Chronic pain, chronic spasam
Posted , 4 users are following.
I have had achalasia for several years. I had a hellers myotomy 2 years ago with great success with eating but not from spasam relief. I am at the point now of chronic spasam. I cannot sleep at night my chest is so painful. Sometimes it is many short spasams and sometimes it lasts for hours. I have tried botox and every med out there. With no relief. What has worked for you? I live in the US so maybe someone in Europe or elsewhere has an idea.
0 likes, 4 replies
AlanJM teresa_08485
Posted
I think it is true to say that the Heller's myotomy invariably helps with the swallowing aspect of achalasia, but in relation to spasms, it may not. It seems that two years afterwards there is still something triggering these spasms. I think you need to return to the specialist and it might be that a high resolution manometry test might give more details of where the spasms start. But presumably this might already have been done?
?So in that case it falls into getting your system to relax more, perhaps with Buscopan, Sucralfate, nitrates, or calcium channel blockers. I have heard people talk of medication that increases blood flow (eg Cialis /viagra) and even, if your jurisdiction permits, some versions of cannabis.
?Less controversially, deep breathing exercises; stretch upwards, including elongating your neck; press downwards in the middle chest area; drinking warm water; eating a small piece of banana; or yoga.
?Something in the nerve system is triggering these spasms, and the answer may well be something that influences nerve sensitivity. It is a really difficult problem, and I hope that you can find some form of relief with the help of the doctors.
?I am sure that you develop a sensitivity around when these attacks might occur, but some form of relaxation / complementary therapies might be worth trying (eg acupuncture?) as you probably have nothing to lose. Avoiding stress and anxiety is easier said than done, but is nevertheless also important.
teresa_08485 AlanJM
Posted
Thank you for your input. I have tried all of those meds including viagra. I cannot trt cannabis where I live. Eating a chunk of string cheese is my go to but I can't always have that with me, like at work. I have even applied for a new job. I'm a nurse and often have to go into surgery with my patients and having a spasam there is horrible. I am often in a situation where I cannot have cheese with me, or anything for that matter. I have them a lot at night and whenever during the day. They do vary in severity. I like the idea of yoga, I could try that. I've been having spasams for 7 years now. My doctor thinks they will go away, and I don't think they will. I wondered if a longer myotomy would help. Thank you for your reply as nobody i know understands what I am going through.
AlanJM teresa_08485
Posted
kevin78403 teresa_08485
Posted
It's hard to tell the difference between spasms and acid reflux. If they are spasms, then they will eventually go away on their own as my Heller myotomy surgeon told me since the nerves that cause the spasms are dying. The disease is progressive, after all. In the case of spasms, I recommend taking a giant gulp of water without air several times, so large in fact that it feels a bit uncomfortable. I literally did that myself no less than 2 hours ago with the first spasm I've had since April. In case it's acid reflux, I also tend to take 1 tablet of Gaviscon (aluminium hydroxide and magnesium carbonate) before bed and try to fall asleep on my left side. I also stopped eating food 2 hours before bed. Overall this practice has led to drastic improvements and "spasms" that are few and far between.