Guest guest Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 ,I have had almost the same results from testing and the same chest pain. Ask for a pH study, preferably one with a pH-MII catheter. I just had a pH on Monday and noticed my pain increased as the pH increased - which would possibly indicate non-acidic reflux. In the articles below they discuss a new pH catheter, the pH-MII, which can detect both acidic and non-acidic reflux. I really believe this is my problem, but I don't have my results back yet and I did not use the MII catheter - I plan to ask to use that one next. Let me know what you think.... http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi? & pubmedid=16555624 ANDhttp://www.giresearch.org/site/gi-research/iffgd-research-awards/2005/symptoms-arising-from-non-acid-reflux-in-childrenNotan - I'd love to know your thoughts on this one....kk Kris Kovalcikmkovalci@...caringbridge.org/visit/elliegallery.mac.com/kovalciks/100016www.umdf.org On Jan 12, 2008, at 1:05 AM, kare4266 wrote:I just wanted to update all of you on where I am now. I went this past Monday to have my Barrium Swallow and Upper GI. The radiologist said that the esophagus apprears structurally normal, there was no stenosis, no mass identified, no evidence of hiatal hernia and no indication of reflux. He said the stomach, duodenum and proximal small bowel appear normal. I swallowed the barium tablet with a swallow of water and it was held up in my esophagus for about 10-12 seconds at the thoracic inlet level T1, and then went down after swallowing another mouthful of water. The radiologist had me immediately drink more barrium and looked at the contour of the esophagus in that area and he did not see any narrowing of the esophagus and no structural abnormality or spasms. I asked what was going on and he said he wasn't sure why it got held up and maybe it was lack of lubrication or something! This was after a couple glasses of barrium and taking it down with a mouthful of water...lack of lubrication? I insisted on a second tablet which I took with a mouthful of water, that one went right down. I must have been lubricated! I told him that I had trouble with food going down and feeling as though something was in my throat, he had no clue why. They only thing he did find was a very tiny Zenker's diverticulum not more than 2 mm. But he said this is not a site or cause of any holdup of anything that is swallowed. All I know is I have dealt with so much pain in my chest, back, dizziness and some swallowing discomfort for months. I KNOW I am not imagining this! I am scheduled to see a Thoracic Surgeon next Wednesday, Dr. Herrera at the MD Cancer Center here in Orlando. I will see what he says. I am also going to see a Neurologist on the 23 and then having a stress echocardiogram done on the 25th by my Cardiologist. Let's hope between all these specialist one of them will figure this out. I know something is wrong with my esophagus, I know I have DES, I cannot believe they said there is no indication of reflux. I don't think the Zenker's is the main problem, it is too small right now I think. It may become a problem as it grows. Not sure if the Thoracic Surgeon will even want to do anything with it right now. But I do need him to figure out what is causing all these symptoms daily. Here is a very good article about the esophagus and diverticulum: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSL/is_5_73/ai_74571579/pg_1In this article it mentions:The development of a Zenker's diverticulum is thought to result from a defect in the upper esophageal sphincter. It is believed that there is motor incoordination between the closing of the glottis and nasopharynx and the failure of the cricopharyngeal muscle of the upper esophageal sphincter to relax during swallowing. This causes an increase in the intrabolus pressure and demonstrates the concept of pulsion diverticula developing in a high-pressure hypopharynx. The cause of incomplete sphincter opening still is unknown. Other hypotheses about Zenker's pathophysiology include spasm of the cricopharyngeus muscle(upper esophageal sphincter at the junction of the pharynx and the esophagus) and cricopharyngeal achalasia (ie, failure of a muscle, such as a sphincter, to relax).Notice the mention of high pressure, spasms and failure of muscle to relax - Achalasia? I think for me my nerves are also being affected by all this causing the dizzy sensations, etc. Orlando, Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Hi Kris, Thank you for responding and for the information. I will definitely ask the Thoracic Surgeon on Wednesday about the PH-MII test. I am also going to ask if he thinks we should do an endoscope. He will tell me whether he thinks we should bother with the Zenker's right now since it is so small. But I want to know if where it is located could be causing some of these symptoms or if it could be affecting any nerves, etc. I have been taking 40 mg of Protonix at bed for about 4 months now. First I tryed it in the morning and then switched to bedtime to see if it would help me more at night. Now I am going to switch to 20 mg of Aciphex taken once in the am and then once before bed. I will see if that helps any of the symptoms I have. I don't really have a burning in the chest or regurgitation. I think more of my pains are in the back then in the front. Sometimes my tongue also gets an irritated feeling and I can feel it in my throat. I am taking a slow release cal-mag supplement to see if it will help at all with spasms. And of course I have the dizzy sensations. My bloodwork I guess was okay, I have had no injuries but I do know I have a degenerative disc in the back of my neck and I am going to ask the neurologist if this could cause any of this but I doubt it. I am also going to ask him about my spine or the nerves behind the esophagus wall or lining or maybe in the stomach or something. As I said hopefully someone will get a correct diagnose. Orlando, Florida > > > I just wanted to update all of you on where I am now. I went this > > past Monday to have my Barrium Swallow and Upper GI. The radiologist > > said that the esophagus apprears structurally normal, there was no > > stenosis, no mass identified, no evidence of hiatal hernia and no > > indication of reflux. He said the stomach, duodenum and proximal > > small bowel appear normal. I swallowed the barium tablet with a > > swallow of water and it was held up in my esophagus for about 10- 12 > > seconds at the thoracic inlet level T1, and then went down after > > swallowing another mouthful of water. The radiologist had me > > immediately drink more barrium and looked at the contour of the > > esophagus in that area and he did not see any narrowing of the > > esophagus and no structural abnormality or spasms. I asked what was > > going on and he said he wasn't sure why it got held up and maybe it > > was lack of lubrication or something! This was after a couple glasses > > of barrium and taking it down with a mouthful of water...lack of > > lubrication? I insisted on a second tablet which I took with a > > mouthful of water, that one went right down. I must have been > > lubricated! I told him that I had trouble with food going down and > > feeling as though something was in my throat, he had no clue why. > > They only thing he did find was a very tiny Zenker's diverticulum not > > more than 2 mm. But he said this is not a site or cause of any holdup > > of anything that is swallowed. All I know is I have dealt with so > > much pain in my chest, back, dizziness and some swallowing discomfort > > for months. I KNOW I am not imagining this! I am scheduled to see a > > Thoracic Surgeon next Wednesday, Dr. Herrera at the MD > > Cancer Center here in Orlando. I will see what he says. I am also > > going to see a Neurologist on the 23 and then having a stress > > echocardiogram done on the 25th by my Cardiologist. Let's hope > > between all these specialist one of them will figure this out. I know > > something is wrong with my esophagus, I know I have DES, I cannot > > believe they said there is no indication of reflux. I don't think the > > Zenker's is the main problem, it is too small right now I think. It > > may become a problem as it grows. Not sure if the Thoracic Surgeon > > will even want to do anything with it right now. But I do need him to > > figure out what is causing all these symptoms daily. > > > > Here is a very good article about the esophagus and diverticulum: > > > > http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSL/is_5_73/ai_74571579/pg_1 > > > > In this article it mentions: > > > > The development of a Zenker's diverticulum is thought to result from > > a defect in the upper esophageal sphincter. It is believed that there > > is motor incoordination between the closing of the glottis and > > nasopharynx and the failure of the cricopharyngeal muscle of the > > upper esophageal sphincter to relax during swallowing. This causes an > > increase in the intrabolus pressure and demonstrates the concept of > > pulsion diverticula developing in a high-pressure hypopharynx. The > > cause of incomplete sphincter opening still is unknown. Other > > hypotheses about Zenker's pathophysiology include spasm of the > > cricopharyngeus muscle(upper esophageal sphincter at the junction of > > the pharynx and the esophagus) and cricopharyngeal achalasia (ie, > > failure of a muscle, such as a sphincter, to relax). > > > > Notice the mention of high pressure, spasms and failure of muscle to > > relax - Achalasia? I think for me my nerves are also being affected > > by all this causing the dizzy sensations, etc. > > > > > > Orlando, Florida > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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