New to Group - HM Recovery

[Guest guest]

I've joined this group about a month ago as a lurker,reading posts ,gathering

information and reading stories of fellow sufferers of Achalasia. Well, I've

learned alot and wanted to tell my story. Hopefully, myself and others will

benefit from the shared information about this dreaded disease.

About 3 years ago I noticed a change in my swallowing abilities. I prolonged

getting it checked because I did not have any health insurance. After a

tolerable year of waiting, a GI doctor sent me for an endoscopy. Results were

normal. The Doctor suggested a manometry but again, I procrastinated due to

lack of insurance. During that

time, my symptoms got worse and worse until finally this past July, I managed to

get an impaction in my LES and had to have an emergency endoscopy to unclog it.

That was my turning point and finally had the manometry. The manometry confirmed

that I had zero motility in my esophagus and that my LES was not functioning

normally. It

got so bad for me that I had to stand to eat even soft foods and had to push my

stomach out to get food to pass into my stomach. Since the initial impaction in

July, I had 2 more incidents with blockage but managed to unclog it on my own by

drinking hot liquids and regurgitating food back up for sometimes a few days.Not

eating for

days really su..ed Eventually, some of he food managed to pass down. Totally

horrible experience for me and my wife and kids to witness. Needless to say,

I've been very distraught and unpleasant and has effected my relationship with

my family. Although, they have been very understanding. Like many of you out

there, avoiding

social events and even spending Christmas eve home alone was very common. After

doing some extensive research, I found a surgeon who fit the bill to help me. He

has 23 years experience and is Director of minimally invasive surgery at New

York Medical College and Westchester Medical Center in New York's Hudson Valley.

His name is Dr.Ashutosh Kaul, MD. He has had hundreds of patients with this

condition.

I met with him to discuss the options for me and it was concluded that I was at

the end stage of Achalasia. I needed the Heller Myotomy with Nissen

Fundoplication.

Fortunately for me, I think because I had modified my diet during the

progression of the disease, my esophagus managed to stay intact and not dilate

like many others might have. If I could give any advice here to anyone, don't

try and force food down your esophagus and stick to really soft foods and

liquids such as nutritional

shakes. I make my own shakes using EAS soy protein bodybuilding powder in milk

and add bananas, organic frozen fruit and blender it.

I even add Benefiber to it. I have not eaten meat in well over 6 months.I also

drink the Ensures, Boost etc.

Fast forward to 3 days ago 1/12/12, I had the surgery at Westchester Medical

Center, Valhalla, NY. The morning after the surgery, I was informed that they

also discovered I had a hiatal hernia which Dr. kaul repaired. For those of you

who are not familiar with hiatal hernias such as myself, it is when the stomach

slides up

into the thoracic cavity past the diaphram. After being informed of this, I

immediately got on my Kindle and went online to learn more about hiatal hernias.

The more I think about it,I think that I may have given myself the hernia by

trying to unclog my blockage. Hmmm.?

Ironically, the surgical procedure used to repair a hiatal hernia is either a

Nissen or Dor Fundoplication. Interestingly, I also read on Wikipedia that on

rare occasions, complications from Hiatal hernias could be Achalasia. Although

there are no known causes for Achalasia, for myself, I always wondered what

could have triggered my condition and concluded that it was probably stress. I

asked my surgeon about any correlation between the HH's and Ach.. and he said

no. I have to

disagree with that but at this stage, it does not matter but it is something to

consider.

Well, here I am at home, 3 days after surgery writing this and not feeling too

bad at all.Doctor said that after the 2nd day, when the anesthesia completely

fades, the pain will be worse. Needless to say lots of discomfort and pain in my

upper body but the meds help. I've had numerous instances of heartburn but was

told it is common,

They gave me Pepcid 2x daily and Maalox when needed in addition. All liquid diet

for 6 days, then a strict soft diet for 2 months. My surgeon told me that after

about 10 days I won't even know that I had surgery (I pray for that). If I miss

anything I'll keep updating and I hope that I may have helped someone in this

group.

Best wishes and health to everyone,

Wappingers Falls,