Confused again!

Achalasia
#1

Hi, I am new to this group.

I have been on the yahoo groups a few times but no time lately. I have been doing fine with no Myotomy and it has been 5 years since last botox and dialation. I have just learned to deal with it and thankfully my eating has not came to a complete stop again!

Now I am have this burning pain in the top of my stomach, I really thought something was inflammed there, that is what it felt like. I went to GI 2 weeks ago and he ran another scope and said everything looked good, but esophagus was a little enlarged (common). He then sent me in to have my gall bladder checked, the test came back normal.

I have stumped him and I will be going to another GI specialist again (the first one was horrible). I guess my question is has anybody had pain right in the top middle part of there stomach with the pain radiating through the rib cage and chest and up on the sides of the throat, even in the spine? Sometimes it last a couple hours and the last 2 times it lasted 22 hours! ouch!

I do get spasms, but this is different, much worse and I am unable to get it to stop. With spasms, I drink a glass of cool tap water, and they stop. Any suggestions would be great as I am going to be seeing another (so called) specialist and would like to be able to have info to give him!

Thanks so much

#3

Hi - I have had chest pain similar to an angina attack, but stopped after Botox inj. No symptoms other than that, and the only help I received was from my nitro pills. The spasms were horrible and I can certainly feel for you and glad that you do get help with tap water. You didn’t mention nitro, but if you haven’t tried this, I would suggest that with your doctor. Good luck to you.

#4

Hi ruthleerlo, No I have never been on nitro. What do you use it for? the control of the spasms? This is probably the most aggravating disorder to understand! The only thing I have ever done is dialations, botox, and trial and error on my own part.

#6

I hope this will be of some help because in the past so many of the people on this site have helped me out. I had my second myotomy on July 31 this year they also have removed my gall badder becuase it was full of sludge and not working properly I have had stomach pain they said it was related to achalasia not the gall bladder. I do have relfux and spasms. For the spasms I take Bentyl (basically a muscle relaxer) it works great. Nitro tabs did not work so well for me they did not last long enough and I have borderline low blood pressure so it caused by blood pressure to drop even more not a good thing.

If I can help you out in anyway please let me know. Good luck in resolving this frustrating thing.

Tricia

#7

Hi Kristi - it is possible to have gall bladder attacks WITHOUT having stones and there are some studies that suggest a connection between gall bladder disease and A.

I had my GB removed just over 2 years ago and had been having attacks for YEARS!! I even had an ultrasound for stones back in 1998-ish - they found none but I am sure that I was having attacks back then, the surgeon that did the removal told me that my GB? had scarring indicating that it had been problematic for many years.

there is something called a HIDA (?) scan that they can do - I never had it done but you might want to ask.

The other thing I would recommend is that you go to Cleveland if you can. I haven’t been there myself, I had surgery before the internet so I didn’t even know it existed! but - I have spoken with Dr. Rice before and he is great. There are tons of people who have been to him and they all have nothing but nice things to say about him. He is the best of the best.

As far as the -ectomy thing - run away as fast as you can from the quack who told you that you are too young to have a myotomy. I had one at age 20 in 1989. They do them on children all the time and they are recognized as now being the best first option for people with A.

Go see Dr. Rice, if you do need to have the -ectomy, at least you know that you’re getting the opinion of the best of the best. (he’s the one who just told me that I need an -ectomy)

Good luck in finding some answers.

Happy Swallowing!
-MIchelle in NC

#8

Hi again! The nitro relaxes the spasm and it has done wonders for me. I sent you mail thru careplace as well. I will repeat what I said: I am about 8-9 wks. past the botox and dilitation and the spasms have totally stopped. While I experienced them I used the nitro and it resolved the spasm. My dr. feels that at present I am as good as I will get (for a while) as long as I stay on semi-soft and easy to chew foods. Thank goodness for blenders! Let me know if your dr. will prescribe the nitroglycerin tabs. It certainly is worth a try and they are very inexpensive. I have also used a pill (under the tongue to dissolve) before meals to relax the esophagus. It worked.

Ruth