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Dilatation with Fluroscopy

Posted , 2 users are following.

jacarr1
jacarr1

Hi All,

I'll try to keep this brief, I've had achalasia for maybe six years or so and decided not to have the operation (preferring to keep it as a last resort) anyway I'm 50 yrs old and have, on and off suffered all the same symptoms as many of you from time to time and that's why I lifted "Tips For Coping With Achalasia" back to page one when it had fallen to page six. I believe People need to see this, especially if they have just been diagnosed with this awful condition.

Anyway, It leads me to talk about " Dilatation with Fluroscopy". From day one I had trouble getting the right diagnoses and when I did there was a lot of pressure to have the operation, however my Surgeon as respected my wishes to hold off! and yes I have upper endoscopies and reviews every 12 months or so.

The first few dilatations by the upper endoscopy unit were a Disaster, then my Surgeon took over my Dilatations and this is were the Fluroscopy came into it, He was able to more accurately guide the balloon to the exact position. The results were immediate, I'm not joking!, I was, for the first time in years able to swallow, Unbelievable!! When I had the first one done He said it may take as many as three goes to get any relief, I had the second one done six months later just to take it a little further and since then I haven't needed any more, not to say I wont, It's now been over 12 months since the last dilatation and still only minimal signs of any return.

All I'm saying is ASK your Specialist about this procedure, and if they're aware of it, I believe it may be worth a try!!

I'm more than willing to talk further on this procedure if anyone have any other questions.

Best Wishes, Fellow Suffers,

Jim

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Merryl
    Merryl jacarr1

    Posted

    Hi, Thank you for telling your story. Could you tell me if Achalasia  is the same as Dismotility. I was diagnosed with this about 3 months ago with a barium swallow, but I was told it was not bad. So as far as I know, it was left at that. The Dr never mentioned any other scans.  I also had an endoscopy just over a year ago but this only showed a mild hiatus hernia (which I knew about) and H pylori (I think it was) I have been getting severe chest pain now and it seems to be getting worse.

    Did you suffer with severe chest pain? I also get dry heaves / gagging without eating anything, but nothing comes up. I am at the end of my tether with this.

    Hope you are still symptom free.

    • AlanJM
      AlanJM Merryl

      Posted

      Motility is the process of the body taking food through the digestive system by a series of muscular contracyions.   So motility disorder, or dismotility is the name given when there is something wrong with this porcess.   You can have motility disorders that are not achalasia, so I think that the answer is that achalsia is dismotility, but not necessarily vice versa, if that makes sense?

      I think the symptoms you describe are worth getting checked out again, and I would return to your doctor to ask for a review.

       

  • AlanJM
    AlanJM jacarr1

    Posted

    The only thing to be wary about is that repeated dilatations will eventually affect the texture of your oesopahgeal lining in due course, but let's hope that the present situation continues.

    It just goes to show that the more specilaist they are and the better their kit, the better their results are!    It sounds like you should have confidence in their advice in the future if you need to return!

  • jacarr1
    jacarr1

    Posted

    Hi Alan,

    I think where this proceedure differs, is that it is more acurate then using a camera down the Oesophagus, any sugestion of me having the old proceedure is not on, its been two years, since the first time this was done and I'm still going really well, in fact had i not had the Fluroscopy i think i would have considered surgery, but since this is a lifelong condition once it is contracted it gives me a little longer before the drastic step of surgery,its not for everyone but its a slightly different approach, and something that should be disscused more on this forum.

    Regards,

    Jim

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