Re: HM done 4/25, slowly emptying E still

May 1, 2012

Sweetie, MUCH too early to draw conclusions. My esophagus was in GREAT shape.

But I too, had one of those bugger-tight LES's. Plus a hernia. At my month

follow up, asked the doc why it wasn't totally smooth sailing, and his response

was 1. Understand, it's never going to be the same as before the Achalasia, and

2. In his experience (he's done well over a hundred), there's not much

improvement from day to day, but week to week, and month to month it's big

enough to see/feel/experience. And he's right. Each week is better than the

last, and each month better than the last. Heck, I can still feel some ache at

the trocar sites if I go looking for them, and press a little: it simply takes

TIME to heal.

I actually think regurging is self-protective on the part of the esophagus: if

you *don't* regurge, it sits and stretches, so YOU have to not push it on your

own. . . . And that's likely to be true always. My urge to regurge is HUGE,

and in an odd way, I'm grateful for the reminder not to push the envelope very

far. . . . But we have others here, comes to mind who simply have

learned to live with a cranky esophagus. Look up some of his posts -- he has a

very stretched esophagus, and due to life-style control, has mastered what is

needful wonderfully so far.

I'm finally, four months later, getting the hang of eating post-Heller, lol!

Basic advice, is know your particular foods, and one bite, two swallows of

liquid. It's not quite second nature to me yet, but I'm getting there. I still

keep a regurge cup on the table near me, but some days now, I don't have to use

it at all. . . . And haven't had any problem while driving or being out for a

couple of months. I *does* keep improving for quite a while. . . .

HugZ,

>

> My HM was done on 4/25. I had it done laproscopicly although initially I was

going to have it done endoscopicly. My Esophagus was a bit worse than what they

thought and has taken on the lovely sigmoid shape so that ruled me out of that

study.

>

> Once it was done the Dr. told me I had one of the strongest LES he has ever

had to work on but that he did a very long myotomy however when he got in there

the sigmoid shape was much worse than he thought. All my post op barium

swallows are showing a delay on emptying of a few minutes.

>

> I'm feeling a bit discouraged because I'm afraid the next step is an E-ectomy

however he has told me that many times the E will start to shrink back to a more

normal size as long as we take our time letting it heal. Has anyone had

experience with this? Or did it just work right off?

>

> I knew there was a possibility it wouldn't work because of this board, but no

offense, I really wasn't hoping to join that club. Keeping my fingers crossed

that after another week or so on liquids things will start going down much

faster.

>

> Please excuse the spelling, I can't sleep or spell.

>

> in Maine

>

May 1, 2012

Thanks , I was freaking out last night because I woke up from a spasm and

than started to think about how hard it is to get things down and how all the

Dr.'s at the hospital were shocked that my barium swallow was showing a delay.

except my surgeon, he wasn't as surprised but still seemed hopeful.

I have spent most of my life guzzling water and pushing to get food down or any

other liquid. Sips would only cause things to come back up. Since the myotomy

all I do is sip, and although delayed, it does empty.

I'm also struggling with that feeling of wanting to empty my E. I have been

doing it for so long that it feels so unnatural not to do it.

Thank you again! I hope your recovery is going well!

> >

> > My HM was done on 4/25. I had it done laproscopicly although initially I

was going to have it done endoscopicly. My Esophagus was a bit worse than what

they thought and has taken on the lovely sigmoid shape so that ruled me out of

that study.

> >

> > Once it was done the Dr. told me I had one of the strongest LES he has ever

had to work on but that he did a very long myotomy however when he got in there

the sigmoid shape was much worse than he thought. All my post op barium

swallows are showing a delay on emptying of a few minutes.

> >

> > I'm feeling a bit discouraged because I'm afraid the next step is an

E-ectomy however he has told me that many times the E will start to shrink back

to a more normal size as long as we take our time letting it heal. Has anyone

had experience with this? Or did it just work right off?

> >

> > I knew there was a possibility it wouldn't work because of this board, but

no offense, I really wasn't hoping to join that club. Keeping my fingers

crossed that after another week or so on liquids things will start going down

much faster.

> >

> > Please excuse the spelling, I can't sleep or spell.

> >

> > in Maine

> >

>

May 7, 2012

,

Â

I am glad to hear you are doing well and that with time it gets better. I have

an appointment July 12th, the earliest I can get in, at University of Chicago to

discuss treatment options. I am not real excited about doing a HM, but already

ddi two dilations last year. So either I do another one or the other option is

HM. It is good for me to hear so many positive experiences since the last year

for me has not been that way. I takes a toll one you physically but mentally as

well.

Â

I know I don't post a lot but do read all the posts and wish everyone well. When

I have bad days with A and I read some of the posts here, especially with the

young kids who are trying so hard to understand what all this means and are

really suffering, I have to remind myself to be positive that there are people

worse of than me and I have no right to complain. For their sake, I hope they

find a cure!

Â

Kim A

________________________________

From: puddleriver13 <puddleriver13@...>

achalasia

Sent: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 1:49 PM

Subject: Re: HM done 4/25, slowly emptying E still