Re: what to do? - Mike in Newport (Notan and Tonia can you help)

[Guest guest]

Hi Mike

I remeber it well having to drink water or take big deep breaths to

try and push the food down.

I can't tell you what to do that is your decision, the only treatment

that I have had is the Heller Myotomy I was in such a bad way that my

surgeon said that although there were other treatments he felt that

in my case the surgery was my best option.

You have said yourself that the first dilitation that you had only

lasted 2 weeks!!

People have had the botox and done well others say never again, other

members have had the dilitation that works well for people that are

generally over 50 yers old (not sure why but I am sure that other

members here can answer that one maybe Tonia or Notan can help on

that one possibly)

What I will say though Mike is that if you are going to agree to the

surgery ask lots and lots of questions and find out how many Heller

Myotomies the surgeon has done and also how sucsessful they were or

even better see if you can speak to a patients that has had the

surgery done by them.

I had mine done by a Mr at Kettering General Hospital in

Northamptonshire.

Take Care

Pippa

> > >

> > > hello all i have had achalasia for twenty odd years now (i am

> 34).I

> > > have had dilation but that only worked for two weeks or so and

> now I

> > > have been offered the choice of another dilation or key hole

> surgery

> > > have never really researched achalasia before and after finding

> this

> > > site and few others I am a bit concerned as to what to do for

the

> > > best.can anyone advise please? I live in Newport south wales

and

> I am

> > > seeing Dr .

> > >

> >

> Hi Pippa thanks for the reply,my name is Mike and like I said I

have

> had this conditon since I was about 11 years old. When it first

> started I could not eat anything without drinking about two pints

of

> water and forcing it down as hard as I could.After about six months

> of this I had an endoscope done but they found nothing wrong so I

> just learned to live with it.Over the years I got used the

discomfort

> and pain and could just about manage to go out for meals however I

> was still underweight. About two years ago I stared to cough at

night

> and get fluid on my lungs I had a chest scan and they picked up on

> the achalasia,I would never had gussed the coughing was done to

> that.Any way like I said I had a dilation done and it was like a

> revelation I forget what it was like to eat without pain!!! well

that

> has worn off now I opted for another dilation but now reading up on

> the subject I am not sure if I made the right choice, what do you

> think?

>