Re: Achalasia-Vegan Liquid diet

February 17, 2002

Mara, so sorry to hear of your problems and the appalling way in which your Dr chose to speak to you .

I have to live on a liquid diet and suggets you get advice quickly from a dietician as its not so simple as filling up on a few cartons of ensure a day ! I don;t know which ones are available there ( I'm in UK) and so seek help soon and let us know how you are getting on .

Chris

February 17, 2002

Mara,

I am not totally vegan, but I do try to follow a vegetarian diet. I have

had doctors give me lots of " tongue lashings " . I usually lash back! I have

my standards and I believe they should respect them.

I personally use meal replacements that I get from the health food store. I

use Spirutein because it is high quality and it is a totally vegetable

product. I would not use the popular pharmaceutical replacements because

they are all mostly sugar. I think your best bet would be to go to a health

food store and explain your situation and let them help you. I would also

suggest you do a little research on L-Arginine. There are lots of posts in

the archives about Arginine. It is a amino acid that assists in muscle

support etc. If you search the group archives, you will find posts from one

poster in Australia named Joop. Also search on the internet. I believe it

would be a great help to you.

JC

Achalasia-Vegan Liquid diet

> Hi! I'm new. Yesterday my initial gastro-enterologist appointment

> concurred with the radiologist's diagnosis of achalasia, based on my

> upper GI done ten days ago. Tuesday I am having an endoscopy to

> determine if the achalasia is caused by a tumour(doctor's concern) or

> a stricture. I have been unable to eat even pureed food since Monday

> and the doctor wants me on a liquid meal replacement such as Ensure.

> I am vegan and the doctor called this " my silly ethics and morals "

> when I inquired as to a vegan meal replacement. I also endured a five

> minute tongue lashing from him for not seeking medical help sooner

> for the achalasia. I would change doctors but he is one of only two

> doctors here. The other doctor could not see me till March. Does

> anyone have experience with vegan replacements? Thanks. Mara

>

February 17, 2002

Hi JC. I went to an alt-med pharmacy. There are lots of vegan supplemental

and/or protein formulas, but only one brand that could be considered a

complete meal Replacement, UltraBalance Medical Foods. I bought one of their

formulas, UltraMaintain, but the fat ratio of it may be too low. I'm adding

flax oil, olive oil and strained ground almond milk to increase the fat, as

I've lost another 5 pounds this week. I checked their website last night and

they have other formulas that may be more suitable. I wanted to email them

but their website was down, so I'll try later.

I've been cyber-searching achalasia basically non-stop for two weeks and

have absorbed incredible amounts of knowledge. How are you taking the

L-arginine? (ENT Dr. scoffed at that as well) I've been taking one 500mg cap

emptyed into a little water 3 times a day, 10 minutes before " meals " . I'm

also taking 3x daily DGL(deGlycyrrhizinated Licorice) for a month. My

alternative medicine friendly GP told me that Licorice used to be the

standard treatment for heartburn before PPIs and H2Blockers. I'll check out

Spirutein. Thanks for the support and suggestions. I've gotten to know you a

little through your posts and know you are alt-med friendly.

Mara

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February 17, 2002

Thanks, Chris. I'm speaking to my friendlier GP tomorrow and I'll inquire

about the dietician. I found the ENT's behavior condescending, arrogant and

narrowminded. No patient EVER deserves to be spoken to in such a harsh

manner, especially if the doctor is concerned about the severity of my

symptoms and frustrated with our sadly deteriorating medical system in

Canada. What are you taking on your liquid diet?

Mara

>

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February 17, 2002

Hi although I am not vegan I am vegie and had some of the same concerns

about a liquid diet. I bought a juicer and I make my own fresh fruit and

veg. juices. You could also add soya yoghurt to these for protein or buy a

protein power at the health food store to add to juices. I also found soya

milk or rice dream with bananas blended into it an easy drink to get in.

Even when I had a feeding tube I put some of these thing in through it. I

know here in the UK that the drinks I was given by the hospital were soya

based with no animal products, hopefully they have similar there.

Goodluck

as for the doctor telling you off I think a lot of us put off going to find

out what's happening to us, sometimes I wish doctors and patients could

change places so they can see how it feels when they act so negatively.