One in a hundred thousand (Vicki)

[Guest guest]

Hi Vicki,

If I was to clearly understand what you wrote (below), I was saying (or supposedly quoting) that out of every 100,000 people in the population, one person has achalasia.

You are saying (from what you read) that there is one new case a year of achalasia out of a population sample of 100,000 people. Therefore in a population of 300 million, 3,000 new cases a year. Am I correct in the rephrase?

That makes a lot more sense if that is the case.

As to you, there is a perception that has occasionally been addressed here about the multiple surgeries (problem) that it is way overblown. People on this website, for the most part are here because of new or continued problems with achalasia, whereas the vast majority of people who have the surgery are relatively fine and have no need to post here. The logic is: if you are doing well, you are not going to seek out a website to say you are fine, but if you are not doing well, the chances are much greater that you are going to research the internet for help. A person can get a distorted view of the success percentage of this surgery if this "theory" is correct.

Reading that you suffered with this disease for three years before someone diagnosed it doesn't give me a warm feeling. Of course, in some cases, symptoms can develop very slowly and be periodic in nature.

You might want to share with the group such things as your age, where you live, who you have seen so far, which tests you have had, what the doctors recommend, etc.

Its good to talk about it on this Board, and the suggestions you receive might very well lead to a better result.

Please stay in touch.

In a message dated 5/1/2006 12:41:10 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, vickismiles@... writes:

Hi, I was just diagnosed with achalasia after three years of symptoms. This website is very helpful, though I get scared when reading about people who have needed multiple surgeries., I wanted to add that the frequency of achalasia figure I have read is one new case of achalasia per 100,000 people per year (not per life-time). My understanding is that this statistic means that if you were to study a group of 100,000 people over their life-times there would be on average one new case of achalasia per year. This would result in about 70 cases of achalasia per 100,000 people, assuming an average life-span of 70 years. So, I think the actual number of people with this disease may be about 70-times what you listed. (300 million times the rate of 70 per 100,000 = 210,000 people with achalasia in the US). I could be wrong.Vicki

> >> > I have read many messages from people who have gone to the Cleveland> > Clinic for treatment. Is that the best place for achalasia> > treatments? How long does it take to get in for an appointment and> > then how long before treatments or surgery can be scheduled? Which> > doctor should I contact?> >> > I would appreciate any information possible. I seem to have trouble> > getting my s Hopkins specialist, Dr. Ravich, to respond to my> > phone calls. I had decided to try balloon dilation first, but I have> > not been able to have it scheduled and I am getting frustrated!> >> > Kathy> >>