Guest guest Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Dear and Fellow Achalasians All, I have been reading the posts here and there and do want to say " Welcome " to all the great new people coming to this great group. For several years I was a caregiver for my stepfather, whose dementia made him even nastier than he was before he seemed affected. But I made it, I did a good job and since he has passed, my sister and I are starting to get back to our lives. Except, with this lunatic stalker popping up in my driveway at night, and other not-delightful things he does, I AM feeling worse Achalasia-wise. For some time right after my Hellers, I was burping a lot. Then, that changed to a sort of air " POP " sound and now it's air pockets and also water building up in my throat. I actually can get some of it to go down by massaging my neck. I am just about to call Dr. Conklin and see as if he has any time for me. I'm afraid I cannot afford a barium test because I ran out of finances for health insurance in 2010. My Cigna plan was at $32,000. a year. So, I had to let it go. But I do have a Walgreen's pharmacy card, it's a club, and by God, it really saves on prescriptions. I will tell Dr. Conklin what's going on and hope that he can offer me some ideas of what to do. How are you doing, ? and Notan, and and everybody? I wish everyone well, really and truly good health. Achalasia is really something of a wild ride sometimes, and it seems to do all sorts of nasty things to people. But this group certainly is a God-send and I'm grateful you are here. Deborah, at the beach, looking for another Realtor. > > Hi Deborah, >  > From your (at the beach) posts I wasn't sure that it was you at first (with a different email address). > I am so sorry to read that you have been going thru this aggravating time that you seem unable to do anything about. > I hope the court rules in your favor and you'll be able to resume a " normal " life soon. >  > There probably is not much I can tell you that you don't already know, though Notan (as you well know) always comes up with something when all else fails. >  > Clearly you recognize and appreciate the connection between NCCPS and stress, so perhaps you are really asking for a way of reducing your stress (given the stalker does not get put away or finds a new " career. " ) >  > Its beyond anything I can tell you as to how to deal with this type of stress, but I would venture to say that there is a very real possibility that your present swallowing problems are also due to the same stress you are going thru and might ease if your stalker stops. >  > For now, besides trying to reduce your stress levels (perhaps thru some acceptable drug), focus on making sure your esophagus is cleared, not just after finishing a meal, but before starting your next meal. Inability to swallow water can be frightening and indicative of a more serious issue other than a stressed induced tightening of your LES. If your situation does not improve after two weeks I strongly recommend that you have either or both an endoscopy or barium swallow. How long has it been since your last one? In the meantime, eat as slowly as you can and drink as much as you can tolerate, and hopefully the food will go down and reduce the possibility of aspirating. >  > Having read all your posts since you first arrived at this site around 7 years ago, I really feel your pain and frustration and how this has affected the quality of your life. Please keep us up to date on how you are doing. >  > > > > ________________________________ > From: artistdeborahlee <deborah_Lattimore@...> > achalasia > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 4:33 AM > Subject: re: Nccps > > >  > Hi, I actually wrote a letter to you guys but it did not register, > so, I'll try to reconstruct what I thought I sent. > > NCCPS: I am having them more and more lately. I think it's the > result of a neighbor who has been stalking me. > I am a known author-illustrator of children's books and I've had > two stalkers but they have since vanished. > This guy lives directly across the street from me and > he has stalked about 12 other women in my small area. > So far he is the main suspect in my home burglary (broke in > and stole my two security cameras trained on him and his home), > also the main suspect in manually turning off my water main, > and he tried to kill one of my ie dogs, he also > chased me around my home, down my driveway and almost > right into my house, screaming and threatening me with > violence. He's a drunk and he's totally unpredictable. > Try sleeping at night with a drunken, druggie banging on > your bedroom window with a flashlight in the middle of > the night. (I am only one of a dozen females he likes to > do this to. I did ask other victims to join me in a sort > of class-action lawsuit but most of them are elderly > and scared to death of his vindictiveness.) > > I now have eleven counts against him, coming up in > a court proceeding, in two weeks's time. > > My chest is beginning to be a very serious problem and I > will be calling Dr. Conklin (Cedars- BH, Ca.) > tomorrow morning, > in the hope that he can help me. > > I am also having trouble swallowing water again, > and a bit of foam is coming up, again, and I have > a lot of saliva-pooling. I had my Hellers in Jan. '06, > Dr. Fuller, at Cedars-Sinai. > > Anything anyone can say will help me. > I don't mind losing weight again but I hate > aspirating. And, I'd rather just live my > life in peace. > > Thank you. > Deborah > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hi Deborah,  As it has been pointed out periodically by others, sometimes doctors have a heart and work out financial matters in a way that leaves us with some " dignity " at the end of the day. I'm hoping that you can speak with Dr. Conklin and hopefully work something out. My own daughter (as I have mentioned once in a while) is an orthopaedic surgeon, and I often hear stories about what happens when patients, who don't have insurance, and are financially strapped, receive medical help (sometimes by simply going thru the ER), though in your case you would not want an ER doc to touch you.  As to how I am doing, hopefully my nonfunctioning esophagus remains just where it is, 6 years after being told it must be removed. The stress levels in my life have been " off the chart " but I have been fortunate to have taught myself to keep it away from the eating and digestive process, so it does not affect me as it would have years ago.  Its always great to hear from you, but I just wish it came with a different scenario this time.  ________________________________ From: artistdeborahlee <deborah_Lattimore@...> achalasia Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 3:30 PM Subject: Re: Nccps// Thanks,  Dear and Fellow Achalasians All, I have been reading the posts here and there and do want to say " Welcome " to all the great new people coming to this great group. For several years I was a caregiver for my stepfather, whose dementia made him even nastier than he was before he seemed affected. But I made it, I did a good job and since he has passed, my sister and I are starting to get back to our lives. Except, with this lunatic stalker popping up in my driveway at night, and other not-delightful things he does, I AM feeling worse Achalasia-wise. For some time right after my Hellers, I was burping a lot. Then, that changed to a sort of air " POP " sound and now it's air pockets and also water building up in my throat. I actually can get some of it to go down by massaging my neck. I am just about to call Dr. Conklin and see as if he has any time for me. I'm afraid I cannot afford a barium test because I ran out of finances for health insurance in 2010. My Cigna plan was at $32,000. a year. So, I had to let it go. But I do have a Walgreen's pharmacy card, it's a club, and by God, it really saves on prescriptions. I will tell Dr. Conklin what's going on and hope that he can offer me some ideas of what to do. How are you doing, ? and Notan, and and everybody? I wish everyone well, really and truly good health. Achalasia is really something of a wild ride sometimes, and it seems to do all sorts of nasty things to people. But this group certainly is a God-send and I'm grateful you are here. Deborah, at the beach, looking for another Realtor. > > Hi Deborah, >  > From your (at the beach) posts I wasn't sure that it was you at first (with a different email address). > I am so sorry to read that you have been going thru this aggravating time that you seem unable to do anything about. > I hope the court rules in your favor and you'll be able to resume a " normal " life soon. >  > There probably is not much I can tell you that you don't already know, though Notan (as you well know) always comes up with something when all else fails. >  > Clearly you recognize and appreciate the connection between NCCPS and stress, so perhaps you are really asking for a way of reducing your stress (given the stalker does not get put away or finds a new " career. " ) >  > Its beyond anything I can tell you as to how to deal with this type of stress, but I would venture to say that there is a very real possibility that your present swallowing problems are also due to the same stress you are going thru and might ease if your stalker stops. >  > For now, besides trying to reduce your stress levels (perhaps thru some acceptable drug), focus on making sure your esophagus is cleared, not just after finishing a meal, but before starting your next meal. Inability to swallow water can be frightening and indicative of a more serious issue other than a stressed induced tightening of your LES. If your situation does not improve after two weeks I strongly recommend that you have either or both an endoscopy or barium swallow. How long has it been since your last one? In the meantime, eat as slowly as you can and drink as much as you can tolerate, and hopefully the food will go down and reduce the possibility of aspirating. >  > Having read all your posts since you first arrived at this site around 7 years ago, I really feel your pain and frustration and how this has affected the quality of your life. Please keep us up to date on how you are doing. >  > > > > ________________________________ > From: artistdeborahlee <deborah_Lattimore@...> > mailto:achalasia%40 > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 4:33 AM > Subject: re: Nccps > > >  > Hi, I actually wrote a letter to you guys but it did not register, > so, I'll try to reconstruct what I thought I sent. > > NCCPS: I am having them more and more lately. I think it's the > result of a neighbor who has been stalking me. > I am a known author-illustrator of children's books and I've had > two stalkers but they have since vanished. > This guy lives directly across the street from me and > he has stalked about 12 other women in my small area. > So far he is the main suspect in my home burglary (broke in > and stole my two security cameras trained on him and his home), > also the main suspect in manually turning off my water main, > and he tried to kill one of my ie dogs, he also > chased me around my home, down my driveway and almost > right into my house, screaming and threatening me with > violence. He's a drunk and he's totally unpredictable. > Try sleeping at night with a drunken, druggie banging on > your bedroom window with a flashlight in the middle of > the night. (I am only one of a dozen females he likes to > do this to. I did ask other victims to join me in a sort > of class-action lawsuit but most of them are elderly > and scared to death of his vindictiveness.) > > I now have eleven counts against him, coming up in > a court proceeding, in two weeks's time. > > My chest is beginning to be a very serious problem and I > will be calling Dr. Conklin (Cedars- BH, Ca.) > tomorrow morning, > in the hope that he can help me. > > I am also having trouble swallowing water again, > and a bit of foam is coming up, again, and I have > a lot of saliva-pooling. I had my Hellers in Jan. '06, > Dr. Fuller, at Cedars-Sinai. > > Anything anyone can say will help me. > I don't mind losing weight again but I hate > aspirating. And, I'd rather just live my > life in peace. > > Thank you. > Deborah > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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