Is this pain an oesophageal spasm, acid reflux, or a combination of both?
Posted , 10 users are following.
I've had Achalasia for almost 10 years now, and I am trying to get some questions answered. Anyway, I am wondering about this pain that I get maybe every two weeks or so. It is a very severe pain. I feel it all over my chest, and sometimes in my neck and head. When I first started experiencing this pain, I would drink a couple glasses of water and it would go away. Now, it is harder to get it to go away. Water does help but only temporarily. I've started to eat full packages of saltine crackers when this happens, and I feel like that helps. It still takes a while to go away though.
Anyway, I don't know if this is a muscle spasm or a very very severe acid reflux, or maybe a combination of the both. Do you guys have any insights on this? Also what do you take when you have muscle spasms and/or acid reflux?
Thanks!
1 like, 31 replies
Aqua-Man aaron01991
Posted
Start a food diary of when you take your pills..what foods you do good with..
How much comes up etc...you can share this with doctor too..but its mainly for you..keep track of your weight too.
Taking your mulit-vitamin everyday is also IMPORTANT to supplement those bad days.
The way the milk trick works is it will hurt..but try your best to force it past the sphincter..give up if too painful..try 2-3 times..sometimes by my third try I sense a little went down..and all of a sudden 4th opens it up..and that is HEAVEN..eat but not too much your stomach is small now.
Also how do you know if something gets past sphincter?
That is determined by your output...very little or either shows where you are weak and need to keep trying even if you are failing.
But after 3-4 times I usually even give up and try next meal.
This is a very expensive disease..and requires trying a little of this..that ..
I sometimes eat starwberries,,grapes..also marshmellows help me fill the void of hunger.Then I try crackers w/ cheese.....then a soup..then chocolate..milk..and fluids always. All of this in one sitting...just a little of each not too much.
I am scared someone might suffocate and die with milk trick so try to force it but recognize the pain and stop when no success.
aaron01991 Aqua-Man
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amy56547 aaron01991
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Mish221 amy56547
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Aqua-Man amy56547
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Not that I want surgery..I will keep fighting without.
Thanks for heads up on clarification. I am a new patient..old victim.
Been fighting mine for all these years without doctors.
AlanJM Mish221
Posted
Achalasia Types
(but the classifications are not always very clear cut)
Classical Type I
Compression Type II
Vigorous Type III
Classical:
Lack of peristalsis (muscle contractions).
Failure of relaxation of LOS
Compression achalasia:
Ineffective, asynchronous (uncoordinated) peristalsis
Failure of LOS relaxation.
Vigorous achalasia:
High amplitude peristalsic spikes
Asynchronous / vigorous contractions in oesophagus)
Failure of LOS relaxation
Surgeons are wary of putting too much emphasis on what type it is, and I have seen Type 1 described as absent peristalsis; Type 2 - pan-oesophageal pressurisation; Type 3 Spastic Achalasia - preserved peristalsis with simultaneous contractions.
There are also motility disoorders that are not achalasia.
I realise that this does not answer your question in any way that you would have wanted, but it does emphasise the importance of concentrating on your own signs and symptoms and being aware that what works for some may not work for others.
aaron01991 amy56547
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amy56547 aaron01991
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Aqua-Man amy56547
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aaron01991 amy56547
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jamie62411 aaron01991
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amy56547 jamie62411
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jamie62411 aaron01991
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boulenoire aaron01991
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I've had achalasia for about 8 years, diagnosed for 6.
Also suffer a similar chest type pain every two weeks or so. Sometimes when I cough or make sudden body movements it can bring it on.
For me drinking cold water works every time.
Although a couple of years ago when I had food poisoning and had been vomitting quite a lot, I had a similar pain for 12hrs, and cold water had no effect. Don't know if there is some sort of connection, but thought it was worth mentioning in case anyone had similar experiences and could establish some sort of connection.
I tend to avoid drinking milk and other dairly products (have to make an exception for cheese now and again though). I find they produce mucas in my Oesophagus and make the whole swallowing process much harder.
No intention at the moment in having surgery, just trying to eat heathy and eliminate foods that cause problems. Stress definitely plays a big part in my achalasia, so constantly trying to relax and not be stressed out or rushing at meal times.