a heating pad & it helps

> > 99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then

every time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way

to work but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad

with me.  Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not

possible), I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because

I don't like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering

from the spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost

like I had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they

took 2 biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I

am doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine the fellowship

program.  He seems very eager to help me & is open to suggestions.  I email

him if I'm having a hard time & he will email me back or call me.  That

definitely keeps my spirits up. 

> > I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of

you also.

> >  

> > Westgerdes

> > Healed spirit but not body

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Matt,

 

Thank you for sharing with us your " hydration theory, " the next step (for those

more scientifically inclined) would be to figure out why a " dehydrated "

esophagus is more prone to go into spasms. As for the majority of us who

anecdotally follow what works and what doesn't, we all know that different

" triggers " produce spasms, and the fortunate amongst us know what to do to

" disconnect " the spasms before they really ramp up.

 

Matt, being of the faith that fasts once a year, I've known for a very long

time, as others here too that going long periods of time without eating or

drinking may trigger a very bad episode.

 

What concerns me about your post, or more to the point, about you, is that you

do experience the spasms on a regular basis (regular meaning every couple of

weeks just as you begin to notice that you haven't had one for a while), suffer

it for 30 to 90 minutes, which if it is at its most painful, could feel like a

lifetime. There was a time when I was like that. Is there anything that works

for you (since you did not mention anything)?  Since you believe that it is

your lack of hydration, does drinking something the moment it starts give you

any relief?  Over the years if you were to take a look back at old posts you

would see an abundance of different methods we have used to stop spasms.

Obviously, what works for someone very well may not work for the next person,

but hopefully you might find something mentioned you haven't tried yet that will

do the trick for you.

 

Since we can only guess to the " science " behind what causes them, it appears

that we can only guess the mechanics of what makes them stop. Most importantly,

you find something that works, regardless of the reason.

 

From: mattmcconnon <mattmcc78@...>

Subject: Re: Spasms

achalasia

Date: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 10:21 AM

 

All -

I also deal with painful spasms. I suffer from Achalasia and had an HM a year

ago. I have a new theory that I am more prone to them when I'm dehydrated. I had

a bad bout of them over the past few days and realized I hadn't been drinking

enough water. I'm hoping this is a break through realization. There is no worse

pain than a bad spasm for me. They last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Once

they hit, there is nothing I can do but pace around and wait for it it to

subside (they get worse and worse once it starts). Sometimes I'll go a

couple/few weeks without one and then I'll think to myself 'I haven't had an

attack in a while'... this almost always leads to one that night (so weird that

it happens that way). I'm hoping my hydration theory holds water! Good luck

everyone.

> >

> > I've never been diagnosed with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after

having nissen fundoplication & hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago. 

Stress doesn't bring mine on but " overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 "

sub & chips at noon & then eat supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There

have been times where I wake up at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a

sword through my chest & out my back.  I have contemplated driving myself to

the hospital.  I don't want another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to

wake up my mom & 6yo daughter since my husband works night shift.  Mine is

pain that starts on the right side of my left breast.  If it gets really bad,

the pain will radiate into my back around where my bra band is, pain in my right

ear, right side of jaw & into my teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I

notice it going into my back, I know I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home,

I lay on a

heating pad & it helps

> > 99% of the time.  Last Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then

every time I woke up the pain was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way

to work but it didn't help much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad

with me.  Since I'm not able to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's

not possible), I brought a belt & strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked

because I don't like having to call off sick.  Once side effect I have after

suffering from the spasms for several days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it

was almost like I had a bad cold or a sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a

month ago & they took 2 biopsies.  Nothing was found so I continue to suffer

like the rest.  I am doctoring at Ohio State & the specialist I have is ine

the fellowship program.  He seems very eager to help me & is open to

suggestions.  I email him if I'm having a hard time & he will email me back

or call me.  That

definitely keeps my spirits up. 

> > I do pray to God that he heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of

you also.

> >  

> > Westgerdes

> > Healed spirit but not body

>

[Guest guest]

During my years of acid reflux, I had many GI cocktails during my trips to the

E.R.. I got to the point where I just asked for them.  I did go by squad last

year for my spasms & they gave me just the anti-spasmatic medicine that is in

the GI cocktail.  My then pcp wrote me a prescription for it & told me if it

got bad enough for me to take it that I was to call her instead of calling for a

squad.  That never happened because she left the practice & I just suffered

plus didn't want the cost of another squad run.  Also, the warm water didn't do

anything for me. 

As mentioned in another reply, my body too will go through " a dry spell " of no

spasms & then WHAM I get hit with several days of them.  It's like my body

realizes it has been at rest too long & starts the spasms again.  I too have

though " wow, I haven't had any spasms for a while " & then they show up.  I

can't say that dehydration has anything to do with mine because I don't drink

any less or more than I did before & have never been much of a fluid drinker

period even when I breastfed.  I will try to increase my fluid intake to see if

it helps though.  It definitely can't hurt.

As far as stress goes, I can be having a very calm, relaxing day & the spasm

will show up.  I am a 9-1-1 dispatcher/call taker which is a very stressful

job.  My body seems to adjust well to it though.  I can work an 8 hour shift &

then go directly to the doctor & have a blood pressure reading of 110/65.  One

thing that helps me is my husband is a deputy sheriff with the same department &

we talk a lot about the job.  That really seems to help me.  He actually has

low bp also so I guess we help each other.

Thanks,

From: Sharon Cline <sharon_cline@...>

Westerdes <sara4894@...>

Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 8:14 PM

Subject: Re: Spasms

Hi ,

Hope you are feeling better and not have any problems today.  

If all else fails, change doctors and keep praying.   I also know (and I think

you do to from your comments), that God does give us peace and keeps us going. 

I teach public school, and that is very stressfull.  I sometimes do not think I

am under stress, but I go to my GI and I then can see that I am being

stressed.  Prayer is one option that I cannot live without.  There is one

other medication I take when the spasms get really bad and it is a GI Cocktail,

what that consists of is Liquid Lidocaine (2% viscous), Liquid Donnatol (or in

your case the Bentyl if it comes in liquid) and Liquid Gaviscon.  The ratio (I

think) is mixed as 1:1:2 parts respectively.  That will deaden the pain as it

goes down the esophagus and help control until the anti-spasm works.  I do not

like taking it.  It tastes terrible, but it does work.  You might want to

check on that and see if there is any interferrence with your other

medication.  I have found that I

have reacted to or am allergic to so many things that when I do find something

that will work that I stick to it.  Oh, the warm to hot water does tend to

relax the lower esophageal sphincter.

God Bless and keep me posted on how things are going. 

Sharon Cline

From: Westerdes

<sara4894@...>Subject: Re: SpasmsTo:

" achalasia " <achalasia >Date: Saturday, August

13, 2011, 8:05 AM  I've never been diagnosed

with achalasia but I suffer from the spasms after having nissen fundoplication

& hiatal hernia surgery almost 2 years ago.  Stress doesn't bring mine on but

" overeating " does.  I can't eat a Subway 6 " sub & chips at noon & then eat

supper at 5pm or I will have an attack.  There have been times where I wake up

at night & it feels like someone has stabbed a sword through my chest & out my

back.  I have contemplated driving myself to the hospital.  I don't want

another $590.00 ambulance ride & I don't want to wake up my mom & 6yo daughter

since my husband works night shift.  Mine is pain that starts on the right side

of my left breast.  If it gets really bad, the pain will radiate into my back

around where my bra band is, pain in my right ear, right side of jaw & into my

teeth  & right side of my head.  Once I notice it going into my back, I know

I'm in for some real pain.  If I'm home, I lay on a heating pad & it helps99%

of the time.  Last

Saturday night, I woke up & noticed pain.  Then every time I woke up the pain

was still there.  I took a pain pill on the way to work but it didn't help

much.  For the first time, I took my heating pad with me.  Since I'm not able

to lay down (I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher so that's not possible), I brought a belt &

strapped it on.  I am glad that it worked because I don't like having to call

off sick.  Once side effect I have after suffering from the spasms for several

days is a hoarse voice.  Last Sunday it was almost like I had a bad cold or a

sore throat.  I had an endoscopy a month ago & they took 2 biopsies.  Nothing

was found so I continue to suffer like the rest.  I am doctoring at Ohio State

& the specialist I have is ine the fellowship program.  He seems very eager to

help me & is open to suggestions.  I email him if I'm having a hard time & he

will email me back or call me.  That definitely keeps my spirits up. I do pray

to God that he

heals me if that is His will.  I pray for all of you also. 

WestgerdesHealed spirit but not bodyFrom: <grneyegrrl@...>To:

achalasia@...: Saturday, July 23, 2011 1:31 PMSubject:

Spasms  I've seen a lot of posts on here about spasms. Can someone

tell me what they feel like? Sent from my iPhone [Non-text portions of

this message have been removed][Non-text portions of this message have been

removed]