Re: Having HM on Monday... trying to avoid cold feet

[Guest guest]

Hi, ! Welcome, and sorry you're here, lol!

I'm a BIG coffee addict. Coke, not much, but Pepsi and Mountain Dew which are

much more carbonated absolutely helped get me through the pre-Heller stage.

Had my Heller the end of last December, along with a Dor wrap, and they fixed a

hernia, too. I've had mild tummy upset, but no real heartburn since. (Didn't

have much before, though did the coughing thing all night most nights.) Since

caffeine also relaxes the LES, I suspect that many Achalasians are unconsciously

self-medicating with it. . . . Your doc sounds like one of those who isn't real

clear on the difference between GERD and Achalasia. If so, he's certainly not

alone.

Yes: SOME people have different degrees of GERD after Hellers, but it seems to

me the MOST don't have much problem. It seems if you had major GERD *before,*

you might have problems after. . . .

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1877024/

Best luck on your journey, and in this, as all else about Achalasia, FACTS are

your best ammunition.

I'll repeat: the decision to have the surgery was one of the best I've ever made

in my life -- about *anything* -- more positives and few negatives. In fact, NO

negatives. And nope, I'm not normal. But damn close.

xox,

in WV

>

> Hi Folks,

>

> I am a new member to the group, 50 year old female, married with two kids.

Although I have had achalasia symptoms since high school, I was not formally

diagnosed until 1998, after I developed aspiration pneumonia and started

coughing up blood. I had a " true " dilation done at that time, and it controlled

my symptoms wonderfully until about six months ago, when I started having

difficulty and pain getting food down again.

>

> I went back to the GI, hoping to get another dilation that would last me

another 13 years, only to be told that they would not do a repeat dilation due

to the risks of perforation and recommended Heller myotomy, with a Dor

fundiplication, which I am scheduled to have on Monday unless my cold feet get

even colder. ;-)

>

> I was worried about possible risks and complications, and depressed about the

prospect of lifelong bad heartburn... and then I went in for my pre-op office

visit and was told that I should avoid coffee and carbonated beverages, forever,

after my surgery. That SERIOUSLY depressed me, as I am a huge coffee addict and

chain-drink Diet Cokes. I cried, actually. And I came very close to having cold

feet and backing entirely out of the surgery.

>

> So I turned to the internet to see what I could find out from other people who

have had this surgery about coffee and carbonated beverages and was delighted to

discover this group. I've been following the Coke threads with avid interest,

and I'm happy to hear that many of you are still able to drink it after the HM.

I hope the same will be true for me.

>

> I also read the " What if I do nothing? " thread with great interest, as I feel

I could have written it myself. At this point my symptoms are not intolerable,

and if I had to choose between my current difficulties and lifelong terrible

heartburn, I'd be tempted to choose my current symptoms. The only reason I am

going ahead with the surgery is because my surgeon pointed out that achalasia is

progressive and recommended doing the surgery while I was still relatively young

and before my esophagus got so tortured that the surgery would be impossible. I

don't want to have to get my esophagus removed, so I decided to schedule the

surgery, but I still have lingering doubts.

>

> I guess the question I have for the group is this: I've seen lots of posts by

people saying they are glad they went ahead with the HM. Is there anybody here

who regrets doing so, and has found their quality of life to be worse than what

they had before?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

>prospect of lifelong bad heartburn

My Achalasia closed up the LES about 5 years ago, believe it maybe started 10

years ago. If has NOT progressed the last 5 years.

My new theory,on indigestion,is that if food sits in the LES say overnight, you

get indigestion. Now that I clear ot the e several times a day, I do not get

indigestion. I am on nothing other that BP pills. I use a can of cold COKE with

a lot of CO2 and cold water or hot coffee.

It would appear to me if the LES is basically closed, why should we get

indigestion fron acid? Any way that is MY theory, my body , my e.

Sorry I cant answer your last question.

Ray CA OC 81 no HM or dilation.

>

> Hi Folks,

>

> I am a new member to the group, 50 year old female, married with two kids.

Although I have had achalasia symptoms since high school, I was not formally

diagnosed until 1998, after I developed aspiration pneumonia and started

coughing up blood. I had a " true " dilation done at that time, and it controlled

my symptoms wonderfully until about six months ago, when I started having

difficulty and pain getting food down again.

>

> I went back to the GI, hoping to get another dilation that would last me

another 13 years, only to be told that they would not do a repeat dilation due

to the risks of perforation and recommended Heller myotomy, with a Dor

fundiplication, which I am scheduled to have on Monday unless my cold feet get

even colder. ;-)

>

> I was worried about possible risks and complications, and depressed about the

prospect of lifelong bad heartburn... and then I went in for my pre-op office

visit and was told that I should avoid coffee and carbonated beverages, forever,

after my surgery. That SERIOUSLY depressed me, as I am a huge coffee addict and

chain-drink Diet Cokes. I cried, actually. And I came very close to having cold

feet and backing entirely out of the surgery.

>

> So I turned to the internet to see what I could find out from other people who

have had this surgery about coffee and carbonated beverages and was delighted to

discover this group. I've been following the Coke threads with avid interest,

and I'm happy to hear that many of you are still able to drink it after the HM.

I hope the same will be true for me.

>

> I also read the " What if I do nothing? " thread with great interest, as I feel

I could have written it myself. At this point my symptoms are not intolerable,

and if I had to choose between my current difficulties and lifelong terrible

heartburn, I'd be tempted to choose my current symptoms. The only reason I am

going ahead with the surgery is because my surgeon pointed out that achalasia is

progressive and recommended doing the surgery while I was still relatively young

and before my esophagus got so tortured that the surgery would be impossible. I

don't want to have to get my esophagus removed, so I decided to schedule the

surgery, but I still have lingering doubts.

>

> I guess the question I have for the group is this: I've seen lots of posts by

people saying they are glad they went ahead with the HM. Is there anybody here

who regrets doing so, and has found their quality of life to be worse than what

they had before?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello and welcome to the family. Where are you located at? I live in

Georgia and if you would like to talk over the phone I willing to do so to

answer any questions as best I can. You can also go to www.achalasia.us and

look through the site there. Things will work out and we are here for you.

in Georgia.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 15, 2012, at 13:33, " monicakern61 " <harris@...> wrote:

> Hi Folks,

>

> I am a new member to the group, 50 year old female, married with two kids.

Although I have had achalasia symptoms since high school, I was not formally

diagnosed until 1998, after I developed aspiration pneumonia and started

coughing up blood. I had a " true " dilation done at that time, and it controlled

my symptoms wonderfully until about six months ago, when I started having

difficulty and pain getting food down again.

>

> I went back to the GI, hoping to get another dilation that would last me

another 13 years, only to be told that they would not do a repeat dilation due

to the risks of perforation and recommended Heller myotomy, with a Dor

fundiplication, which I am scheduled to have on Monday unless my cold feet get

even colder. ;-)

>

> I was worried about possible risks and complications, and depressed about the

prospect of lifelong bad heartburn... and then I went in for my pre-op office

visit and was told that I should avoid coffee and carbonated beverages, forever,

after my surgery. That SERIOUSLY depressed me, as I am a huge coffee addict and

chain-drink Diet Cokes. I cried, actually. And I came very close to having cold

feet and backing entirely out of the surgery.

>

> So I turned to the internet to see what I could find out from other people who

have had this surgery about coffee and carbonated beverages and was delighted to

discover this group. I've been following the Coke threads with avid interest,

and I'm happy to hear that many of you are still able to drink it after the HM.

I hope the same will be true for me.

>

> I also read the " What if I do nothing? " thread with great interest, as I feel

I could have written it myself. At this point my symptoms are not intolerable,

and if I had to choose between my current difficulties and lifelong terrible

heartburn, I'd be tempted to choose my current symptoms. The only reason I am

going ahead with the surgery is because my surgeon pointed out that achalasia is

progressive and recommended doing the surgery while I was still relatively young

and before my esophagus got so tortured that the surgery would be impossible. I

don't want to have to get my esophagus removed, so I decided to schedule the

surgery, but I still have lingering doubts.

>

> I guess the question I have for the group is this: I've seen lots of posts by

people saying they are glad they went ahead with the HM. Is there anybody here

who regrets doing so, and has found their quality of life to be worse than what

they had before?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

. I had my myotomy when I was 50. I always loved anything with fizz and

like you I love coffee. Before my surgery I was at the place where I could not

drink either. It was a couple maybe three months after my surgery I started back

drinking both. I use coke to push with if I hve trouble. It really helps. My

surgeon and my GI dr (and my dear husband who is family practice) say just be

careful listen to ur body drink and eat wat u want. Someted he will say ate u

sure that will go down? Lol

Sometimes he is right. But I really couldn't go on eating as I do without coke

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I have always struggled with carbonated beverages - it was much worse before

surgery, but I still can't have them with a meal.

However, I drink coffee every day and it doesn't aggravate me at all. I also

can't remember the last time I had *any* heartburn, much less " terrible "

heartburn. (My myotomy with partial wrap was December 2010)

Robin

>

> Hi Folks,

>

> I am a new member to the group, 50 year old female, married with two kids.

Although I have had achalasia symptoms since high school, I was not formally

diagnosed until 1998, after I developed aspiration pneumonia and started

coughing up blood. I had a " true " dilation done at that time, and it controlled

my symptoms wonderfully until about six months ago, when I started having

difficulty and pain getting food down again.

>

> I went back to the GI, hoping to get another dilation that would last me

another 13 years, only to be told that they would not do a repeat dilation due

to the risks of perforation and recommended Heller myotomy, with a Dor

fundiplication, which I am scheduled to have on Monday unless my cold feet get

even colder. ;-)

>

> I was worried about possible risks and complications, and depressed about the

prospect of lifelong bad heartburn... and then I went in for my pre-op office

visit and was told that I should avoid coffee and carbonated beverages, forever,

after my surgery. That SERIOUSLY depressed me, as I am a huge coffee addict and

chain-drink Diet Cokes. I cried, actually. And I came very close to having cold

feet and backing entirely out of the surgery.

>

> So I turned to the internet to see what I could find out from other people who

have had this surgery about coffee and carbonated beverages and was delighted to

discover this group. I've been following the Coke threads with avid interest,

and I'm happy to hear that many of you are still able to drink it after the HM.

I hope the same will be true for me.

>

> I also read the " What if I do nothing? " thread with great interest, as I feel

I could have written it myself. At this point my symptoms are not intolerable,

and if I had to choose between my current difficulties and lifelong terrible

heartburn, I'd be tempted to choose my current symptoms. The only reason I am

going ahead with the surgery is because my surgeon pointed out that achalasia is

progressive and recommended doing the surgery while I was still relatively young

and before my esophagus got so tortured that the surgery would be impossible. I

don't want to have to get my esophagus removed, so I decided to schedule the

surgery, but I still have lingering doubts.

>

> I guess the question I have for the group is this: I've seen lots of posts by

people saying they are glad they went ahead with the HM. Is there anybody here

who regrets doing so, and has found their quality of life to be worse than what

they had before?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, everybody, for the support and encouragement, both here and off-list. I

am feeling a lot better about the surgery, or at least I feel convinced that

going ahead is the best decision at this time.

I am also encouraged to hear that many of you are able to drink Diet Coke and

coffee successfully following your procedures. It makes it a lot easier for me

to go into the surgery thinking " maybe I can " instead of " never again. "

But I do find it disconcerting that so many of you have had repeat dilations and

HM's. My GI guy and surgeon were so adamantly opposed to trying a repeat

dilation that I gave up asking for it. I guess I was hoping the surgery would be

a definitive treatment that would last me the rest of my life. But one thing

that is becoming clear as I read through the archives is that there's a lot of

variability in people's experiences with achalasia. I have been fortunate--so

far--in avoiding the severe outcomes some of you have had. But the uncertainty

regarding how it's likely to progress and what will happen after the surgery is

frustrating.

Thanks again for all your help. My surgeon said he would probably keep me in the

hospital two nights, assuming no complications. I will post with an update when

I am feeling up to it.

--

[Guest guest]

TRUST!!! We have all been through the same feelings and questions.

We all have Achalasia and will have it the rest of our lives.....we have,

however had cures or solutions to some degree or another. The vast majority

are for the 'much better'. We learn to skirt the problems we still have as

they are minor compared to the way we were before.

My GI in SB strung me along for a year as he couldn't find out what was

wrong with me! Consequently, my E is way outta shape! It has created bubble

pockets that makes it hard to burp or belch....but food goes down, tho

slowly. Much better than before my Heller's and Dor's. Bubbles dont work for me

of any kind. Best news is that I had serious GERD/heartburn since the day I

was pregnant with my first born in 1962 to the day I had my surgery in

2009! He fixed my Hiatal Hernia in the process. I am still angry at the dumb GI

but grateful that I can now eat, tho slowly. No problem with coffee!!!

So....go in and trust! Some of us do really well and some of us still deal

with issues. I think we are all mostly grateful for the surgery! People who

think positively heal better. So, we are waiting for you to tell us how

wonderful it is to feel the food going down into your stomach!!!

Keep us posted.

in Santa Barbara

In a message dated 6/16/2012 4:57:45 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

harris@... writes:

Thanks, everybody, for the support and encouragement, both here and

off-list. I am feeling a lot better about the surgery, or at least I feel

convinced that going ahead is the best decision at this time.

I am also encouraged to hear that many of you are able to drink Diet Coke

and coffee successfully following your procedures. It makes it a lot easier

for me to go into the surgery thinking " maybe I can " instead of " never

again. "

But I do find it disconcerting that so many of you have had repeat

dilations and HM's. My GI guy and surgeon were so adamantly opposed to trying a

repeat dilation that I gave up asking for it. I guess I was hoping the

surgery would be a definitive treatment that would last me the rest of my life.

But one thing that is becoming clear as I read through the archives is that

there's a lot of variability in people's experiences with achalasia. I have

been fortunate--so far--in avoiding the severe outcomes some of you have

had. But the uncertainty regarding how it's likely to progress and what will

happen after the surgery is frustrating.

Thanks again for all your help. My surgeon said he would probably keep me

in the hospital two nights, assuming no complications. I will post with an

update when I am feeling up to it.

--

[Guest guest]

Hope your surgery went well! I had a HM and a partial wrap almost 4 years ago

now. I'm also a serious tea " addict " -about a quart a day. Some of it hot, some

cold, some green tea, some black. Never touch the caffeine-free stuff. It's my

beverage of choice to wash food down my esophagus. My surgeon does a lot of

surgeries for achalasia and is well published on the subject. He never limited

what I could eat at all-even right after surgery. I just make sure I chew my

food thoroughly and wash it down with liquid.

Ask your surgeon to explain his reasoning for the ban on coffee. Tea has never

affected my swallowing. Once I had my HM most of the problems with swallowing

disappeared.

>

> Hi Folks,

>

> I am a new member to the group, 50 year old female, married with two kids.

Although I have had achalasia symptoms since high school, I was not formally

diagnosed until 1998, after I developed aspiration pneumonia and started

coughing up blood. I had a " true " dilation done at that time, and it controlled

my symptoms wonderfully until about six months ago, when I started having

difficulty and pain getting food down again.

>

> I went back to the GI, hoping to get another dilation that would last me

another 13 years, only to be told that they would not do a repeat dilation due

to the risks of perforation and recommended Heller myotomy, with a Dor

fundiplication, which I am scheduled to have on Monday unless my cold feet get

even colder. ;-)

>

> I was worried about possible risks and complications, and depressed about the

prospect of lifelong bad heartburn... and then I went in for my pre-op office

visit and was told that I should avoid coffee and carbonated beverages, forever,

after my surgery. That SERIOUSLY depressed me, as I am a huge coffee addict and

chain-drink Diet Cokes. I cried, actually. And I came very close to having cold

feet and backing entirely out of the surgery.

>

> So I turned to the internet to see what I could find out from other people who

have had this surgery about coffee and carbonated beverages and was delighted to

discover this group. I've been following the Coke threads with avid interest,

and I'm happy to hear that many of you are still able to drink it after the HM.

I hope the same will be true for me.

>

> I also read the " What if I do nothing? " thread with great interest, as I feel

I could have written it myself. At this point my symptoms are not intolerable,

and if I had to choose between my current difficulties and lifelong terrible

heartburn, I'd be tempted to choose my current symptoms. The only reason I am

going ahead with the surgery is because my surgeon pointed out that achalasia is

progressive and recommended doing the surgery while I was still relatively young

and before my esophagus got so tortured that the surgery would be impossible. I

don't want to have to get my esophagus removed, so I decided to schedule the

surgery, but I still have lingering doubts.

>

> I guess the question I have for the group is this: I've seen lots of posts by

people saying they are glad they went ahead with the HM. Is there anybody here

who regrets doing so, and has found their quality of life to be worse than what

they had before?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

I thank everybody for the advice and support. The surgeon said the procedure

went well. He also said it was good that I went ahead and did it, as I was

displaying signs of end-stage achalasia. Apparently my esophagus is quite

tortured and had lots of food backed up in it, even though I had been on a

liquid diet 24 hours before the surgery. He said he did a deep, long cut and

made a 3-4 inch opening to my stomach, which should help somewhat. The next step

would be the esophagectomy, which I really don't want to do. So we'll just see

how things go with this.

I was rather unnerved when they did the barium swallow x-ray, which showed that

none of the contrast dye was going into the stomach. When my surgeon came

around to talk to me, I asked him about it and whether that meant he would have

to go back in. He just laughed and said he didn't care what the barium swallow

showed; he knew there was an opening and that I should go ahead and drink. He

said he ordered the test for one reason only, to see if there was a perforation,

and that since there wasn't I should go ahead and try drinking. I guess he was

right, because I have been able to get liquids down.

Mostly I just feel like I've been run over by a truck. It's a much harder

recovery than I've had for my other surgeries (appendectomy, hysterectomy). I

am feeling better today, though, and hopefully will continue to improve.