hello im 25 and have been living with achalasia for 15 years. i have had two ballon treatments.it did help but still struggle with chewing food and have to drink lots of water with food. it also causing me alot of pain. what can i do next.can anyone help.?xx
Keep us posted, we know what you are going through!!! If you ask me, this is a hideous disease that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Not only that but I had the rumors of being bulemic and anorexia going around the small town that I live and it was aweful. I have three daughters that had to watch me waste away to nothing and then they went to school to hear such terrible rumors about their mother. It was not a good period in my life (I went down to 88 pounds), but now I am healthy and living a great life with my daughters!! It is worth it just for family!
I am in the exact same boat. I am considering Botox or one more balloon dilation before I do the surgery. I am 36 yrs old, female, otherwise very healthy.
I had the Heller Myotomy with fundu… about 4 years ago from a thoracic surgeon here in Green Bay, WI. Excellent doctor, and the best thing I ever did. I can eat anyting I want, but I have been getting the esophageal spasms lately. But I would recommend finding a great surgeon and bite the bullet!! You would be amazed at the results assuming you have a good doctor that knows what he/she is doing. Good Luck, prayers and thought are with you!
I agree with Jono & SruKmp. I had my Heller Myotomy with Fundu in 2008. Living normally since. Procedure was only abt 2hrs …24 hrs in hospital, 1 week off work…then all back to normal. All I need these days is to be sure to have a glass of water when I eat certain things like rice or mashed potatoe…a quick sip & all is OK. Go do it & get on with a normal life again!!
I had heller myotomy about 3 years ago best thing I ever did in my life. Made me almost normal again. can eat and drink everything. All else is just temporary and in my opinion delaying the inevitable. I had surgery done in CT and was very happy with my surgeon. I have never been back to see him.
I live in the UK. My Achalasia was diagnosed 25 years ago. My first dilatation seemed to give relief for only about a month. A second dilation gave relief for two or three months more. My consultant was convinced I should have surgery and this was before keyhole surgery was in common use. My wife and I objected and suggested that a further dilation would last longer next time.
So, since then I have had a number of dilations at ever increasing intervals, to the point where I now feel I will never need another. I did have one session of Botox, which gave me a benefit, but by that time I was only mildly affected by the condition. In the last twenty years I have had only one dilation and that was ten years ago.
We all appear to be different in the way that we are affected by Achalasia and I would urge you to listen to your body. Symptoms are made worse by what we eat and at what time and getting it wrong will cause distress sometimes for days after.
Personally I would not have surgery, but then my condition may be totally different from yours.
Just a thought, I do get relief from hot drinks. They seem to relax the muscle and ease the food on its way.