Re: Re: New To the Group, I Have Acalasia and I'm Overweight

[Guest guest]

Potch, welcome to the group. This subject has been discussed on this board before. Go to the website and in search type "gastric bypass" . You will find a number of previous messages on this subject.

Maggie

AlabamaDelicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

[Guest guest]

My surgeon is Dr. Rice at The Cleveland Clinic in OH.

We travel 5 1/2 hours to see him. He did my esophagectomy last March -

I'm going on 11 months and doing fantastic. Dr. Rice is one of the

best in the country at treating achalasia and is very, very

experienced. I highly recommend him and there are many on this board

that see him also.

in NY

New To the Group, I Have Acalasia and I'm

> > Overweight

> > achalasia

> >

> > > My name is Potch and I'm new to the group.

> > >

> > > I have had/been dealing with acalasia for about 12 years now.

> When I

> > > first got it, I had a dilation done, which helped for about

> 1.5

> > years,

> > > but it has since returned and I have learned to deal with it.

> > >

> > > Unlike most who have this disease, I am overweight. Heck, obese.

> > >

> > > I was always a large guy, and when I first got acalasia, I was

> about

> > > 340 lbs. I initially lost a lot of weight (70 lbs.) when I

> first

> got

> > > acalasia, but after the dilation, I put most of it back. After

the

> > > acalasia started up again, I just found myself eating more and

> > > more.

> > >

> > > About 6 months ago I found I had gotten up to 405 lbs. I

> decided I

> > > would like to look into either a gastric bypass or lap-band

> surgery,

> > > as I have many (9) friends and family members who had great

> success

> > > with this.

> > >

> > > Of course, the acalasia came up.

> > >

> > > My surgeon would like to perform a Heller Myotomy as well as a

> > gastric

> > > bypass.

> > >

> > > I admit I have reservations about doing both, especially at

> the

> same

> > > time. I have to take care of the achalasia first and foremost,

> as

> I

> > > recently found out about the risk of cancer involved.

> > >

> > > I guess I would like to know does anyone out there know of

> anyone

> who

> > > a) has achalasia and is overweight and had the heller

> myotomy

> > > or c)

> > > had the myotomy as well as some form of gastric surgery?

> > >

> > > If anyone can help or offer advice, I'd love to hear/talk. My

> doctor

> > > wants me to lose another 30 lbs. by April to do both sugeries.

> I

> > would

> > > be MUCH more comforable talking to someone who has AT LEAST gone

> > > through the myotomy, of not both.

> > >

> > > Thank you very much for your time.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

-

oh okay , i was so psyched that someone else from NY may be sharing the same docotr but you travel to ohio, i see Ms Dee

New To the Group, I Have Acalasia and I'm > > Overweight> > achalasia@grou ps.com> > > > > My name is Potch and I'm new to the group.>

> > > > > I have had/been dealing with acalasia for about 12 years now. > When I> > > first got it, I had a dilation done, which helped for about > 1.5 > > years,> > > but it has since returned and I have learned to deal with it.> > > > > > Unlike most who have this disease, I am overweight. Heck, obese.> > > > > > I was always a large guy, and when I first got acalasia, I was > about> > > 340 lbs. I initially lost a lot of weight (70 lbs.) when I > first > got> > > acalasia, but after the dilation, I put most of it back. After the> > > acalasia started up again, I just found myself eating more and > > > more. > > > > > > About 6 months ago I found I had gotten up to 405 lbs. I > decided I> > > would like to look

into either a gastric bypass or lap-band > surgery,> > > as I have many (9) friends and family members who had great > success> > > with this.> > > > > > Of course, the acalasia came up.> > > > > > My surgeon would like to perform a Heller Myotomy as well as a > > gastric> > > bypass.> > > > > > I admit I have reservations about doing both, especially at > the > same> > > time. I have to take care of the achalasia first and foremost, > as > I> > > recently found out about the risk of cancer involved.> > > > > > I guess I would like to know does anyone out there know of > anyone > who> > > a) has achalasia and is overweight and had the heller > myotomy > > > or c)> > > had

the myotomy as well as some form of gastric surgery?> > > > > > If anyone can help or offer advice, I'd love to hear/talk. My > doctor> > > wants me to lose another 30 lbs. by April to do both sugeries. > I > > would> > > be MUCH more comforable talking to someone who has AT LEAST gone> > > through the myotomy, of not both. > > > > > > Thank you very much for your time.> > > > > > > > >> >> > >

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

There is also Dr. Jeff s in Rochester, NY - he's at Strong.

I saw him for an initial consult before going to Dr. Rice.

Dr. s was a head guy out in CA for a long time (I believe at USC)

before moving east a few years ago. I had no problem with him at all,

but he was the first one I had seen that said I need the

esophagectomy, and I just wasn't ready to make a decision or deal with

it as it was very overwhelming at the time. So I started doing

research on my options, got more active in this group, and contacted

many of the better known surgeons for achalasia across the country,

and finally went for a second opinion with Dr. Rice, who ultimately

gave me the same opinion as Dr. s did.

It is a long haul to OH for us, but well worth it for Dr. Rice.

in NY

New To the Group, I Have Acalasia and I'm

> > > Overweight

> > > achalasia@grou ps.com

> > >

> > > > My name is Potch and I'm new to the group.

> > > >

> > > > I have had/been dealing with acalasia for about 12 years

> now.

> > When I

> > > > first got it, I had a dilation done, which helped for about

> > 1.5

> > > years,

> > > > but it has since returned and I have learned to deal with it.

> > > >

> > > > Unlike most who have this disease, I am overweight. Heck,

obese.

> > > >

> > > > I was always a large guy, and when I first got acalasia, I

> was

> > about

> > > > 340 lbs. I initially lost a lot of weight (70 lbs.) when I

> > first

> > got

> > > > acalasia, but after the dilation, I put most of it back.

> After

> the

> > > > acalasia started up again, I just found myself eating more

> and

> > > > more.

> > > >

> > > > About 6 months ago I found I had gotten up to 405 lbs. I

> > decided I

> > > > would like to look into either a gastric bypass or lap-band

> > surgery,

> > > > as I have many (9) friends and family members who had great

> > success

> > > > with this.

> > > >

> > > > Of course, the acalasia came up.

> > > >

> > > > My surgeon would like to perform a Heller Myotomy as well as

> a

> > > gastric

> > > > bypass.

> > > >

> > > > I admit I have reservations about doing both, especially at

> > the

> > same

> > > > time. I have to take care of the achalasia first and

> foremost,

> > as

> > I

> > > > recently found out about the risk of cancer involved.

> > > >

> > > > I guess I would like to know does anyone out there know of

> > anyone

> > who

> > > > a) has achalasia and is overweight and had the heller

> > myotomy

> > > > or c)

> > > > had the myotomy as well as some form of gastric surgery?

> > > >

> > > > If anyone can help or offer advice, I'd love to hear/talk.

> My

> > doctor

> > > > wants me to lose another 30 lbs. by April to do both

> sugeries.

> > I

> > > would

> > > > be MUCH more comforable talking to someone who has AT LEAST

gone

> > > > through the myotomy, of not both.

> > > >

> > > > Thank you very much for your time.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

_______________________________________________________________________

_____________Never miss a thing. Make your home page.

> http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

Potch,

One of the best things I ever did was join this group. Just to

communicate with others that understand achalasia and have been

through things, physically and mentally, is so great. There are many

people that will respond, some of our " regulars " that have great

advice and experience to share with you.

I have never heard of that doctor, and while I'm sure he's probably

very good at what he does, you said he's a gastric bypass specialist.

Please don't take my next statement wrong, as I'm not yelling at you

by putting this in caps, I'm simply trying to emphasize it: YOU NEED

TO GO TO A GI DOC/SURGEON THAT SPECIALIZES IN ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY

DISORDERS THAT HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH ACHALASIA. You need

updated testing to see where your achalasia is at and how advanced it

is (or isn't) to determine the best treatment for your achalsia, and

in addition get information on how that would or would not impact

possible gastric bypass surgery. I really do not think (again, just my

opinion) that it is wise to move forward with anything before you see

a very experienced doctor for the achalasia.

Not sure how old you are, but as many here will tell you, there is no

cure for achalasia. While there are surgeries and procedures that can

help improve your symptoms, there is no absolute cure. That being

said, we all respond differently and have different success rates.

However, the future is something you definitely need to consider, and

with doing gastric bypass you may (note I said may, not will be for

sure) be compromising yourself if you need help with your achalasia

down the road.

in NY

New To the Group, I Have Acalasia and I'm

> > Overweight

> > achalasia

> >

> > > My name is Potch and I'm new to the group.

> > >

> > > I have had/been dealing with acalasia for about 12 years now.

> When I

> > > first got it, I had a dilation done, which helped for about

> 1.5

> > years,

> > > but it has since returned and I have learned to deal with it.

> > >

> > > Unlike most who have this disease, I am overweight. Heck, obese.

> > >

> > > I was always a large guy, and when I first got acalasia, I was

> about> > 340 lbs. I initially lost a lot of weight (70 lbs.) when

> I first got

> > > acalasia, but after the dilation, I put most of it back. After

the

> > > acalasia started up again, I just found myself eating more and

> > > more.

> > >

> > > About 6 months ago I found I had gotten up to 405 lbs. I

> decided I

> > > would like to look into either a gastric bypass or lap-band

> surgery,> > as I have many (9) friends and family members who had

> great success

> > > with this.

> > >

> > > Of course, the acalasia came up.

> > >

> > > My surgeon would like to perform a Heller Myotomy as well as a

> > gastric

> > > bypass.

> > >

> > > I admit I have reservations about doing both, especially at

> the same

> > > time. I have to take care of the achalasia first and foremost,

> as I

> > > recently found out about the risk of cancer involved.

> > >

> > > I guess I would like to know does anyone out there know of

> anyone who

> > > a) has achalasia and is overweight and had the heller

> myotomy

> > > or c)

> > > had the myotomy as well as some form of gastric surgery?

> > >

> > > If anyone can help or offer advice, I'd love to hear/talk. My

> doctor> > wants me to lose another 30 lbs. by April to do both

> sugeries. I

> > would

> > > be MUCH more comforable talking to someone who has AT LEAST gone

> > > through the myotomy, of not both.

> > >

> > > Thank you very much for your time.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

>