just a question

[Guest guest]

suzi - thanks for this great info. Cindi

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Hi Martha,

I am sensitive to many foods and yes to sulfa as well. The reaction may well be an allergic type reaction. Having said that - things I used to put down to 'asthma' I have since discovered are actually fluid regurgitated up that gets into my throat and into my lungs that cause me to wheeze and feel I was suffocating. When I had had surgery and the reflux stopped so did my 'asthma' ! it has now returned and because I once again have fluid getting into my lungs.

Wheat sensitivity gives me stomach cramps and wind so perhaps it could affect the oesophagus - it is hard to prove.

But I think that you must begin to accept that once there is damage to the oesophagus and the LES no amount of herbal or other preparation will fix it. You may be able to get away with some herbal any-spasm stuff for a while - and some just need to drink water or eat crackers to ease a spasm. Keeping healthy by having as good a nutritious diet while you can is important as are relaxation techniques and exercise, but I have not heard of anything specific that would help to keep this condition at bay for long - you just have to face the fact that one day the only solution will be surgery.

Keep posting to us Martha and do discuss what you have found with us.

Joan

Re: Just a question

Hello ,

In reference to your comment:

Many people here say that pushing food through with water every bite helps, but with me it is the opposite. I can drink water, but the water will come up immediately if there is anything stuck.

I find this to be true also. Before my dilatation, food, water,

and everything came up. Now it feels like my food just sits

on the opening to my stomach, then I drink so much water

trying to get it down until the esophagus is full and the

water comes back. The food just sits there being heavier

and heavier. It does eventually get down I guess but takes

hours.

And yes, I do have to struggle to get it down. I understand

Suzi what you mean by a double swallow reflex. It seems

the first swallow gets the food past my adams apple and

from there it is try to swallow over and over.

Aren't we glad we have someone who understands what we're

talking about.

Maggie

Alabama

[Guest guest]

HI, Joan,

I appreciate your response. Very interesting that you are sensitive to sulfa, too. Have you ever explored the sulfites sensitivity possibility? nosulfites.com is a great site. I just don't think it is coincidental that my last two attacks were immediately after one bite of sulfited food. Asthma and wheezing can also be responses to sulfites. Nasty stuff for some of us!

I will fill you in on what transpired with my longest (personal best? ;-) spasm ever...I have a friend who has a Master's in Nursing and now treats people with a microcurrent machine. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Info is available online. It is a fascinating concept. Well, I had not been able to keep even water down for 36 hours and it is hot here. Thought I might get dehydrated, so I called her and asked if she thought she could help "unstick" my throat.

Went up to her house and she hooked me up to her machine with two wire dealybobs and ran me on the settings for Esophagus, Inflammation, Allergy and Copper, oh and as an afterthought, Sulfonamides. So I sat there for about an hour while these currents ran through me. I couldn't even feel it at all. When I was done my esophagus still felt closed, but I had an interesting pink flush to the skin on my throat.

Went home - within the hour I felt like my throat was open, so I did eat some raspberries. They stayed down! I have no idea how that machine works, but it DID. I'm just fine....and avoiding sulfites like the plague. I'm perplexed and thankful.

Anyhoo, that's it from here. I also took a load of B-12 sublingual and some homeopathic sublinguals, because of course that's the only thing that I could "ingest." So they could have helped also.

As you advise, I will stay open to the possibility of surgery down the road. For now, I am happy to have a friend with a microcurrent machine!

Martha

Re: Just a question

Hello ,

In reference to your comment:

Many people here say that pushing food through with water every bite helps, but with me it is the opposite. I can drink water, but the water will come up immediately if there is anything stuck.

I find this to be true also. Before my dilatation, food, water,

and everything came up. Now it feels like my food just sits

on the opening to my stomach, then I drink so much water

trying to get it down until the esophagus is full and the

water comes back. The food just sits there being heavier

and heavier. It does eventually get down I guess but takes

hours.

And yes, I do have to struggle to get it down. I understand

Suzi what you mean by a double swallow reflex. It seems

the first swallow gets the food past my adams apple and

from there it is try to swallow over and over.

Aren't we glad we have someone who understands what we're

talking about.

Maggie

Alabama

[Guest guest]

Martha wrote:

.... treats people with a

microcurrent machine. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Info is available online.

This is basically a type of TENS unit. From what I

have seen on the FDA site, the intended use is for pain control. Making

claims about other uses have caused some makers to receive warning

letters. That doesn't mean it doesn't work for all unintended uses, but

those uses were not proved and added to those devices. So, maybe they

work and maybe they don't work for those uses.

It is a fascinating

concept.

It is interesting.

...she hooked me up to her

machine with two wire dealybobs

Is this the type that you hold an end in each hand,

or where did they go?

and ran me on the

settings for Esophagus, Inflammation, Allergy and Copper, oh and as an

afterthought, Sulfonamides.

Why copper?

....I had an interesting

pink flush to the skin on my throat.

Nerves control the smooth muscles in the

capillaries. If those muscles relax you can get flushing. Just a thought.

I have no idea how that

machine works, but it DID.

Maybe, maybe not. It could be you were just relaxed

after sitting for an hour, or something else.

....I also took a load of

B-12

The Bs are interesting too. Some people say they help. Others don't seem

to be helped by them. Perhaps being low on them makes things worse, but

as far as I know, not all of us should be low on Bs.

For now, I am happy

to have a friend with a microcurrent machine!

Let us know if you get consistent results or not.

notan

[Guest guest]

HI,

Elaine's microcurrent machine is way beyond a TENS unit, though has some similarities. She has four pages, both sides, with settings for relief (hopefully, not guaranteed of course) from hundreds of complaints.

She ran me on copper because I have:

1)copper toxicity from our acidic well water leaching copper from our pipes

2)copper caused molybdenum and B-12 deficiency, among other things and

3)resultant sulfite sensitivity

Because the food I reacted to was marinated in sulfites, she figured it could be copper-related. (copper being the set-up for sulfites sensitivity in many people)

Yes, I also wonder if it was just a coincidence, but rather doubt it. I had not swallowed anything but the tiniest sips of water for 40 hours, and sitting there with that machine hooked up to me was not really relaxing. Oh, and she wrapped the ends of the two dealybobs with warm, damp washcloths and held them to my tummy and back by using my bra to hold them in place.

Crazy. Yes, if it happens again, I will try this treatment sooner than I did this time and report back.

Copper toxicity is an interesting issue and I think it is much more common than one might think. Copper "is involved in nerve conduction" (quote from www.healingedge.net/briefs_copper_tox.html) and that's how I think it could be playing a role in my achalasia. From what I have read, the achalasia seems to stem from nerves not functioning in a co-ordinated fashion. So it makes me wonder...

Martha

Re: Just a question

Martha wrote:

.... treats people with a microcurrent machine. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Info is available online. This is basically a type of TENS unit. From what I have seen on the FDA site, the intended use is for pain control. Making claims about other uses have caused some makers to receive warning letters. That doesn't mean it doesn't work for all unintended uses, but those uses were not proved and added to those devices. So, maybe they work and maybe they don't work for those uses.

It is a fascinating concept. It is interesting.

...she hooked me up to her machine with two wire dealybobs Is this the type that you hold an end in each hand, or where did they go?

and ran me on the settings for Esophagus, Inflammation, Allergy and Copper, oh and as an afterthought, Sulfonamides. Why copper?

....I had an interesting pink flush to the skin on my throat.Nerves control the smooth muscles in the capillaries. If those muscles relax you can get flushing. Just a thought.

I have no idea how that machine works, but it DID. Maybe, maybe not. It could be you were just relaxed after sitting for an hour, or something else.

....I also took a load of B-12 The Bs are interesting too. Some people say they help. Others don't seem to be helped by them. Perhaps being low on them makes things worse, but as far as I know, not all of us should be low on Bs.

For now, I am happy to have a friend with a microcurrent machine!Let us know if you get consistent results or not. notan

[Guest guest]

Martha wrote:

Elaine's

microcurrent machine is way beyond a TENS unit, though has some

similarities.

If you have the device name I can try to look it up

at the FDA site and see if it has any approved uses. These kind of

devices, even though they have lots of settings and such, tend to be

approved for use in pain control like a TENS unit.

She

ran me on copper because I have:

1)copper toxicity from our acidic well water leaching copper from our

pipes

2)copper caused molybdenum and B-12 deficiency, among other things and

3)resultant sulfite sensitivity

Thanks for the info.

....Oh,

and she wrapped the ends of the two dealybobs with warm, damp washcloths

and held them to my tummy and back by using my bra to hold them in

place.

So, it is possible that the current went through

the area of the LES? Or is the tummy one two low?

Copper

toxicity is an interesting issue and I think it is much more common than

one might think. Copper " is involved in nerve conduction "

(quote from

www.healingedge.net/briefs_copper_tox.html)

and that's how I think it could be playing a role in my achalasia.

>From what I have read, the achalasia seems to stem from nerves not

functioning in a co-ordinated fashion. So it makes me

wonder...

One reason I responded to your other message was because I have an

interest lately in copper and how it relates to things like histamine,

histapenia and histadelia. High copper destroys histamine and high copper

levels lead to histapenia (low histamine, need more B3, B9 and B12) while

low copper levels lead to histadelia (high histamine, need more B6). Actually, to say it is the copper levels that cause these may not be

completely correct. It may also be the body's tendency to over or under

produce a chemical with the copper that is used to metabolize histamine.

I have been checking to see if there is an achalasia and histamine

connection, but so far there is nothing clear.

notan

[Guest guest]

OMG Martha,

I think that “The Copper Personality”

sounds very much like “The Achalasian

Personality”, if there is such a thing. I have long felt that those of us

with Achalasia are very creative types. Do you know

how many artist’s and creative minds we have in this group???? We also

have a lot of inventive minds here, and I don’t know of many of us here

who aren’t warm, caring, emotional, with a tendency to depression, and

then there’s me… spaciness, racing thoughts, living in a dream world,

naiveté, childishness, excessive emotions, sentimentality, a tendency to

depression and fearfulness.

I can’t say I have hidden anger and

resentments and I’m not violent, but all the other characteristics fit me

like a glove!

This is very interesting!

THE COPPER PERSONALITY

There

is a high copper personality. Positive traits include a warm, caring,

sensitive, emotional nature, often with artistic orientation and a child-like

quality. Often high-copper people are young-looking. Many traditional feminine

traits are associated with copper such as softness, gentleness and

intuitiveness.

When

the personality is not fully integrated or the copper becomes too high,

negative traits show up. These include, spaciness,

racing thoughts, living in a dream world, naiveté, childishness, excessive

emotions, sentimentality, a tendency to depression, fearfulness, hidden anger

and resentments, phobias, psychosis and violence. Artists, inventors and other

high-copper types often " live on the edge " , in part due to their high

copper level.

The

copper personality tends to accumulate copper easily. Copper functions as a

psychological defense mechanism. It causes one to detach slightly from reality.

This provides relief from stress for the sensitive individual. It works well as

long as the copper does not become too high. Very high copper can cause a

psychotic break from reality, a type of schizophrenia.

An

18-year old schizophrenic patient had a hair copper level of 40 mg% (normal is

2.5 mg %). She hallucinated and attempted suicide twice while in the sdale Camelback Mental

Hospital. When her copper decreased to

normal through a diet and supplement program, her symptoms disappeared and she

has remained well.

Sandi

Re: Just a

question

HI,

Elaine's microcurrent machine is way

beyond a TENS unit, though has some similarities. She has four pages,

both sides, with settings for relief (hopefully, not guaranteed of course) from

hundreds of complaints.

She ran me on copper because I have:

1)copper toxicity from our acidic

well water leaching copper from our pipes

2)copper caused molybdenum and B-12

deficiency, among other things and

3)resultant sulfite sensitivity

Because the food I reacted to was

marinated in sulfites, she figured it could be copper-related. (copper being

the set-up for sulfites sensitivity in many people)

Yes, I also wonder if it was just a

coincidence, but rather doubt it. I had not swallowed anything but the

tiniest sips of water for 40 hours, and sitting there with that machine hooked

up to me was not really relaxing. Oh, and she wrapped the ends of the two

dealybobs with warm, damp washcloths and held them to my tummy and back by

using my bra to hold them in place.

Crazy. Yes, if it happens

again, I will try this treatment sooner than I did this time and report

back.

Copper toxicity is an interesting

issue and I think it is much more common than one might think. Copper

" is involved in nerve conduction " (quote from www.healingedge.net/briefs_copper_tox.html)

and that's how I think it could be playing a role in my achalasia. From

what I have read, the achalasia seems to stem from nerves not functioning in a

co-ordinated fashion. So it makes me wonder...

Martha

Re:

Just a question

Martha wrote:

.... treats people with a microcurrent machine.

Have you ever heard of such a thing? Info is available online.

This is basically a type of TENS

unit. From what I have seen on the FDA site, the intended use is for pain

control. Making claims about other uses have caused some makers to receive

warning letters. That doesn't mean it doesn't work for all unintended uses, but

those uses were not proved and added to those devices. So, maybe they work and

maybe they don't work for those uses.

It is a fascinating concept.

It is interesting.

...she hooked me up to her machine with two wire

dealybobs

Is this the type that you hold an

end in each hand, or where did they go?

and ran me on the settings for Esophagus,

Inflammation, Allergy and Copper, oh and as an afterthought,

Sulfonamides.

Why copper?

....I had an interesting pink flush to the skin on my

throat.

Nerves control the smooth muscles

in the capillaries. If those muscles relax you can get flushing. Just a

thought.

I have no idea how that machine works, but it DID.

Maybe, maybe not. It could be you

were just relaxed after sitting for an hour, or something else.

....I also took a load of B-12

The Bs are interesting too. Some people say they help. Others don't seem to be

helped by them. Perhaps being low on them makes things worse, but as far as I

know, not all of us should be low on Bs.

For now, I am happy to have a friend with a

microcurrent machine!

Let us know if you get consistent

results or not.

notan

[Guest guest]

HI,

Sam is finally turning the corner as he recuperates from his appendectomy. So I have a few minutes to respond. Thanks for you input on this, notan.

You wondered if the microcurrent could have directly gone through the LES. Yes, I think that is very possible. And my throat turning noticeable pinkish could have been coincidental, but unlikely.

Very interested in your remarks re: copper and histamine. The Harvard researcher recommended L-Histidine and NAC to us as aids in rebalancing copper. I would love to further explore the histidine/histamine/copper/inflammation angle of this. Send any links you think are helpful?! Please?

My husband called this afternoon to report that he had trouble swallowing today, for the first time. And our daughter and one son also have had trouble swallowing for several years. I am the only one to actually have full-blown achalasia, with periods of nothing going down at all. But we all have one thing in common: high copper. Pretty suspicious.

I have been taking several sublingual B-12s every day and have not had a single problem swallowing since I began the B-12, which was the same time I had the microcurrent treatment. So unfortunately it is impossible to say if either or both have helped stop the achalasia rampage I was experiencing. (worst attacks of my life, days apart) B-12 helps nerve function, according to several sites I checked out, so I am hoping that is why my system seems to be settled down now.

I will look for your other post and respond to your specific questions.

Martha

Re: Just a question

Martha wrote:

Elaine's microcurrent machine is way beyond a TENS unit, though has some similarities. If you have the device name I can try to look it up at the FDA site and see if it has any approved uses. These kind of devices, even though they have lots of settings and such, tend to be approved for use in pain control like a TENS unit.

She ran me on copper because I have:1)copper toxicity from our acidic well water leaching copper from our pipes2)copper caused molybdenum and B-12 deficiency, among other things and 3)resultant sulfite sensitivityThanks for the info.

....Oh, and she wrapped the ends of the two dealybobs with warm, damp washcloths and held them to my tummy and back by using my bra to hold them in place.So, it is possible that the current went through the area of the LES? Or is the tummy one two low?

Copper toxicity is an interesting issue and I think it is much more common than one might think. Copper "is involved in nerve conduction" (quote from www.healingedge.net/briefs_copper_tox.html) and that's how I think it could be playing a role in my achalasia. >From what I have read, the achalasia seems to stem from nerves not functioning in a co-ordinated fashion. So it makes me wonder...One reason I responded to your other message was because I have an interest lately in copper and how it relates to things like histamine, histapenia and histadelia. High copper destroys histamine and high copper levels lead to histapenia (low histamine, need more B3, B9 and B12) while low copper levels lead to histadelia (high histamine, need more B6). Actually, to say it is the copper levels that cause these may not be completely correct. It may also be the body's tendency to over or under produce a chemical with the copper that is used to metabolize histamine. I have been checking to see if there is an achalasia and histamine connection, but so far there is nothing clear. notan

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/23/2004 12:24:40 AM Central Daylight Time,

liltopcat04@... writes:

I am not proportionate, midgets

are.

You raise an interesting point because I am proportionate but I don't like

the M word. But I explain to people that I am considered a Midget but don't like

the word so call me a LP.

Irwin

[Guest guest]

Sometimes...i'm called other names like: dork, wuss, idiot

LittleMagicMan@... wrote: In a message dated 9/23/2004 12:24:40 AM Central

Daylight Time,

liltopcat04@... writes:

I am not proportionate, midgets

are.

You raise an interesting point because I am proportionate but I don't like

the M word. But I explain to people that I am considered a Midget but don't like

the word so call me a LP.

Irwin

[Guest guest]

Aye around here Dwarves are Dwarves and LP are of normal build but just

short.

Chass of Rundel of Ansteorra aka

Charinthalis Del Sans of the portable Chariot

Honorable Recruiter of the House of the Red Shark (Have you seen my Belaying

Pin??)

Muddeler of Mead, Ailment of Ale, Whiner of wine.

Re: just a question

> In a message dated 9/23/2004 12:24:40 AM Central Daylight Time,

> liltopcat04@... writes:

> I am not proportionate, midgets

> are.

> You raise an interesting point because I am proportionate but I don't like

> the M word. But I explain to people that I am considered a Midget but

> don't like

> the word so call me a LP.

> Irwin

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/30/2007 2:09:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

hjjjjhenderson@... writes:

Tanks all

Hi Heidi! Since he is allergic to alot of foods perhaps this is celiac

disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Just a thought

Loree

************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

I had a friend who's son tested positive for celiac and had many of the same

symptoms. He had a terrible behaviour problem and still does at times if he's

not feeling well.

M.

Re: Just a question

In a message dated 10/30/2007 2:09:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

hjjjjhenderson@...<mailto:hjjjjhenderson@...> writes:

Tanks all

Hi Heidi! Since he is allergic to alot of foods perhaps this is celiac

disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Just a thought

Loree

************************************** See what's new at

http://www.aol.com<http://www.aol.com/>

[Guest guest]

Has he been checked for celiac? Just a thought...

Just a question

> Hello It is me Heidi every once in a while I ask a question and you guys

> always have wonderful answers. So here goes: I just recently found out

> that ph has a bit of food allergies( Wheat, soybeans, eggs, Milk,

> corn,

> and yeast) now we are finding a new pediatrician that will maybe listen to

> us, anyway's so trying to get a handle on that and it defiantly

> affects

> his behavior. I took him off all of his meds because it was not helping

> and

> he is better. He is also not a good sleeper at all so I am taking him for

> a

> sleep study on the 8th. He is just still really mean when he wants to be

> or

> does not feel good. Any ways he has been puking spratically for 2 weeks

> and

> he seems to have the runs a lot I was just wondering if something could be

> going on and maybe I am just not aware cuz he can not tell me :| So I

> thought I would ask here while I was searching things out...

> Tanks all

> Heidi

>

>

[Guest guest]

Bee ...... I'm just curious since our fat intake on this program is high,

shouldn't my skin be oily instead of being so dry? Before starting this program,

my face and hair used to be really oily now it's the opposite .... they're both

very dry. What do you think would cause that?

thanks Bee ....... hoping to get together over the holidays when I have some

time off

Madonna

[Guest guest]

**** Thank you Bee ...... the doctor checked my thyroid again on Wednesday

and the TSH is 2.18 T3 3.47 T4 20

He tells me those #'s are all very normal and I don't need my meds increased

because it will put too much strain on my heart if the throid meds are

increased. But he did say my problems of dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails,

fatigued, no energy are all caused by my iron being so low at only14. He

says once I can get that higher then I will start to feel better but he also

says it can take many months to even see a small improvement.

thanks ...... Maddy

> +++Hi Maddy. Your skin wouldn't be really oily on high fats, but it

> wouldn't be dry either. Mainly thyroid malfunction causes dry skin.

>

[Guest guest]

>

> **** Thank you Bee ...... the doctor checked my thyroid again on

Wednesday

> and the TSH is 2.18 T3 3.47 T4 20

> He tells me those #'s are all very normal and I don't need my meds

increased

> because it will put too much strain on my heart if the throid meds

are

> increased. But he did say my problems of dry skin, hair loss,

brittle nails,

> fatigued, no energy are all caused by my iron being so low at

only14. He

> says once I can get that higher then I will start to feel better

but he also

> says it can take many months to even see a small improvement.

+++Hi Maddy. That's great news! Yes, it can take months for your

iron levels to naturally increase on this program. Ensure you are

eating plenty of red meat.

Bee