Achalasia and Uni?

Hi what symptoms do you get

Hi,

So sorry to hear. I can relate to what you're going through. I'm now 20 but have had achalasia for the last 5 years (it was at its worst whilst I was doing my GCSEs).

What symptoms have started reappearing and other than surgery have you had any other forms of treatment?

Have you already got a place in uni? Im not sure what they'd do in terms of student finance but I know that they can be extremely accommodating for other things (student support, extra time in exams etc).

If you want to talk further let me know.

I hope it all goes well for you!

-A

The first issue about disability allowance is a bit of a technical one.   It would all depend on the impact it has on your life and your ability to study, I imagine.

All achalasia treatments do require a parallel approach of trying to reduce stress, anxiety and tension, especially around eating and swallowing, and I would suggest that you explore the potential for this approach.   The modern approach of eating meals on the go, and hurried snacks, are something that you would almost certainly have difficulty with, as you will no doubt know only too well.

The final part is that you write that you had an operation but that this was unsuccessful.  Some treatments (eg dilatation) do tend to have only a short term effect for some people, and sometimes a myotomy may not have been long enough to have made the imapct that was anticipated.   So I think you need to return to a specialist to discuss how best to plan any future treatment, because at your relatively young age you do need to think seriously about getting the best chance of a long term remedy, and a good number of peiople do need more than one go at surgery. 

Very sorry you're having to go through this at such a young age. I had my first diagnosis in 2012 and had a Hellers that same year after loosing 25 pounds. I was 61 at the time. Following the eating recommendations of my physician. Don't drink anything to cold or hot, eat slowly and chew well. Cold poultry or meats may cause a problem. Do no't eat anything afer 8PM because it won't be digested adequately, sleep using a wedge pillow. I think most important for me anyway is to eat smaller portions of food throughout the day. Doing so has also helped me to maintain a comfortable weight. Good luck to you all.

Hi Emily,

You certainly seem to be having a particularly tough experience with Achalasia.  Your weight loss makes my 10 kilos loss look like a minor blip, by comparison; and I feel 5.5 stones is more significant than the weight loss generally experienced.  With regard to support from Student Services, I would imagine that that will vary greatly, as each Uni will likely as not have independent / arbitrary priorities and policies to support any individual who is experiencing difficulties in relation to their student experience.  Have you been offered / accepted a confirmed place at a particular Uni?  

All the best for the future.

​Mick